Same DNA Haplogroup for Two Family Lines

I recently received E3a Haplogroup results for Y-chromosome DNA tests for two of my family lines. Haplogroup E3a is also known as Haplogroup E1b1a. Both tests were 46-markers and were done through Ancestry.com DNA. The family lines with the matching Haplogroup are the PAIR family of Greensville County, VA and the THORNTON family of Halifax County, NC.

PAIR is the family of my father and paternal grandfather.

• Roy PAIR (1945- )
• Matthew “Mack” PAIR (1897-1987)
• Arthur “Ardie” PAIR (1864-1929)
• Hal PAIR (?-?)

THORNTON is the family of my maternal grandfather Minor Elwood Thornton (1913-1979).

• Minor THORNTON (1893-1966)
• Plummer THORNTON (1857-bef. 1910)
• Robert THORNTON (1815-?)

Although both test results matched the E3a (aka E1b1a) Haplogroup, only 24 out of 46 markers matched between these two family lines. (See matches in Red below)

Grandma Bell’s Kitchen

The photo above shows what the kitchen of my great grandmother Bell Bullock Johnson looked like. Here, my mother Dorothy (hands in pot), and her sister Emma Belle are standing in the kitchen of their maternal grandmother, Bell Bullock Johnson. They lived in Newport News, VA and their grandmother lived in the town of Ridgway in Warren County, NC.

My mother and her siblings visited Grandma Bell from time to time during their childhood, sometimes staying with her during the summer. This photo was taken in 1958 and during that year Mama turned age 14 and her sister age 12.

It look like Mama is washing her hands in this pot. During the time that this photo was taken, Grandma Bell did not have running water in her house. She either got water from a well on her property or from the spring nearby.

This photo was taken in 1959 in the kitchen Grandma Bell’s kitchen. Her youngest son Richard (right) is standing here with her youngest daughter Emma, who is my maternal grandmother.

Double Cousins

I love this photo from the funeral program of Cousin Martha Johnson Eaddy (1928-2003). She was obviously a dog lover. Cousin Martha was a double cousin of my maternal grandmother Emma.

Martha’s father Charlie Johnson (1884-1951) was a brother of Grandma Emma’s father George Johnson (1893-1932). Both Charlie and George were sons of Plummer Johnson (1846-1917) and Susan Jerman Johnson (1858-1939). The Johnsons lived in the town of Ridgeway located in Warren County, NC.

Martha’s mother Kate Bullock Johnson (1888-?) was an aunt of Grandma Emma’s mother Bell Bullock Johnson (1890-1982) and a sister of Grandma Bell’s father Andrew Bullock (1862-1915). Both Kate and Andrew were children of Ottoway Bullock (1832-abt. 1907) of Warren County, NC. Kate was a daughter of Ottoway’s third wife Julia Taylor Bullock (1855-1921) and Andrew was the son of his first wife Mimmy Bullock (1835-bef. 1873).

Sista of the Church

In this photo, I was modeling in a church fashion show. The dress, scarf, and purse are mine, but the hat was on loan for modeling from a local store. The fashion show was held around the mid 1990s. I call this my “Sista of the Church” outfit because in many African American churches, no outfit is complete without a hat. I do not wear hats to church on a regular basis like my grandmother and my sister Deborah do. However, I do enjoy wearing hats to church occasionally. I own one church hat which I purchased in February 2007 to wear to the 100th anniversary of one of my family churches in North Carolina.

Aunt Dorothy Wearing a Hat

This is my Aunt Dorothy Thornton Andrews (1921-1982) who was a sister of my maternal grandfather Minor Elwood Thornton (1913-1979). Aunt Dorothy was born in the Enfield area of Halifax County, NC. She moved to East Orange, NJ during her early adult years and remained there until her death.

I believe this photo may have been taken during one of her visits to NC. I have seen a photo of my grandfather sitting in this chair and was told that it was taken during a visit to NC.

Barack Obama’s Family Tree

The family tree of President-Elect Barack Obama has diverse branches. He is an example of the cliché that says that “you can’t judge a book by its cover.” When you look at him, you see a tall, light-skinned, African American male. What you don’t see in his physical traits is that he is the product of an American Caucasian woman and an African man from Kenya and that his ancestors came from a sundry of places such as Africa, America, and Europe.

Obama’s election as 44th president of the United States continues the presidential legacy in his family. Obama is a distant cousin of three U.S. presidents -- Harry S Truman, George W. Bush and George Herbert Walker Bush. He is also a distant cousin of Vice President Dick Cheney, as well as actor Brad Pitt.

For more information on Barack Obama’s family tree, visit the following websites.

Son of Presidents and Tribal Chiefs

Bios of Obama’s Family Members

Interactive Obama Family Tree

Obama’s Family Tree

Graphical View of Obama’s Family Tree

Mitosearch DNA Database

Mitosearch is a free website by FamilyTreeDNA where individuals can enter both mitochondrial and Y-chromosome results for any DNA testing company. Other features of this website include searching site by Haplogroups, comparing DNA results with others, and contacting other testers whom you may have a DNA match.

Barack Obama Wins!

Congratulations to Barack Obama on his election as the 44th President of the United States. His acceptance speech was held in Chicago, IL on November 4th, 2008.

Veterans History Project

The Veterans History Project (VHP) is designed to collect and preserve remembrances of American War veterans and civilian workers who supported them. This initiative of the United States Congress was created in t he year 2000 as part of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. The VHP project collects remembrances of veterans who served in the following six wars:

1. World War I (1914-1920)


2. World War II (1939-1946)


3. Korean War (1950-1955)


4. Vietnam War (1961-1975)
   
5. Persian Gulf War (1990-1995)
   
6. Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts (2001-present)

Remembrances of home front civilians who actively supported the war efforts are also invited to participate in this project. Civilians include war industry workers, USO workers, flight instructors, medical volunteers, defense contractors, etc.

The Veterans History Project memories are archived in the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress for use by researchers. The project collection consists of donated items such as first-hand oral histories, memoirs, photographs, letters, diaries, official separation documents (DD-214, etc.) and other historical documents from World War I through current conflicts. Project items such as interviews are conducted and submitted by volunteers who work individually or as part of a group or organization.

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For more information on participating in the Veterans History project, visit the websites listed below:

Veterans History Project

Veterans History Project Questionnaire

Frequently Asked Questions

Veterans History Project Brochure

International Black Genealogy Summit

The first International Black Genealogy Summit will be held October 29-31, 2009 at the Allen County Public Library, in Fort Wayne, IN. This purpose of this summit is for all black historical and genealogical societies in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean to come together to celebrate the joys and challenges of black genealogy.

For more information, visit the summit website.