That's interesting Meeka.

I would think that maybe your ancestors who couldn't by apparent descriptions, you say, pass for white, were possibly indentured servants who gained their freedom after their duty was up. On the other note, I think after a time, when slavery became more common, it was harder for a person of color to get away with freedom, I think, like you stated, they coudl be kidnapped and held as slaves and no one would defend them. Many fpc's were constantly having to prove their freedom with their freedom papers and I'm quite sure many a white indentured servant wasn't held longer but surely many fpc's were somehow convicted of some made up crime and the law would then have them held as slaves thereafter by their previous master of indentureship, guess you could call it.

If it wasn't skin tone, what could fpc be otherwise? I ask sincerely. My gr gr grandpa "passed " as white (I say)-- prior to 1870, was seen as mulatto on census. His children and grandchildren really look nothing but european, maybe some indian in there especially for him to pass as white I suppose. This line, so far that I have found, were in VA to NC to TN to IN/IL. They were always free that I have found thus far. I have also seen many fpc's or melungeons, and many look just a little tan, darker eyes and darker hair. Today, they'd be white or maybe Asian.

All this is just my personal reading and experience in researching my lines.

Love to learn all I can and udnerstand my people and why they did at the time what they did.