Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-12-02
THE DELAWARE "MOORS."

THE DELAWARE "MOORS."
When l was a boy and young man,
the general impression prevailing in
the several parts of this state where
this rrcc cf people had settled was
that they had sprung from some
spanish Moors who. by chance, had
driftcd from tho southern coast OF
spain. prior 10 the Revolutionary
War. and settled at various points on
the Atlantic Coast OF the British
colonies; but exactly where and when,
nobody could tell. This story Of their
genesis seemed TO have originated
with. or at any rate. was adopted by
the late Chief Justice Thomas Clay
ton, whose grea; learning and re-
search gave semblanoe of authority
10 A.. and Like almost everybody else.
accepted II rs the true one for
many year,. although my father. who
was born and reared in that portion
20 Sussex county where these people
were more numerous than in any
other part Of the State, always insist
ed that they were an admixture Of
Indian. Negro and white man. and
Eav, his reason therefor-that he had
always 30 understood from Noke Nor
wood, whom 1 knew when / was a
small boy. Noke lived. away back in
the s0's. IN a small shanty, long since
removed. situated near what has been
known for more than a century as
sand Tavern Lane. on the ives, side
~ the public road ard nearly in front
Of the farmhouse now owned by Hon
Jonathan ;. Wills. our able and
popular Representative IN Congress
| well remember with what awe
contemplated his gigantic form when
nrst hcheld him. My father had
known him as a boy, and / never
passed his cabin without stopping. He
was , dark, oopper-colored man. abou,
ss feet and a half in height. OF
splcnd.d proportions. perfectly
Craieht, coal black hair Though a,
ls~st 30 years ODD. black eyes and
A.Eh cheek bones.
When l became Attorney General
- me State IL fell 10 my lot 10 in
vO0gAfs the pedigree O. this strange
0Oe~ among whom was Norwood
~ thak day Norwood was held 10
Wcai reverence as being one OF the
oaoust Of his race. This / learned
erorn my father. who knew him fol-
many year.. when they both lived IN
the De.ehborhood of Lewes, in SUISSE,
county. ! have spoken OF this rae,
90 a strange people. because i hav.
known come families among :lem al
81 -
turre. hair and eyes OF the pur,
Caucasian, while IN other families tn
shildrvr would all be exceed;ngl,
swarShy in complexion but with per
f.c.'y straight black hair, and oc
casionaiiy a family whose ch!ldrei
ranred through nearly the entir
racial samut. from the perfect blon
90 az l.ast quadroon mulatto, an
quite a number who possessed all IN
appearance OF a red-haired. freckle
lace 1iieerniAn. My Investigation &
their g.nealoey came about in ia
rial % a Levin Sockum. one or IN
race, upon an Indictment found b
The srsnd jury OF Sussex count
asainst him FOR selling ammunitlp ,
go isaiah Harmon. one ~ the sam
ace, who was alleged in the indie,
ment % be a free mulatto. The In
dictmsDt was framed under the 2,
section of Chapter 50. OF the Revise
statutes % the State Of Delawar
Ldi'i7n % 1859, page I45, which reat
.u thls wise:
~ any person shall sell or loan an
hfearms 90 any Negro or Mulatto. /
shan be- deemed guilty o. a mi,
ae'n.anor. and shall be sned TWEEN,
dollars"
The proof Of the sale OF a quarter ,
pound Of powder and a pound .
'nui 20 Harmon was given by Harmo
himself; and. in fact, admitted I
S'okums attorney. So that the on
TACT / had 10 establish. IN order
convict sockum, vas 10 identity Ha
mon as being a mulatto. and TO ,
his j had 10 establish my proof
r. member Of his family. Harmon
pedisree. To DO this. Lydia Clark. WI
tNoro that she was OF blood kin
Harmon. was permitted 10 testify
20 the traditions OF the family in r
sp.ct to their origin. Harmon "a.
young man. apparently about fl
and twenty years Of age. OF perfe
'aucaslan features. dark chestn
ufowa hair. rosy cheeks and ha,
'les, and In making comparison
his complexion with others, / co
'Iuded that os all the men concern
an the trial ne was the most peri,
tpe ~ the pure Caucasian. and
'das tho handsonest man IN the cou
room, and yet he was alleged 10 be
nulatto. The witness. Lydia Clai
his kiusvoman. then s. years o
though only a haif-breed. was almc
a. perfect "a type OF the Indian as
ever raw. She was as spry as a you
Tr in her movements, and Of intel
sence as bright az a new dollar; a
ms was substantially the xenesloI
eal tradition she gave OF her fam
and that ~ Harmon:
About ffteen or twenty years befe
iho Revolutionary War, which $
'ald broke out when she was a Lit
.irl some 1--WE or ak years old, tn.
"as lady OF Irish birth living
isrm In Indian River Hundred,
i'w miles distant from I.ewes, VIII
she owned and carried on herself. y
"pay appeared 10 know anything
h'r history OF her sntecedents. 1
name "a. say. ar Rcgus. and she "
'nldiess. but whether a maid
widow, or q wife astray, she ne,
disciozsd 20 anyone. She was mu
above t.s average WOMAN Of that q