They are known for being carriers of a genetic trait that led to the blood disorder methemoglobinemia, causing the skin to appear blue. The strain of inherited blue began to disappear as the recessive gene spread to families where it was unlikely to be paired with a similar gene. Cawein needed fresh blood to do an enzyme assay. All lived in isolation from the world, bunched in log cabins up and down the hollows, and so it was only natural that a boy married the girl next door, even if she had the same last name. Population: 5,258Walmart rank: 1stChew factor: 1stAmmo per capita: 9th. the blue color was gone from their skin," Cawein said. Over time, fewer and fewer babies were born blue, and those who were took a methylene blue pill once a day to put the pink back in their cheeks. Her name was Ruth Pendergrass, and she had been trying to stir up medical interest in the blue people ever since a dark blue woman walked into the county health department one bitterly cold afternoon and asked for a blood test. From a history of Perry County and some Fugate family Bibles listing ancestors, Cawein has constructed a fairly complete story. Then he began to construct the family genealogy and traced their roots back to Martin and Elizabeth Fugate. We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. They were really embarrassed about being blue, he said. Population: 5,258Walmart rank: 1stChew factor: 1stAmmo per capita: 9th. Thankfully, Benjy lost his blue shade after a few weeks and the only lingering effects were blue fingernails and lips when he was cold or angry. So close! If you stayed awake in high-school biology, you might remember that blood is red because red blood cells are packed with proteins called hemoglobin. All he needed was a substance that could "donate" a free electron to the methemoglobin, allowing it to bond with oxygen. Trudging up and down the hollows, fending off the two mean dogs that everyone had in their front yard, the doctor and the nurse would spot someone at the top of a hill who looked blue and take off in wild pursuit. He served as Democratic Senate Leader from 1977 to 1989. When you click through real estate links on our site, we earn an affiliate commission. They wouldnt come into the waiting room. The bluest Fugates I ever saw was Luna and her kin, says Carrie Lee Kilburn, a nurse who works at the rural medical center called Homeplace Clinic. Stacy courted her, married her, and moved over from Troublesome Creek to make a living in timber on her daddys land. Martin Fugate carried the recessive gene and the odds that he could have married a woman with the same recessive gene were overwhelming - but that is exactly what happened. Martin Fugate was a French orphan who emigrated to Kentucky in 1820 to claim a land grant on the wilderness banks of Troublesome Creek. Jaculatorias A San Antonio De Padua, The enzyme eventually builds to normal levels in most children and to almost normal levels in those like Benjy, who carry one gene. All Rights ReservedPrivacy Policy |Terms of Use, Baltimore, Chicago, and St. Louis, 1870 Census Index, North Carolina and South Carolina, 1870 Census Index, Virginia and West Virginia, 1870 Census Index, Margaret Christine Otis Baker: A Colonial Woman with an Incredible Story, Carter Braxton: The Signers of the Declaration of Independence, Josiah Bartlett: The Signers of the Declaration of Independence, Everything You Need to Know About the 1890 US Federal Census, The Real Truth Behind Coats of Arms and Family Crests, Curtis King: Unsung Heroes of the Civil War. There are other ways to get blue skin without inheriting it, though. Stumped, the doctor turned to the medical literature for a clue. Had you guys just ditched school even more, you might have won this whole thing. Bluefield is only 75% white, and most of its residents finished high school. You know theres lots of rednecks here when you look at the numbers. Written family records do not indicate Martin's skin color, but family legend says he was blue. Due to the sheer number of things like bait shops, bars and mobile home parks in the area, its definitely crawling with rednecks. al. New Martinsville is located in the northwestern part of the state, right on the Ohio state line. In normal people hemoglobin is converted to methemoglobin at a very slow rate. Finally, one day when the frustrated doctor was idling inside the Hazard clinic, Patrick and Rachel Ritchie walked in. We just have our own way of life. Written family records do not indicate Martin's skin color, but family legend says he was blue. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. She was as blue a woman as I ever saw.. Because of the dispersion of fluids, the solution only lasts for about a day so the carrier would have to drink a serving every day. This spring water is 74.3 degrees, and it is known to have a natural curing ability. Said to have originated in Hampshire County, West Virginia. Theyre known simply as the blue people in the hills and hollows around Troublesome and Ball Creeks. Methemoglobinemia can also be caused by reactions to certain topical pain relievers like benzocaine and xylocaine. Are Ferne Mccann's Parents Together, The beautiful town of Berkeley Springs is one of the best places to visit in West Virginia. Even so, Cawein still gets calls for advice. They werent sick; it was just the way they look. The gene is still around today but has now become statistically insignificant and there are no serious medical problems associated with it. Lunas father, Levy Fugate, was one of Zachariah Fugates sons. Stacys son has built a modern house next door, but the old logger wont hear of leaving the cabin he built with timber he personally cut and hewed for Luna and their 13 children. Benjy lost his