The Mystery Of Kentucky’s Blue People And “Blue Beings” From Antiquity!

In the 1800s a family of blue-skinned people fascinated and, as we might imagine given the times, horrified many people in the state of Kentucky. Because of this, not only did wild and potentially irresponsible rumors swirl around the family, but they and the immediate community around them were essentially forced to cut themselves off from the rest of society, seemingly making such rumors swirl all the more.

Is there a connection between the Blue People of Kentucky and the “Blue Gods” and the ancient world?

In reality, rather than any number of wild theories as to why this family had blue skin, the reality was that the family had a “genetic trait” which leads to a condition called methemoglobinemia (met-H).

What is perhaps interesting is that the condition is largely thought to be a consequence of inbreeding. There is a phrase associated with the royal families of Europe especially, but also in antiquity, of royalty and other selective elite families that they have “blue blood”. It is also interesting that these same royal families and elites would marry and breed almost exclusively among themselves. This, so as to keep bloodlines “pure”. And this continued until relatively recently.

Although we don’t see cases of met-H in members of such apparent lofty families today, it is an intriguing detail. And while it is only speculative intrigue on our part, we will examine the alleged blue beings of the legends of the ancient past. While there might not be a connection between those born with blue skin (with the last documented case being in 1975), might it explain and put a little reality around the myths and folklore of antiquity? Especially when we add in the, tentative though it may be, connections of the royal families, of both the distant and immediate past.

The “Blue” Fugate Family Of Kentucky

The origins of the blue-skinned family go back to the start of the 19^th century when Martin Fugate married Elizabeth Smith. They would settle down in the town of Hazard in Kentucky. However, unbeknown to them, even though Martin had blue skin and consequently the genetic condition mentioned above, both, in fact, had the recessive met-H gene meaning their children would also very likely have it, and consequently blue skin. Indeed, four of their seven children did indeed have the condition.

What compounded the issue was that many people in a nearby settlement also contained the gene. And when the children of Fugates intermarried with the children of the settlements, the genetic trait was rampant within their circle.

A picture of the Blue People of Kentucky

This “interbreeding” among such a close circle of people with the same genetic trait was caused by the family being shunned by the community at large. As a result, they would isolate themselves as much as possible from society. And this extended to their marriages and births. Consequently, many of the descents of the family were also born with the condition.

Add to this that there was, at the time, very few roads or rail networks out of the community. This only served to encourage those in the “tight community” to remain where they were and find partners within it.

We should also note, that Bob Fugate, the great-grandson of Martin Fugate would state following the publication of an article on the subject that the blue-skinned condition was “not all because of inbreeding”. It was, he would state, was more exclusively when a “Fugate marries a Smith” – in this instance, or when two people with the same unique genes marry.

The Science And The Last Modern Cases

Although they would suffer the stigma of the condition, there were no life-threatening issues ^[1] associated with it. Met-H causes the levels of methemoglobin to rise in red blood cells. This, in turn, gives the skin its distinct blue shade, while also turning the blood an equally distinct chocolate-brown color.

It was only when Dr. Madison Cawein (III) took an interest in the blue people accounts that he, along with a nurse who claimed to have spoken with a lady with blue skin, Ruth Pendergrass, would begin an investigation. Between them, they would locate and speak with descendants of the Fugate family, many of whom feared their skin color was indicating a problem with their hearts.

However, they soon discovered the condition, specifically that they lacked the enzyme diaphorase.

Ruth Pendergrass (left)

Incidentally, the last case of blue skin in our (relatively) contemporary era in 1975 ^[2] was a descendent of the Fugate family. Benjamin Stacy, who was born with the condition, was the great-great-great-great-grandson of Martin Fugate. At the time his condition at birth shocked doctors. So much so, that doctors were in the process of rushing him to have an emergency blood transfusion before realizing his condition.

A little over a decade earlier, another case of a blue-skinned baby was documented. This time, Kerry Green was born in Tulsa in 1964, and once more, doctors feared he would not live long. They would even perform several heart operations – which he survived – and went on to live a normal otherwise healthy life. It was only after the fact that doctors learned of the true reason for his blue skin tone.

