When settlers pushed into the Tennessee frontier, they weren’t the first to chart the land — the Cherokee had been here for centuries, and their story intersects with the Blevins family in ways both documented and legendary. In tracing the life — or perhaps lives — of William Blevins, father and son, it’s worth stepping … Continue reading William Blevins and the Cherokee Nation: A Historical Intersection
Tag: Blevins Family
William Blethyn, Bishop of Llandaff: A Welsh Churchman at the Edge of an Empire
Every so often, a figure from the margins of the historical record steps forward with more depth than expected. William Blethyn — Bishop of Llandaff from 1575 until his death in 1590 — is one of those people. He isn’t a household name, but when you tug on the threads of his story, you uncover … Continue reading William Blethyn, Bishop of Llandaff: A Welsh Churchman at the Edge of an Empire
The Intergalactic Presence of the Blevins Clan
Often on my commute I listen to audio books. I bounce between books on history and religion, but occasionally I'll listen to fiction. The fiction book I am currently listening to is Star Wars: Aftermath. I'm not here to write a book review, but to notice one passing reference that 99.999% of the world will … Continue reading The Intergalactic Presence of the Blevins Clan
The Dangers of DNA Testing
On May 31, 2014, I made the following post on this site: All my life I've been told I have Cherokee ancestry through my Knighten forebears. There are even a few interesting legends about how John L. Knighten escaped the Removal (a decade before he was born) and of family members visiting from the Cherokee … Continue reading The Dangers of DNA Testing
Blazon of William Blethyn’s Armorial Achievements
Arms recorded on William Blethyn's Pedigree Roll A couple years ago I posted the William Blethyn pedigree roll with the promise of transcribing it. I'm a little behind schedule in following through with that, but I would like to make an attempt to blazon the arms attributed to him. Arms: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Gules, three chevronnels argent … Continue reading Blazon of William Blethyn’s Armorial Achievements
Origin legend of the name "Blevins"
As far as things go, Blevins, is a recent (a few hundred years old) variation on ancient Welsh word, Bleiddwn, which can be translated as Wolf-man, from the Welsh word for Wolf, "Bleidd". Other variations on the name include Bleddyn, Blethyn, Blethin, Blethen, and Blevin. I've also heard that the -yn at the end of … Continue reading Origin legend of the name "Blevins"
