A DF41+ Stevens/Stephens Group

[1798]

DF41 does look as if it originated in the Isles.

[Stevo]

I picked up a new exact 12-marker match today, which would be no big deal except for the fact that this one has my surname: Stevens, kit 326490. His listed mdka is Obadiah Stevens, who was born about 1787 in England, but he doesn't say exactly where in England. The gentleman has 37 markers on order, due 14 March, so we should know soon whether or not the match holds up, at least at 37. I emailed him and suggested he order a DF41 test. Hopefully, he will.

The upgrade for my 36/37 match above just went to 64/67. Our differences come on three fast-mutating markers, as follows:

CDY, where he has 38-39 and I have 38-38.
413, where he has 21-21 and I have 21-23.
557, where he has 16 and I have 17.

The mismatch at 413 may look like it should be two, but it is really only counted as one since it is apparently a RecLoH (Recombinant Loss of Heterozygosity).

Now we're trying to pool resources to organize an upgrade to 111 markers.

I've been doing some digging into Fayette County, Pennsylvania, where my new match's mdka was born in 1787. I don't have anything firm yet, but a possible "person of interest" is Evan Stephens (or Evan ap Stephen), who was born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1692 and immigrated to North America in 1715. He lived and died in Bucks County, PA, but some of his sons went to Fayette County.

Like I said, nothing firm yet, but investigative leads are being developed.

[Stevo]

. . .

Now we're trying to pool resources to organize an upgrade to 111 markers. . .

We managed it. The upgrade to 111 markers has been ordered.

[Stevo]

We managed it. The upgrade to 111 markers has been ordered.

Still waiting on the upgrade. Waiting is the toughest part of this sport.

[Stevo]

We managed it. The upgrade to 111 markers has been ordered.

All but one panel of his 111-marker upgrade has come in, and he has picked up only one more unit of genetic distance from me. If that holds up, and it should, we'll be a 107/111 match, which is not bad. That will make kit 326490 one of two 107/111 matches I have, and those are my two closest 111-marker matches, one with the surname Stevens, spelled as my surname is spelled, and one with the surname Stephens.

Kit 326490's closest match at 67 was my Stephens match, 65/67, but he has picked up two more units of genetic distance on him, so, if everything stays the same, we three will all be four off each other at 111 markers and will be each other's closest matches.

Kit 326490 lacks Panel 5, markers 76-85, for his upgrade to be complete. Hope those come in soon!

[Stevo]

Kit 326490's 111-marker upgrade is now complete. He and I are now a 107/111 match (four away at 111 markers), which makes me one of his two closest matches (both 107/111) and him one of my two closest matches (both also 107/111). We are also the two closest matches for our mutual other 107/111 match, who has the surname Stephens.

Very cool!

Now the slogging along the paper trail resumes.

[1798]

Kit 326490's 111-marker upgrade is now complete. He and I are now a 107/111 match (four away at 111 markers), which makes me one of his two closest matches (both 107/111) and him one of my two closest matches (both also 107/111). We are also the two closest matches for our mutual other 107/111 match, who has the surname Stephens.

Very cool!

Now the slogging along the paper trail resumes.

You both need to take the Big-Y test to determine how close you are in Y SNPs.

[Stevo]

You both need to take the Big-Y test to determine how close you are in Y SNPs.

As soon as FTDNA lowers the price of the Big Y to something he and I can afford without our wives murdering us while we sleep, I'm sure we'll do that.

[Stevo]

I think I will continue to blab on about my surname matches and my hopes for breaking through my current brick wall.

Here is a Google map of my surname matches, including an entry for my own y-dna mdka. It doesn't reveal any info that isn't publicly available in FTDNA projects or Ysearch.

http://goo.gl/maps/BgfGC

I would not have known any of these people were my relatives had it not been for FTDNA and y-dna testing.

[Stevo]

I think I will continue to blab on about my surname matches and my hopes for breaking through my current brick wall.

Here is a Google map of my surname matches, including an entry for my own y-dna mdka. It doesn't reveal any info that isn't publicly available in FTDNA projects or Ysearch.

http://goo.gl/maps/BgfGC

I would not have known any of these people were my relatives had it not been for FTDNA and y-dna testing.

After I made that post, I noticed that I had already posted a link to that map earlier in this thread.

Anyway, I updated the map since that earlier post, so it didn't hurt to post a link to it a second time.

[Stevo]

Since my recent 107/111 match has a y-dna mdka born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, not far east of where my own y-dna mdka was born (in Wheeling, West Virginia), I have been looking into records in that county at Ancestry.com. I found that apparently a number of Welsh Stevens/Stephens settled in Fayette County, PA, and some of them were the sons of a Welsh immigrant, Evan ap Stephen, aka Evan Stephens, from Llanbister in Radnorshire.

I have tried to get hold of a couple of his living descendants via Ancestry, offering them free y-dna tests through FTDNA, but neither of them has responded.

Sigh . . .

[Stevo]

Good News for Me!

I heard from two Stephens descendants of Evan Stephens this morning. Hooray! One of them is female, but she has four brothers. Evan is their fifth great grandfather. The other descendant I heard from is male. I would like to get one from each group to test, if they're willing. We'll see!

Like I said before, if they agree to test, I'll start with 12 markers. If we get an exact match, I'll recruit my circle of closest Stevens/Stephens matches, and we'll upgrade them straight to 111 markers.

Prayers are appreciated.

[Stevo]

I managed to get a descendant of Evan Stephens to agree to test. A y-dna kit is on its way to him.

I hope we match, but, either way, once the results come in, I'll know more than I know now.

[Earl Davis]

Good luck Stevo.

Earl.

[Stevo]

Good luck Stevo.

Earl.

Thanks!

I just want to know the truth, but it sure would be nice if the truth got a little easier!