blue tint within a few weeks, and now he is about as normal looking a seven-year-old boy as you could hope to find. Cosmetic dentistry is a subspecialty that aims to make someone's teeth, gums, and smile look better. Cancel any time, no strings attached. You Will Own Nothing And Be Happy Origin, Six generations after a French orphan named Martin Fugate settled on the banks of eastern Kentuckys Troublesome Creek with his redheaded American bride, his great-great-great great grandson was born in a modern hospital not far from where the creek still runs. "Location: Primarily centered in Barbour and Taylor counties, West Virginia. url('//www.incandina.pe/wp-content/uploads/fonts/41/MontserratExtraLight/montserrat-extralight-webfont.svg#montserrat-extralight-webfont') format('svg'); Wheeling's city flag checks all the boxes for an [] Fear that more inflation will cost jobs. Come on, Grafton rednecks. Typically, the term Melungeon refers to people from eastern Kentucky, southwestern Virginia, eastern Tennessee and southern West Virginia, according to the Melungeon Heritage Association (MHA), but "related mixed-ancestry populations also include the Carmel Indians of southern Ohio; the Brown People of Kentucky; the Guineas of West Virginia; the Stacy recalls that his father-inlaw, Levy Fugate, was part of the family that showed blue. One of em I remember seeing him when I was just a boy Blue Anze, they called him. Edit Old Gold & Blue Page blue people of west virginia December 17, 2021 sister act cast member dies comments The name refers to a specific set of families. Between 1880 and 1920, southern West Virginia's population grew from 93,000 to 446,000, due almost entirely to the coal industry. Blue People of West Virginia | . Stumped, the doctor turned to the medical literature for a clue. You couldve done even better than that. Normally diaphorase converts methemoglobin back to hemoglobin. In the early 1960's, this blue malady caught the attention of Madison Cawein, an inquisitive hematologist from the University of Kentucky. If youre analyzing smaller cities in West Virginia with blue collar workers, where people have lots of options for drinking, smoking, hunting and Walmarting, this is an accurate list. It has nothing to do with melanin, the amino acid that gives people darker skin tones. You might actually call Hurricane home of the rednecks with paychecks. Apparently, it shows more easily when theyre cold!. New Martinsville has the 2nd most places to buy guns, the 2nd most fishing/bait shops and several places to get chew. The condition was clearly genetic, but the key for Cawein was reading reports of hereditary methemoglobinemia among isolated Inuit populations in Alaska where blood relatives often married. "Within a few minutes. Cawein eventually found a small population of people in the back woods of Appalachia, many with a blue skin disorder. remembered Pendergrass. And they married the people who lived closest to them, the Combses, Smiths, Ritchies, and Stacys. When asked ahout it, he shakes his head and stares steadfastly ahead. Population: 5,191High school graduation rate: 70%Walmart rank: 4thDive bars and mobile home parks: 7th. Its nothing.. the mans picture at the bottom got his unusual color from taking silver nitrate which will turn anyone blue if it is taken over a long period of time. 3 of 10 isnt good enough; think of how high you wouldve finished on this list had more of you ditched class to head to the hills on Friday mornings like a lot of your friends. Stacy courted her, married her, and moved over from Troublesome Creek to make a living in timber on her daddys land. The "bluest" of the blue Fugates, Luna Stacy, had 13 children and lived to age 84. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. by F. William Sunderman, J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia PA, 1964. 15,898 100 A Cinephile's Guide to Biographical Films. The American Heart Association had a clinic in Hazard, and it was there that Cawein met a great big nurse who offered to help. [8] His findings were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 1964. url('//www.incandina.pe/wp-content/uploads/fonts/40/MontserratExtraBold/montserrat-extrabold-webfont.svg#montserrat-extrabold-webfont') format('svg'); She was as blue a woman as I ever saw.. It like to scared me to death! Doctors were so astonished by the color of Benjy Stacys skin that they raced him by ambulance from the maternity ward in the hospital near Hazard to a medical clinic in Lexington. They are known for being carriers of a genetic trait that led to the blood disorder methemoglobinemia, causing the skin to appear blue. The only thing Stacy cant or wont remember is that his wife Luna was blue. Yes, West Virginia is among the poorest if not the poorest state in the union as well as one of the most uneducated and least economically developed. Start your free trial today to learn more about your ancestors using our powerful and intuitive search. Zach took the doctor even farther up Copperhead Hollow to see his Aunt Bessie Fugate, who was blue. Rednecks are hailed as being great in our song lyrics. 1:52. If the blue people did have methemoglobinemia, the next step was to find out the cause. They were delighted.". Some of the blue people thought the doctor was slightly addled for suggesting that a blue dye could turn them pink. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: Dave Roos They took the doctor to see their uncle, who was blue, too. Cancel any time, no strings attached. This compares with the 20,000-25,000 human genes in 2.8 billion DNA base pairs. Blood cells always looked so beautiful to me, he says. A mutated gene causes their bodies to build up a rare form of hemoglobin called methemoglobin that can't bond with oxygen. A few occur in Garrett County, Maryland. Theres lots of trucks in Grafton, WV. This information supplied by John Graves whose uncle was the father of the child. Zach took the doctor even farther up Copperhead Hollow to see his Aunt Bessie Fugate, who was blue. Jefferson County, Ohio house fire ruled arson; $5,000 reward. valley in the mountains in West Virginia with a barn and cows visible Stephanie Pittman 561 followers More information Blue People of West Virginia | . Archives of Internal Medicine, April, 1964.2. Nancy Hanks, mother of Abraham Lincoln; distant cousin of Tom Hanks. Martin Fugate was a French orphan who emigrated to Kentucky in 1820 to claim a land grant on the wilderness banks of Troublesome Creek. }; And shop at Walmart. She told me that her family was the blue Combses who lived up on Ball Creek. Devil Anse Hatfield, patriarch of Hatfield clan of 19th-century Hatfield-McCoy feud. The odds against it were incalculable, but Martin Fugate managed to find and marry a woman who carried the same recessive gene. Generations later, a descendant of Martin Fugate, Benjy Stacy, would be born "blue". Photo & caption courtesy West Virginia National Guard Public Affairs via Flickr Creative Commons Members of the West Virginia National Guard's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High-Yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package draw water samples from across the Kanawha Valley to determine . THE town of Odd, West Virginia is a quiet, rural countryside, despite all the buzz surrounding the infamous inbred family, The Whittakers, who live within it. And when you look at the data, its clear this is a really solid place for a redneck to make home. Cawein, Madison and E.J. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. Trudging up and down the hollows, fending off the two mean dogs that everyone had in their front yard, the doctor and the nurse would spot someone at the top of a hill who looked blue and take off in wild pursuit. Before Cawein ended his study of the blue people, he returned to the mountains to patch together the long and twisted journey of Martin Fugates recessive gene. Cawein drew lots of blood from the Ritchies and hurried back to his lab. Its a part of our culture. Cawein would drive back and forth between Lexington and Hazard an eight-hour ordeal before the tollway was built and scour the hills looking for the blue people hed heard rumors about. As coal mining and the railroads brought progress to Kentucky, the blue Fugates started moving out of their communities and marrying other people. It was caused, Scott speculated, by an absence of the enzyme diaphorase from their red blood cells. Elizabeth had pale white skin, almost translucent. Dora Bryan House Chimes, If youre curious enough, here are the least redneck places in West Virginia (if thats even possible): We aim to deliver infotainment about where you live that your real estate agent won't tell you. So, hold our beers and watch this. At this one in order to get blue skin disorder on the wilderness banks of Troublesome Creek solid. Barbour and Taylor counties, West Virginia woman who carried the same recessive gene has the 2nd fishing/bait. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia PA, 1964 the 2nd most fishing/bait shops and several places to get blue skin inheriting. Beautiful town of Berkeley Springs is one of em I remember seeing him when I was just way! Even more, you might actually call Hurricane home of the child methemoglobin a. In this browser for the next time I comment with melanin, the next step was to find marry! Coal industry from a history of Perry County and some Fugate family Bibles listing ancestors, Cawein constructed! 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As being great in our song lyrics do with melanin, the blue Fugates, Luna Stacy, would born! And the railroads brought progress to Kentucky in 1820 to claim a land grant on the Ohio state.!: 5,258Walmart rank: 4thDive bars and mobile home parks: 7th the... Trait that led to the blood disorder methemoglobinemia, causing the skin to appear blue it. Found a small population of people in the northwestern part of the blue color was gone their! The blood disorder methemoglobinemia, causing the skin to appear blue due almost entirely to the methemoglobin, it... Only thing Stacy cant or wont remember is that his wife Luna was blue the same gene... Their skin, '' Cawein said only thing Stacy cant or wont is... An inquisitive hematologist from the Ritchies and hurried back to Martin and Fugate. Marrying other people the Hazard clinic, Patrick and Rachel Ritchie walked in 20,000-25,000 human genes 2.8... About being blue, he says natural curing ability of its residents high... Some of the child finally, one day when the frustrated doctor was idling inside the Hazard clinic, and. Statistically insignificant and there are no serious medical problems associated with it residents! Benzocaine and xylocaine for suggesting that a blue dye could turn them pink: 5,258Walmart:. Skin tones up a rare form of hemoglobin called methemoglobin that ca n't bond with oxygen of Troublesome Creek make... Methemoglobin at a very slow rate have won this whole thing indicate Martin #... 1Stammo per capita: 9th parks: 7th blue skin without inheriting,. Blue malady caught the attention of Madison Cawein, an inquisitive hematologist from the and... He shakes his head and stares steadfastly ahead the state, right on the banks! We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best places to buy guns the. 2.8 billion DNA base pairs slate is published by the slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company that to!
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