Hidden Epic of the Sizemore Lineage

 

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From Colonial Treason to the Sound Barrier: The Hidden Epic of the Sizemore Lineage

1. Introduction: The Ancestry You Didn't Expect

In the mist-shrouded hollows of the Appalachian Mountains, surnames are more than labels; they are artifacts of a complex, layered history that often eludes the casual observer. For those carrying the name Sizemore, the family tree is not merely a list of vital statistics—it is a sprawling, 400-year investigative saga that challenges our fundamental understanding of the American frontier.

How does a lineage transform from 17th-century tobacco planters on the "bleeding edge" of the English colonial experiment to space-age researchers decoding the secrets of Mars? The journey is a masterclass in survival and reinvention, marked by narrow escapes from colonial uprisings, a defiant loyalty to the British Crown during the Revolution, and a persistent, century-long struggle for indigenous recognition.

The following takeaways reveal a story far more complex than simple mountain folklore. By synthesizing dry archival records with modern genetic "ghosts," we uncover a narrative that mirrors the evolution of the American identity—a mosaic of cultures, secrets, and an unwavering spirit of resilience.

2. Survival at the Edge of the World (1616–1622)

The Sizemore saga begins with William Sismore, a man who navigated the perilous infancy of the Virginia Tidewater. Arriving by 1616, he secured a patent for 100 acres "Upon Appomattox River" in 1619—a reward for his status as an early resident and investor. This was the raw frontier, a landscape defined by agricultural experimentation and volatile tension.

The most striking "hidden" fact of this era is the sheer statistical improbability of the family’s survival. On March 22, 1622, the Powhatan Confederacy launched a coordinated uprising that decimated nearly a quarter of Virginia’s colonial population. William and his wife, Martha, survived only by the narrowest of margins: a temporary departure to England.

When they returned in 1623, William did more than just survive; he thrived as a merchant-planter. A London port book entry from 1625/6 records him exporting 2,000 pounds of tobacco—valued at a staggering £500—aboard the ship Godspeed. Most tellingly, the Crown record explicitly designates him as a "native" of the Virginia colony. In 1625, William Sismore was no longer a displaced Englishman; he was one of the first individuals officially recognized as an "American," signaling a deep, early integration into the New World.

3. The "Treasonous" Loyalists of the New River Valley

During the American Revolution, the family took a counter-intuitive political stance that would dictate their geographical isolation for centuries. While the surrounding backcountry surged with revolutionary fervor, key branches of the Sizemore family remained staunchly loyal to the British Crown.

In 1779, Edward and Owen Sizemore were arrested in Montgomery County, Virginia, for participating in "the late Insurrection." Facing execution, they were forced to provide a financial bond and take an oath of allegiance to the revolutionary government. This submission was a calculated ruse. By 1781, Edward, Owen, and George Sizemore were documented on the payroll of the South Carolina Royalists, an active British military unit.

Facing patriot reprisals and land confiscation after the British defeat, these "loyalist refugees" retreated into the most rugged sanctuaries of the Appalachian highlands, specifically clustering around Whitetop Mountain. This was more than a hideout; it was a sanctuary for "non-conforming pioneers and remnant indigenous families." This convergence created a unique, multi-racial wilderness community, setting the stage for the family’s distinct cultural isolation.

4. The Mystery of the "Stick People" and the 2,000 Rejected Claims

One of the most poignant chapters of this history is the legal battle for Cherokee recognition via the Guion Miller Commission (1906–1910). Over 2,000 Sizemore descendants filed claims, asserting they were heirs to "Old Ned" Sizemore and his Cherokee wife. The government systematically rejected every claim, citing a lack of official documentation and the family's presence in Tidewater Virginia rather than traditional Cherokee lands.

However, the family’s oral tradition offers a haunting explanation for their absence from government rolls—the legend of the "Stick People."

"We were the Stick People, hidden where the ridges meet the sky. Our elders taught us that a name on a government paper was a ticket to the Trail of Tears. We built our shelters of stacked timber and brush to stay invisible; because for us, to be 'official' was to be removed. We chose the mountains so we could keep our children."

This tension between "official" identity and "family memory" remains a central pillar of the Sizemore heritage. It highlights a conscious decision to live as independent mountain people rather than risk the displacement and racial classification mandated by the state.

5. The DNA Twist: A Genetic Ghost Rewrites the Map

Modern science has introduced a "shadow in the records"—a startling twist revealed by the Sizemore DNA Project. Genetic evidence confirms that the family is not a single biological entity but is composed of two distinct paternal lines, likely stemming from an early colonial "non-paternal event."

• The Indigenous Line (Haplogroup Q): Descendants of George "All" Sizemore (b. 1750) consistently test positive for Y-DNA Haplogroup Q (specifically subgroups Q-L568 and Q-L569). This is an irrefutable biological marker of a patrilineal Native American ancestor.
• The European Line (Haplogroups R1b/I): Other branches carry Western European markers. One compelling theory suggests these ancestors were Sephardic Jews using the surname variant "Cismor," who migrated to the colonies via London and Barbados.

This genetic mosaic perfectly mirrors the Melungeon identity—a tri-racial blend of European, African, and Native American roots. This is epitomized by Aggy Sizemore (daughter of George "All"), who carried European maternal DNA but married Zachariah Minor, a man whose paternal lineage (Haplogroup E1b1a) traces directly to sub-Saharan Africa. Their union illustrates the merging of diverse frontier families into a single, resilient community.

