The Family Background essay traced
the family genealogies of our (Berta and me) four grandparents, i.e., Price,
Graham, Huckstadt and Clifford. Beginning
with some family oral history and family information, the branches of our
family tree began to sprout. This
initial information was placed into genealogy software, Reunion 8 for Mac, in
the year 2000. After joining Ancestry.com
this information was uploaded to Ancestry to form a Price/Graham family tree. Joining
Ancestry.com enabled an in-depth research of Federal Census records, birth
records, cemetery records, death records and marriage records. Searching these data bases provided new
information on our four families, which produced an expanded Price/Graham family tree. In addition to these data base searches, additional
family information was discovered from other family trees listed on
Ancestry.com. These other trees have enabled tracing some of our heritage back
through the American Colonies to the “Old World”. Ancestry provides “hints” on a regular basis
as an alert to possible new genealogy data.
These “hints” occur as a green leaf attached to people listed in the Price/Graham family tree. Currently there are 228 people with a green
leaf, where any green leaf can provide several data references. There has been little time to investigate
many of these hints, because my primary focus has been writing the Reflection essays. While I was ruminating about subjects for future
essays, I decided to explore a ’green leaf’ on our Great-Great-Grandfather R. S. Price.
This ‘green leaf’ hint listed a number of records, as well
as connections to other family trees. Upon exploring this ‘green leaf’, these
other family trees yielded new information that allows a reasonable extension
of the Price family genealogy into the Maryland colony in the 1700s and extending
across the pond to England and Wales in the 1500s. This new information answers questions that
arose during the previous searches for Price ancestor history. In addition to this new family tree
information, I submitted a DNA sample to Ancestry.com for testing to see if Berta’s
and my ethnicity provided confirmation of the family tree information. The DNA results were somewhat surprising, but
consistent with both the Price/Graham
family tree research, and my understanding of the migration history to America.
Before presenting the DNA results, it is desirable to
first address the new family tree information.
This approach aids in understanding the DNA results, and lends validity
to the family tree. To refresh your
memory, the following italicized paragraphs are taken from a previous
essay titled Family Background about R.
S. Price, and the reasoning that allowed naming him our Great-Great-Grandfather, along with questions posed by the census records. The new family information well be addressed
following this excerpt from Family Background.
Price Family
Based upon Federal Census Data for our Great-Grandfather Price, I
believe to have found our Great-Great-Grandfather and Great-Great-Grandmother
Price. What is this evidence that leads
me to believe I’ve discovered these Great-Great-Grandparents? Family records show our Great-Grandfather’s (Robert
S. Price) birthdate was 1845 in Kentucky, with several Federal Census
Records confirming this birth year. In
addition, these Federal Census Records list Kentucky as the birth state for his
parents.
Using
this datum, the 1850 Federal Census lists an R.S. Price (born 1816) with
wife Theresa Price (born 1825) in Nelson County, Kentucky. Thomas (born 1843), Robert
(Great-Grandfather Price?) (born 1845), Ann A. (born 1846) and Reason (born
1848) are listed as Price children. Both
parents are listed as born in Kentucky.
Since Robert’s birthdate matches both family and Federal Census Records,
it seems a reasonable assumption that R.S and Theresa are our
Great-Great-Grandparents. So far,
further searches have not reveled R. S. Price’s first name, a marriage date or
Theresa’s maiden name. Unfortunately, I
could not check earlier Census Records because names are not provided, only the
number of people in a given age bracket are given. At this time further research is required to
determine if these assumptions are correct and these unknowns answered.
However,
the 1860 Federal Census has produced an anomaly. This record lists a Ried Price (born 1826)
listed with no wife and 7 Price children: Thomas (born 1843), Robert
(born 1845), Ann (born 1847), Reason (born 1850), Elizabeth (born 1852). B.
(born 1854) and Richd (Richard?) (born 1858).
Obvious questions arise for this record.
Is Ried the first name of R.S. Price in the 1850 Census? If so, there is a ten year discrepancy in his
birth date. If it is a new Price
relative, who is he and what happened to R.S. and Theresa? While the birth dates for Thomas and Robert match
the 1850 Census, those for Ann and Reason are different. Birth dates in Census records are always
listed as “abt”, or about. since the census worker asks for ages on the day of
the census. Hence, these birth years could be off by one year. This fact may explain Ann’s difference in
birth year, but Reason’s is off by 2 years, which may depend on who in the
family gave the ages of everyone and their knowledge of everyone’s age. Finally, are Elizabeth, B. and Richd the
children of R.S. and Theresa Price?
Without a doubt our Great-Grandfather was Robert S. Price
born in Kentucky on 19 Nov 1845. The
reason for this certainty is both family records and is confirmed in the 1920
Federal Census. Discovering the identity
of my Great-Grandmother Price has been a real challenge. Two family records provide both a ? for her
name while another lists a Susan Crow.
These records give Apr 1908 as the date for Great-Grandmother Price’s
death, whoever she is. All record searches have failed to discover a Susan
Crow, much less one married to Robert S. Price. So, using the Census Records, other family
trees and Price logic, possibly flawed, I believe Great-Grandmother Price was Mary
Ann Price, nee Roberts born in Missouri, 25 Nov 1849. Robert S. Price and Mary Ann Roberts
were married on 1 Oct 1868 in De Kalb County, Missouri. Note:
For brevity, subsequent Family Background essay paragraphs
are not included. These paragraphs traced the Price family from
Robert S. Price (Great Grandfather),
to Robert Alfred Price
(Grandfather), to Robert Otto Price
(Father).
The green leaf hint on R. S. Price’s profile suggested
connections to six other family trees.
Reviewing these trees revealed that five trees did not list his
parents. Additionally, some of these
trees were not consistent with my earlier research. The sixth tree (#1) showed R. S. Price as Richard S. Price married to Teresa
Greenwell. This tree listed Teresa
as his second wife, and that his first wife was Helen Head and that Thomas
was their son. This tree also listed all
Richard’s and Teresa’s children shown in the 1850 and 1860 Federal Census
data. Since this new data confirmed my
previous research, it seemed reasonable that this information was valid. With family tree #1 the Price family could be
extended back four additional generations!
