I am very excited to introduce the Cumbo US South Y-DNA Project. The goal of the project is to document the direct paternal ancestry of the Cumbo family in America. I have been researching the Cumbo family from which I descend since 2014. The Cumbos originate in Jamestown, Virginia and are one of the few colonial families in American history to retain an African surname. Throughout the colonial period in America, the family spread across Virginia and into the Carolinas and the US South.
Cumbo Family Origins
According to historians, the first documented Cumbo in America was Emanuell Cambow, an African who arrived in Jamestown, VA sometime in the 1600s. He first appears in Jamestown documents in September 1644 when he is made an indentured servant by the Virginia Assembly. He was freed from indentured servitude in 1665, granted 50 acres of land in James City County on April 18 1667 and started a family. Many Cumbo descendants in America today trace their ancestry back to Emanuell. With this said, note that Cumbo was also a fairly common name among enslaved persons in colonial Virginia. The implication here is while many Cumbo descendants work to connect their ancestry back to the documented Emanuell, it is possibile that family roots originate across multiple ancestors named Cumbo.
Emanuell’s descendants lived on as free and intermarried with African, European and Native descended Americans. As a result, over successive generations, many Cumbo family branches either maintained black or mixed-race (mulatto) identities, passed as white (Melungeon or Portuguese) or fully embraced Native American (Lumbee or Tuscarora) identities. Cumbo descendants today self-identify across all of these racial groups. Additionally, as the Cumbo family grew, so did variations of the name which expanded to Cumba, Cumbee, Cumby, Cumbia, Cumboe, Cumbow, Combo, Cumber and others.
Uncovering Cumbo family roots and connections using Y-DNA
Y-DNA testing reveals ancient or “deep” genealogical origins represented as haplogroups by analyzing the DNA markers a father passes down to his son through the Y chromosome. I will use this project’s results to build on the Cumbo family research I and others have done. Test results also come with matches that help to reveal more recent ancestry. I hope to use match results to discover and clarify connections across Cumbo family branches which have clouded over time, family movements and limited documentation.
Here are examples of what I have learned so far from charter project members
The Cumbos are first documented in colonial Virginia (1619-1775), but soon migrated to the frontiers of North Carolina in pursuit of colonial land grants (1725-1775). So it’s not surprising to discover that the following project charter members trace back to Cumbo ancestors from North Carolina and not Virginia.
The Cumbees of Brunswick County, NC (1). This family branch traces their ancestry back to Isham Cumbee who was born a free man of color in 1802 in North Carolina. Isham lived in the Green Swamp area of Brunswick County where he had over a hundred acres of farmland and started a family. By the 1900 census, Ishom’s son Kenneth Cumbee is listed as white. Kenneth’s great granddaughter writes here about discovering that the Scottish ancestral story her family had told her was a fabrication. Her name had indeed been changed over the years, but it used to be “Cumbo”, not “MacCumbee”, and her paternal ancestors were all listed as mulatto or free people of color on census records that went back to 1790. She had her father take a Y DNA test, the results of which are now part of our project. He was a match for Haplogroup B, one of the oldest population groups in the world, originating in sub-Saharan and West Africa.
The Cumbees of Brunswick County, NC. Photo of Gilford Cumbee, b.1888, and his father, Kenneth Cumbee and family, probably taken in 1904 in Brunswick County, NC. Kenneth and his ancestors are all listed as mulatto in the census records. The Cumbees trace their direct paternal ancestry to Emanuell Cambow. Photo Source: Denise Cumbee Long
The Cumbers of Richmond County, NC (2). This family branch traces their ancestry back to James Cumber born in Robeson County in 1855 to Ann Eliza Cumbo (b.1838) and an unknown father and who diedin Richmond County. He was raised by Ann Eliza and her husband Noah Bullard. Cumber descendants today identify as white and Native American (Lumbee). The Lumbee Tribe is the largest Native American tribe in North Carolina. Most Cumbo descended Lumbee trace back to Ann Eliza Cumbo along with her close relatives Mary Polly Cumbo Lowery, mother of historical figure Henry Berry Lowery, and Mary’s sister Christian Cumbo Oxendine. James Cumber’s paternal ancestry traces back to Haplogroup E-M2 which dates back 20,000 years to a common ancestor in Sub Saharan and West Africa.
