Re: New Member Gadsden, AL Kuykendall Family
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In reply to:
New Member Gadsden, AL Kuykendall Family
Hilary Blackwood 4/20/10
Hi Jennie, your posting about being a "black dutch", I have never heard that before for the Dutch. However, after spending a week touring throughout Ireland, I did find that the Irish really consider two kinds of Irish. The Red heads,blonds and with blue eyes are the Irish. Then the Black Irish have Black Hair and Dark eyes. So that could also be the same for the old Country of Holland. If so, it was just to identify the difference in the two skin colors of Irish people. I have often seen a family of Irish have all Dark headed Children and then one Red Head, so I am sure that is where the Irish got the name "The Black Irish", so why not the Dutch/Germans? I do know that my Grandfather Owen (from my Mother's side) was Welsh and that part of his line first lived in Ireland before migrating to America. I know that the Welsh were Dark complected and had Dark Hair and Dark Eyes.However the Welsh that left Wales and move to Ireland are often mixed in their looks. So the Black Irish and the Black Dutch could be those that had a mixed heritages,but called them-self's Dutch or Irish because they had always consider Holland/Ireland their home. My Grandfather was really Dark in skin color and had real Black Hair and Dark eyes and so does most all of the next generation, even though his wife, My Grandmother was an Adair from Adare County, Ireland. So I guess the dark would be dominant in any ancestors line, if mixed through marriage.
I just know My Grandfather Owen was a real good looking Man, and my one Uncle was very good looking as well. They each still had a head of salt/pepper hair when they died. I know full Germans seemed to also be dark and have a head of hair even in their 80's. Not so for the Kuykendalls. Agree? I got interested in the Black Irish, before I toured Ireland. My Daughter dated for quite awhile a "full blooded Irish" and he said his line was known as "The Black Irish". He had jet black hair and dark eyes. Since most likely the Kuykendal's are Dutch/German then some of them may have inherited the thick Hair. Not my twin Kuykendall brothers. They are 6 years younger than me, yet they are losing their hair andwhat hair is left is gray. Yet, I have real dark hair and at my age still have a real full head of dark hair with just gray roots. So I guess I got more Welsh than my Brothers. My Grandfather Kuykendall was completely bald when he died at the age of 74 from an Heart Attack. So I do not doubt your Grandmother saying she was Black Dutch. I am glad to see your posting, since I had heard about the "Black Irish", so maybe anytime the ancestors were mixed they were consider a little different. Remember at one time the Spanish ruled over the Dutch. Then in the 14th Century the entire plot of land known as Amsterdam and surrounding valleys was burned completely down. The only Dutch that survived were the ones living close enough to the Rhine River and escaped by boat to Germany where they stayed for almost a century. So I would say we are Dutch/German. When the Pike/Island of Amsterdam was repopulated, there was a law in place that no building could be built that was made from wood. No wonder our ancestors were Masons. They knew how to make brick. And all new Dykes/Dams were made of Stone or Brick. No more wood and mud. Lot of new information for us to think about. Stay in touch.