In essence, the Price family could be traced back to our
Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandparents, or our 5th
Great-Grandparents as identified in genealogy terminology. Based upon a reasonable assumption that the
information was valid, the data was entered into the Family Tree Maker 3
software and uploaded to Ancestry. After uploading the expanded Price/Graham tree to Ancestry, a hint
was shown for Richard S. Price. This hint listed connections to an additional
12 family trees! Only two of these
twelve trees (#2, #3) had family data that correlated with one another, and
with tree #1 as well. Despite this correlation,
there were some differences in the trees’ genealogical data. Most of these differences were in name
variations, different birth dates and birth locations. A logical question was; how could I resolve
these differences and anomalies? Since
there were three similar trees, it seemed reasonable to employ a majority rule,
i.e., consider information to be accurate when two trees are in agreement. Using this logic was helpful, but still did
not resolve differences in the tree data.
It did not resolve that there were two listing for our 5th
Great-Grandparents and Great-Grandfather Robert S. Price’s father. Closer examination of tree #1data revealed
discrepancies for the listed 5th Great-Grandparents.
Upon identifying Richard S. Price as the father of Great-Grandfather Robert S. Price, it was possible using tree #1 to
trace the Price family back to a 5th
Great-Grandfather Thomas Price married to a 5th Great-Grandmother Elizabeth Price. At this point, the Price family genealogy
stopped because no parents were listed for either of them, nor did either have
a birthdate. A fact sheet listed Thomas
as dying in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
This fact sheet listed a son Richard Price born in Virginia in 1759 and
passing away in Nelson County, Kentucky in 1837. A careful review of this tree data, raised
serious questions about the validity of this portion of the tree. The tree indicated Thomas and Elizabeth
produced five more children after Thomas.
These children were two sons and three daughters. However, one son and the daughters were
listed as Private, meaning no access to names/dates. The other son was named Benjamin born in
1818, which raised a serious question. This birthdate meant he was born nearly
70 years after Richard, which did not seem at all probable! The tree also indicated Elizabeth had been
married previously and bore several children with this first husband, and he
was listed as dying in 1694. This date
raises the question about Elizabeth bearing Richard over 60 years after the
first husband died. For these reasons, Thomas
and Elizabeth were considered NOT to be our 5th
Great-Grandparents. Eliminating Thomas
and Elizabeth allowed concentration on the other trees.
Data for our 5th
Great-Grandparents contained in trees #2 and #3 were in agreement, and further
research was undertaken. Although their
names matched in both trees, there was some variance in dates, locale and
children’s names. To resolve these
differences, my next approach was to use the tree information that provided the
most detailed data. While this approach
is arbitrary, it seemed reasonable until further research can be done. Despite these differences, it is possible to
trace the Price family back to our Great-Grandfather
Robert S. Price. Based on this
information, our 5th
Great-Grandparents were Benoni
and Mary Price, nee Beall. Benoni was born in 1728, with no
birthplace listed. Mary was born in
1731, also with no birthplace listed.
Unfortunately, neither Benoni or Mary had parents listed. Since the Price family genealogy trail
appeared to end, the Price/Graham tree was updated with data up to and
including Benoni and Mary Price. This
new family information was uploaded to Ancestry. Reviewing the updated tree on
Ancestry, there were more hints to consider.
A hint on Benoni Price resulted in scores of new family trees to
research. Two of these trees (#4, #5)
traced the family into the 17th and 16th centuries. Both trees were consistent with the three
trees (#1, #2, #3) used to trace the family all the way to Great-Grandfather
Robert S. Price. Thus, it is possible to
trace the Price family to, would you believe, our 13th Great-Grandparents!
Again, to be consistent with the genealogical approach in Family
Background, this latest Price genealogy information will begin with our
13th Great-Grandparents. The
family history will be traced from our 13th Great- Grandparents to
our 2nd Great-Grandparents and from there to our parents.
Our 13th Great-Grandparents were Matthew and Elizabeth Price,
nee Blaeney. Matthew was born in 1512 in Newtown,
Montgomeryshire, Wales. Elizabeth
Blaeney was born in 1510 in Aberbechan,
Montgomeryshire, Wales. Only one son is
listed for Matthew and Elizabeth Price, Richard
Price. Richard was born in 1530 in Newtown,
Montgomeryshire, Wales. This one child
pattern is repeated all the way to our 5th Great-Grandparents
family. Why only one child for so many generations? Another question that needs further
research. Matthew Price died in 1550 in
Wales, England. No date or place of
passing for Elizabeth is provided.
Our 12th Great-Grandparents were Richard and Elizabeth Price,
nee Blayney. Richard Price was born in 1530 in Newtown, Montgomeryshire, Wales. Elizabeth Blayney was born in 1536 in Aberbechan, Montgomeryshire, Wales. Richard and Elizabeth were married in 1550 in
Montgomery, Montgomeryshire, Wales. Richard Price Jr. was born in 1555 in
Montgomeryshire, Wales. While the data
does not indicate the Junior title, it was added for clarity. Richard Sr. died in Montgomeryshire, Wales,
but no date is provided. No date or
place is listed for Elizabeth’s death.
It should be noted that Elizabeth’s birthdate was listed as 1546, which
meant she was married at age four years and bore Richard Jr. at age nine
years. Thus, her birthdate was modified
to 1536, which seemed more logical.
Our 11th Great-Grandparents were Richard Jr. and Ursula Price,
nee Middleton. Richard
Jr. was born in 1555 in Montgomeryshire, Wales. Ursula Middleton was born in 1560 in
Montgomeryshire, Wales. Richard
Jr. and Ursula were married in 1582 in Wales, England. Andrew
Price is the only child listed for Richard Jr. and Ursula, born in 1585 in
Montgomery, Montgomeryshire, Wales.
Richard Jr. passed away in Apr 1638 in Montgomeryshire, Wales. Ursula’s passing preceded Richard Jr. by
exactly one year, Apr 1637 in Montgomeryshire, Wales.
Our 10th Great-Grandparents were Andrew and Mary Ann Price,
nee Matthews. Andrew was born 1585 in Montgomery,
Montgomeryshire, Wales. Mary Ann was
born in 1584 in Cowes, Isle of Wight, England.
