2015 was, for me, a year full of wonderful & interesting genealogical discoveries. Here is some of what I've learned about my ancestors, with some hopes for discoveries in 2016:
--THOMAS FRAZIER, the Quaker, my great x 5 grandfather (born 1725, died 1785), often erroneously referred to as "GEORGE THOMAS FRAZIER", continues to provide me with the most verifiable DNA matches, and the most interesting genealogical discoveries.
Because of both DNA evidence & genealogical documentation, I firmly believe THOMAS FRAZIER b 1725 was the son of JOHN FRAZIER Sr (born about 1700, died 1744) & MARY FALCONER who lived in Carteret Co North Carolina. MARY was born about 1700, was a Quaker, and was the daughter of JOHN FALCONER of Chowan Co North Carolina as per his 1739 will.
After JOHN FRAZIER's death, and with five underage children to support, MARY FALCONER FRAZIER married secondly in Carteret Co to a CANADAY, likely RICHARD CANADAY Jr, who died 1767 in Craven Co North Carolina. MARY died sometime before September 1757, when her son JAMES FRAZIER sold the family's land in Carteret Co and moved to Craven County, North Carolina.
THOMAS FRAZIER, son of MARY FALCONER FRAZIER, lived next door to RICHARD CANADAY Jr in Craven Co North Carolina from 1758 onward, and witnessed RICHARD's will. Above is his signature, from a copy of the original will. THOMAS lived in Craven Co until 1774, when he moved to Perquimans, then Carteret Co North Carolina (as per Quaker Monthly Meeting records). His brother DANIEL FRAZIER also lived in Craven & Carteret Co North Carolina.
I have several DNA matches with descendants of DANIEL FRAZIER Sr (born 1703, d 1778) & MARGARET DAWSON of Chowan/Bertie Co North Carolina, on the same chromosomal locations as descendants of THOMAS FRAZIER. This strongly suggests that THOMAS FRAZIER & DANIEL FRAZIER Sr were related. I suspect DANIEL Sr was THOMAS' paternal uncle. Again, more research needed here.
--SCOTTISH QUAKERS; my research into the FRAZIER & FALCONER families, who were mostly Quakers, led me to research Scottish Quakers in general. "The Story of Quakerism in Scotland 1650-1950" by George B Burnet & William H Marwick; and "Scottish Quakers in Early American 1650-1700" by David Dobson are two excellent sources. Quakerism never really gained a foothold in Scotland, due to the strong influence of the Episcopal & Presbyterian churches. It was often viewed as an "English cult", and members were frequently tormented or imprisoned. Most emigrated; a Scottish Quaker settlement was established in Perth Amboy, New Jersey in 1683. The few Quaker Monthly Meetings that remained in Scotland dwindled in membership, all the early members dying off, until the congregations disappeared entirely in about 1850.
--ROBERT SCOTT (born 1750, died 1835). Common surnames are extremely difficult to research, and I had long despaired that I would never be able to prove that ROBERT SCOTT was the father of my great x 4 grandfather THOMAS SCOTT who married ELIZABETH JONES on March 3, 1802 in Pulaski Co Kentucky. This year, with the help of another SCOTT researcher, I was not only able to prove it, but learned so much more.
ROBERT SCOTT, my great x 5 grandfather, was a settler on Pitman Creek in Pulaski Co and lived there with his wife GRACE from 1799-1815. Previous to 1799 he may have lived in nearby Fayette Co Kentucky. My other great x 5 grandfather NICHOLAS JONES, father of ELIZABETH, also settled on Pitman Creek 1799-1810.
ROBERT SCOTT was a founding member of the White Oak Baptist Church in Pulaski Co Kentucky, and all of his children, including THOMAS SCOTT, were married by pastors from that church. His two daughters, RACHEL & ANNE "NANCY" SCOTT both married sons of ANDREW WOLVERTON/WOOLVERTON, another settler on Pitman Creek. Both of these two WOLVERTON/WOOLVERTON sons were Baptist ministers. I now have several DNA matches to descendants of these two WOLVERTON/WOOLVERTON men & their wives.
In 1816, after selling their land on Pitman Creek, ROBERT SCOTT & his wife GRACE accompanied their son JOHN SCOTT (who had married SUSANNA GREEN) to Fayette Co Indiana. Both ROBERT & GRACE SCOTT died there and are buried in the Connersville Cemetery, Connersville, Fayette Co Indiana.
--10,000 MATCHES ON ANCESTRY DNA. Yup. you read that right. As of December 2015, I have 10,000 matches on AncestryDNA. While a bit overwhelming, this allows me to look at the "big picture" (the VERY BIG picture), and note interesting surnames trends. I seem to be related to the following individuals & surnames, although in most cases I don't yet know how:
PATRICK HENNESSEE Sr b 1745 Ireland of Burke Co North Carolina (likely one of his daughters married my great x 4 grandfather ISAAC THOMAS THOMPSON of Burke Co);
NEEDHAM BRYANT of Chowan/Bertie Co North Carolina (I am missing so many women from my Bertie Co families that I would not be surprised to find that one of them was a daughter or granddaughter of this person);
DANIEL FRAZIER Sr b 1703 & MARGARET DAWSON of Bertie Co North Carolina, as noted above, likely an uncle of THOMAS FRAZIER who married MARY PUGH.
Other surnames that keep popping up, all southern: HIGHTOWER, LEATHERWOOD, HINES, PENNINGTON, SHOCKLEY.
(By the way, I sent a request to Ancestry.com for a search function for DNA match usernames. Their current search engine is only for ancestral surnames or locations. I have so many matches that if I don't tag a match that I want to return to, I can NEVER find it again. Sometimes people contact me, giving me only their username. I have absolutely no way to find them, other than looking at every single match, which is IMPOSSIBLE. Ancestry.com thought it was a very good idea, but so far a username search engine has not appeared on their DNA page. )
--HUBER FAMILY DNA PROJECT Early this fall I convinced four of my relatives from my father's family to get their DNA tested with 23andMe. Not all results have posted, but when they do, I will look forward to comparing with my other DNA cousins!
Happy New Year, everyone! May you have a prosperous & productive 2016.
Betty
© Betty Tartas 2015
