how durin founded the longbeards

[Alfirin]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

Might as well ask how we all came to be here (Old Testament version), since Abel was dead and Cain exiled.

I guess that means that we need to search for a Tolkein Apocrypha if we want an answer. (though I suppose the notes ARE sort of the Apocrypha here. There is no doubt they are his, but as canonicity of anything there is always up for debate, they are functionally apocryphal.