Thomas Price is the only
child listed to Andrew and Mary Ann Price, born in 1610 in Isle of Wight,
England. Andrew and Mary Ann were
married in 1620 in Henrico, Virginia.
Henrico was an early English settlement to the west of Jamestown
Settlement. Andrew and Mary Ann Price,
and son Thomas, are the first Prices to arrive in America. Andrew Price passed away in 1628 in Charles
City, Charles, Virginia. This date was
originally listed as 1608, which did not make sense, since Thomas was born in
1610 and 1620 for his marriage to Mary Ann.
Mary Ann Price died in 1666 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts. Why Mary Ann moved to Boston would be an
interesting story. At some point Thomas
Price left Virginia for Maryland, and apparently settled in Calvert where he
met his future wife. It would be
interesting to know his reason for leaving Virginia, and whether it was before
or after Andrew passed away. Another
question is whether Mary Ann went with Thomas before moving to Boston. Possible answers to these questions will be
addressed later.
Our 9th Great-Grandparents were Thomas and Elizabeth Price,
nee Phillips. Thomas was born in 1610 in Isle of Wight,
England, while Elizabeth Phillips was born in 1613 in Baltimore. Thomas and Elizabeth had one son, Thomas Price Jr., born in 1635 in
Calvert, Maryland. Calvert is in the
Northeast corner of Maryland, not far from Baltimore. The Phillips family origin can be traced back
to Southern England, the importance of this emigration fact will be discussed
later. Thomas and Elizabeth did not
marry until 06 Feb 1673 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Strangely, Elizabeth’s death is also listed as 06 Feb 1673 in Annapolis,
Anne Arundel, Maryland. It appears they
married while Elizabeth was on her death bed.
Certainly makes one wonder, what is the story here? Thomas lived until 23 Aug 1701 when he passed
away in Calvert, Maryland.
Our 8th Great-Grandparents were Thomas Jr. and Elizabeth
Price, nee Johnson. Thomas Jr. was born in 1635 in Calvert,
Maryland, while Elizabeth Johnson was born in Calvert, Maryland in 1640. Thomas Jr. and Elizabeth were married in 1658
in Calvert, Maryland. Their son Mordecai
Price was born in 1660 in Calvert, Maryland.
Elizabeth Price passed away in 1698 in Baltimore, Maryland. Thomas Jr. died on 23 Aug 1703 in Calvert,
Maryland. It is somewhat suspicious that
Thomas Sr. and Thomas Jr. died on the identical date two years apart in the
same city. Heck, Russell and I have
identical birthdates, so I guess identical death dates are a possibility.
Our 7th Great-Grandparents were Mordecai and Mary Price,
nee Parsons. Mordecai Price was born in 1660 in Calvert,
Maryland, while Mary Parsons in 1662.
Her birthplace is not listed, but the Phillips family originated in
Southwest England. Mordecai Price Jr. was born in 1698 in West River, Anne Arundel,
Maryland. Mordecai Sr. died on 08 May
1715 in Anne Arundel, Maryland. Mary
Price passed away on 08 May 1718 in Annapolis, Anne Arundel, Maryland. Another coincidence in dates of death for
Mordecai and Mary. Hopefully, further
research will resolve the apparent identical death dates.
Our 6th Great-Grandparents were Mordecai Jr. and Elizabeth
Price, nee White. Mordecai Jr. was born in 1698 in West River,
Anne Arundel, Maryland, while Elizabeth White was born in 1708 in Cool Spring
Manor, Calvert, Maryland. Mordecai Jr.
and Elizabeth were married in Indian Spring, Prince George’s Co., Maryland on
28 Apr 1728. Their son Benoni Price was born in Maryland in
1726, two years prior to Mordecai Jr. and Elizabeth marrying. Elizabeth passed away in West River, Anne
Arundel, Maryland sometime in 1765.
Mordecai Jr. in 1769 in Anne Arundel, Maryland.
Finally, we have reached our 5th Great-Grandparents Benoni and Mary Price, nee Beall. Benoni Price was born in Maryland in 1726,
while Mary Beall was born in Anne Arundel, Maryland in 1731. Benoni
and Mary Price had seven children,
five sons and two daughters. All were
born in Prince George’s County, Maryland, except one daughter born in Charles
County, Maryland. Richard (born 1759), Reason
(born 1761), Lloyd Beall (born
1763), Frederick (born 15 Aug 1765),
Priscilla (born 1767 in Charles
County), Benedict Beall (born 1767)
and Elala (born 1773). While all three trees listed Richard as their
first child, only one tree lists the other children. It seems reasonable that Benoni and Mary
would have more than one child. In fact,
it seems reasonable that all our Great-Grandparents would have more than one
child. Life was hard in the 16th,
17 and 18th Centuries and large families were quite common, in fact
necessary since an agrarian life required large families. As will be shown, tracing their descendants
through the years to Great-Grandfather
Robert S. Price will confirm that Matthew
and Elizabeth Price, nee Blaeney,
are our 13th
Great-Grandparents.
Both Benoni and Mary are listed as
passing away in 1783. Mary is listed as
passing away in Prince George’s County, Maryland, but Benoni passing away in
Pennsylvania. Since they both died in
1783, it appears really strange their passing was in different states, but the
exact date of their passing is not known.
Thus, it seems probable they passed away some months apart. Today, Price George’s County occupies an area
just to the east of Washington, D.C, as outlined in red in the Maryland’s
counties map. Prior to 1748 St. George’s
County consisted of all the counties underlined in red: Montgomery, Frederick,
Washington, Allegany and Garrett Counties. As can be seen, Frederick,
Washington, Allegany and Garrett Counties’ northern boundary is also the
southern border of Pennsylvania. A
colonial map of 1776 shows St. George’s County and Fredrick County, with
Fredrick encompassing all the underlined counties, while a 1790 map shows
counties existing today. Clearly, St.
George’s County is not adjacent to Pennsylvania, so why did Benoni and Mary die
in different states, or did they? The
places of death may be inaccurate, or perhaps Mary died first and Benoni decided
to live with one of their children’s family.
