Helping African Americans Trace Slaveholding Ancestors Using DNA

[@amandamatt09]

Andre Kearns, I had to listen to this between various tasks today, but I didn't forget to finish it. You have taught me a lot about how to research the enslaved founders of our Country. I hope that you will continue to enrich Family Search with your professional easy to follow presentations. You are an asset to the genealogy research community. Thank you for taking the time to help us all understand it.

[@AmandaFromWisconsin]

They weren't the founders of the country.

[@JustCallMeJaph]

I love how you put it, "the enslaved founders of our country."

[@judycrosson6805]

Thank you so much for this presentation. I am currently researching my family tree & DNA relatives and am going through lot of emotions as I find the good, bad and the ugly, like you mentioned. I knew through family oral history that my ancestors owned farms and plantations and were guilty of enslaving others. I have connected to many of my relatives, including many with African ethnicity (3rd to 4th cousins), and we are working together to find our connections. Its really hard to face as you go through these records. It makes you wonder how this could possibly been allowed to happen. It is hard to think of what the enslaved indviduals endured and what was taken from them. Thank you for the information. I hope that we can have the success in piecing our past together like you have had.

[@darlastarnes-lee1579]

I just helped my diastant cousin find her grandfather's dad this way through DNA matching, slave census, etc. She was so thrilled that I was able to help her find answers she needed.

[@jwilli7434]

Really enjoyed this presentation. Wonderful that you were able to solve that family mystery regarding Henry's father and your relationship to the Smyer family. Good work! I will definitely be employing your methods in my own research.

[@familysearch]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tonyamd9800]

This was very interesting and sad at the same time. It's great that you want to know your family history, but to know the name of the slave owners who enslaved and raped your ancestors makes the reality of slavery much more real. What also kind of struck me was you finding the Caucasian relatives of that slave owner and they're your cousins. You're correct that it is challenging to accept the history. I take my hat off to you for having an open mind. I now am interested in finding out who the slave owners were who enslaved my ancestors. Thank you for sharing your journey.

[@patriciawarmoth661]

Not all of the Whites raped Black. They were quite a number of White men that took nonwhite women as common law wives, cared for them and their children, though not always in the same home as they could have been put in jail if it was found that they were married. People here act as if the mixed people only came out of rape. These mixed women and men had children that ended up owning property, even slaves themselves. This is why Kamala Harris, and myself have 4th time great grand parents that owned slaves. When I looked up these people, they were listed as free people of color in the registry.

[@a.butler1778]

My husbands 3rd great grandfather was a slave born in 1797 in Virginia. When he was a young man he was able to make it to Canada. Perhaps through the underground railroad perhaps not we don't know. Don't know how to trace that information either if it can be. His name we know him by some suggested it was the slave owners name. To me, if you were running away from your slave owner why would you connect yourself to that person in anyway shape or form. We don't know anything about his parentage. Never thought about using DNA. I am praying we can use DNA to find something. Thank you so much for your knowledge and sharing it with us all.

[@gailpeterson3747]

An excellent presentation. I was able to use a very similar technique to discover the European lineages of a couple of my formerly enslaved ancestors from the 1700s. Making that final contact with the family who enslaved one's ancestor is vitally important in determining the correct familial connection was made during your own DNA research. I still have a couple of brick walls that DNA research has not helped to break, but the method presented here is sure to yield some very positive results when researching formerly enslaved ancestors.

[@deborahlivingston6989]

I totally agree... Generations deserve the Truth--THE WHOLE TRUTH.

[@chelleweatherspoon2226]

I recently got my DNA results and learned I am a descendant of a slave owner and his fore fathers. It was so strange. It even shows their pictures. I also got helpful information about my African origin but it was only 40%. I had roots in Scotland, Ireland England, Wales, Switzerland, and other European areas. I was very surprised to learn I had virtually no Indiana heritage as I had always thought due to features that I have and the complexions and features of my children as I am adoptedt so the DNA evidence helped me to uncover the truth about my origins.

[@TiffanyClarkChannel]

Incredibly informative!

[@familysearch]

Glad it was helpful!

[@fomalhauto]

J-M172 also known as J2 which is common in Southern Europe and Middle East. J2 in Germany makes me think of Ashkenazi Jews J2 is a common Y DNA haplogroup among Ashkenazi Jews

[@tanelise4673]

Two thumbs up! How fortunate to have the oral history to point you in the right direction. I’m trying to discover who owned my great great grandparents. We’re always told to trace back to 1870, which I did, but where the were in 1870 (Louisiana) was not where they were in 1865 (Mississippi). (I know this because I found an 1867 marriage record from Claiborne county MS). Kinda lost on how to proceed.

