Michael, I'm curious on how you don't know anything about your James Johnson, but thru DNA you found out who he's not a descendent of? How do you eliminate or find a distant ancestor thru DNA? Is it strictly a male gene or can a female gene work? Alli ----- Original Message ----- From: "D Michael Johnson" <breadman4@verizon.net> To: <johnson@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2007 11:35 AM Subject: [JOHNSON] Searching for: Ancestors of James Johnson (d1810, Tenn) and wife Charity > My eldest Johnson ancestor is James Johnson. > > Who were his parents: don't know! > > When and where was he born: don't know! > > What do I know: > > -- through DNA, he is not a descendant of the Michael Johnson (d1718) > line, > but I still read Tony's posts. Am eliminating others as I go through the > Johnson FTDNA website. > > -- he, or at least some of his family, lived for a time in Halifax County, > Virginia, where a few of them were married. > > -- he died in 1810 in Wilson County, Tennessee. His children settled in > the > Hawkins County and Wilson County areas of Tennessee.

A number of the descendants of Michael Johnson (d1718) and related families have been DNA tested (Y-DNA). This is for male ancestral lines (father, grandfather, gr-grandfather, etc), won't work for females. Their test results and mind don't match, therefor we are not blood related. I have, however, matched with a few others, who have their lines proven on paper back to Scots-Irish and into Scotland. Yet, none of us has matching ancestral information. Basically, beyond James, I know what direction to go in - Ireland and Scotland - but don't know how to get there - Virginia?, Maryland?, Maine?, New Hampshire? By looking at the Johnson FTDNA website, I can look at those who don't match, and exclude their proven family lines, and if I come accross matching information for them, I can eliminate that search. Hope this helps some. Cheers, Michael Kent Island, Maryland ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alli" <iamcheroke@filertel.com> To: <johnson@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2007 2:03 PM Subject: Re: [JOHNSON] Searching for: Ancestors of James Johnson (d1810,Tenn) and wife Charity--Question > Michael, > I'm curious on how you don't know anything about your James Johnson, but > thru DNA you found out who he's not a descendent of? > > How do you eliminate or find a distant ancestor thru DNA? Is it strictly a > male gene or can a female gene work? > > Alli