Either is possible, but to resolve this question needs further research. It should be noted that Calvert, Maryland is
located in Cecil County, the yellow county in the most Northeast part of the
map.
To aid in understanding places listed
for birth and death, city, county, state, country is listed in this order. All genealogical data for these locations
list any either all or sometimes only the state or country. When locales in England are listed as in
Montgomeryshire for Matthew and Elizabeth Price, shire indicates a county. Therefore, Montgomeryshire is the county of
Montgomery. Any locale listed before the
shire is a town. Hopefully, this
explanation helps in understanding places listed for birth and death.
Maryland Counties
Our 4th Great-Grandparents were Richard and Rachel Price,
nee Willett. Richard Price married Rachel
Willett on 17 Dec 1762 in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Richard and Rachel had six children, three
sons and three daughters. Reason Willett (born 05 Dec 1785), Nancy Anna “Ann” (born12 Sep 1789), Priscilla Willett (born 20 Mar 1792), Mary Polly (born 1796, William R. (born 1800) and Richard (born 1802). Reason Willett, Nancy Anna and Priscilla
Willett are listed as being born in Price George’s County, Maryland, while no
birthplaces are listed for Mary Polly, William R. and Richard. However, it appears sometime between 1795 and
1800 the family moved to Nelson County, Kentucky. Depending on the year of the move, it is
possible that some, if not all, of the last three children were born in
Kentucky. 4th
Great-Grandfather Richard Price died 10 Jun 1837 in Nelson County, Kentucky,
while 4th Great-Grandmother Rachel Price passed away in 1848, no
specific date listed or where she died, but it is assumed to have been in
Nelson County also. It should be noted
that the Willett family originated
in Gloucestershire, England in 1669.
Gloucestershire is in the Southern part of England
Our 3rd Great-Grandparents are Reason Willett and Tabitha Price, nee Simmons. Reason
Willett Price married Tabitha Simmons (born 1786) on 02 May
1811 in Bullitt County, Kentucky. Reason
Willett and Tabitha had nine children, six sons and three daughters. William
S. (born 20 Jan 1811), Tabitha S.
(born 15 Aor 1813), Richard S. (born
27 Nov 1815), Thomas Willett (born
02 Aug 1817), Edward Simmons (born
22 Dec 1819), Teresa Ann (born 08
Dec 1821), Robert Swanson (born 06
Apr 1824), Elizabeth Head (born 10
Aug 1827) and Reason Jr. (born 05
Dec 1832). It should be noted that
William S. Price was born about three plus months before Reason and Tabitha
were married. Our 3rd
Great-Grandmother Tabitha Price passed away on 13 Jan 1850, while 3rd
Great-Grandfather Reason Willett Price died almost seven months later on 15 Aug
1850. Reason Willett Price died in
Nelson County, Kentucky, while Tabitha Price died in Marion County, Kentucky,
it is my assumption that our 3rd Great-Grandparents resided in
Marion County when Tabitha passed away, and Reason Willett went to live with one
of his children’s families in Nelson County.
This assumption is based on the fact all their children, except Tabitha
S. Price, passed away in Nelson County, Kentucky. At this point it is possible to connect to R. S and Teresa Price identified as our
2nd Great-Grandparents in the 1850 Federal Census documented in the Family
Background essay.
Since thee were hints on both Rachel
Willett and Tabitha Simmons, a decision was made to research their family
origins. As stated, the Willett family
originated in the southern part of England, while the Simmons family could only
be traced to Prince George’s Co., Maryland.
However, it was discovered that Tabitha
Simmons’ parents were Richard and Tabitha Simmons, nee Willett, which
raised the question was Tabitha Willett related to Rachel Willett? Much to my surprise Tabitha was Rachel’s
older sister, by about ten years. Thus,
Tabitha Simmons is Rachel’s niece. Wow,
the Price, Willett and Simmons families are really genealogically
intertwined. Since Tabitha Willett is
Rachel Willett’s sister, Tabitha Willett would be our 4th Great
Aunt, I think. And it seems Tabitha
Simmons would also be a cousin 4th generation removed (?), besides
being our 3rd Great-Grandmother!
Our 10th Great-Grandparents Price were the first to settle
in the Virginia Colony early in the 17th Century, then beginning
with our 9th Great-Grandparents Price became established in the
Maryland Colony through most of the 18th Century. Maryland was the Price family home until about
the beginning of the 19th Century with our 4th Great-Grandparent Price family migrating west from
Maryland across the Appalachian Mountains to Kentucky. To provide an idea where in Kentucky the Price
family resided, a map of the Kentucky counties shows the relative location of
Bullitt, Nelson and Marion counties and are underlined in red. Nelson county has a double underline since it
appears to be the main residence of the Prices.
Three generations of the Price family resided in Kentucky before
Great-Grandfather Robert S. Price began moving west, first to Arkansas, then to
Kansas and eventually to California.
Kentucky Counties
While Richard S. Price is our 2nd
Great-Grandfather, it came as a surprise he was married twice. Richard
S. Price married Helen Hunt on 27
Oct 1841, probably in Nelson County, Kentucky.
Richard and Helen Price had one son, Thomas Price (born Apr 1843 in Nelson
County. Helen Price passed away in 1843,
although no date of he passing is given, perhaps due to the birth of
Thomas. Richard re-married within about
19 months after Thomas was born. Richard S. Price married Teresa Ann Greenwell (born 1825) on 19
Nov 1844. Richard S. and Teresa had six
children, four sons and two daughters. Great-Grandfather Robert S. (born 19
Nov 1845), Ann Alice (born 21 Feb
1847), Reason Hillary “Buck” (born
17 May 1849), Elizabeth (born Abt
1851), B. (born Abt 1853) and Richard (born 9 Oct 1857), Robert S.,
Ann Alice, Reason Hillary and Richard were all born in Marion County, Kentucky,
while Elizabeth was born in Davissen County, Kentucky. It seems rather odd that Elizabeth was born
so far west of the other counties. It
certainly raises some interesting questions. There was no birthplace listed for
son B. Great-Grandfather Price’s middle name could be Simmons, his
mother’s maiden name. but too many Price
children have S. for a middle
initial, that may be a wrong assumption.
