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 around the world to see how we are related. For more information and to see the results go to http://www.DavenportDNA.com So far we have 92 participants with complete results in for 72. ---------------------- The first results belong to kit # 37512. He is a descendent of Thomas (born about 1700) and Margaret Davenport of Lower Withington, Cheshire . He says "most of the Davenports found in the Swettenham and Marton parish registers from 1725 on are descended from this couple ." His grandfather moved to Australia in 1912. So far, the results have come in for six participants who can trace their recent ancestry to England. Four of them had results similar to each other, and the other two matched no other Davenport. Kit # 37512 joins the later group - no matches. This can be explained three different ways. First - it is what it is. This Davenport line is not related to the others. Somewhere up the line, the ancestors of Thomas adopted the Davenport name. Second - The line is related to the other lines, but somewhere between Thomas and the participant - there was a "paternity event". Meaning an adoption, name change, affair, whatever. Third - there was an error in the paper genealogy somewhere. Since the research appears good and we don't have enough information - the best solution would be to test another individual from the line. By comparing another Thomas descendent, preferably one descended from another one of his sons, we can verify the Y-DNA test results. Hopefully, there is such a person. --------------------- Kit # 41189 can trace his ancestry back to Joseph Davenport, born about 1832 in Gainsborough, Tennessee. Joseph married Elizabeth Ann Wheeler about 1854. He died in 1863 of wounds received in the Civil War. The Y-DNA of this line matches two other participants. One who believes he is descended from Colonel George Davenport of Davenport, Iowa fame. Col. George was born in Lincolnshire, England in 1783 and arrived in New York City in 1805. His documented descendents are known, but our participants are not among them. However, there is the matter of "undocumented" descendents. For a portion of his life, George was an Indian trader and was well known to several tribes in the Iowa-Illinois area. There are rumors that he fathered several children. So this keeps the door open for Col. George connections. We won't really know until we find a documented descendent. ---------------------- Participant # 41293 can trace his ancestry to William Davenport, born 1805 probably in Virginia, who married Draper ?. Next down the line was Horace, born in 1833 in Kentucky. Born William and Horace died in Missouri. Unfortunately, # 41293 does not match any other Davenport tested so far. This does happen occasionally - although not as often. Two years ago we were running about 15% without matches. Now we are about 10%. The bigger we grow, the better the odds of making a connection. I expect this will eventually happen for # 41293. ---------------------- The next participant - kit # 44798 - is our first Altona Davenport. He descends from Abraham Davenport, born 1714 in England. Abraham migrated to America after 1735 settling in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He married Mary Simms about 1745. They eventually settled with their family in Jefferson County, West Virginia. #41189 descends from Abraham's son Anthony Simms Davenport. The Y-DNA of the Altona's does not match any other Davenport line. They belong to Haplogroup I, which is most common in northwestern Europe - the Scandinavian area. While most of our tested lines are Haplogroup R1b, which is more common in western Europe. We now have another Altona participant - a descendent of Abraham > Abraham. If he matches #44798, then we have verified Abraham's Y-DNA, and we know he is not related to the other Davenport lines tested so far. --------------------- We have another English participant (residing in Australia) - kit # 45408. He can trace his line back to William Davenport, born about 1795 in London, who married Charlotte Head. William was a Painter, Glazier and Gilder. What makes # 45408's results exciting, is that he matches the Newberry's on 36 of 37 markers. This means they definitely had a common ancestor. Two years ago we showed that the descendents of Isaac (d.1749) had a common ancestor with the descendents of Francis (b.1651 England). Now we have a London connection. Hopefully Newberry researchers can bring it all together. --------------------- The next participant is a Humphrey Davenport descendent. Humphrey was born prior to 1640 in England before settling in Barbados. Kit # 46926 descends from Humphrey > Humphrey > Humphrey... His Y-DNA test results confirm his paper genealogy. There is a definite match. Due to the uniqueness of the Humphrey Y-DNA, (no one even close in tens of thousands of samples in public databases), we decided to try some additional testing. The Humphrey's are Haplogroup J1, and one of the participants has agreed to take the "J sub-clade" test. This test breaks J down into subgroups. Haplogroups are used to determine human migration patterns, so maybe we can discover what region of the world Humphrey (or his ancestors) came from. We are also working with a couple "J1 specialists" to help decide additional testing options. Some of the documented Humphrey participants have also upgraded to 37 markers. This will help the undocumented Humphrey participants zoom in on a specific branch. --------------------- And finally - Kit # 46784. He came to us as an unknown, but now he has found a home:) He could only go back to his Grandfather Jess C. Davenport who married Marie Smith in the early 1900's. Family history suggested his ancestors settled in Virginia and the Carolina's in the early 1600's. Family history was pretty close. He matched the Newberry Davenports. Now, with the help of other researchers, maybe he can find out where he fits in. --------------------- This and all previous reports can be seen on the News page at >http://www.DavenportDNA.com If anyone would like to join the DNA project or has any questions please contact me. Bill Davenport Surname DNA Project Administrator >wbdave@aol.com