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Tracing Maternal Lines to the Kingdom of Wales
In April of 2003 I sent my DNA kit to Family Tree DNA. The test was actually a Native American Ancestry Test. My mother believed that her Virginia Ancestors were of Native American extract. Our family lines are of mixed raced heritage, and most are now African American. When the test came back, the results were 87% European, 8% Native, and 5% African. My Haplogroup is T2, and thus European, and not as much Native or African. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I saw those results.
This female ancestors entered Europe over the Iberian Peninsula, from North Africa, about 40,000 years ago. She and her tribe settled in the Basque Region of Spain, where they remained for thousands of years. One DNA Cousin says that they were dispersed throughout Europe during the inquisition. Her descendants traversed Europe, and settled in Britain about 259 AD. They were the original people of Britain, who maintained their own language and culture (now Welsh). They were eventually defeated by the Anglos, and have lived under their rule for the last century or so.
From the research completed on my family I knew that there were many Free Persons of Color from Virginia in our lines. One of my ancestors, Charles Lewis served in the Revolutionary War, and was listed as Mulatto in Colonial Census Records. It was his daughter, Nancy Lewis, who was my direct line Maternal ancestor.
It appears from the research that has been completed on our lines, that Charles Lewis was married to a cousin, Susannah Lewis, who was also a Mulatto. Both of their roots trace back to Wales, and the Royal (Lewis), Llewelyn Family. The lines go back to Elizabeth of York, the mother of Henry VIII. The Male Lewis line is from Breconshire and traces through John Lewis, who came to Gloucestor County Virginia around 1650, and the female line traces through Elizabeth Lewis-Warner to Wales. These lines have been proved by DNA Cousins I met on the Family Tree Website.
The Wales Council has been very helpful in connecting my Welsh Maternal lines, and sharing information. I am continuing to make connections through the Groups Sisters and Family Tree DNA. One of Groups I recently joined was the Patriots and Royalty Groups. It is wonderful to make that connection and share it with my family. It is mind boggling to think about changing fortunes and situations over time. It is what makes the human drama so interesting, and shows the ebb and flow of evolution.
My desire is to visit Wales and stand where my ancestors stood.
This female ancestors entered Europe over the Iberian Peninsula, from North Africa, about 40,000 years ago. She and her tribe settled in the Basque Region of Spain, where they remained for thousands of years. One DNA Cousin says that they were dispersed throughout Europe during the inquisition. Her descendants traversed Europe, and settled in Britain about 259 AD. They were the original people of Britain, who maintained their own language and culture (now Welsh). They were eventually defeated by the Anglos, and have lived under their rule for the last century or so.
From the research completed on my family I knew that there were many Free Persons of Color from Virginia in our lines. One of my ancestors, Charles Lewis served in the Revolutionary War, and was listed as Mulatto in Colonial Census Records. It was his daughter, Nancy Lewis, who was my direct line Maternal ancestor.
It appears from the research that has been completed on our lines, that Charles Lewis was married to a cousin, Susannah Lewis, who was also a Mulatto. Both of their roots trace back to Wales, and the Royal (Lewis), Llewelyn Family. The lines go back to Elizabeth of York, the mother of Henry VIII. The Male Lewis line is from Breconshire and traces through John Lewis, who came to Gloucestor County Virginia around 1650, and the female line traces through Elizabeth Lewis-Warner to Wales. These lines have been proved by DNA Cousins I met on the Family Tree Website.
The Wales Council has been very helpful in connecting my Welsh Maternal lines, and sharing information. I am continuing to make connections through the Groups Sisters and Family Tree DNA. One of Groups I recently joined was the Patriots and Royalty Groups. It is wonderful to make that connection and share it with my family. It is mind boggling to think about changing fortunes and situations over time. It is what makes the human drama so interesting, and shows the ebb and flow of evolution.
My desire is to visit Wales and stand where my ancestors stood.
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