As stated in Family Background, the
1850 Federal Census lists R. S. and Teresa Price with children Thomas, Robert,
Ann Alice and Reason Hillary. In the
1860 Federal Census, neither R. S. or Teresa are listed. The first four children are listed along with
Elizabeth, B. and Richard. The head of
house is listed as Ried Price (born
abt 1824), but what happened to R. S, and Teresa and who is Ried? Frist, it seems reasonable to assume that R.
s. and Teresa passed away sometime after Richard was born in 1857, but before
the census was taken in 1860. Second,
based on Ried’s birth year, it also seems reasonable to assume that Ried is Robert Swanson Price, Richard
S. Price’s younger brother. How does
Robert become Ried? It is difficult to
know for sure. Viewing the actual census
record, it is very difficult to discern that the name written is indeed
Ried. Perhaps it is an attempted
abbreviation for Robert, just hard to decipher.
It could just be my faulty eyesight.
For completeness, the Price family
genealogy is is repeated from the Family Background essay. At some unknown point, Great-Grandfather Robert S. Price left Kentucky, and began his
journey west. He apparently settled in
De Kalb County Missouri, where he met Mary Ann Roberts, born 25 Nov 1849. Robert S. Price and Mary Ann Roberts
were married on 1 Oct 1868 in De Kalb County, Missouri. A county map of Missouri shows the location
of De Kalb County, underlined in red. Note De Kalb is three counties due north
of Kansas City.
Missouri Counties Map
Robert and Mary Ann had five
children, three sons and two daughters.
The Federal Census records for 1870, 1880 and 1900 lists the Robert
S. and Mary A. Price family in Missouri and Kansas. These records list their children: Sterling, born about 1869 in Sherman,
De Kalb Missouri, Nicholas born
about 1871 in Prairie, Wyandotte, Kansas, Anna
M., born about 1876 in Prairie, Wyandotte, Kansas, Alfred R. (Grandfather Robert Alfred Price) born 23 Jun 1882 in Prairie,
Wyandotte, Kansas. Sometime after Granddad’s birth, the family moved to Shannon,
Pottawattamie, Kansas, where Lulu P.
was born about 1887. Lulu P. Price died
6 Mar 1908, and Great-Grandmother Mary A. Price died 19 Apr 1908. Both are buried
in the Olsburg Cemetery in Pottawattamie, Kansas.
Grandfather Robert Alfred Price met Charlotte (Lottie) Estelle Huckstadt in Shannon, Pottawattamie,
Kansas, and they were married 14 Mar 1905 in Shannon it is assumed, since both
were residences of Shannon in 1900. Robert
and Lottie had 3 children: Walter Herman Price, born 5 Jul 1906 in
Olsburg, Kansas, Robert Otto Price (our father), born 7 Apr 1909 in
Westmoreland, Kansas and Gladys Mae,
born 30 Jan 1911 in Westmoreland, Kansas.
Both towns are in Pottawattamie County.
Grandmother Lottie died on 21
Feb 1911 in Westmoreland due to complications from Gladys’ birth. Grandmother Charlotte E. Price is buried in
the Westmoreland Cemetery.
To assist in understanding where
these Kansas Counties are located, a Kansas Counties map is shown, with
Wyandotte and Pottawattamie Counties are located. Both counties are underlined in red. The town of Prairie is located in Wyandotte
County, and is part of Kansas City, Kansas.
Note that Westmoreland is the County Seat for Pottawattamie County. Some
time after 1920 Great-Grandmother Huckstadt moved to Garden City, Kanas. I believe it was after Granddad Robert A.
Price took Walter to California. Garden
City is in Finney County, underlined in red in the Kansas Counties Map. Finny
County in the Southwest corner of Kansas is where Dad and Gladys went to high
school. Dad s left for Pagosa Springs,
Colorado, subsequently leaving there for California. Dad returned to Garden City to bring Gladys
to California. Garden City is also the
location of our 1940 Kansas trip.
Map of Kansas Counties
To me it is truly amazing that the
Price family can be traced from my Great-Grandson to our 13th
Great-Grandparents—that is a total of 19 generations, or about 500 years! While there is a confidence that Benoni and
Mary Price are our 5h Great-Grandparents, there is an accuracy
concern about the family tree data used to trace the Price genealogy. For example, the tree data that led to our 13th
Great-Grandparents had questionable birth and death dates, which were adjusted to
be consistent with other dates. Plus, there
was not total consistency on dates and names between the various family trees
used for research. In addition, the
names of Mordecai and Benoni seem out of the norm for all other Price
males. Mordecai seems Jewish in origin,
while Benoni does not appear to be English or Irish. While researching Price genealogy
presented in Family Background, there were false leads and errors found in
other family trees provided by hints.
Based on this experience, a more thorough investigation needs to be
undertaken to verify those records. This records research needs to be done for
all Price descendants prior to our Great-Grandfather Robert S. Price. Besides researching the Ancestry hints for
clues to our family’s history, I took a DNA test to augment the search for our
ancestors’ place of origin.
Initially there was a hesitancy to
order the DNA test for a couple of reasons.
Based on previous research, the origins of three out of four of our
grandparents (Graham, Clifford and Huckstadt) were known, so I questioned what
more can be learned from the test? Then, the Price family name originated in
Wales, again another connection to England. Finally, since I had seen data that Price
family ancestors wee in colonial Virginia, surely the family had originated in
England. This summer while deciding the next life experience to describe, I
decided to have the DNA test performed, even though the results might not yield
any new information. As a result, the
DNA test was ordered in mid-August, and the test kit arrived in about two
weeks.
The DNA test kit consisted of a small
plastic vial along with instructions for providing a test specimen. Basically, the specimen requested was to place
a specified amount of spittle into the vial.
Well, I thought any 80 year old could easily drool the required amount. After drooling into the vial, it was sealed
and mailed for testing. Well, this 80
year old did not drool enough, because an e-mail informed me the sample was
insufficient and to order another test kit.
