Another Ancestry Personal Family Tree Hit

And the greatest hits from Ancestry.com trees just keep on coming.

While clearing the leaves for my 8th great grandmother, Sophia Sethia Short b. ca 1665 in Colonial Virginia (she married Thomas Harrison 1665-1746). I found her parents (sic) on several trees.

Her father was Matthew Barnes b. 1692 and mother was Catherine Wood b. 1692. Not a bad trick to have your parents born nearly 30 years after you are and she doesn't even carry the same last name as her parents.

One of the worse examples of something that is suppose to be genealogy I have seen published to the net to date. I've sent personal messages to all these folks and also published a post to the Ancestry Short message board. Let's see how long it takes them to make the change, if ever.

I remind folks that if you make a mistake on your lineal lines, that mistake is double every geneation past that. You have to be careful and give this research the due diligence it deserves or why even bother in the first place.

My atDNA Test Results are in (AncestryDNA)

Well my great $99 AncestryDNA atDNA adventure has come full circle and I now have some results to look at. Based on this atDNA (autosomal test) I show the following genectic ethnicity that reveals where my ancestors lived hundreds — perhaps even thousands — of years ago.

British Isles 57%
Scandinavian 22%
Southern European 17%
Uncertain 4%

I had six cousin matches within the 4th-6th cousin range (95-96% confidence levels)

I had 22 matches within the 5th to 8th cousin range (moderate confidence level). One of those matches was also a direct match to my Mallory line (my new 8th cousin). So the test does work. Now I need to take time to explore the other 27 matches and their trees to see what shakes out. Pretty interesting and I have a better feel for things now that I have my 67 marker yDNA test, my HRV1 mtDNA test and now my atDNA complete.



You can learn more about autosomal DNA by clicking here.

Ancestry testing goes for pinpoint accuracy

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.

Until a few years ago, most ancestry tests for individuals relied on short stretches of DNA in cell-powering organelles called mitochondria, which are inherited through the mother, or on the Y chromosome, which a father passes down to his sons. While providing very accurate information about father/son relationships, these tests were not always so accurate about the geographical origins of earlier ancestors.

For example, a set of Y-chromosome markers called Haplogroup R1b is common among Western European men, but a small fraction of North Africans have it, too. Similarly, “if men have a Y chromosome that is more common in Scandinavia than England, they’re convinced they’re a Viking”, says Mark Jobling, a geneticist at the University of Leicester, UK. But that is not necessarily the case. Such nuances are not always conveyed by the companies that offer such services, notes Jobling. What’s more, Y-chromosome or mitochondrial markers trace only one strand in a person’s ancestry.

Writing in Nature magazine, Ewen Callaway describes the latest surveys of human genetic diversity, including the International HapMap Project and the 1000 Genomes Project. Callaway states that "Individuals may soon be able to trace the geographic origins of their ancestors more precisely. An academic project called People of the British Isles has distinguished the genetic signatures of people from neighbouring UK counties."



You can read more in the latest edition of Nature at http://www.nature.com/news/ancestry-testing-goes-for-pinpoint-accuracy-1.10785.

My thanks to Sue Burgess for telling me about the article.

Mis-IDed Photograph - Sarah Chalfant-Redus!

And the hits on Ancestry.com just keep on coming. The picture below has been posted up on over 20 Ancestry.com trees as being Sarah Chalfant-Redus, daughter of William Chalfant and Esther Baker.



The above picture that these folks have posted on their trees for Sarah Chalfant-Redus (1764-1825) and reposted to nearly two dozen other trees is not her.

It is a photograph Sarah Chaffin Redus (1818-1901), the grand daughter of the fore mentioned Sarah Chalfant and daughter of Aaron Redus/Lucy Ann Oglesby.

This is a photgraph of a young woman and keep in mind that even at the time of Sarah Chalfant's death in 1825 that photography had not been invented. The first permanent photograph was an image produced in 1826 by the French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. Time to take this photo myth down from Ancestry.com before it spreads even more.

More Genealogy New Calendar Math Found at Ancestry.com

Just when you thought it was safe to crawl out of your genealogy closet, I have uncovered some more interesting genealogy calendar math.

My 6th great grandmother is Hannah Medlicott, who was born in 1684 in Colonial Pennsylvania, and died in 1715. She was married to John Wendel Kite.

