bigscoop
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During that time period, Native Americans were referred to as "swarthy".
Also Melungeons, noted for their black hair, black eyes, and darker skin, were considered as "swarthy" (Beale was described in a very similar manner)
Melungeons in Virginia
Melungeons | Learn | FamilySearch.org
The thing I find most fascinating about the proposed theory is the shear amount of mixed blood that existed nearly as soon as Europeans arrived here, and in many cases even before they arrived here. In essence there were actually many free people of color in this country during the period, many of them even arriving here as free people. So the proposed theory isn't without some foundation once everything has been researched and considered. And while it is of a different nature there is also something else that stands out in the Hart papers that is very curious, this having to do with the ciphers, this perhaps relating to that "missing unintelligible piece of paper" that author makes reference to. Perhaps a subject for a different thread.