Upon receiving the new test kit a new specimen was obtained, and with
the assistance of a good friend a proper amount of spittle was provided and
mailed. Hoping that this sample would be
adequate for testing, results were expected during Thanksgiving week. However, test results arrived the last week
of October. The DNA test results provide
information concerning ethnicity, e.g., you are a certain percentage English,
Irish, etc. In addition to this
percentage for several ethnicities, certain Ancestry members were identified as
potential distant relatives.
Before presenting the DNA test
results, it is helpful to understand how the results are obtained and their
meaning. Ancestry DNA has collected DNA
from 3,000 natives in 26 regions of the world, which forms a DNA reference panel. My DNA was compared to this DNA reference panel
and the ethnicity results are shown as a percentage estimate and a likely range
for these estimates. These estimates are
obtained by making 40 independent and random comparisons to the reference
panel. Confidence level in the single
ethnicity percentage listed is low, but high that ethnicity is contained within
the listed percentage range. A table of
the results shown below that ranks all the ethnicities identified, from the
most prevalent to the least.
Ethnicity Region
|
Percentage
|
Range
|
Europe
|
96%
|
|
Ireland
|
50%
|
38% - 64%
|
Scandinavia
|
19%
|
3% - 34%
|
Europe West
|
14%
|
0% - 34%
|
Iberian Peninsula
|
6%
|
0% - 15%
|
Europe East
|
3%
|
0% - 10%
|
Great Britain
|
3%
|
0& - 12%
|
European Jewish
|
<1%
|
0% - 3%
|
West Asia
|
2%
|
|
Caucasus
|
2%
|
0% - 5%
|
Africa
|
2%
|
|
Africa North
|
<1%
|
0% - 2%
|
Senegal
|
<1%
|
0% - 2%
|
DNA Ethnicity Results
At first glance, the DNA test results
were very surprising and unexpected. This
test result was surprising and caused me to reflect on what I had previously
discovered about our Grandparents’ family history and the most recent discovery
about the Price family. As a result, I first
re-visited these histories presented in Family Background for Graham, Clifford and Huckstadt. After reviewing these histories, the DNA
results were less surprising, but unexpected in some respects.
Reviewing the Family Background essay
revealed our Graham family origin
began in early 18th Century Ireland.
Our Clifford family had a
mixed ethnicity, originating in early 18th Century Wales and
Ireland. Our Huckstadt family originated in 18th Century
Germany. The origin of tour Price family has been discovered to
have been in 16th Century Wales. Each family name has been prefaced
with “our”, because other families of the same name may have different origins
and ethnicity mixes. Of course, the
ethnicity of any family changes with each generation through the institution of
marriage.
Ancestry DNA provides maps with each
of the ethnicities listed, and these maps are helpful in understanding each of
the ethnicity components. Each DNA map illustrates
the geographical regions encompassing the ethnicity revealed by the tests. These geographical regions consist of three
shaded areas, decreasing in intensity.
The decreasing shaded intensity indicates a lessening of the ethnicity
influence. It seems reasonable there is
considerable overlapping of these ethnicity regions. Throughout history people have migrated from
one region to another for any number of reasons. Migrations usually result in a mixing of
ethnicities. Of course, raids and war between
different groups also result in this ethnicity mixing. I believe this overlapping helps
understanding the DNA results. It should also be noted that these maps show
country boundaries as they exist today. These
current national boundaries did not exist prior to World War I, and have
undergone many changes throughout the centuries. The DNA maps will be shown from the highest
ethnicity listed, beginning with Ireland.
The Ireland ethnicity map encompasses the geographic regions of Ireland,
Wales and Scotland. These three regions
are included in the two darker shaded areas, i.e., the Ireland, Southwestern
coast of England (United Kingdom and Scotland.
Actually, the entirety of the England shows an Ireland component.
Ireland Ethnicity
Both the Graham and Clifford
families originated in Ireland. In
addition, keep in mind some Scottish Graham clans migrated to Ireland, even
those that spelled their name Maharg. Additionally, the Price name is considered Welsh, and our Price family can now be
traced to an origin in Wales. Finally,
our Grandmother Graham’s family also originated in Wales. It seems reasonable that our heritage would
be dominated by our parents and four Grandparents, thus it is reasonable to
assume, and not surprising, that the Ireland ethnicity is the largest component
of our DNA.
The Scandinavia ethnicity is primarily centered on Norway, Sweden and
Denmark, but also includes Scotland and England. Although this DNA map does not include
Ireland, there is still a Scandinavian influence in Ireland. I admit that this ethnicity component came as
a total surprise, and that it is second percentage wise is somewhat
shocking. Ancestor research has not
uncovered any Scandinavian names, or any type of links to the region. Thus, the question of how, or where, did this
ethnicity originate? I believe the question
can be answered in a single word: VIKINGS! The Scandinavia DNA map and a Viking Invasion
map show the extent of their influence.
Scandinavia Ethnicity
Viking Invasions
Beginning in the late 8th century, Viking
raiders began attacking the east coast of England and the northern islands off
Scotland. The first recorded Viking raid in Ireland was in 795 A.D. on the
island of Lambay, off the coast of Dublin. During the next few centuries, they
controlled parts of the islands, exacting tribute, and pillaging villages and
monasteries. During the 9th century, the
Vikings established trading ports in Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Wexford, and
Limerick. As they settled in Ireland, Vikings intermarried and assimilated with
the native population. It seems
reasonable that this intermarrying is the results in our Scandinavia DNA
component.
The Europe
West ethnicity is the third highest percentage in our DNA results. This ethnicity is found primarily in France,
Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Luxemburg and Lichtenstein. It also includes most of Austria, some of England,
some of Hungary and Western Poland.
Europe West
It is most likely the Huckstadt family were the largest
contributors to this ethnicity component.
Reviewing Family Background shows that our 2nd
Great-Grandfather Huckstadt was born in Mecklenburg, Germany and married 2nd
Great-Grandmother Huckstadt, who was French.
While Great-Grandfather Huckstadt was born in Krakow, Germany, not to be
confused with Krakow, Poland. The parents of Great- Grandmother Huckstadt
originated in Germany and England. So,
it easy to see why Europe West provided 14% to our ethnicity.