Left to Right – Photo of Joseph Brady Cumber (1927-2010) and his father Eldridge Cumber (1895-1945). Both descend from James Cumber (1855-1937) of Richmond, NC. Photo Source: Elaine Cumber Carpenter
The Cumbos of Northampton County, NC (3 & 4). This family branch traces back to my fifth great grandfather Britton Cumbo Sr., a free man of color born between 1776-1794. He lived in an era of oppressive “black laws” passed by the North Carolina legislature which severely restricted the rights of free people of color and were driven by growing white fears that the free colored population would grow and over-run the free white population and triggered by historical events like the Nat Turner rebellion in 1831. Fast forward to today. Britton Cumbo direct paternal descendants trace back to Haplogroup E-M2, thought they don’t match the Cumbers of Richmond County. Virtually all of the Britton Cumbo descendants I’ve uncovered through family tree research embrace a Black or African American identity. One Britton Cumbo branch, the descendants of William Frank Cumbo Jr. of Raleigh, North Carolina, identify as Native American (Tuscarora).
Left to right – Cornelius Cumbo (1877-1942) and Jordan Cumbo (1881-1964), great grandsons of Britton Cumbo Sr. of Northampton County, NC and direct paternal ancestors to Curtis Cumbo (descends from Cornelius) and Jerry Cumbo (descends from Jordan). Photo Sources: Myra Warren and Aleathea Cumbo.
The Combos of Hertford County, NC (5). This family branch traces back to David Cumbo, a free man of color born around 1798 in Northampton County, North Carolina and who lived his life in bordering Hertford County, North Carolina. The Cumbos and other families within their community — such as the Halls, Archers, Nickens, Weavers and Manleys — formed the core of the free community of color in Hertford County. Cumbo descendants today primarily identify as African American. Many of the families from their historical free people of color community identify as Native American (Meherin). The surname morphed to Combo a generation or two following David. His direct paternal descendants trace back to Haplogroup R-M269 which dates back 5-10,000 years to Neolithic Europe. While DNA testing has uncovered many connections between Northampton and Hertford County Cumbo descendants, Y-DNA testing has been able clarify that these family branches do not appear to share direct paternal Cumbo ancestry.
The Combos of Hertford County, NC. Photo Source: Ancestry member kdlmb15
A Call To Action
This is but a glimpse of the fascinating history and colorful origins of the Cumbo family which we can uncover through this project. If you are a male Cumbo, Combo, Cumbee, Cumby, Cumbea, Cumber, or any other surname derivative, please consider joining our Cumbo US South Y-DNA project! You can learn more about our project here: https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/cumbo-us-south/about.
I look forward to hearing from you.
My DNA connection is from my mother’s side so my Y-chromosome/haplogroup would not matter. My mtDNA is Haplogroup H5b in case you decide to expand your research. Haplogroups rarely change over thousands of years, so they would have to be exact or nearly exact matches to show direct descendants. 23andMe offers a basic test but does not match ‘our’ DNA relatives because of how far back haplogroups go.
Short version. I’m leaving out a lot of sons and daughters:
I would also like to add, my fifth great grandfather, Stephen Cumbo (1799- ), son of Cannon Cumbo, married Sarah Broom and they (also) had a *son* named Christian Cumbo. Christian and his wife Martha had a son named Joseph H Cumbo. He and his wife Elizabeth had a son named Harry Cumbo which is my maternal grandfather. Harry called himself Harry Allen most of his adult life so I never knew any of this until last month when my DNA test revealed Native American ancestry. I believe he used “Allen” as tribute to Allen Lowry (Lowery).
How would you go about proving the paternal haplogroup of Cannon Sr or Emanuel for that matter? While genealogy may be challenging maternal and paternal haplogroups should help you figure it out. My line appears to have been the blue eyed light skinned natives from the 1700’s. My grandfather and I are white as f*ck. Perhaps the Tusacarora or whatever they called themselves back then had different fathers? I know the Cherokee had blue eyed people.
