Devin Flato

Genetic Profiling: mtDNA Edition

How I used mitochondrial DNA analysis in tandem with autosomal DNA to solve a distant family mystery.

John Safford and his wife, Eleanor (O’Neal) were my fourth great grandparents. The mystery behind the identity of Eleanor’s mother has been a focal point in my family research since 2019. Who was she? Where did she come from? My efforts to find Eleanor’s mother through records were unavailing, so my goal is to generate her profile, using the tools of genetic genealogy!

Eleanor’s Origins

In 1820, Eleanor’s father, Mitchell O’Neal (1770 – 1846) lived in Mississippi, along with his second wife and their children. In 1830, Mitchell lived in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana as a widower. Census records indicate that Eleanor was born about 1825 and presumably in Rapides Parish, where I found record of her father.

Mississippi Court Records, 1799 – 1835

It is likely that Mitchell’s wife passed away before 1825, as she would have been 50 years old and therefore, unlikely to have been Eleanor’s mother.

When the Paper Trail Ends

While comparing shared DNA matches with my Safford cousins on AncestryDNA, a regional and familial pattern began to develop. Using pedigree triangulation, I discovered that our shared DNA matches have deep roots in Catahoula Parish, La. Eleanor’s husband was from Massachusetts, so it raises the question: Was Eleanor’s mother from Catahoula Parish?

Eleanor and her husband raised their family in Catahoula Parish (within the dashed border-line).

The Catahoula Parish DNA matches were identified in two separate Triangulation Groups, each consisting of six individuals that crossmatch with each other. After a thorough process of elimination among potential related families, I discovered a bottleneck in shared lineage to a common ancestral couple that were pioneers of Catahoula Parish.

Follow the DNA Markers

The genetic network from Catahoula Parish led me to wonder: Was Eleanor’s mother the daughter of the Paul family? A thorough process of elimination revealed a possible connection.

Sarah Paul was accounted for in the 1810 and 1820 census records. While her sisters moved on in marriage, Sarah appears absent in further records. Was Sarah Paul the third wife of Mitchell O’Neal, and passed away before the 1830 census?

A letter dated September 25th, 1823, from Nicholas Leavens to his stepdaughter, Mary (Fowler) Metzger, in Pennsylvania. The letter informs her of family matters, including the death of her sister, Sarah (Fowler) Paul – mother of Sarah Paul. Courtesy of Wilson Family Tree Album Blog

To sum it up: Shared DNA matching and pedigree triangulation revealed a genetic pathway, essentially tracking the DNA markers that were conveyed (like footprints on a trail) by our Genetic Ancestors. Perhaps mitochondrial DNA is the genetic route marker essential to verifying the autosomal DNA pathway?

Target Testing

Eleanor O’Neal is my Direct Maternal Ancestor. Her mother’s mitochondrial DNA was passed down from mother to child in maternal line of descent, eight generations to me.

Finding a direct maternal descendant among the Paul sisters proved challenging, so I pivoted my search to the Fowler sisters of the previous generation, as they carried the same mtDNA sequence. After a week of extensive research, I located a direct maternal descendant of Mary Fowler Metzger (mentioned in the letter from 1823) and, as luck would have it, she agreed to take the mtDNA test for comparison!

Six weeks after ordering the mtDNA test kit, the results appeared in the Family Tree DNA database. And.. It was an Exact Match!!

The legacy of Sarah Paul was absent from historical records and oral traditions, yet timeless as a puzzle coded in DNA.

Matrilineage Decoded

The genetic profiling of Sarah Paul (1803 – abt. 1828) required tenacity and patience while deciphering the patterns of a genetic puzzle. This project was accomplished over a span of six years, using DNA evidence with precision to support the conclusion.

“Allow the evidence to tell the story, because the evidence will tell the truth.”

– CSI: Miami

Family Patterns

The essential pathway to common ancestry.

Investigating the origins of my genetic inheritance inspires me to learn about my Genetic Ancestors. I honor them by sharing my discoveries with relatives and fellow researchers alike.

Triangulation Group Timeline

A genetic mapping concept

There is not a formal way of note-keeping for DNA matches. Most often, notes are jotted down on paper and later discarded. Airtable can be helpful for genealogists, but does not provide a visual chart for genetic lineage. Therefore, I present a unique way to map and document your relationship to Triangulation Group matches. This method applies to long-hand or in Google Docs.

