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I had my father's first cousin take the Ancestry DNA test (which is half price right now, or else I wouldn't have done it), and the results came in today. I thought I would share them here for other Neill researchers, and to see if any of you have experience with this and can clarify what *exactly* it means (aside from the general information available from the help tab).
It turns out that our Neill branch belongs to the Haplogroup I (capital I, not lower case l), a group that emigrated from Africa to Scandinavia a WAY long time ago. The group then emigrated from Scandinavia to Northwest Europe. Later, some went back to Scandinavia. This is a completely bare bones description from the 6 pages I downloaded. I was very surprised to see NO direct links to the British Isles on the map. But then I remembered that Norsemen conquered what became Normandy, coming over later in 1066 for a look-see at England :) I have some of them in another line. So, maybe it is not surprising that a Neill might be from a Norse and not a Celt line. Nonetheless, I was surprised that there were no Irish or Scottish parts of the map lit up.
In any event, Ancestry automatically links DNA results up with Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation results. There I found the best earliest match, better than any with the Ancestry registered DNA users. This is only from the pool of registered DNA providers. It shows that - in this match - my father's first cousin's most likely common ancestor goes back to 7th generation. The earliest known male ancestor on that matching line in their database is in the 6th generation: GEORGE CATHEY NEILL, b. 1798 TN, m. Elizabeth Harriet ERWIN, b. 1799, NC.
The direct male line pedigree that SMGF shows from its FamilySearch.org files is:
2 living generations with no data given publicly;
3. George Truit Neill, b. 3 Aug 1902, Milam Co., TX;
4. George Archie Neill, b. 16 Jan 1862, Milam Co., TX;
5. John Erwin Neill, 2 Jan 1826, Bedford Co., TN;
6. George Cathey Neill, b. 1798, TN.
Now, I had George Cathey Neill (b. 15 Dec 1798, Bedford Co., TN; d. 29 Sep 1845, Marshall Co., TN) in my database. The line continues backwards in my database (compiled from various sources - none of them an old family Bible or other primary source):
7. Alexander Neill, b. 1753, Rowan Co., NC; d. 1827, Marshall Co., TN.
8. William Neill, b. 1720, Chester Co., PA; 21 Jun 1797, Lincoln Co., NC. m. Mary Polly Clinton.
9. William Neill (listed as probable father), b. abt 1702, Armagh or Lurgan, Ireland; d. 14 Oct 1766, Rowan Co., NC. m. Sarah (possible Callandar/Callender).
If I understood the information provided by Ancestry and SMGF.org, that would make the 7th generation ancestor the most likely direct common ancestor, i.e., Alexander Neill m. Anne Cathey, 7th generation, would be the common ancestor???
The DNA test, so far, is the only *concrete* information that I have that links these people to the last *proved* ancestor in our line, John Neill (1778-1859). From the various sources - not concrete - I had thought it likely that the earliest ancestor on our Neill line was William Neill m. Sarah (possibly Callendar); then his son *John Neill m. Sarah Duckworth*; then his believed son John Neill m. Ann (possibly McKenzie). Does the DNA test mean that instead of John Neill m. Sarah Duckworth that I descend instead from Alexander Neill m. Anne Cathey?? Is anyone aware of a John Neill son of theirs? I have only seen George Cathey Neill as a son.
I hope I've helped some Neill researcher by sharing the DNA research results publicly. I am happy to share additional marker details, if wanted. I also hope some savvy researcher will be able to clarify whether the DNA results mean that we *have* to be related to Alexander Neill in a direct father-to-son line, or whether it just means that we share a common ancestor in that general time frame, in which case, the John Neill m. Sarah Duckworth could still be my most likely direct ancestor. Both Alexander Neill m. Anne Cathey and John Neill m. Sarah Duckworth share William Neill m. Sarah (possibly Callendar) as a common direct ancestor.
Thanks for any input.
Lorraine
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