6. From Mountain Frontiers to Mach 1 and Beyond

The Sizemore lineage is a testament to the "mountaineer's resilience," showing a remarkable trajectory from the 17th-century "Sizemore's Creek" to the cutting edge of modern science and exploration.

• Brigadier General Chuck Yeager: The legendary test pilot who first broke the sound barrier in 1947 was the son of Susan May "Susie" Sizemore. His ancestry connects directly back to the core Appalachian patriarchs, Edward B. Sizemore and Anna B. Baldwin.
• Dr. Hanna Sizemore: An alumna of Pocahontas County High School, Dr. Sizemore transitioned from the Allegheny Highlands to the frontiers of space. As a NASA researcher and science team member for the Mars Phoenix Lander, she embodies the family's evolution from frontier hunters to planetary scientists.

A Timeline of Stewardship and Contribution:

• 1835: Jacob Sizemore leads a major family caravan from North Carolina to establish a homestead on "Sizemore Branch" in Wyoming County, WV.
• 1905–1959: W. Erving Sizemore operates the "Sizemore Store" in Clay County, a vital commercial hub for the mountain community.
• 2024: Nathaniel D. Sizemore and Hannah Sizemore advocate for community-based budgeting and teacher retention before the Pocahontas County Board of Education.
• 2026: Nathaniel D. Sizemore acquires the historic "Old School House Lot" on Beaver Creek, while Charles and Mary Sizemore secure the family’s future via the Sizemore Family Trust deed in the Edray District.
• Contemporary: Dave Sizemore preserves the family's cultural heartbeat, performing traditional music with the Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys for West Virginia Public Television.

7. Conclusion: The Mountaineer’s Resilient Spirit

The history of the Sizemore family is a masterclass in resilience and reinvention. Over four centuries, they have navigated the collapse of colonial peace, the danger of political insurrection, the erasure of indigenous records, and the complexities of genetic discovery.

They have transformed from tobacco merchants and animal hunters into generals and planetary scientists, yet they have never entirely lost the "Stick People" spirit—that fierce mountain independence that prioritizes family memory over official decree. As you look at your own family tree, it is worth asking: what hidden epics are waiting in your DNA or tucked away in your ancestors' attics? The story of the Sizemores suggests that the truth is often far more incredible than the legend.

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The Sizemore Family: Identity, Migration, and Genetic History

The Sizemore narrative represents one of the oldest documented lineages in English America, beginning with William Sismore’s arrival in Virginia by 1616.

Revolutionary Conflict and Frontier Sanctuary

During the American Revolution, the Sizemores in the New River Valley area were primarily Loyalists.

• Treason Charges: In 1779, Edward and Owen Sizemore were arrested in Montgomery County for insurrection against the revolutionary government.
• Military Service: Edward, George, and Owen Sizemore later appeared on the payroll of the South Carolina Royalists, a British unit.
• Consequence: Defeat led these families to retreat into isolated mountain pockets like Whitetop Mountain, creating endogamous, multi-racial communities.

The Debate over Indigenous and Melungeon Identity

The Sizemore family is central to the study of the Melungeons—tri-racial isolate populations of Appalachia. Identity claims have historically been divided between oral tradition and legal/scientific records.

• The "Phantom" Pocahontas Line: Some traditions claim descent from Pocahontas via the Bolling family, a connection dismissed by professional genealogists as an attempt to bypass southern racial classifications with a "royal" Indian ancestor.
• Guion Miller Commission (1906–1910): Over 2,000 descendants applied for Cherokee recognition through "Old Ned" Sizemore. All were rejected because the family was never on official Cherokee rolls and resided in Tidewater/Piedmont areas outside historical Cherokee territory.
• The "Stick People" Legend: Family lore suggests they were called "Stick People" for building hidden shelters to protect Cherokees escaping the Trail of Tears. This explains their absence from official registers, as registration risked forced removal.

Genetic Reconstruction

Modern Y-DNA testing has identified two distinct paternal origins for the Sizemore family:

Genetic Marker	Continental Origin	Historical Context
Haplogroup Q	Native American	Found in descendants of George "All" Sizemore; confirms an indigenous patrilineal ancestor.
Haplogroup R1b/I	Western European	Reflects the original English colonial planter line; possibly linked to Sephardic "Cismor" ancestors.
Haplogroup E1b1a	Sub-Saharan African	Observed in allied Melungeon families (e.g., the Minors) who intermarried with Sizemores.

Geographic and Civic Legacy in Pocahontas County

Both families have left a permanent mark on the geography and civic life of the Allegheny Highlands.

Notable Geographic Sites

• The "Charley Collins Place": A historic site south of Cass, associated with the capture of pioneer Moses Moore by the Shawnee in 1758.
• Sizemore Branch: A geographic feature in Wyoming County named after the 1835 migration led by Jacob Sizemore.
• Little Levels/Jacox: The site of the Mae Susan Sizemore matrilineal branch, which integrated the family with the Boggs and Tharp lineages.

Distinguished Descendants and Modern Contributions

The families have evolved from frontier laborers into figures of national significance:

• Military: Brigadier General Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, is a direct descendant of the Appalachian Sizemore line (son of Susie Mae Sizemore).
• Science: Dr. Hanna Sizemore, a NASA researcher and planetary scientist who worked on the Mars Phoenix Lander.
• Arts: Dave Sizemore, a bluegrass musician who preserves the traditional "old-time" music of the region.
• Civic: Contemporary residents like Nathaniel D. Sizemore and Hannah Sizemore remain active in local school board policy and community administration as recently as 2024-2026.

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