After decades of effort that many of you shared in, I have at last found the surname of the father of my paternal grandfather, Charlie Creed Harris, who was born out of wedlock to Elizabeth Harris on 12 July 1878. Yesterday I learned that my Y chromosome is a close match with that of a man named DeHart who lives in Arizona. The Y chromosome is handed down only from father to son, just as the surname traditionally is. Therefore if we follow our male ancestors back far enough, Mr. DeHart and I had the same male ancestor who was probably named DeHart. Our match is close enough that there is a 97% probability that our shared ancestor lived within the past 400 years. Mr. DeHart traces his ancestors back to Simon Aertszen DeHart, born in Holland in 1643, who came to America before 1676. All the Patrick County DeHarts also descend from Simon Aertszen, but Mr. DeHart’s line and the Patrick County DeHarts descend from two different sons of Simon Aertszen. There were 55 male DeHarts in Patrick and Floyd counties between ages 14 and 72 in 1877, and I am trying to narrow the list of possible great grandfathers. Age is of course an important factor, but I am guessing that my great grandfather DeHart also lived in the Vesta-Mountain View area near the family of Elizabeth Harris. Several people have generously provided photographs of DeHarts from that time and area, and some of them show a striking resemblance to my grandfather. If anyone knows of other such photos of DeHarts I would like to know where I can have a look at them. I would also like to hear of any family stories possibly linking a DeHart with Elizabeth Harris or other members of the family of Greenville and Rhoda Davis Harris. In addition I am wondering if there are any male DeHarts from Patrick County who are thinking about having their DNA tested. I would be glad to assist any who are considering it. As you can see, it is an extremely effective genealogical tool. Finally, thanks to all of you who over the years have looked up documents and provided ideas and encouragement. Charles Leon Harris (almost a DeHart)