Surnames often meant a place of origin or a group like ‘smiths. Either way, I love the mix of African heritage and British (Scottish and/or Irish) blood. One would think there would be no racism as most Americans are mixed. Good luck in your search! Please keep in touch.
Mitchell,
Thanks for the follow up. Yes I’m in the same boat. I’m a Cumbo through my mother, so while I’ve organized the project, I can’t participate in it. The Cumbee kit in our project is a direct paternal descendant of Cannon Cumbo — through Cannon’s grandson Isom Cumbee of Brunswick County, North Carolina — and his haplogroup is B-M181 which traces back to central Africa.
For more on the Lowry’s check out Robert Nole’s Robeson Co., NC American Indian Regional DNA Project. According to it, Allen Lowry’s haplogroup is E-M2, which originates and is more commonly found across west and central Africa.
Thanks for your encouragement and for the family info, which I will add to our Cumbo US South Family Tree!
Best,
Andre
Andre/Mitchell,
Do you have the names of the children of Sarah (Broom) and Stephen Cumbo? My meager records show Stephen was born in Virginia in 1758, and died 1836 in Robeson County, NC, as my 5th Great-grandfather. Further, that his son, Wilbert Cumbo (Combee, born 1820 in Edgefield County, SC, died 1905 in Combee Settlement, Lakeland, FL) was my 4th great-grandfather, married to Alpha Paget (Padgett), widowed and married to Martha Whidden Brewer Combee.
My 3rd great-grandfather is Hampton Combee (born 1834 in Edgefield County, SC and died in Combee Settlement, Lakeland, FL in 1902), married to Sarah Futch (Her parents were Rev/Elder John Futch and Nancy Ann Raulerson).
Hampton and Sarah’s son, John M Combee, married Anna Virginia Grimes, making them my 2nd great-grandparents. John and Anna’s daughter, Primmie Florence Combee (born 1885), married my paternal great-grandfather, Solomon Joseph Hennecy (born 1878), son of Solomon Joseph Hennecy (born 1842, son of Samuel Joseph Hennecy), and father of my grandfather, Solomon Joseph Hennecy (born 1905). My uncle was also Solomon Joseph Hennecy (born 1922). I have verified that all the Hennecy grandfathers lived in SC, from Mullins to Conway to the Atlantic coastline. My great-grandfather and his wife, Primmie, came to Florida from Mechanicsville. No certain date, but there was a lot of intermarriage among the Hennecy, Combee and Grimes branches, as well as my maternal side of Reynolds, Driggers, Scott, etc.
I’ve been stuck for years. It’s difficult to get family members to acquiesce to Stephen being Wilbert’s father. I think I know their reasoning, but that’s not my circus. I just want to know if I am a descendant of Emanuel. I know I have roots in Scotland, Ireland and England through Hennecy, Scott and Craig lines. I’m 4’11”, blonde hair, blue eyes. I take those as tips of my Celtic roots. 😉
Can anyone shed light on my Combee line? I’d greatly appreciate anything you can offer.
Carolyn Hennecy
carolyn.hennecy@gmail.com
So interesting! I share many of the same ancestors as you. Emanuell is a direct ancestor, but it is on my paternal grandmothers side. I believe my lineage splits with yours at Wilbert Combee in Lakeland, FL (Combee Settlement). I find this all so interesting! I am waiting to get me ancestry results back to see what it shows.
With all due respects, I do not believe these people were “passing” for white, Melungeon (perhaps melange – French for mixed) or Portuguese. I have long heard many of the lines were from the West Indies and some from South America. That said, it should be safe to assume their culture tilted them toward identifying more so with being European not African – especially West African.
To further complicate matters, there are numerous lines in the Virginia Colony who were documented as European but not English/Irish. For example, within my own family there is an oral history of Sephardi. That said, as with your H5b (Slovak, Hungarian?) line it seems likely many of the so-called free other or FPC may not have been of African let alone West African lineage.
Lastly, during the past year of research I have focused a bit more on the French Huguenots of Sabot, VA and west of Charleston, SC. I am confident the study of this group will reveal a better of understanding of immigration to the colonies.
My father was Wilbert Burke. His father was William Burke (Hertford County). His father was Kenzie Burke who was married to Nancy Cumbo