God Bless the DNA! : Or Solving Family Tree Mysteries After Decades of Searching a TERRY Tree

In the 1970's some mature women were working diligently in Kansas, Colorado, Indiana, and Texas to record and connect their family trees. One group had marvelous old letters from the pre Civil War era, some had Bibles with trees and notes, and some just worked diligently in archives, overgrown cemeteries, and musty record halls locating information.

Combining information found in all those sources they were able to verify and build a probable family tree. Some were old enough to have actually spoken to the grandchild of some of the early players. They had heard - sometimes misheard - stories.

There was a probable tree - but no strong proofs. There was a preponderance of evidence, but no court room read evidence. No chapter and verse to point to and so many wanted a chapter and verse type of evidence.

Logic, informed and intelligent guesses, and circumstantial evidence built a tree that made sense eve as it lacked much proof.

Now, however, after some DNA work.

My own DNA test has now revealed a link straight through my tree to my ancestor William Terry who married Barbara Ennis (daughter of Elizabeth Ennis who was a sister to Zachariah Ennis) and to both her sister and William's brothers Josiah, John Jr. and others. That also means a direct link to John (no Burris middle name) Terry and his wife Esther Brown (and links to her parents). That also includes a direct link to William Terry (b circa 1725 and died Nov. 1792) and Rachel Manson in Botetourt Co., Virginia (she died about 1803).  

Additionally, there has been a direct link crop up among descendants of Richard Terry and Robert Terry and Thomas Terry - all who came to Massachusetts in 1835 aboard the ship THE JAMES. Court records indicate Richard and Thomas identified as brothers. Robert could be an older brother or a cousin. They came from England and most moved into Southold, Long Island, New York. Several descendants move early New Jersey (esp. that area that became Bucks Co., Pa), Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.

My known line had come from Botetourt Co., Virginia to Hawkins /Sullivan Co., (TN) to Perry and Gibson Co. (IND) and then into northwest Arkansas and Southwest Missouri. One son migrated south into the Republic of Texas and remained in Red River County for decades. 

Along the way, other branches (brothers and cousins of William and Barbara) also migrated) and over the centuries there was a tendency to marry 1st and 2nd cousins. 

There will no doubt be many double connections due to this trend traced all the way back to the earliest years of the families on the continent. It was a common trend to marry within the "connection" and the broader "family".  Sometimes it was to insure issues of health and sanity and avoid incest as defined in that day. Marrying a stranger carried with it many unknowns. Remember in the fairy tales where the poor boy makes good and shows he is a man of honor and strength and is rewarded with the hand of a princess? That was a true reflection of the fact until a person was known by nature and actions he would not win a wife. 

If only Nell, Ruth Jed, George and Dennis were still alive to see the results of all their hard work and all those - mostly correct - informed guesses.