The Iberian Peninsula ethnicity contribution is another mystery. It is considered a Trace Region, but is the
largest of this type, garnering 6%. The
DNA map shows this region to be centered on today’s Spain and Portugal, but the
region extends into France. Since 2nd
Great-Grandmother Huckstadt was French, maybe she provides this component.
Iberian Peninsula
Both Europe East and Great
Britain are Trace Regions, each contributing 3% to our ethnicity. Great
Britain has the greatest range, and since there are Price ancestors
originating from England, it is a region of special interest. It was
quite surprising there was such a small ethnicity contribution from Great
Britain. It was surprising for a couple
of reasons. First, while researching the
Price history, several of our Great-Grandmothers had roots in England. If there was not a link back to England,
these Great-Grandmothers were born in Maryland, which is a clue to their
families also originating in England.
The importance of this clue will be expanded upon and explained in
detail a bit later. Second, as the DNA
map shows, Wales is in the secondary region of Great Britain region. Given these known places of origin, it is
just amazing that Great Britain ethnicity does not contribute a larger
percentage to our DNA.
The Europe East map is centered on what today is Eastern Europe,
encompassing Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic States. The only possible link our family would have
in this region would be contribution by the Huckstadt family DNA. While this family originated in Germany, the
map shows a very slight contribution to the overall region of Eastern Germany.
Needless to say, without the family
research, including the most recent Price family information, the DNA test results
would have been puzzling. Since Wales
had been part of England since 1284, it was reasonable to assume the Price
family was, in essence, English. Well,
that assumption has been proven to be in error.
Analyzing the DNA results along with knowledge of our family’s history
there is but one conclusion to reach: Without
a doubt we are IRISH! Now we really have
a very sound reason for celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day by “Wearing the Green.”
Great Britain
Europe East
Before leaving the DNA subject, there
is one more aspect of the test results to be mentioned. Ancestry DNA provides potential family
connections to other Ancestry members.
Currently we have approximately 192 potential 3rd to 6th
cousin connections. Four of the most
likely connections are distant cousins from our Graham side of the family. One of the most interesting potential
connections is with a Mary Elizabeth Greenwell.
Based on her birthdate, she could be the mother of our 2nd
Great-Grandmother Teresa Ann Price, nee Greenwell. Surely, this invites further research. It is possible that contacting some of these potential
family connections would prove fruitful.
Only time will tell if further research reveals additional information
about our genealogical background. Is
there additional information that supports what has been discovered about our
family history and the DNA tests? Yes, our
genealogical background is augmented when considering the immigration history
of Colonial America.
All those familiar with American
history know that the first permanent British settlement was established in
1607 at Jamestown in the Colony of Virginia.
It is also well known that The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620,
and the Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded in 1623. For most of us, the next
series of events in Colonial America are the Salem Witch Trials, the Boston Tea
Party, or the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” that began the Revolutionary War in
1775. What happened between these first
settlers arriving and the Declaration of Independence is usually treated
sparsely, or not at all. How did the
colonial population grow to abut 2.4 million people by 1775? As it turns out, there is a very interesting
immigration story behind this population growth
This immigration story is told by the
historian David Hackett Fischer in Albion’s
Seed. Albion is the archaic name
for the island of Great Britain, or England.
The migration history of Colonial America is more a cultural history
than one of facts, i.e., this even occurred on this date. During the years from 1629 to 1775, Colonial
America was settled by at least four large groups of English-speaking
immigrants. These four groups had much
in common. They all spoke the English
language, and most were Protestants.
Most lived under British law and possessed British liberties. At the same time, they differed from one
another in many other ways: their religious
denominations, social ranking, historical generations and the British regions
where they originated. These groups
brought four sets of British folkways, which became the basis for regional
cultures in America. By 1775 these four
cultures were firmly established in British America. They spoke different dialects of English, built
houses in diverse ways and had different norms for the conduct of everyday
life. They had four different
conceptions of order, power and freedom, which became the foundation of a free,
voluntary society in the British America.
Who were these groups, where did they originate, when did they come to
America and what region did they settle?
The first group was an exodus of the
Puritans. They came from the East of
England, East Anglia specifically. They
migrated to what became the Massachusetts Bay Colony
in the years 1629 to 1640. A map of England shows the primary areas from
which this group migrated. This map
shows the English counties that contributed to the migration, the counties in
the east of England are the ones where most migrants originated.
Puritan Migration, 1629 to 1640
The second migration consisted of a
small number of elite Royalist and a large number of indentured servants from
South England to Virginia in the years 1642 to 1675. The next map shows the English counties that
contributed to this migration group. The
bulk of the Royalists originated in the in the small number of counties in the
south of England. Indentured Servants
originated in all the counties, including those in the South.
Royalists and Servants, 1642 to 1675
The third group was a migration from
the North Midlands of England and Wales to the Delaware Valley in the years
1675 to 1725. The following map shows
this migration group was primarily from the English Midlands. This group consisted mostly of Quakers. Apparently the Welsh Quakers were small in
number, since Wales is not blackened.
Quaker Migration, 1675 to 1725
The fourth group was a migration of
English –speaking people from borders of North England, Scotland and Northern
Ireland to the Appalachian backcountry from 1718 to 1775. The final map shows the areas of North
England, Scotland and North Ireland, which constituted this last major
migration group.
Last Migration Group, 1718 to 1775
According to author David Hackett
Fischer, today less than 20% of the American population has any lineage to
British ancestry at all. By reviewing
what has been discovered about the Price/Graham
family origins, it can be established our family must be included in this
20% of the population. To me, being a part
of this minority is truly amazing! Given
this information about these four major migrations, is it possible our ancestors
participated in one or more of these migrations? In reality, it is difficult to claim with any
assurance that any of them came to America during one of these migrations. However, knowing about these four migrations
can add to our family history. So,
combining our family genealogy, these migrations and some Colonial history may
provide some additional substance to our family background.
My research has shown that our 10th Great-Grandparents, Andrew and Mary Ann Price, nee Matthews
and their son Thomas Price were our
first ancestors to arrive in America.