It is thought due to the eventual mass integration of the United States – and indeed, the world – the recessive gene has most likely lost its ability to fully take hold and cause the condition.

The Green Children Of Woolpit

We have written more in-depth previously of the Green Children of Woolpit. This is a documented case from England of two “green-skinned” children. A boy and a girl, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere. While the boy would die shortly after arriving, the young girl would remain with the village. She would even marry and some researchers suggest there are even records of her in official books of the era.

There have been many suggestions as to the truth to the mystery of the green children. Some believe they were extraterrestrial, possibly hybridized with humans. Others suggest they are humans from another dimension. Others still, claim the children were likely from an underground civilization who had wondered above the surface.

Perhaps, though, despite their description as green, might the incident have more in line with the blue-skinned people such as the Fugate family of Kentucky. After all, depending on the shade of green/blue, the two colors are not that different and could depend on individual perception of how they could be seen and described as either.

This is mere speculation on our part. However, it is perhaps an explanation worth considering. Before we move on, check out the short video below. It looks at the green children case a little further.

The “Blue Beings” Of Ancient Mythology

If we look to the ancient world we can find many legends of blue-skinned entities. ^[3] Perhaps one of the best examples would be from ancient Egyptian mythology. Depictions of the apparent father of Ptah, Kneph, are usually with blue skin.

We might also turn our attention to Lord Krishna of the Hindu world, who is also depicted and described as being blue. In the esoteric traditions of the ancient world, many accounts speak of a “Blue Being”, the consciousness of the universe.

Perhaps even more interesting are the legends of the Ainu, the indigenous people of Japan. Descriptions of the Ainu speak of a “blue hue” to their skin. They themselves also claim their ancestors came “from space” to start their civilization. It is perhaps interesting here to note the Sumerian legends which speak of the Annunaki.

These examples, of which we have selected but a few, are certainly intriguing. And perhaps might offer us a tentative connection to the potential realities of the ancient world.

Blue-Skinned Gods Or Advanced Humans With A Genetic Anomaly?

Some people make a connection with apparent blue-skinned beings from the Atlantean region. We will speculate here a little more. What if the gods of mythology were real flesh-and-blood beings? What if they were themselves descendants of a race, from pre-history, from before The Flood, for example?

Given that they were certainly advanced beings with great knowledge and an ability to rule and have others rule on their behalf, we might also assume it is likely these potentially blue-skinned “gods” were perhaps of an elite social standing, perhaps even what we would recognize as royalty. Might, then, this tight-knit group of gods be descendants of equally tight breeding among themselves, perhaps resulting in such a blue-skinned appearance.

As outlandish as such a notion might be, it is certainly intriguing. Especially when looking to find reason in the equally outlandish myths that many believe are remnants of truth.

Let’s stretch this a little further, merely for speculative purposes due to our collective interest in such matters. Might we even consider that such blue-skinned beings, or at least ancestors of them, were indeed extraterrestrial? Might such conditions be one of the last of such genetic anomalies to remain within the collective population? Only surfacing when combined with the same genetic trait.

Check out the video below. It looks at the blue-skinned Fugate family of Kentucky.

Expert Opinion

The Kentucky “Blue People” saga centers on the Fugate family, whose distinctive azure-tinted skin was ultimately traced to methemoglobinemia, a rare genetic condition. Over time, rumors and folklore linked their coloration to inbreeding, fueling tales that they were somehow mystical or linked to legendary blue divinities. Although modern medical investigation explains the phenomenon, popular intrigue still frames the Fugates as an enduring American curiosity.

Conversely, parallels with blue-skinned deities and ancient myths remain speculative. Skeptics point to recessive gene combinations as a far more likely cause, while enthusiasts suggest a broader cosmic or genealogical link. Despite the Fugates’ confirmed medical diagnosis, folklore about extraterrestrial or interdimensional “blue gods” persists. Ultimately, the scientific evidence is clear on the condition, but any deeper ancestral connection remains elusive.

Verdict: Inconclusive
Medical data resolves the family’s hue, but myths about ancient “blue beings” remain unproven and open-ended.

Marcus Lowth is an expert on this topic and has over 20 years experience studying and reporting in these fields. Marcus has written several books and appeared on TV shows as an expert investigator discussing these topics.