An excellent 2012 blog post by Roberta Estes entitled "X Marks the Spot" gives a great amount of detail on how to use the X Chromosome for genetic genealogy comparisons. In the blog post, she published charts created by Blaine Bettinger which can really help you visualize the pattern of X Chromosome descent. By filling in your ancestors' names, you can narrow down the possible carriers of the X chromosome, and the possible ancestors for your X matching DNA cousins!
Here is my filled out X Chromosome ancestor chart.
These are the ONLY possibilities for shared ancestors with my X Chromosome matches on 23andMe and Family Tree DNA:
On my father's side, the only X chromosome carrier was my grandmother MINTTIE MAY BRUTON, and her X lineage includes the WHITECOTTON, THOMPSON, SCOTT, MOORE, JONES & RIDDLE surnames, locations include Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina & Virginia. I was especially glad to find that HAPPY RIDDLE was in my X chromosome list, because of her likely Melungeon background.
On my mother's side, the first X chromosome carrier was my great grandmother ALICE "ALLIE" MILLER, born 1856 Livingston Co Missouri, died 1921 Seattle, Washington, my grandfather's mother. All of her ancestors, including her parents, were from Virginia. Surnames include MOSELEY, WOODSON, SAUNDERS/SANDERS, MITCHELL, LEAKE, CHRISTIAN, TRABUE, GUERRANT, PATTERSON & FENTON.
The second X chromosome carrier on my mother's side was my great grandfather FRANK RICARD BROWN, through his mother CORDELIA RICKARD born 1829 Kenwyn or Chacewater parish, Cornwall, England, died 1875 Sacramento, California, USA. All of her ancestors were from Cornwall, England, and surnames include HICKS, VARLEY, GILBERT, JENNINGS & WEARNE.
The third X chromosome carrier on my mother's side was my great grandmother MARY ETTA KENNEDY, through her father THOMAS KENNEDY, and paternal grandmother ELIZABETH "BETSY" RINES, born 1799, Maitland, Douglas twp, Hants Co, Nova Scotia, Canada, died before 1880 Portland, Cumberland Co Maine, USA. Surnames include KENNEDY, RINES, McDONALD, McLEAN, TOAL. This line mostly originated in Scotland and Northern Ireland, migrating to Nova Scotia, Canada, then Maine.
The fourth X chromosome carrier on my mother's side was my great grandmother MARY ETTA KENNEDY, through her mother SARAH JANE BOLTON born 1837 Gorham, Cumberland Co Maine, died 1858 Portland, Cumberland Co Maine. Surnames include BOLTON, MORTON, IRISH, ELWELL, SKILLINGS, PRIDE, BOND, DENNING, MARINER; locations include Cumberland Co Maine & Essex Co Massachusetts.
I have not proven the line of SARAH JANE BOLTON's father, DANIEL BOLTON, but if I am correct in my current theory, that line would include ancestors with the surnames PRATT, CRANE, & LEONARD, also from Maine & Massachusetts.
The SARAH JANE BOLTON line is also my mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineage, haplogroup H1a1.
If you are one of my X matching DNA cousins, please feel free to email me for more information.
Have a great day!
Betty
© Betty Tartas 2014
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