David, I was just going through some of the papers we have accumulated over the years in trying to find out more about Ralph Bernard Strong of Collin County, Texas. I got a letter some years back from a lady in Collin County, Texas who had a Strong ancestor from Dublin Ireland. Her mother was a professional genealogist in that area of Texas. I didn't know if you might be interested in trying to contact her or not. Her name and contact info as of July 1997: Minnie Pitts Champ 1413 Harroun Ave. McKinney, TX 75069-3430 972-562-6543 email mchamp@airmail.net webpage http://homepage.usr.com/c/ccbc Her Irish Strong ancestor was Michael Strong b 12 May 1791 dp. Cloghran-Hidart Cem., Blanchardstown, Co Dublin he was the father of Thomas Strong,b 10 Mar 1803 in Dublin and who died 20 Nov 1890 in Kentucky Feel free to follow up, or totally ignore, as you see fit. Melinda Strong -----Original Message----- From: David B. Strong [mailto:dbsandmd@attcanada.ca] Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 9:35 PM To: STRONG-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [STRONG] Y-DNA Study Update 4 June 2003 Hello All! We have 6 new results posted in our Patrilineal Strong-Stronge-Strange-Strang-LeStrange & Armstrong Y-DNA Study since my last update message to the various Rootsweb Lists (Note, I did send interim messages in the meantime to certain persons with specific interests, and the foregoing statement does not include my recent message regarding the Matrilineal mtDNA Study). We have 28 Y-DNA participants in the Patrilineal Study, with 27 results posted, and are awaiting completion of testing for one additional kit. Of the 6 results posted since my last message concerning the Y-DNA Patrilineal Study, one has been for the "Donegal Bay Group" (note new group name, comprising the old Donegal & Fermanagh Group), four for an overall Group dubbed "Strange of Balcaskie", and one for Co. Longford, Ireland. Many of you will have noticed I have revised certain aspects of the DNA Results webpage. The page was getting too large to load rapidly, and it was awkward to revise. I have broken the page into three sub-pages, all linked together; and compiled some of the analytical detail into various DNA Notes which can be accessed from links on the DNA Results page. I particularly invite your attention to Notes 7, 9, 10, 11, 12; and any related notes or linked pedigrees. Those notes will help explain the significance of the latest results and the changes in the Lineage Groupings used on the DNA Results webpage. As usual, I invite your review, comments and questions. There are some aspects of the DNA Results to date which should be discussed. First, re the four Donegal Bay results, they tend to confirm a hypothesis that the various Strong families clustered around Donegal Bay and extending easterly into County Fermanagh are all related. The DNA signature of these kits is quite distinctive, and is discussed in Note 7. There are indications that the Donegal Bay Strongs have a heritage which may include non-paternal events predating their arrival in Ireland, eg., before about 1665, or perhaps which predate the adoption of surnames. Their lineage may reach in antiquity to certain Norman families which may have included heritage from members of Roman legions who had East Asian roots. Blood Group B is quite typically found in members of the Donegal Bay families, including some lines that have not yet been tested. While not a conclusive marker for inclusion in the Donegal Bay lineages, Blood Group B does have heritable characteristics which can be transmitted through many generations within a lineage. I anticipate posting a further explanatory note before long. You will note realignment of certain lineages within an overall designation, "Strange of Balcaskie". Reasons for the alignment are discussed in Note 11. Basically there are three or four subgroups included in the overall designation: The main Strange of Balcaskie lineage, now including the former Pennsylvania Strong kit; a group which may be related to the Baronial family, Stronge of Tynan Abbey; a third group consisting of the family lineages from Counties Down & Antrim in Ireland, including the South Carolina Strongs, who seem to share some DNA characteristics with the Tynan Abbey lineages; and possibly a fourth sub-group comprising the Sligo lineage, which, while 4 steps removed from the Tynan Abbey lineages, remains closest to that lineage of all those tested so far. Most recently, the results from Kit #8915 have been posted, and are found to be just 3 steps removed from Kit #5825. Note #12, relating to the latter kit which represents a lineage tracing it's roots to the Shetland Islands of Scotland, and has on further analysis been found to be more closely aligned with the New England and Southwest English lineages than with the Scottish groups umbrellaed under the "Strange of Balcaskie" designation. There is some indication that the Shetland Islands lineage may in fact have English origins... which may explain the degree of closeness with Kit #8915. The latter kit, from a lineage with roots in County Longford, Ireland, carries with it some prior speculation that the Longford Strongs may have originated in Southwest England... which may be born out by the comparison with the New England and Southwest English Kits and the Shetland Islands Kit. There are notable differences to be observed in the DNA marker values which probably indicates the lineages may have divided from the other English lineages many generations ago. During the coming summer months here in North America I will continue to accept new participants in the study... however, I may be somewhat haphazard in my responses and not as prompt as some might wish. I will be traveling, working on "outside" projects, and otherwise enjoying the summer. My computer projects and genealogical persuits will probably suffer by comparison... I hope you will bear with me if I am somewhat slow to report for the next few months... and that you all enjoy the season as well! {:-) Regards Dave Strong ... DNA Study Coordinator & webmaster: Book I: RESEARCHING STRONG(E) AND STRANG(E) IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegalstrongs/contents.htm Database and manuscript. See especially Chap. 13, entitled "Lineages"; and Chapt. 15, "DNA Study" http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegalstrongs/dnastudy.htm & Book II: THE DONEGAL STRONG PUZZLE: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegalstrongs/indxdrft.htm Research and study of Counties Donegal and Fermanagh Strongs and related families. ============================================================== ==== STRONG Mailing List ==== ======================================================== Book I: RESEARCHING STRONG(E) AND STRANG(E) IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegalstrongs/contents.htm Database and manuscript. See especially Chap. 13, entitled "Lineages"; and Chapt. 15, "DNA Study" & Book II: THE DONEGAL STRONG PUZZLE: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegalstrongs/indxdrft.htm Research and study of Counties Donegal and Fermanagh Strongs and related families. ==========================================================