Connecting the Adams Dots

puzzle-piecesI’m going to see if I cannot lay as many of the pieces of the Adams Group 033 puzzle out as possible in hopes that we can figure out what the picture is and then know where to look for the pieces.

Genetic Distance – Interpreting The DNA Results

What follows are clues that will help tie several of our lines together. I’m focusing on 9 of our 14 lines at the moment because of the genetic and physical proximity to one another. For genetic closeness we rely on the mutation rates of their yDNA markers. Suzanne, Debbie and Judy are all a perfect match for one another. For purposes of this analysis I am going to shift the center/Mode to their markers from Terri and Roberts and look at it from that perspective. They are in order of what I believe is a more logical genetic distance that takes into account individual marker mutation rates which we have not done before. Right now I am limiting it to 37 markers because not everybody has 67 or 111. And the markers that change in the incremental 30 markers of the move 67 have all been fast mutation markers that changed (except for me so I am ignoring that for now). These are in order of closeness.
  • Suzanne Davis – A033 – 37 marker perfect match for Debbie and Judy.
  • Debbie – Kit#147997 – 37 Marker perfect match for Suzanne and Judy Bruder (at 25 markers).
  • Judy Bruder A135 – While she only has 25 markers she is a perfect match for Debbie and Suzanne.
  • John & Linda Adams – A322 – They are also only 2 mutations (37 markers) removed from Suzanne, Debbie and Judy. And both of their markers mutate more frequently. I think that makes them “closer” than say Tom for instance who has a mutation in a slower mutating marker.
  • Richard Adams – A079 – He too is only 2 mutations from Suzanne, Debbie and Judy. And both are the fast mutating kind.
  • Robert and Terri Adams A364 – Suzanne, Debbie and Judy are all 1 mutation off but a slower mutating one.
  • Tom Baugh Kit#140697 – Tom is only 2 mutations (37 markers) from Suzanne, Debbie and Judy and one of those is DYS464 which mutates frequently.
  • David Scifres A265 –  I am two mutations from Suzanne, Debbie and Judy and both are slower mutating markers. Tom and I are only 2 mutations off (at 37 markers) – one fast and one slow.
  • Tim Adams A076 and A038 – Tim is also two mutations removed from the core three and both of his are slower mutating STRs. But he does have a common mutation in DYS447 to Becky (and her three DNA results) and Gerry.

One big question I have about specific gene mutations is does the mutation DYS459 really matter when looking at our cluster. It mutates less frequently, but what is the significance of this particular mutation to to our lines? Does it delineate two halves of a whole? I don’t believe it does but I could be wrong. I do think the mutation in DYS447 when it coexists with a mutation both in DYS448 and DYS570 is indeed likely to be a delineating factor for two subgroups inside Adams Family Group 033.

Click here for the latest – Adams Family A033 – DNA Results as of 6-7-2014 in Excel format. This is what I used to layout the information above.

Physical Distance – The Geographic Location

Having said all of that we should consider their locations. All of these 9 are confirmed as originating from:
I believe that it is possible that  Richard Adams (A079) may have had his data wrong and Francis Adams (1763-1846) who married Margaret McKee didn’t come from Ireland but from Pennsylvania (perhaps as a results of his fathers migration from PA before Francis ever existed). In 1750, Halbert Adams and Thomas Adams settled the West Side of Paxton in “The Narrows” (This may be Sherman’s Valley but that needs to be verified) along with Thomas McKee, Mr Murray, Robert and John Armstrong and Robert, George and Thomas Clark. I think there is a good chance Richard Adams (079) came from this bunch of Adams as did the rest of us (though it is possible the connection may be back in Ulster Ireland for some).
I also believe it is highly likely that the Virginia families ancestors listed above also originated in Pennsylvania and at some point, between 1756 (Indian War) and 1820, made their migration down The Great Wagon Valley to the destinations where we now are stuck in the mud so to speak. We already know a large splinter did just that in 1756 settling in Crowder’s Creek, in York County, South Carolina.

Migration – Two Paths

I’ll try and explain here the two migration paths. The Great Wagon Road South and Bradock’s Road West. Both originate in the same location in Pennsylvania and separate very near Chambersburg Pennsylvania. The pathway south opens up much earlier (around 1750 – need to double check this date) than the pathway west which doesn’t really open up until after the Battle of Fallen Tembers and the Treaty of Greenville in 1795.  This frees up Ohio and Indiana for peaceful settlement. Having said that the west half on Pennsylvania to Washington County was well populated by 1795 all the way to Wellsburg.
The Great Philadelphia Wagon Road
The Great Philadelphia Wagon Road
My reasearch at this point has shown that most of our Adams in PA seem to originate around 1740-1770 in and around what was originally Cumberland County and before that the “Paxton” region. There are some Adams in PA before that very early 1690-1700 arrival times be we have not seen any documented connection. The Armstrong, Blaine, Chambers, Clark, Culbertson and Adams were all very early on the frontier and were instrumental in establishing the area west of the Susquahanna river. In fact, it appears Cumberland County was named that because the Scots-Irish were encouraged to settle there (purposefully by the Penn family).
I’ve stopped to take a beak now. What follows are note to build the rest of the article with.
————————
At this point I believe they came through Washington County PA prior to that.
Need to explain Ephriam Blaine because he raised Three Adams Boys, son of Halbert mentioned above.

