DNA Discoveries

DNA Results

I did the DNA test with Ancestry several months back. Although they have revamped their algorithm for matches, I am still looking at many matches. The thing that I find amazing is as soon as I find a new person for my tree I get matches related to them. 

The results that I have are helping me feel more confident about my tree. The Neal branch has always left me wondering if I was on the right track. Today, while going through matches for my brother's DNA test, I discovered a match that made me feel like I am on the right track. Although we both are in the DNA circle for the Rodwell family that married into the Neal family, previously it did not go farther back. Today there was a match through the Neal line three more generations back. Yay!

Earlier possible matches or discoveries had the name Upchurch. I had no idea who or where they fit in. After revamping their test results, these suggestions disappeared. Last night I found the link to the Upchurch family. 

Today I also found a link to James West. There is a DNA circle for his son Peter and my brother and I are both matches for this circle, however there were no matches to James, until today!

Earlier I mentioned the match to Peter Smart, who was Peter Collins' grandfather. 

I am waiting for the matches for my mother. I had her tested and they are working on it now. She is my oldest living ancestor. I know that our tests will be very similar but there was something that came up in my brother and my tests that we would like to figure out which side of the family it is from. Of course we may never figure out this mystery.

My daughters were interested in how their DNA would be different from mine and each other. We submitted their tests over Memorial Day week. My brother and I have similar ethnicity, but very different percentages. Will this be the case with my girls?? Can't wait to find out! Just like my brother and I, the girls are very different in appearance. My youngest daughter is my mini me while my oldest is her paternal grandmother and aunt's mini me. Will this show in their results?

DNA matches and ethnicity is making the search for branches in my tree more exciting and interesting. If you haven't had your DNA done, I really think you will find it interesting. 

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts on DNA today. 

Until next time, have fun climbing your family tree!!

Pattie

Discovery!!

Who was Peter Collins's Mother?

For years people have been researching Peter Collins and his father James. James was the subject of this blog earlier. Everyone thought that James had an earlier wife but could not find any proof or name. Researching on Ancestry.com you find many shares about the search. 

Last week I received a comment on my gallery of information that broke this wide open! I was a bit concerned when I saw that I had a comment. I have received comments before and some of them have not been kind. Why people have to leave comments about your research that may or may not be correct and word it in a negative manner escapes me. The last comment I had received was by someone who described herself as someone who enjoyed helping others and was close to being nasty. For this reason I have begun to not post some of my "finds". (Rant over!)

So, with trepidation, I went to the comment...

A kind person posted that Priscilla Smart was Peter's mother. That her father had included him in his will. Her father was Peter Smart!  At that point I went in search of Peter Smart's will and more information about him. It seems that Peter was listed in Granville County, Bute County and Chatham county records. 

I found the will and did a happy dance!! Sure enough, it listed his grandson, Peter Collins. He left his lands in Franklin County to him. 

Peter Smart's Will

Transcribed Will

From my search for information about Peter Smart I have discovered the following information

• Born in Midlothian Scotland - Edinburgh around 1730
• Married Sarah in 1752 in Chatham North Carolina
• Had five children:
• Selah
• Lucy
• Priscilla
• Laban
• Amos
• Was in the Granville County militia in 1757

Priscilla married James Collins, but I have not found marriage documents

She died around the time of Peter's birth, possibly due to complications of the birth.

So, thanks to the kind soul that did not have a tree up on ancestry but chose to contact me, we now have broken through a brick wall! 

When my daughter studied a semester in Delft, Holland, we visited Scotland. Here are a few of my favorite pictures of Edinburgh. So glad to have an ancestor from Scotland!!

Edinburgh

Palace of Holyrood

Palace of Holyrood

Edinburgh Castle

Abbey at Holyrood

Another big thank you to the person who left me this information!!

UPDATE: As soon as I put Peter Smart into my tree on ancestry I got DNA matches!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Pattie

The West Family Line- Luther Martin West

Luther Martin West

Luther and Kate

I have written about Luther and Kate before in this blog, however, I will revisit them to close the story of the West family. Iva, their daughter, is my grandmother and I will share more about her in the future. 

Luther was the fifth child of Robert West and Elizabeth Greenway. He was born in Granville County, North Carolina. Shortly after his birth Robert moved his family to Franklin County, North Carolina and settled in the White Level community. He lost his mother in 1899 to an illness that resulted in the family taking her to Baltimore for treatment. She died while in Maryland. 

Luther married Kate Louise Pearce on 22 Feb 1905. She was the daughter of Doctor Buck Pearce and Carolina Virginia Gupton of Franklin County.

Luther and Kate moved to Lumberton as Luther worked in the tobacco industry. By 1910 they were living again in the White Level community of Franklin County.

Iva West was born on 19 Aug 1908. She would marry my grandfather, Clyde W. Leonard, on 2 Mar 1929. They would have four children.

Iva

Iva West

Nina West was born 19 Sep 1910. Nina married Roscoe Breaver and had two sons. Nina and Roscoe moved to Charlotte, North Carolina.

Luther - Nina - Kate

Doctor Bruce West was born 3 Sep 1912. During his early years he suffered a high fever that left him disabled and unable to care for himself. Unfortunately when he grew to big to be cared for at home, the family was forced to put him in the Caswell Training School where he died at 28 years old.

Robert GrahamWest  was born 23 Jul 1914. He married Ertie Hope Leonard 27 Mar 1935. They had two daughters. Graham and Ertie moved to Newport News Virginia, Their daughter, Jean, is living in Texas now.

Graham West

Hazel Leona West was born 30 Jul 1916. She married Thomas K. Jones on 14 Nov 1936. They had four sons. 

Kelly - Doug - Hazel

Kellie Louise West was born 10 Mar 1920. She married John Bobbitt on 29 Jul 1937. They had two daughters. They moved to Newport News, Virginia,

Luther Douglas West was born 20 May 1922. He married Marie Collins on 27 Nov 1951. They did not have any children.

Douglas West

Doug served his country during World War II.

During his life Luther and brother Sol ran a small community store. Uncle Doug continued to run the store and I remember going there with my grandmother, Iva, when I was a little girl. Another memory I have is of the large noisy chicken house behind the family home. My favorite story about Uncle Doug is when he put the sweet potato in my trick or treat bag.

I know my uncles have stories to share, and they read this blog, so I hope they will email me some of their favorite memories. HINT HINT!!

Mama West passed away on 2 Apr 1959, my memories of her are very vague as I was only 5 years old. Papa West passed away on 4 Nov 1963 and those memories are a bit clearer.

Here are a few more family pictures to enjoy in random order. I have labeled them who I believe they are. If I am wrong, please correct me!

Luther and Kate

Jack Beaver

Kate

Doug and my mother, Drucilla

Iva, Nina, and my uncle Gary

Iva

Luther and Kate

Luther and Kate

Iva's children

Doug and Marie

Graham, Ertie, Jean, Patsy

Jean

Kate

Luther, Kate and children

Kate and I think Bruce

Kate Graham and Hazel

Luther and Kate

This concludes my posts on the West family, for now. 

During the last few weeks I have made some random discoveries about branches in the family tree that I am very excited about. Look for them in upcoming posts!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Pattie