John Blanks, named after his grandfather John Blanks Sr. (1754) was born about 1804 and was the oldest known child of Alfred Blanks Sr. He married Melvina Hammond of New Hanover and was probably the oldest or one of the oldest family member who was able to keep his Native American Identity based on the 1860 US Federal Census in New Hanover County, North Carolina. You will notice on the 1860 census his race (I) for Indian was indicated and he did not use the typical United States Federal mandate of the use of (B) Black or (M) Mulatto.
Frederick “Alfred” Blanks Sr. was born about 1783, his father was John Blanks Sr. (1754) who appeared in the 1790 United States Census in Bladen County North Carolina with a household of eight. Alfred Blanks Sr. was the father of at least eleven known children based on records, documents and DNA testing, many of his children settled their families in either Bladen or Columbus County, North Carolina.
