The results of a several more tests for the Davenport DNA Surname
Project have arrived. We are trying to get DNA samples from all of the
branches of the various Davenport lines to see how we are related. For
more information and to see the results go to
http://www.DavenportDNA.com
So far we have 53 participants with complete results in for 46.
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OK. Here we go. The first participant - Kit # 20775's paper genealogy
makes him an Albemarle Davenport. His line starts with Richard (b.1642)
> Isaac > George Edmund > Reuben > Elisha > etc.. He matches all other
Albemarle's on 25 of 25 markers. When upgraded to 37 his matches most of
them 36/37. However, there is a Albemarle that he matches
37/37. Participant #12628 just upgraded to 37 markers and shares the
same linage through Reuben where he follows down from Elisha's brother
Edmond instead. Both participants have the identical mutation on marker
GATA H4. So now, if we find another DNA pattern with this same pattern -
the odds are pretty good he is a descendant of the Richard > Isaac
branch.
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As you may recall we were trying to find a participant from one of the
branches of the Humphrey of Barbados line - Humphrey > Humphrey. We had
some Humphrey > William and newly "proven" Humphreys which were fairly
close to each other - DNA wise. But we needed a documented Humphrey >
Humphrey participant to verify what the line looks like. We did find
one, at least according to his paper genealogy. However, his results
were far different than any other Davenport tested so far. So we started
the search again. Kit # 20793 was the result of that search. He is a
Humphrey > Humphrey, and he is a very close match with the Humphrey >
William branch. This means we know essentially what the DNA looks like
for the Humphrey of Barbados line. It's origin is different that the
other Davenport lines. The minor differences we find between the
Humphrey participants will help pin down the branches.
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Next, I am going to treat Kit# 22162 and Kit# 22533 together. They both
are documented Pamunkey's. #22162 is Davis > Thomas > Julius. While
#22533 is Davis > Thomas > Stephen. The Julius descendent matches the
other Pamunkey's, including another Julius descendent exactly 25/25. That
is not unexpected. The Pamunkey's have been very consistent on the first
25 markers. With only a couple exceptions they match each other 25/25.
One of those exceptions is #22533, the Stephen descendant. He has a
mutation on marker # 391. A 10 instead of an 11. He took the 37 marker
test, which increases the odds of finding differences, so we found
another mutation on marker 456 - from 17 to 16.
I want to mention once again that mutations are neither good nor bad.
They are just random changes in the Y-DNA. When we get samples from each
major branch of a line we can establish a "baseline". It is this
baseline we compare the other participants from the line to. So if three
branches have a 17 on a marker and one branch has a 16, then we say the
forth line had a one step mutation. For genealogical purposes an
occasional mutation is good. Once it occurs it is passed down through
the generations. We can use this "signature" to define this particular
branch of the line. In this case, the Davis > Thomas > Stephen
descendant may define what this branch of Pamunkey's look like, DNA wise.
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Participant 22330 believed he was Pamunkey, but he could not make the
connection. Once tested, he matched 25/25 with the Rev. John, Thomas of
Dorchester, and Albemarle lines. That changed everything. I have
temporarily placed him in the Albemarle line because his ancestors are
from North Carolina. He has upgraded to 37 markers so we should be able
confirm his line shortly.
--------------------
Finally, kit # 22696, traces his ancestry back to James Davenport, born
about 1822, of Tennessee. He felt "in his bones" that he was descended
from one of the Cheshire Davenport lines. He felt right. He had an exact
25/25 match with the Rev. John, Thomas of Dorchester, and Albemarle
lines. These lines match the Cheshire lines tested so far. These lines
also have slight differences on 37 markers and so did 22696. He most
closely matches the Albemarle's, plus his ancestor is closest to the
Albemarle homeland, so I have placed him there for the moment. However,
as more results come in, it may turn out that he represents another
"forth line" in the states that matches the Cheshire Davenports.
--------------------
We have also had some upgrades from the 25 marker to the 37 marker test.
The first - #19172 is an Albemarle. Richard > John > James > etc.. He
matches exactly 37/37 with another Albemarle - #8666 - who believes he
was also descended from the Richard > John line. With this match, that
possibility looks good.
----
Participant 9397 learned he was a Pamunkey via the first 25 markers. His
upgrade matches exactly 37/37 the Davis > Elias branch. However, we
can't eliminate the Davis > Martin or Davis > Thomas branches yet. We do
have participants from each of these branches that are a one step
difference. But we also have a couple that did not upgrade to 37 so we
can't make a complete comparison yet. But 9397 should focus on
connecting to the Elias branch.
----
About this time last year we had some interesting results come in from
one of our Thomas of Dorchester line. The line has been pretty
consistent with 25/25 matches. However, this descendant of Thomas > John
> Samuel > Seth matched 24/25 and 35/37 with the others. So we found
another member of the branch - #13434 - Thomas > John > Samuel > Samuel.
Surprisingly, his results matched the rest of the line. This means the
two mutations occurred sometime after Thomas > John > Samuel - somewhere
down the Seth branch. We can now place any future matches into this
branch.
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On another note. Several members of this list, along with others,
have actively been trying to make sense of the Davenport lines in
England and how they connect to the Davenports in the rest of the world.
If you know of any Davenports from England, especially Cheshire, who you
believe might be interested in participating in the DNA project - please
contact me.