Progress Report
Group One
There presently is completed data on thirty-two volunteers in this group, 16 of whom have no differences at all from the group's haplotype profile or signature as regards the markers tested, 12 who exhibit one marker different and four with two markers different. Several of these volunteers have excellent paper trails from the early Colonial Robert Abernathy Lineage of Charles City County, VA, and several that have partial paper trails not fully verified are individuals who so closely match the group signature as to be unquestionably related. Five volunteers have excellent paper trails from the early Colonial Charles Abernathy - Alice Short Lineage of Brunswick County VA, and three whose paper trails are from the early Colonial David Abernathy Lineage of Dinwiddie County VA. Both of these lines have long been known or suspected to be very closely related to the Robert Lineage, and DNA analysis absolutely confirms this. There is data on two volunteers from the early Colonial William Abernethy Lineage of New England. Both of those differ from the group profile by only two (matching) markers, again showing a clear relationship between that line and the early Colonial Virginia lines. Additionally, there is data from four volunteers whose paper trails are as yet not clearly established prior to about 1790, but whose DNA sufficiently matches with the group profile to demonstrate that the as-yet-undocumented ancestor(s) are clearly very closely related to the Colonial Virginia Lineage. Some, despite a lack of paper trail, are perfect matches with the group haplotype.
Group Two
This group presently consists of fourteen volunteers whose DNA clearly shows them to be from a Northern Ireland family that was probably located in or near County Antrim near the end of the 1600's. For whatever reason, five have different surnames. Four of the members of that family descend from a William Abernethy who, with wife and in-laws, emigrated to Bucks County PA in early colonial days (before 1720). Two members of that family moved just across the Irish sea to Scotland and his descendants emigrated near the end of 1800 to New Zealand. One representative from that Northern Irish family emigrated to Canada sometime before 1841 and some of his descendants later moved to the western portion of the United States. Two representatives descended from a Hugh Abernethy who emigrated to South Carolina sometime prior to the Revolutionary War and from there to Indiana by 1820; many of his descendants spread out across the midwestern states. Three of those with a Coker surname who requested inclusion here trace lineages back into colonial SC. While we do have pedigree information on them, their DNA proves they are reasonably closely related in spite of that fact. The remaining two accidental transfers of DNA occured around the time of the Civil War or slightly before. One believes his was most likely from someone of the William Abernathy-Sarah Samuels, but the Hugh Abernathy branch is certainly not ruled out. The remaining group member is not even sure his unknown ancestor was an Abernathy, since he has other near matches with many other Irish surnames and insufficient markers to eliminate most potential surnames from his pool of possibilities. It is unknown if any from this extended family group still remain in either Ireland or Scotland, nor has a paper trail been established directly linking any or all representatives to a documentable common ancestor and thus to other members of the group.
Group Three
This is a newly expanding group of just three individuals so far, all of whom can trace their family back to pre 1800 in Newberry County, SC. Family traditions in two sub-branches indicate a probable origin in Scotland, possibly in the lowlands. More individuals from this branch are being sought. Groups One and Two are estimated to have diverged from one another during the past 3,000 to 1,000 years. Group Three, while thus far also apparently related, may have diverged from root branch of the other two at an earlier date. Additional information is being sought.
Unassigned
This group exists to serve whatever individuals have (a) full tests but insufficient matches vis-a-vis any other volunteers, or (b) an insufficient number of tested markers for a meaningfull analysis to be completed. Even with a common surname, an exact 12/12 match is judged as woefully insufficient to prove a close relationship. These remain provisionally as unassigned, pending additional results or other clarifying evidence, or new members who closely match data with them.