Slowly, but surely, we’re able to fill in some blanks in the trees using DNA.
John McCurdy Williamson and Sarah Fox had 7 children, Sarah had 4 daughters with her first husband as well, only one of which lived to adulthood and had children of her own.
Of those 8 children we have DNA results from descendants of 6 so far.
That supports the following –
Annie Adeline Lee married Anderson Strader, we have several (I’ll fill in later) confirmed descendants who have taken DNA tests.
Florence Williamson married Jasper McIlvoy, and we have quite a few samples there as well. This includes, 1 person who did not know her mother, was raised by her father, but I was able to identify a family for, and place her on the tree, and 1 who we know is a cousin on that line but was adopted and we have not been able to figure out who her parents were, and after some searching we were able to locate her mother, and confirm her family line. DNA has been very helpful in these two cases.
James Harris Williamson – married Jeanette Dutcher, they had 7 children, currently we only have a dna kit from 1 line, James’ son Thomas’ line via his son Travis.
Amanda Williamson married Henry Hall – of their 8 children we have DNA samples from 2 lines.
Alice Williamson was married 3 times, children from 2 of them. We have 1 sample via her husband John Maddox, none yet from the Riseling daughters.
John Anderson Williamson – married twice, 1 daughter by his first wife, and 7 children by his second wife, Monie Straub. We have DNA tests from 5 people through 3 of the 7 children of Monie.
Through Clara Williamson and her husband John Strader, via their daughter Rita we have Lori Agee.
Through Violet Williamson and her husband Russ Pryor we have Cheryl Pryor VanHoose.
Through Louis Elijah Williamson “Lige” and wife Mary Pace, via their son James Anderson Louis Williamson and his first wife Pat Kinsella, there is myself and John Williamson. (Despite those that deny this last, there’s too much Pace blood for it to be otherwise, so those that deny the facts, too bad, you’re just wrong) Through Louis Elijah Williamson “Lige” and wife Mary Pace, via their son James Anderson Louis Williamson and his second wife Kaye Mahon we have Michelle Williamson Keck.
Elijah Harris Williamson – the youngest of Sarah and John’s children, married 3 times as well. His granddaughter Debra, via his second wife Maggie and their son Randall, recently submitted her DNA sample to give us one from that line as well.
Between all of the above autosomal DNA tests matches, and the Y-DNA testing done by John and me, you’d think we’d have a clearer picture, but not so.. we still need a paper trail to make sure things are right. We know through all of the auDNA testing that we’re connected to the McCurdy’s of Abbeville, S.C., then Lincoln County, TN, but we cannot find John M’s parents yet, just names in an old Bible, no paper trail.
The Y-DNa tells us we’re related to a Williamson line in West Virginia and Kentucky, that of Alden Williamson and to another in South Carolina, while also to a third out of Virginia, where the first two likely lead back to as well. Again, no paper trail, and no progress.
The auDNA though might be leading us to finding out who Elijah Fox (Sarah’s father) was, more and more matches on that side, and the pieces are coming together. We also have a connection through Sarah’s sister Adeline, two good matches through her daughter Ida, to Ralph Brown.
If you’re family, and you’re interested, get in touch with me. I’ll share what I have. Aunt Cheryl (Cheryl VanHoose) also has done a lot of research on these and other connections and can fill you in.