[@tinkinc85]

What an excellent and fascinating presentation. I am just beginning to assist some of my African-American DNA cousin matches as we try to match where they join in our family line. For the moment going all the way back to the 1750 I only have one known family that were slave owners that the records are very scant. Your methodology will help us.

[@familysearch]

So glad this was helpful!

[@leelstanton]

Great work. Im going to try the things you spoke about. Thanks for your insight

[@dianastallard1467]

Thank you for your work and great presentation. It has helped me!

[@Ramiiam]

It's amazing what DNA research is bringing to our understanding of history and prehistory. Thanks for sharing your professional knowledge and family history!

[@jooyahrose17]

Excellent presentation. Great detective work. Thanks for sharing your methodology.

[@pathardigree6813]

This is so intelligent and systematic. Wonderful.

[@patriciawarmoth661]

Interesting, thanks for sharing the information.

[@familysearch]

Thanks for watching!

[@joannfalcon6797]

Good job on your research. I find ancestry fascinating. Thank you for your research tips helping others find their family history.

[@BerylWhiteBing]

So literally the surname Johnson came from Henry being John's son.

[@andrekearns8631]

YES :-D

[@enchantedhillsstore5944]

@@andrekearns8631 I think that we may be related on the Johnson side of things. My 4 x grand father was named Peyton Johnson (slave). He was married several times (6) his origin story starts in Culpepper, Va. but his mother's story comes out of the Carolinas also a slave that was sold. [e-mail]

[@hannahpricekarlsson]

Wow! Good catch! I totally missed that!

[@hannahpricekarlsson]

@@andrekearns8631great presentation! So helpful! And I appreciate the reminder to not give up when we hit brick walls.

[@debanderson3970]

Very interesting and informative.. thank you...

[@familysearch]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@naarah7]

I enjoyed your presentation and it gave me tips on working with my DNA. Thank you!

[@millionairemaine8901]

This is a DEEP reality right here.

[@joyanderson8646]

Thanx a million!!! I've been following Dane Colloway & your site popped up about using DNA to find slave owner ancestors. I thought I'd hit a wall when it turned out my white male ancestor was from Wales(Carmathenshire) baptism records his name(John? Brown Williams) on the record it just says Brown William 1785-1860 & Father, Isabella George his mother. Most census lists my people as "m" for mulatto or negro. I have 2 pics & they were very fair skinned one of them passed for white in the 1870 census!!! The DNA tests will help narrow down my white ancestry origins🤗🤗🤗

[@ksfaith87]

Excellent presentation!

[@MasterTMO]

Thanks for the video, it was very interesting! Best of luck with the rest of your family research!

[@richwidmann]

Outstanding video.. Thanks for sharing your journey!

[@TurboJon]

Very impressive and interesting. Thank you!

[@BimRen246]

This was a great presentation and very insightful. I am presently on a similar journey to unlock the parentage of 3 of my great grandparents.

[@mhadghab]

I’ve traced my 3rd great mother back to the 1870’s census. She lived with her son (my 2nd great grandfather) and his family. On the census form it is noted that she was born in Africa. It also notes both her parents are of foreign birth. I’ve hit a dead wall at this point trying to trace her back any further. Hopefully, I will get insight from your video.

[@sr2291]

There may be other records thar list place of origin.

[@larrykhurt1891]

Thank you for your work and great presentation. It has helped me! Keep up the good work. 3

[@melodyparshall3649]

Wonderful! Thanks!

[@familysearch]

Glad you liked it!

[@Mw56282]

Greetings: I have just watched your video concerning tracing black Americans ancestry through slavery. What it showed me was I have already done most of my research in the right way. I know who was my slave owner family and our families share the same last name and live less than 10 miles apart. One of the most fascinating things I learned was I had a 3rd great hr and mother who was born in 1793 and remained a slave with that same family over 60 years. Her name was Sene and she was still alive in 1880! How I wish I could find more about info on her!

[@arlindanelson7928]

Great presentation. I've found documentation of two slaveowners in my family (maternal & paternal). I used the same approach to finding them. I am now trying to find a connection through DNA to those families with no success or maybe I'm not sure what to look for now. Thanks for sharing.

[@vucat]

This was awesome.

[@LifewithDrTrishVarner]

Great information. Thanks for sharing. I would love to try to do this for my ancestry. We had some surprising Ancestry DNA results. My husband's result shows Eastern European as his top country, which of course was surprising to him as it contradicts what he was told about his grandfather (his dad's dad). We are trying to determine who that grandfather actually was. Also, our youngest daughter inherited red hair (check out our Ancestry DNA video on my channel about that if you're interested). Anyway, my result shows I inherited Irish (10%) and Scottish (12%) ancestry. I would be curious to know if any of the slave owners had red hair. Anyway, I subscribed so I can learn more ways to research this.

