My First "New Ancestor Discovery" (NAD) from AncestryDNA

Yesterday I received my first "New Ancestor Discovery" from AncestryDNA:  WILEY T. TUNE b 1823 Halifax Co Virginia, and his wife MARTHA ANN SPENCE.

Problem is, they aren't my ancestors. Roberta Estes in her blog DNA Explained also has experienced this and wrote about it in a recent blog post about "Bad NADs".

First problem: Since WILEY & MARTHA were born in the 1820s, they would have to be my great great grandparents.  I already have researched ALL of my great great grandparents, and have extremely solid documentation for all of them.

Second problem: Location, location, location. None of my ancestors ever lived in Halifax County, Virginia--although they did live in Pittsylvania County Virginia, which is adjacent, as well as in Granville & Caswell County North Carolina.

A quick search showed me that  TUNE, SPENCE, SCURLOCK & related families were original settlers of Farnham Parish, Richmond County Virginia. While I don't have a direct ancestral connection to that area, that I know of, other known ancestors lived in nearby Lancaster County in the "Northern Neck" of Virginia.

So, while discounting this couple as actual direct ancestors, I have decided to see if I connect to the TUNE or related families in earlier generations.  After all, nearly half of my ancestors lived in colonial Virginia!

--According to AncestryDNA,  I match three people with the TUNE surname, and over thirty people with the SPENCE surname. So perhaps my connection is through SPENCE, not TUNE?.

--According to Family Tree DNA, I match four people with the TUNE surname, including two direct descendants of the TUNE family--but none with SPENCE surname.

--According to 23andMe, I match one person with the TUNE surname and none with the SPENCE surname.

My next thought is that somehow, TUNE, SPENCE or SCURLOCK might be in the lineages of the four missing women in my Virginia pedigrees:

--JANE unknown, born 1794 Virginia or North Carolina, wife of JOSEPH (aka ISAAC JOSEPH) THOMPSON ; she lived in Burke Co NC at time of her marriage to JOSEPH circa 1815; migrated to Bradley County Tennessee in 1839, then to Carroll County Arkansas in 1854. She died about 1870 in Green Forest, Boone Co Arkansas.

--GRACE unknown, born about 1750, wife of ROBERT SCOTT, last known residence was Pulaski Co Kentucky before 1820.

--MARY unknown, born about 1749, wife of HENRY LANGFORD/LANKFORD of Henry Co Virginia, Surry County North Carolina, and Greenville County South Carolina. She was much younger than HENRY & married him probably in Surry County NC.  After his death in 1794, she married 2nd to WILLIAM COX, outlived him, and died at age 95 in Greenville, South Carolina.

--MARY MITCHELL,  born about 1750, wife of THOMAS SANDERS/SAUNDERS; they lived mainly in Buckingham County Virginia, but moved late in live to Davidson County Tennessee, where THOMAS died in 1812.  Published info on MARY's origins is incorrect, and leads me to suspect that her maiden name may not have been MITCHELL.

But, after spending a day searching for ANY kind of connection, I am no closer to discovering how or if this New Ancestor Discovery is related to me.

And now, this morning,  WILEY T TUNE & MARTHA ANN SPENCE have disappeared completely from my AncestryDNA page......?? Whah???

Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2015