They migrated to the Virginia
Colony early in the 17th Century. There is no specific date for their arrival,
but we know they were married in Henrico, Virginia in 1620. Thus, this Price family arrived prior to the
second migration that began in 1642. The
first British settlement in the Virginia Colony was Jamestown, established in
1607. The Henrico Settlement was founded
in 1611 and is located on the James River about 50 miles west of
Jamestown. Even though they arrived in
Virginia prior to the major migration in 1642, Andrew, Mary Ann and Thomas
could be considered to be from the southern part of England. Andrew met Mary Ann on the Isle of Wight and
Thomas was born there in 1610. The Isle
of Wight is an island just off the Southern coast of England. Whether they were elite Royalist is not
known, but somehow it is doubtful.
Andrew died in 1628 in Charles City, Virginia, which is about mid-way
between the Henrico and Jamestown settlements.
As previously noted, Thomas moved to Calvert in the Colony of Maryland,
met (married?) Elizabeth Phillips and Thomas Jr. was born in 1635. Mary Ann passed away in 1666 in Boston,
Massachusetts. Why Thomas and Mary Ann
left Virginia could possibly be explained after considering the history of the
Virginia and Maryland Colonies.
The Virginia Colony original
territory originally included the area that became the Maryland Colony. Virginia’s primary Christian denomination
after 1642 was Anglican (Church of England), and it is known other religious
denominations were not treated well. In
fact, right after this major migration began to populated the Virginia Colony,
Puritan settlements were forced to abandon Virginia all together. About 300 Puritans left Virginia for The
Maryland Colony and New England. Contrary
to popular belief, freedom of religion did not exist in early America. Churches in Virginia were required to pay a
tax if they were not Anglican. Sir
George Calvert, whose title was Lord Baltimore, was a Roman Catholic nobleman
that settled in Virginia. Sir George
found the Virginians as intolerant of Roman Catholics as that he experienced in
England; and he felt compelled to find another sanctuary for his beliefs. He found the area on both sides of the
Chesapeake Bay inhabited mostly by Indians.
He returned to England and received a grant of the territory form King
Charles I. This territorial grant
removed from the Virginia Colony the area from the Potomac River to essentially
the Atlantic Ocean. Sir George died
before realizing his dream, but his son, Cecil Calvert, who inherited Sir
George’s title of Lord Baltimore received the grant and the Maryland Colony was
established in 1632. The Maryland Colony
passed laws that forbade discrimination on the basis of religion, or
denomination. It is not unreasonable to
believe that Thomas and Mary Ann were among those Virginians that suffered
religious discrimination and both relocated to the new Maryland Colony. Plus, when Mary Ann died in Boston, Massachusetts,
the Puritans controlled Boston until late in the 17th Century, so it
is hard to think of Mary Ann living there without being of the Puritan
faith. It seems reasonable to conclude
that Thomas and Mary Ann were of the Puritan faith and relocated to Maryland
for religious reasons.
Our 9th through our 4th
Great-Grandparents lived, married, raised children and died in the Maryland
Colony. Information is lacking on the
family origin of these Great-Grandmothers. Our 9th Great-Grandmother
Elizabeth Price, nee Phillips and our 7th Great- Grandmother Mary Price,
nee Parsons ca trace their family lineage back to England. Both the Phillips and Parsons families
originated in Southern England. When
those families emigrated to America is not known, so it is not possible to say
they were part of the second group to migrate to the colonies. One could argue they were part of the
Virginia migration, but then chose Maryland for its religious freedom. Another possibility is that these families
were part of the third migration group that settled in the Delaware Valley. The Delaware Valley is essentially along the
Delaware River. Calvert, Maryland would
be considered in the Delaware Valley, which is another possibility. Tobacco was a major crop in both Virginia and
Maryland and it seems those emigrating from Southern England were, for the most
part, had tobacco plantations. Without
more information it is just a guess when these families of our
Great-Grandmothers originated.
There is a possibility that our
Great-Grandparents Graham were in the fourth migration group from England. Our 3rd
Great-Grandparents John and Jane Graham, nee Niblock were born in
Ireland in 1773, almost at the end of the fourth group’s migration period. However,
two-thirds of this migration group arrived in the last ten years of the migration
period between 1765 and 1775. Our 3rd
Great-Grandparents Graham met and married in Mercer, Pennsylvania with
their first child born in 1802. Since
Mercer is located west of the Appalachians, it could be considered
“backcountry” in the late 1790s and the early 1800s. Mercer could easily be considered
“backcountry” since it was still experiencing Iroquois Indian raids in the
early 1800s. Mercer is located about 55
miles directly north of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, or abut 85 miles directly
south of Erie, Pennsylvania. Although it
is not clear these Great-Grandparents were part of this fourth migration group,
their demographics are very close to that of this group.
It is very intriguing to me that our
Price/Graham family ancestors could have been part of the Albion’s Seed. It appears the Price family may have preceded
the migration to Virginia, but were a part of the founding of the Maryland
Colony. The Virginia and Maryland
colonies were considered to be the Tidewater region because of the Chesapeake
Bay. The second migration was
responsible for settling this area, so it seems the Price family participated
in this early formation of the colonial period in America. Add to this early colonial presence of the
Graham family settling the Pennsylvania backcountry possibly as part of the
fourth migration group from Northern England, Scotland and Ireland is also
exiting to learn. It might be too much
of a stretch to include the Price and Graham families in these essential
migrations of English-speaking people to America, but both families were
certainly present during the earliest stages of the formation of British America
and the United States.
I believe the results of this family
research traces the origins of the Price/Graham/Clifford/Huckstadt families to
early America sometime from 1629 to 1775 as part of the large migrations from
England, Scotland and Ireland. Additional
research needs to be undertaken to answer some obvious questions. There are some date ambiguities in birthdates
and death dates. Some families list only
one child, which is not consistent with most families in the early
centuries. It is somewhat unique that
given names of Mordecai, Mordecai Jr. and Benoni appear in the Price family
lineage. These names appear to be
Jewish, yet all other family given names appear to be English in nature. How did this occur in the middle of of the
Price genealogy? Plus, tracing the
families of the Price wives would add further knowledge about our
families. Finally, a tracing of the
Wilhite family needs to be pursued to complete a family history for my
children. Tracing the family history of
my Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren will be left to other family members.