What is interesting are the nearly a dozen trees that give her parents as (wait for it) . . .

Father: William Medlicott (1805-1884)
Mother: Martha Tankee (1839-1866)

Fascinating that a couple can have a daughter 121 years (father) and 155 years (mother) before they are even born. And this is why I tell my students not to blindly accept what they see at Ancestry.com as gospel. You may end up looking pretty foolish if you do.

The mtDNA results are in and my clan mother is . . .

My mtDNA test results are in and I was a bit surprised at my results. My haplogroup U5, clan mother Ursula.

From my DNA page at Ancestry:

"Your ancient ancestral haplogroup is U5. This result means you're a subgroup of U, and we've provided you with that ancestral story. Because U was a predecessor to your group, the majority of this story applies to you as well.

"The Travelers, haplogroup U, emerged around 60,000 years ago, not long after the first modern humans left Africa. Because the Travelers are so old, they've had many descendants who migrated to new areas and formed subgroups. One group of the Travelers, U2, originated in the Near East about 45,000 years ago. Today's highest rates of U2 are concentrated in southern and southwestern Asia, except for one (U2e) which expanded into Europe with some of the first humans to migrate in that direction and can still be found there."

Origins: Haplogroup U descends from a woman in the Haplogroup R (mtDNA) branch of the phylogenetic tree, who lived around 55,000 years ago. Her descendants gave birth to several different subgroups, some of which exhibit specific geographic homelands.

Distribution: Haplogroup U is subdivided into Haplogroups U1-U8. Haplogroup K is a subclade of U8.[2] The old age has led to a wide distribution of the descendant subgroups that harbor specific European, Berber, Indian, African, Arab, northern Caucasus Mountains,U* found in Svan population from Svaneti region (Georgia,Caucasus) 25% and the Near East clades.

Subclades - Haplogroup U5: Branch U5 of U is extremely old, and among the oldest mtDNA haplogroups found in European remains of Homo sapiens is U5. For example, Cheddar Man, the oldest remains of anatomically modern humans in Britain, was in Haplogroup U5. The age of U5 is estimated at 30-50,000 years but could be as old as 60,500 years. Approximately 11% of total Europeans and 10% of European-Americans are in haplogroup U5.

The presence of haplogroup U5 in Europe predates the end of the Ice Ages as well as the expansion of agriculture in Europe. Bryan Sykes' popular book The Seven Daughters of Eve calculated that it arose 45,000-50,000 years ago in the area of Delphi, Greece and named the originator of haplogroup U5 Ursula. However the details related to location and age are speculative. Barbujani and Bertorelle estimate the age of haplogroup U5 as about 52,000 years ago, being the oldest subclade of haplogroup U. Thus, the name 'Ursula' could be applied to the entirety of haplogroup U, as well as U5.

U5 has been found in human remains dating from the Mesolithic in England, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, and France.

Haplogroup U5 and its subclades U5a and U5b form the highest population concentrations in the far north, in Sami, Finns, and Estonians, but it is spread widely at lower levels throughout Europe. This distribution, and the age of the haplogroup, indicate individuals from this haplogroup were part of the initial expansion tracking the retreat of ice sheets from Europe ~10kya.

Haplogroup U5 is found also in small frequencies and at much lower diversity in the Near East and parts of northern Africa (areas with sizable U6 concentrations), suggesting back-migration of people from Europe to the south.

So here is the bottom of my family tree that the mtDNA tested.

1. (Me) William Larry Van Horn
2. Gloria Ann Schmidt
3. Hattie Grohman (1885-1962)
4. Sarah Frances Smith (1866-1960)
5. Elizabeth A Carr (1825-1924)
6. Elizabeth Faulk (1807-?)
7. Sarah ? (wife of James Faulk)

You can see more on my public family tree at Ancestry.com at
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/20484129/family

Now let the matches begin.

The Ancestors of Richard Vaughan, Bishop of London (d. 1607)

(Blog editor note: You can view my ancestors tree on Ancestry.com at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/20484129/family

My 11th great grandfather through my Mallory line was a very special person - Right Rev. Richard Vaughan, D.D., the Bishop of London.

