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COULD THE TALLIGEWI BEEN EARLY WELSH
EXPLORERS?
Some believe the Talligewi are descended from the Welsh Prince Madoc and his crew with the native American population they encountered.
< Prince Madoc
John Filson, in His "The discovery, Settlement and Present State of Kentucke" wrote: "In 1170 AD, son of Owen Gwynnedh, Prince of Wales, dissatisfied with the situation in Wales, left his country in search of new settlements. Leaving Ireland to the north, proceeded west until he discovered a fertile country; where leaving a colony, he returned and persuaded many of his countrymen to join him, put to sea with ten ships, and was never more heard of." This preceded Christopher Columbus by some three hundred years.
When the explorers and settlers arrived in the area around the falls of the Ohio (and further west), they heard; " frequent accounts of a nation inhabiting at a great distance up the Missouri River, in manners and appearance resembling the other Indians, but speaking Welsh, and retaining some ceremonies of the Christian worship."
Captain Abraham Chaplin, of Kentucky told John Filson that during the Revolutionary War, some Indians came to his garrison at Kaskaky and were "speaking in the Welsh dialect, were perfectly understood and conversed with two Welshman in his company". "There are several ancient remains in Kentucky, which seem to prove, that this country was formerly inhabited by a nation farther advanced in the arts of life than the Indians. These are usually attributed to the welsh, who are supposed to have formerly inhabited here; but having been expelled by the natives, were forced to take refuge near the sources of the Missouri River."
General George Rogers Clark related that he had been told by Tobacco, a very old Indian chief, of a tradition that Sand Island, had been the last stand of mysterious fair-skinned Indians whose very name had disappeared from the face of the earth. (Louisville - The Gateway City, by Isabel McLennan McMeekin, page 15)
This nation had the manners and appearance resembling the other Indians, but spoke in a Welsh dialect and had lighter skin color than most other tribes. Some were said to have light hair and blue eyes and some were gigantic in size.
It is important to remember, however any connection of the Native American with a Welsh tribe is considered highly speculative and is rejected by most scholars and historians. On the other hand, it is part of the local lore and legends as related to the eighteenth century settlers by Native Americans inhabiting the area around the falls of the Ohio.
Some believe the Talligewi are descended from the Welsh Prince Madoc and his crew with the native American population they encountered.
< Prince Madoc
John Filson, in His "The discovery, Settlement and Present State of Kentucke" wrote: "In 1170 AD, son of Owen Gwynnedh, Prince of Wales, dissatisfied with the situation in Wales, left his country in search of new settlements. Leaving Ireland to the north, proceeded west until he discovered a fertile country; where leaving a colony, he returned and persuaded many of his countrymen to join him, put to sea with ten ships, and was never more heard of." This preceded Christopher Columbus by some three hundred years.
When the explorers and settlers arrived in the area around the falls of the Ohio (and further west), they heard; " frequent accounts of a nation inhabiting at a great distance up the Missouri River, in manners and appearance resembling the other Indians, but speaking Welsh, and retaining some ceremonies of the Christian worship."
Captain Abraham Chaplin, of Kentucky told John Filson that during the Revolutionary War, some Indians came to his garrison at Kaskaky and were "speaking in the Welsh dialect, were perfectly understood and conversed with two Welshman in his company". "There are several ancient remains in Kentucky, which seem to prove, that this country was formerly inhabited by a nation farther advanced in the arts of life than the Indians. These are usually attributed to the welsh, who are supposed to have formerly inhabited here; but having been expelled by the natives, were forced to take refuge near the sources of the Missouri River."
General George Rogers Clark related that he had been told by Tobacco, a very old Indian chief, of a tradition that Sand Island, had been the last stand of mysterious fair-skinned Indians whose very name had disappeared from the face of the earth. (Louisville - The Gateway City, by Isabel McLennan McMeekin, page 15)
This nation had the manners and appearance resembling the other Indians, but spoke in a Welsh dialect and had lighter skin color than most other tribes. Some were said to have light hair and blue eyes and some were gigantic in size.
It is important to remember, however any connection of the Native American with a Welsh tribe is considered highly speculative and is rejected by most scholars and historians. On the other hand, it is part of the local lore and legends as related to the eighteenth century settlers by Native Americans inhabiting the area around the falls of the Ohio.