So, this attached document you sent from Washington County PA in 1789, is very interesting because it has John Adams, John Culbertson (need to research him as I am not sure exactly which one this may be – He may be Nancy Agnes Culbertson’s uncle – it can’t be her brother because he was born in 1786 and the document you sent suggest this John Culbertson was married. But it could easily be her uncle.) and Ephriam Blaine. The Blaine Family are intermarried with the Adams in northern Cumberland County – this area would later become Perry County – the township known as Toboyne. This is the group with Halbert Adams (married to Agnes Blaine) and Thomas Adams whom are prime for us to be researching in Perry/Cumberland.  I have long felt these Adams in Toboyne were connected to our Adams line but have been unable to prove it with the right connections though they are there to be made I am sure. They will likely connect Barbara, Suzanne, Tim and I to Terri. I didn’t know Ehpraim Blaine was in Washington county in 1789 so this is new for me. 

The Halbert Adams descendants ended up in central Ohio (those graves are marked as Robert Adams with son Albert Adams – links below)

I’ve attached some info (2 PDFs) on the Toboyne – Adams/Blaine group – I cannot vouch for its accuracy but it does seem fairly well documented and somebody put some work into it. I also reattached the excel file of the Adams in CUmberland/Toboyne for reference.

Also these notes I found from a previous email are probably helpful.

  1. This Robert Adams (1810 – 1879) and his wife Martha Eleanor Clark have children with middle name Crothers. Usually an indication of a mother or grand mothers maiden name. There are two with such designations in the offspring. Well worth digging further for sure.
  2. Robert Adams (1810-1879) appears to be buried next to his father Robert Adams (27 Dec 1769 – 15 Jan 1843) married to Sarah Douglas.
  3. This Robert Adams (1769 – 1843) appears to be son of Halbert Adams (The Elder) died abt. 20th of Jan 1779 in Toboyne Cumberland County PA – Admin letter attached naming William Adams (most likely a son) and William Blaine (I assume son-in-law or neighbor most likely).
  4. Toboyne is right next to where we find the Culbertsons and Adams of families A265 and A364. This area has a ton of CaruthersCrothers as well many very early as evidence in East and West Pennsboro. Several Adams in these areas had sureties as Caruthers/Crothers. Not sure what a surety is exactly – I think it is a witness.
  5. There are about 80-100 Adams in Toboyne to sort out. David, Robert, William, James, Halberts, Thomas – http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GScid=2203877 – Our next be task is to sort this mess out. 🙂 I’ve started trying to do that in the attached excel file via land entires and wills – next up cemetery records.
  6. Many of these Adams in Toboyne early got their land the same day – 9th Sep. 1766 as David and William Adams of family A364. Some in 1760 at the same time (prob brothers) right after the Indian War moved out of this area in 1760. Some in 1764.
  7. Most importantly Suzanne’s family is almost a perfect match at 65 markers to family A364 – one mutation or step off. Closer than mine and my Adams collateral line of Culbertson is intermarried with them twice in the same generation and they moved to Washington PA together in 1795. Suzanne a 95% chance of common ancestor within 8 generations – this is the time frame we are looking at with an extremely high level of confidence. Her ancestor is here in my opinion.
  8. The path to the place in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio is almost directly west on a primary road from – guess where? Washington, Washington County PA. This is where Family A364 and A265 moved in 1795 – the John Adams, John Culbertson and Ephriam Blaine are already there in 1789. This is the next area to check out after Toboyne. This might be coincidence in migration path but don’t forget the Adams, Culbertson, Chambers and their allied families all lived and fought through the worst of the Indian Wars. And they knew each other and likely made the venture west together for protection at a time when they felt it was safer (after 1795).
  9. Suzanne’s David and William (brothers) were born in 1788 and 1791 in PA. Most likely Cumberland County but could have been Washington County prior to heading into Ohio and eventually Iowa. They may have lived in Washington, County prior to coming to Ohio but prob a few years after they were born.
  10. Suzanne’s ancestors clearly stayed in Ohio for a while as many of the Children of David Adams born 1788 were born in Ohio. I’m guessing in or around Greenfield. I could be off base but there are a lot of connections here. Seems like like Suzanne’s David (born 1788) might be a child of brothers of Robert in #3 above if I had to guess. Not sure at this moment. Not enough info.

I think Thomas (The Pioneer) father of Halbert (the Elder) is brother of Robert (The Pioneer – patriarch of Family A364) and James (The Pioneer – patriarch of Family XXX – who moved to Carolina in 1756). Thomas was in “The Narrows” of Paxton with in 1750 and had a “fort” for protection on Indian raids. He is a witness on the will of John Chambers will in 1756. Thomas has a son, Robert born in 1744 who was in the Boquet Expedition deep into Ohio in 1764 an is scalped with a Culbertson in the service as a patriot in the American revolution in 1776. He has other sons too according to a few trees, I just have not sorted it out yet with any evidence.

Other evidence we have on this line.

  1. Halbert the Elder has Son William. William has a Son Halbert. And it appears Halbert himself may have a son Halbert as there is one listed in Toboyne in the 1779 Tax list (just depends on when that list was made I guess if it is Halbert the Elder or son).
  2. There is a record of a Halbert Adams born in 1730 married an Agnes Blaine (herself born in 1750) in 1770. Not sure if this Halbert the Elder or son of Halbert Elder. Cannot be Halbert the grandson (via William).  It seems like there may be an issue of confusion about which Halbert married Agnes Blaine to me but it could be the Elder I guess. A 20 year gap is pretty large but not out of the question.

More information on the Blaine Family can be found in this book.

http://archive.org/stream/blainefamilyjame00blai/blainefamilyjame00blai_djvu.txt

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