He was born in Nyffryn, Llandudwen, Carnarvonshire, Wales ca. 1550, and died of apoplexy on 30 March 1607. He is buried in Bishop Kemp's Chapel, St. Paul's Cathedral, London, England.

His father was Thomas ap Robert Fychan of Nyffryn, Llyn, Caernarvonshire. He was educated at St John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1574, MA in 1577, and DD in 1589. He became chaplain to John Aylmer, Bishop of London, in 1577 who is said to have been a relative.

Instituted to the rectory of Chipping Ongar, Essex, 22 Apr. 1578 (resigned Apr. 1581); to the rectory of Little Canfield, Essex, 24 Nov. 1580 (resigned Jan. 1590/1); collated to the prebend of Holborn in St. Paul's Cathedral, 18 Nov. 1583 (resigned 1595); to the Archdeaconry of Middlesex, 26 Oct. 1588 (resigned 1596); instituted to the rectory of Moreton, Essex, 19 Aug. 1591; collated to the vicarage of Great Dunmow, Essex, 19 Feb. 1591/2; admitted to the canonry of Combe in Wells Cathedral, 1593; instituted to the rectory of Lutterworth, Leicestershire (date of preferment unknown); to the rectory of Stanford Rivers, Essex, 1594; elected Bishop of Bangor, 22 Nov. 1595 (consecrated 25 Jan. 1595/6); collated to the Archdeaconry of Anglesey, 1596; translated to the bishopric of Chester 23 Apr. 1597 (enthroned 10 Nov.); instituted to the rectory of Bangor-ys-coed, Flintshire, 1597 (resigned 1604); promoted to the bishopric of London by King James VI & I on 8 Dec. 1604 (enthroned 26 Dec.). He assisted William Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff [WG2: Nefydd 1 (A)], in his translation of the Bible into Welsh.

His views were Calvinist, and he signed and is presumed to have had input into the Lambeth Articles of 1595. He licensed in 1606 the translation of the work Institutiones Theologicae of the Reformed theologian Guillaume Du Buc (Gulielmus Bucanus) of Lausanne, carried out by Robert Hill. As Bishop of London he was generally sympathetic to moderate Puritan clergy; but he did take action in suspending Stephen Egerton.

His complete Welsh ancestry can be seen at http://www.wargs.com/family/vaughan.html

Sources: ODNB;PACF 243; OC I:76, I:126, I:146; Dictionary of National Biography [London: Smith, Elder, 1885-1900], LVIII: 170-171; Y Bywgraffiadur Cymreig hyd 1940 paratowyd dan nawdd Anrhydeddus Gymdeithas Y Cymmrodorion [Llundain, 1953], p. 944; DWB 1005; George Ormerod, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Second edition (revised by Thomas Helsby) [London: Routledge, 1882], I: 99 and 173-174; Charles Henry Cooper and Thompson Cooper, Athenae Cantabrigienses [Cambridge: Deighton, Bell, 1858-1913], II: 450-452;Alumni Cantabrigienses, compiled by John Venn and John Archibald Venn, Part I (to 1751) [Cambridge: University Press, 1922-1927], IV: 295; Rev. Robert Williams, Enwogion Cymru (A Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Welshmen) [Llandovery, William Rees, 1852], pp. 509-510; Joseph Foster, Alumni Oxoniensis, Early Series (1500-1714) [Oxford: Parker & Co., 1891-1892], p. 1537; Rev. Rupert H. Morris, Chester (Diocesan Histories) [London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1895], pp. 150-156;Archaeologia Cambrensis I (1846): 369-370; the ODNB says that "a virtually impenetrable hagiography in Latin by his kinsman John Williams, Archbishop of York [d. 1650], survives in manuscript (BL, Harley MS 6495, art. 6)". Bishop Vaughan bore the arms "Sable, a chevron between three fleurdelys, argent" (Rev. William Kirkpatrick Riland Bedford, The Blazon of Episcopacy [Oxford: Clarendon, 1897], p. 87 and plate XLIV). Engraved portraits of Bishop Vaughan appear in Henry Holland, Herologia Anglica [London: Impensis C. Passaei, 1620], at p. 231 (see also pp. 232-233), and in D. Pauli Freheri, Theatrum Virorum Eruditione Clarorum [Noribergae: Hofmanni, 1688], facing p. 324 (see also pp. 342-343). Bishop Vaughan married (25 June 1581 at Great Dunmow, Essex) Jane Bewers, and had nine children.