[@gailthompson2271]

Thank you

[@kenmoore6999]

Great presentation.. Question how do you find pictures of enslaved ancestors ?

[@balthazarbeutelwolf9097]

Smyre is not a German name. It was common for German immigrants to the USA to anglicize their names, but not clear to me what the original name would be. Perhaps "Smyra", which would be pronounced smu-rah in German, but then there is also "Smyrek". Neither of which is a common name. Have you figured out what the surname of your German ancestors was?

[@BenManningFamily]

We're researching surnames: Grant, Manning, Mathews, and Williams in St Stephens Berkeley County, SC, USA

[@sknmwms6516]

Get ready for REPARATIONS WITH THAT DNA!

[@Demurepearls]

It's important that we know THE TRUTH. I'M ALL IN.

[@slowjamz4life]

The problem with that is, I have a white slave-owning 3rd great grandfather and i match about 6 other black people with the same ancestor, BUT I DON'T MATCH ANY WHIT PEOPLE, WHY IS THAT? MIND YOU, my 2nd great grandfather shows up in one census record as Mulatto, while all the other census records shows him as Black. Also, other people's family trees shows a white ancestor, skips and doesn't show 3 or 4 generations, and then goes straight to my great grandfather, my 2nd great grandfather's son!!!

[@buntingy]

Im learning so much at ancestry

[@geoffgaines9062]

Mixed race Amateur genealogist here, on Ancestry with linked DNA. I will try your email for this question, but will preview it here. When I get to 1870 and before the records show my enslaved relatives as sons and daughters of folks that I learn are instead slaveowners. I see this evidenced in various ways, like comparing the 1860 and 1870 census, looking at wills etc. But my question is about the family tree I'm building on Ancestry, I don't want to disconnect a slaveowner just because he is not in my bloodline. I definitely want to learn about and record that family too. The question is, what is the best way to build an accurate family tree, including slave owners, in Ancestry? And should we be lobbying for changes to the tree options that would improve our ability to build the record? Like familial options including "slaver" or "slave"!?

[@cherylpuzon6616]

Deutsch is German for German. That's why Germany is often referred to as Deutschland.

[@christinemarotta9707]

I found the names of slaves owned by ancestors with specific directions regarding them. I would like to know how to share this info and find out if any are dna relatives, or what happened to them!

[@christinemarotta9707]

I forgot to add in a family Will

[@MoncœrCoyoteSmith]

Some Blacks have ancestors of European descent from the early 1900s AFTER slavery. This ancestors could have owned slaves (the withe ones) but this doesn’t mean the Black ancestors are descendants of a slave - slaveholder relationship DURING slavery. Understand? This is why actually researching matches and creating a family tree is important. This however still might obfuscate the truth.

[@feipecalderon6404]

welcome to america

[@avjack2702]

My grandfather was a boy slave Southampton /Northampton County so I don’t need a test to tell me what I already know

[@Datacorrupter234]

i believe my family had some slaves back in the day i highly doubt they are gona connect the dots that far back XD

[@MikeCharles62]

Peace to everyone..Please do your own research, however this is historically off a lot of African American will find theyre not African American and they were slave owners ,But ok .Good luck to everyone !!

[@feipecalderon6404]

that means you owe yourself reperations lol

[@jeffthomas5291]

What's the bloody point? Sad and ANGRY Yeah!

[@badhairdaylady]

You need to get a handle on your volume control!!!!

[@marsiyahsteeltrap6536]

Okay Karen. Simply turn your volume down.

[@badhairdaylady]

@@marsiyahsteeltrap6536 Not that I have to explain myself to you, but I'm sure you watched the video too and listened to the volume fluctuating up and down! So if you turn it down to adjust for the extremely large highs, then you won't be able to hear the extreme lows. I'm sure there probably is an awareness by Family Search and the Roots Tech narrator that there is a volume control issue in this video, so, there's no need for name calling! Maybe you should mind your own business too! I enjoy KZbin, and when I run across issues like this, I usually give feedback because they might not be aware that there's an issue on playback. Again, mind your own f'n business.

[@hamletschild]

@@badhairdaylady You gave good advice but I think the person had an issue with the way you presented your advice. We are often taught to present a positive before or after presenting a negative. Something like ‘this was a very interesting video and I learned a lot. The audio was a bit unstable you need to be mindful of your volume control. Overall awesome!” When present critiques just be careful of your tone, even when writing. It is always great to share your voice but people can be sensitive.

[@AncestryNerd]

@@hamletschild well said!

[@AncestryNerd]

@@badhairdaylady it’s the way you worded your comment that has people reacting to your comment like that. This is a good learning opportunity