Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-11-14
ODD MOUNTAIN RACE.
rennessse People who Claim Portu-
guese Descent.


The most peculiar people among the
mountaineers Of Tennessee are the
Malungeons. They are copper colored,
with high cheek bones. straight noses.
black hair. rather coarse. black eyes,
and have more Intelligence than the
ordinary mOUntaineers.
Their color and their customs have
caused them a great deal OF trouble.
The MalungeOns number between 400
and 500. They live on Black Kater
creek. In Hancock county. and they
have been I'm that section more than
100 years. The records OF Hancock
county show that their ancestors came
TO PowelIs valley as eagiy as 1880,
when they took up lands on Black
Water Tradition says they held alOof
from the white settlers and spoke a
strange language. which none OF the
pioneers understood. Some Of them
could speak broken English. ana by
this means communicated with the
white merchants TO the extent OF buy
Ing arms and ammunition and other
supplies which they could not procure
In the valleys Cf their mountain homes.
Before the war the Maiur-c8ls had
vote and 10 send their children 10 the
public schools. The white citizens de
clared that they were ucSro,.s. and the
matter was finally carried into the
courts 1t developed that thr ancestors
OF these people eriig.ated t. America
about 100 years a-o from the interior
OF Portugal. and had spent some time
In South Carolina before going to Ten
nessee. They declared on tie witness
stand that ,hCl. ..as not drop Of
negro blood in their veins and aftcr
lonS and tedinuS litigation they were
allowed To vote and send their children
70 school
When the war broke out I'm 1861 the
AalungeOns cSpouSed the cause of the
Union. After the war closed and the
MalungeOnS returned 10 their old pur-
suits they found that the government
was interfering with one Of their chief
notwithstanding whisky They had
been distillers back in South Carolina
and some OF the earliest stills In Ten
nessee were brought by their ancestors
over the mountains from their original
settlement They killed revenue OH
GERS. just as the other mOuntaineers
years. however. the revenue men have
been so persistent in the work OF de
strOying the Illicit traffic that the Ma
dungeons have sold but little whisky
openly. They still make moonshine
/ whisky, but they have adopted the art
ful. dodging tactics OF the other moon
sinners Of the Tennessee and Kentucky
mountains. and Il is rare that one Of
the race is caught SO far as known
not one OF the Malungeons has ever
ridden on train.
Their deep. religious nature is the
most striking OF all their characters
tics. During their meetings they Will
| sing and shout until almost beside
themselves with religious fervor One
OF the petriarchs or the Malungeons
was Uncle Ward Collins. Many years
ago a noted church bishop was travel
ing through the Black Water district
he accidentally came TO Uncle Ward :
house and asked 10 stay overnight
with him. a privilege readily grnnted.
| When he told the old man he was a
preacher. the patriarch said he would
like to hear him preach. The bishop
inquired where the congregation would
! come from. For answer his host took
long dinner horn from its rack and
going outdoors. blew several shrill
blasts Within an hour 100 people had
assembled and showed great interest
IN the sermon.
The Malungeons were Wings before
the war, and since then have voted the
Republican ticket Their customs have
not changed In 200 years. They still
live in one roomed log cabins and use
the old fashioned. long barreled rifle
which hangs over every door They
are warm hearted and hospitable. and
1t is claimed. make the purest noun
tain brandy To be found The family
names are Gibson, Mullins. Collins
| wilkins and II few Others.-Special Cor
Chicago Record.