Clan Henderson Society Y-DNA Project - R-E2 Subgroup

Members of this project are DNA test kits at Family Tree DNA that share a common ancestor within the past approximately 400 years. There are currently 5 DNA test kits included in this project, two of which have a common Most Distant Known Ancestor (MDKA).

Goals

We hope to combine traditional family history with DNA testing to help people understand their Henderson heritage and uncover their particular lineages. Provided are curated and monitored ancestors of each test kit as well as working family trees, resources, theories and discussions related to furthering the genealogical research of each.

Test Kits

An examination of the results of this group illustrates the limitations of STR testing. When looking at only STR testing, kits 498013 and 502674 form a pairing more closely related. B336664 and 212292 also appear most closely related. Kit 232800 appears to be around the middle of these two pairings.

However, BigY (SNP) testing reveals a much different picture. This more detailed and extensive kind of testing reveals kits 232800 and 502674 share all but two mutations, confirming they most likely share kit 232800's MDKA. Meanwhile kit B336664 differs from kit 232800 by ~7 mutations, indicating a much different relationship among these three kits than STR testing alone suggests.

Kit # 232800

Most Distant Known Ancestor (MDKA): John Henderson. John's son William Henderson b.c. 1718 Ireland was identified as a "half-crazy Irishman" in Lunenburg/Fitchburg, Massachusetts, town records in 1775 or 1776. Family tradition is that the family spent no more than one generation in Ireland and was before that time Scottish. Unconfirmed and undocumented family research by a relative who died in the 1930s indicated most distant relative James/John Henderson born 1670 Scotland. The family migrated from Ireland c. 1718-1735. (MDKA does not currently match with the one provided at FTDNA. FTDNA identifies John Henderson d. 1742 Middlesex Co., MA, whereas for practical purposes it is this John's son, William Henderson, who is the best documented progenitor whose profile is attached to this project at this time)

Working theories, family trees and data relative to 232800's genealogy

FamilySearch link to working family tree: William Henderson

Kit # 498013

MDKA is: John Henderson d. 1824 Coshocton Co., OH The family of this person is completely different than the one previously documented.
John Henderson moved from Washington Co., PA, in about 1815 and bought land in Coshocton County, Ohio. Before marrying his second wife there, he dispersed most of his land to his children from his first marriage. John died in 1824 there and left a number of probate and land records useful in tracking his descendants.

Working theories, family trees and data relative to 498013's genealogy

FamilySearch: John Henderson d. 1824 Coshocton Co., OH According to analysis of reliable data on John's children, John and family apparently were in Beaver/Mifflin Counties, PA just after 1800 and in Maryland around 1790.

Kit # 502674

MDKA: James Henderson b. 1777 Vermont - d. 1865 Delaware Co., NY

 James appears in about 1797 in Schoharie Co., NY, marries Nancy Nethaway and lives among her family there until about 1817. Then he moves to neighboring Delaware Co., NY, where he dies. Land and other records document his family in the area.

=====Working theories, family trees and data relative to this kit's genealogy===== DNA analysis combined with genealogy strongly suggests this kit shares John Henderson d. c. 1742 Middlesex Co., Mass as a Most Distant Known Ancestor with kit 232800 above. This hasn't been proven yet, however. James Henderson born 1777 Vermont; d. 1865 Delaware Co., NY on FamilySearch
Next steps/research questions: Map Hendersons appearing in the 1790 VT census to see any possible correlation. Also look at James's arrival in Schoharie Co., NY, prior to the 1800 census (next to his Nattaway brother-in-law)(records might be found in Albany Co.). The best candidate for this James's father is at this point William Henderson, Jr., son of William Henderson mentioned in 232800 above. Careful examination of land and other records in Washington Co., NY, which is the last known location of William Henderson, Jr., may be revelatory.

Kit # B336664

MDKA: James Henderson d. 1807 Clermont Co., OH James Henderson, died in Clermont Co., OH, in 1807, but he was from Greenbrier Co., Virginia (now West Virginia). James entered into an agreement about the entry of some land in Clermont Co., OH, with one of the families of Greenbrier County. Many records detailing this agreement and its successful conclusion by James's children and heirs are found in both locations.

Working theories, family trees and data relative to this kit's genealogy

The assumption made in a lot of online family trees is that the Greenbrier County, VA, Henderson family was the same as Henderson families in Augusta County, VA. If these are the same families then this DNA kit would show a Fordell linkage, which he clearly does not. James's son Joseph on FamilySearch: Joseph Henderson b. 1777 Grn Br VA d 1855 Rush IN

Kit # 212292

MDKA: (same as B336664 above): James Henderson d. 1807 Clermont Co., OH

Working theories, family trees and data relative to this kit's genealogy

Previous MDKA information: John Henderson (d. 1893 Illinois) is the son of Harrison Henderson who is the son of James Henderson (d. c. 1826 Clermont Co., OH), who is the son of James Henderson (d. 1807 Clermont Co., OH)

FamilySearch link to the previously identified MDKA: John W. Henderson, b. 1832, Ohio, d. 1893, Illinois