Projects

 

Redbone Women

We live and learn by their examples to us and their life stories should be cherished and preserved.

Stories of Faith, Endurance and Courage. We encourage all Redbone families in Southwest Louisiana and Eastern Texas to submit pictures and stories of these amazing women.

Folk stories which show how they lived and what they did. Stories which show their philosophies on life Stories that show heritage or their lineage.
Stories that show what they had to deal with in life humorous stories, tragic stories
Photos and Portraits of women of faith, courage and endurance

Names and acknowledgement of all contributors of the stories will be included with each Redbone Woman submission. The book will be edited by a Redbone Historian and descendant. The book will be professionally published, and beautifully bound.

The publication date is yet to be determined. Submission proposals are open to everyone and the books will be made available through the Redbone Heritage Foundation Website Bookstore and at all conferences and venues.

For information on how to have your Redbone Women ancestor included, contact Cyndie Goins Hoelscher, Project Coordinator at Cyndith@hotmail.com.

 Please include Redbone Women Information in the subject line.

 

 

 

 

THE EAST TEXAS REDBONES:

IN SEARCH OF THE ANCIENT ONES

For the first time in history a documentary film has been completed on the East Texas Redbones. 
 
Title: 
THE EAST TEXAS REDBONES: IN SEARCH OF THE ANCIENT ONES.....Chronicles of the Nash and Goyens families
by: Alvie Walts
 
This film explores the East Texas Redbone Nash, Goyens and Goins families that were located along the Camino de Real from Natchitoches, Louisiana to Nacogdoches, Texas.  The film in particular chronicles the Thomas Nash and William Goyens Jr. families of East Texas.  It also attempts to discover the Native American (and other origins) of the East Texas Redbones located along the Camino de Real.
Other families mentioned in the film include Sweat, Bass, Ashworth and others.
Filmed in historic Native American locations in East Texas here are some of the locations filmed.

Caddoan Mounds State Park
Caddoan Mounds State Park Museum
The Historic Site and Marker of the Neches Native American tribes Indian Village located on the Camino de Real
Love's Lookout, a historic Ridge point in East Texas
Goyen's Hill, resting place of William Goyens Jr. and a Spanish/Mexican/Native American burial ground
William Goyens Jr. Historical Marker in Nacogdoches Texas
Caddo Mills Cemetery

TOPICS DISCUSSED
East Texas Redbone Ethnic Origins
Camino de Real History and Caddoan Mounds History
William Goyens Jr. history by Cyndie Goins Hoelscher
Thomas Nash and Benjamin Nash history by Stacy Webb
Interview with Stacy Webb on East Texas Redbones
DNA discussions and results of East Texas Redbones
East Texas Redbone Culture
The Mixed Ancestry heritage of the Archer and Miller families of Louisiana and Texas
Discussion on the historical terms "Melungeon" and "Redbone" and the identity associated with them
 
This film will premier at the Redbone Heritage Foundation Conference this year.  Afterwards it will only be available to RHF membership. The film is the first of a series of documentaries to include other Redbone families, their history and genealogy.

 

 

GATHERING AND SHARING

 

There is a wealth of family history information among members of the Redbone community and for too long it has been suppressed and hidden.
During the last few years that fact has been recognized and the need to bring this information to light (thus salvaging it from oblivion) in an organized fashion has been felt by an increasing number of people.
These people have been working hard collecting information using the new resources made possible through the internet.

One purpose of the Redbone Heritage Foundation is to make available information to aid our members and further research on these families.
We all understand the importance of generous sharing of information. The Redbone Heritage Foundation respects and appreciates your contributions, toward further study and documentation.  Most of our families were large, mobile and undocumented in the "traditional" manner.  They were also extended in an intricate web formed over many generations of related  surname marriages and associations, traditional
naming patterns, death and disease, orphans and wars, creation of country, ethnic and racial stigma’s…and many other hardships. These people helped pioneer the American South in doing so faced and they endured much strife and hardship .  Much study, documenting and networking will be required to one day see the entire scope of these people, their heritage and cultural beliefs.

Now the time has come to collect and organize this information in one central source. This major undertaking fits perfectly with the purpose of the Redbone Heritage Foundation (RHF).  I, Stacy Webb, RHF secretary,  have agreed to head the effort through a project, named Our Redbone Surnames Project, which will also network into Our Documenting the Redbones project.  This time will also provide an opportunity to discuss ways to share our gathered heritage.

 

DNA Surname Project

Redbones. Are a mixed blood group of people of unknown ancestry. The ancestry is said to consist of Northern European, Mediterranean, Native American and African of various degrees and admixtures. The origin of this group of families is from North and South Carolina who then migrated to Mississippi Territory, Central Louisiana, Southwestern Louisiana Neutral Zone region and East Texas. The following are the related surnames.

 

Ashworth, Bass, Bedgood, Bennett, Butters, Buxton, Chavis, Clark, Cloud, Cole, Collins, Davis, Dial, Doyle, Dyess, Garland, Gibbs, Gibson, Goings, Green, Hall, Hyatt, James, Johnson, Keith, Maddox, Mayo, Mullins, Moore, Nash, Nelson, Orr, Perkins, Pinder, Rivers, Short, Smiling, Strother, Sweat, Thompson, Ware, White, Willis, Wisby

Find Out More About Our DNA Study Project and consider submiting your results to the project.

 

 

Participation

All Members are encouraged to attend

The Annual Conferences Click Here 2009 Conference Planning

Don't forget to bring your genealogy charts and share what you can.  We will try to make available anticipated supplies and materials to aid us in the organization of our gathered heritage.   

Here is how you can prepare contribute and help:

     Share your family information and        

         contribute what information you can 

       Prepare your 

           Pedigree Charts

           Family Group Sheet pg1

           Family Group pg2

     Available for your convenience, if you prefer you may use your own charts and forms.

 

  

Volunteer

There is a need for many types of assistance on these projects and a need for volunteer members to represent each surname, so don't hesitate to volunteer. Contribute your support and expertise to the Redbone Heritage Foundation. 

You may email any questions, comments or submit your information to 

Stacy at

   Parrotsgrl@aol.com