First things first before I get to my Monacan Indian lineage. Ancestry DNA is not that reliable, so, I uploaded my raw DNA results to DNA Land. As you can see, I am mostly European. Then, there is Siberian. The Naukan and Chukchi are from north-eastern Siberia, and who carried the 'First American' DNA. There are several others with whom I share genetic markers with as well. Keep in mind, this is a map of my ancient ancestors, not my recent ancestors. This is where a lot of people get confused.

My sixth great-grandfather was Thomas Evans, who was born circa 1725 in Virginia. Some say Lunenburg or Brunswick County, Virginia, but nobody is for certain. His wife’s name was Margaret, and she was a full-blooded Monacan Indian. They were more than likely married in a traditional Monacan Indian ceremony. Here is a painting below of a Native American woman who is going to represent Margaret. 

This is from Karenne Wood, a Monacan Indian tribal historian. She mentions that Robert Johns and Thomas Evans married Monacan women.

Here is a screenshot of Thomas Evan’s Land deals in Albemarle County, Virginia. The land deeds were of the year of 1761. Amherst County was formed in the same year. Amherst County deeds were kept in their own courthouse beginning in 1762. Here it mentions that Thomas Evans’s wife’s name was Margaret. 

Here is a screenshot of Thomas Evans’ Will. It mentions his children as Nelly, Mary, Hannah, William, Charles, and Stanhope Evans. It was witnessed by Margaret Gatewood; William Gatewood, Sr., and his wife, Ann Gatewood.

I made a screenshot of an entry on genealogy dot com. The grammar is not so good, so one has to really analyze it so it can make sense. It suggest that David and Mary’s children are John (my 4th-great-grandfather), Anny (wife of Limeledge Stringer), and William (husband of unknown). It also suggest that Mary’s parents were Thomas Evans and Margaret. 

Here is a screenshot of a list called “Earliest Setters List of Old Amherst”. On it, is David Bly, and an ’s’ was put on his surname for reasons unknown. This list was compiled by Alexander Brown. 

On August 4, 1768, David Bly was a witness to a Deed. What you can also see is that he had dealing with several members of the Gatewood family. On February 25, 1769, David Bly sold a horse and a cow.

 

On November 5, 1780, David Bly bought land from William and Ann Gatewood. They were the witnesses of Thomas Evans’ will on June 28, 1774. It seems as though the Evans family and the Gatewood family had a close friendship. On the same day, David Bly and his wife, Mary (mentioned in Thomas Evans’s Will) sold land. Notice that David Bly and Mary were neighbors of Stanhope Evans (mentioned in Thomas Evans’s Will). At times, the groom would purchase land near his wife's family, especially in rural areas. See the pattern so far?

Amherst County Clerk’s Office has no copy of a marriage bond for David Bly and Mary Evans. I put maiden name unknown for Mary, and a wide year gap to broaden the search. 

On October 21, 1785, it appears as though David Bly and wife, Mary, were neighbors to Stanhope Evans, and Thomas Evans (mentioned in Thomas Evans’ Will). 

In this screenshot, you can see that Stanhope Evans and David Bly sold land to a John Upshaw. John was married to Amy Gatewood, daughter of William and Ann Gatewood. 

In this screenshot, you can see that Stanhope Evans and David Bly sold land to a John Upshaw. John was married to Amy Gatewood, daughter of William and Ann Gatewood. 

David Bly had another land dealing with William Gatewood.

In 1788, David Bly bought land in Lincoln County, Kentucky. The following two screenshots are from the Virginia Library Archives.

John Bly, son of David and Mary, was born on December 25, 1780 in Lexington Parish, Amherst County Virginia. David Bly signed consent for John (who was 19) to marry Charity Adams (who was 17), and nobody signed for his wife. This was from the Lincoln County, Kentucky Court House. Supposedly, Charity (who claimed to be an orphan) was half Native American, the daughter of William Adams, born in 1760 in North Carolina, and an unknown mother. Their descendants entered the white community, and their descendants have identified as white.

The following screenshot is from the book “Portrait and Biographical Album of Polk County, Iowa”. It lists the children of John, one of them Millie, my 3rd great-grandmother. It also suggests that David was from England, but no evidence has come to light. And John’s settlement was not contemporaneous with Daniel Boone, who settled in Kentucky in 1777, three years before John Bly was born.

The following screenshot is the naming patterns of the Bly and Evans family. Notice the similarities. 

Here is a picture of Abraham Bly, my 4th great-uncle. He was the son of John and Charity (Adams) Bly.

Here is a picture of Elizabeth Bly, my 4th great-aunt. She was the daughter of John and Charity (Adams) Bly.

Here is a screenshot of a land deed in Hendricks County, Indiana for John Bly.

Here is a newspaper clipping from Rockcastle (Kentucky) Recollections. It states by consulting the following list, you will be able to tell whether or not your ancestors were living here when the county was formed. There is a John and David Bly, as well as an Edward and Thomas Evans (who I can not find any background on them).

Millicent “Millie” Bly was born on November 1, 1820, in Barren County, Kentucky. She was married to William Brittain, who was born on October 30, 1811, in Barren County, Kentucky. Here is an 1850 Keokuk County, Iowa Census on September 9th, which lists them and their children. Not listed is my 2nd great-grandfather, Wesley Francis Brittain. He was born on August 15, 1850, in Keokuk, Iowa, almost one month before the census was taken. 

Here is another census in Medicine, Mercer County, Iowa, taken in 1870. There, as you can see, is the name Wesley. And it lists his parents as William and Millie. 

Here is a picture of Wesley Brittain. As you can see, the Native American features are absent, as expected.

Here is Wesley Brittain’s Homestead Application in Dayton, Sheridan County, Wyoming. 

Here is a 1920 Census in Marcus, Stevens County, Washington. It lists Wesley’s birthplace as Iowa, and his parents birthplaces as Kentucky. It also lists his wife’s name as Sarah, who was born in Indiana, and her parents birthplaces as Indiana.

Their son, Jess Brittain, was born on July 15, 1875, in Chillicothe, Missouri. His death certificate below states that his parents were Wesley Francis and Sarah (Voiles) Brittain. 

Jess was married to Gertrude Theresa Patterson, who was born on March 16, 1886, in Dayton, Sheridan County, Wyoming. Here is their marriage record.

Here is a picture of Jess Brittain.

They had a daughter named Inez Mildred Brittain (my grandmother). Here is her picture. She had a son named Michael Morrissey, my father.