The line of descendent from Rev. Vaughan to me is as follows:

1. Right Rev. Richard Vaughan D.D. (1550 - 1607) my 11th great grandfather
2. Elizabeth Vaughan ( - 1665) Daughter of Right Rev. Richard
3. Rev. Thomas Mallory B.D (1605 - 1671) Son of Elizabeth
4. Capt. Roger Mallory (1630 - 1697) Son of Rev. Thomas
5. Thomas Mallory (1674 - 1750) Son of Roger
6. Phillip Mallory (1715 - 1811) Son of Thomas
7. William Mallory (1758 - 1825) Son of Phillip
8. Major John H. Mallory (1789 - 1850)Son of William
9. Dr. William Wesley Mallory (1830 - 1870) Son of John H.
10. Mattie Parry Mallory (1866 - 1942) Daughter of Dr. William Wesley
11. Willie Law Van Horn (1885 - 1960) Son of Mattie Parry
12. Witt Lange Van Horn (1911 - 1982) Son of Willie Law
13. Warner Lee Van Horn Son of Witt Lange
14. William Larry Van Horn (Me)

Waiting on Two More DNA Test Results

Recently Ancestry offered a really good price on their new AncestryDNA autosomal test so I have taken the plunge. I have tied it to my ancestor public tree which I have spent my off time from my genealogy teacher's podium at Tri County Community College working on. You can see my revised and updated ancestor tree on Ancestry at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/20484129/family.

I'm also waiting on my mtDNA (HRV1 region only)test from Family Tree DNA which so be out in the next three weeks. I took advantage of their excellent one day sale last month so now I will at least know who my clan mother is.

This will be my first experience with an autosomal DNA test so I will let my readers know what I think of the results when they get back and I see how it fits into my family research plans.

Another Confederate veteran burial location found!

As one of several Redus family genealogists, one of my main missions is to determine where all the family Civil War Confederate veterans final resting places are, even if they are just coat tail cousins. One that I have been trying to find for some time surfaced this afternoon.

Celestia Clay Redus b. 8 May 1840 in Limestone Co, Alabama (dau of Thomas Redus and Martha Adeline Clay) m Private Stephen D. Herman on Nov 26, 1862, in Giles County, Tennessee. He was the son of William Herman and Lucinda Shepard McMurray. Stephen Herman was born 09 Jan 1835 in Lauderdale County, Alabama and was a member of the "Florence Guards"(7th Alabama Infantry CSA). He enlisted as a private on April 1, 1861. Celestia died from the complications of childbirth on 13 Oct 1863. She is buried in the New Garden Cemetery, Elkmont, Limestone County, Alabama (FAG memorial #21594330).

I have not been able to find out much of Stephen life after the Civil War and until today did not know when he passed away or where he is buried.

CSA Private Stephen D. Herman died on March 9, 1900 and is buried in the Carter Cemetery in Colbert County, Alabama (FAG Memorial #59271180). He has a VA CSA marker as well as a regular tombstone. I have asked the couple who maintain his marker to link his with Celestia.



The inscription on his regular tombstone reads: "Come ye Blessed", "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God".



If anyone else knows anything about Stephen's life after his first wife passed away, please contact me at the email address in the masthead.

I've Learned Some New Calendar Math Doing Genealogy

I have a family tree up at Ancestry.com and recently got a leaf on my Rachel Meek b. 3 Mar 1802 Adair County, Kentucky, United States, d. bef 13 Jun 1827 Henry County, Tennessee, United States. She married my Rev. John D. Witt (1802-1851)in 1828.

Her father was Jacob Meek (1760-1824). I have yet to find who Rachel's mother / Jaoob's wife was, but I can tell you who it isn't -- Mary Detwiler (1821-1880).

Out of 25 Ancestry.com public trees with this family on them, nine of them show Rachel Meek's mother as the Mary Detwiler mentioned above. Pretty good trick that Mary Detwiler can have a child in 1802 and she wasn't born until 1821.

So for you nine people who have Mary Detwiler as Rachel Meek's mother, I guess I have learned some new ways to do calendar math. Really? Really? Really!