Re: Tobias Reams's DNA, St. Helena Parish
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In reply to:
Tobias Reams's DNA, St. Helena Parish
Connee Kroeger 5/10/03
Connie,
From family stories, I am William, a direct decendant Of Tobias Rheams, spelled in 1845 land records, as Reams.
Tobias came from Pennsylvania, from Reamstown. I thought his father was Eberhardt Reams. His wife, who we know only as "Mary" was a Native American. They grew up together in Reamstown. I would like to know more about her.
I have read that Eberhardt's son Tobias founded Reamstown, the dates should be checked, it might have been Tobias's half breed son who came here. You list Tobias as dying in 1812, in 1818, a bill in Congress upheld the claim of a Tobias Rheams to a Spanish land grant in Alabama, and in records of 1845, another Spanish grant in St, Helana. Also there were three Rheams's in the War of 1812. Tobias was said to be buried by the Blood River, an iron post marking the grave, none have ever found it, but when the Americans came, they burned the Courthouse, stole the lands, and defacing a few graves would fit with the rest of their actions.
I found Rachal's grave, on top of the hill, at the Sand Hill Cemetery, east of Ponchatoula off of Hwy. 22. Many other Rheams's rest in the Rheams/Ellis cemetery in Amite.
To me, I count six or seven or eight generations from some Tobias. In Anthropology I learned that the differance between homo erectus, and homo sapiant, was shovel shaped incisors, concave canines,in the latter. My lowers are, but my uppers are fully round, my Professor said, Native Americans also had the rounded trait.
As far as I know, all decendants of Tobias and Mary would have been half, or three quarters, Native American. Under the laws of the time, where one drop of African blood, and you were black, we were a long way from being white. For some reason, the importance of being white, this story has only been told within the family.
If you think you decended from Tobias and Mary, run your tongue over the back of your canines.
As a traditional keeper of the stories of my people, in a direct line from the First People, I propose that all of the decendants join, claim tribal status, demand the return of our stolen lands, and open a casino.
Bill Rheams
More Replies:
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Re: Tobias Reams's DNA, St. Helena Parish
Gerry Kelly 11/10/03