Genetic Alignment Calibration

Image reference: Azure (color scheme of DNA) triangle, scaled and balanced, with a calibration target for good measure.

My ingenuity as a segmentologist is comparable to that of a mad scientist. But rest assured, there is a method to my madness!

My skills in mapping as a land surveyor are shared in mapping of genetic genealogy. Fusing geometrics with mapping of genetics is a monstrous creation, yet, brings to life our ancestral identity.

Genetic Alignment Calibration is a template of genetic mapping strategies, using concepts of geometry to balance and interpret the alignment of shared Genetic Ancestors within a Triangulation Group.

DNA matches of a Triangulation Group makeup segments of lineage that converge into the alignment of shared Genetic Ancestors of the greater family tree.

“Like branches on a tree, we all grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one.”

The supporting methods within this template are the following..

This genetic mapping technique culminates with a segmentary lineage chart – ascending to the Apical Genetic Ancestor of the Triangulation Group.

See Genetic Mapping: Finding the Earliest Genetic Ancestor for case in point of Genetic Alignment Calibration, including a brief summary of the supporting methods.

From the Fjords to America: My Eithun Family History

Preserving my family’s Norwegian heritage

Near the coastal center of Western Norway lies the majestic Sognefjord: Norway’s largest and deepest fjord.

At the heart of the Sognefjord is the scenic region of Ytre Sogn – the ancestral homeland of my maternal great grandmother, Emma Eithun (1900 – 1974).

Ytre Sogn – The highlighted areas are the ancestral villages within my great grandmother’s ancestry

2018 visit to Balestrand on the Esefjord

History of the Region

Sogn was once a petty kingdom with tremendous history of notable Vikings. Among them was King Bele of Sogn – A Viking chieftain who died in battle and was buried in the village of Balestrand (named in his honor).

Statue of King Bele atop of his burial mound

Ingeborg (King Bele’s daughter) married Fridtjof the Bold – A legendary Viking from Vangsnes, across the Sognefjord from Balestrand. Stories of Fridtjof and his family were written in the Icelandic Sagas.

Fridtjof and Ingeborg on the title page of Fridtjof’s Saga

Eithun Family Origins

Nils Johnson Eithun (Emma’s father and my 2nd great grandfather) was born in Balestrand on April 9th, 1861 and was raised by his mother on the Eithun farm. Little is known about the life of Nils’ mother; Britha Nilsdatter Tenningen. She raised Nils as a single parent until her marriage in 1874. She passed away on the Eithun farm in 1885, at the age of 60.

The Eithun farm lies next to the Sognefjord. Nils Eithun was raised on this farm and it bears the namesake of his family

In 1883, Nils (age 22) married Marie Bjørnsdatter Bøyum (age 20) at Tjugum Church in Balestrand. Records indicate that Nils and Marie’s parents were baptized at Tjugum Church, along with ancestors dating back to the 1600’s.

Tjugum Church – Where Nils and Marie were baptized and married

Nils and Marie settled on the Rød farm, where Nils’ estranged father was raised. The Rød farm is nestled on the hillside above the Eithun farm, overlooking the Sognefjord. “A farm way up in the sky, said to be a bishop’s gaard. The view from this farm is magnificent, can see seven churches. Even though located on the face of a small mountain, the farm supported large families.” – Bertha Johannesdatter Sande (1888 – 1992). Emma’s cousin.

The Rød farm, overlooking the Sognefjord

From the Fjords to America

In the late 1800’s, stories began to spread throughout Balestrand about the rich crop fields in America, with opportunity to cultivate farmland of their own. On April 9th, 1891, Nils and Marie immigrated to America, along with their children; Maria (age 5) and Anders (age 2). Their destination was Southeast Minnesota, where several relatives began to settle.

1891 Balestrand emigration list: Nils, Marie, Maria and Anders.

The family moved to Winona County, MN, where most of Marie’s siblings had settled. In 1892, Nils and Marie had a son, Benjamin [Bennie] and in August of 1895, they had a daughter, Julia. Two months later, the family arranged to move back to Norway (for reasons unknown). It was during this second stay in Norway that the family suffered a horrific accident. The eldest son; Anders (age 7), picked up a dynamite cap which exploded in his hand, removing his fingers and also one eye. Soon afterwards, the family made a haste decision to relocate back to America, where Anders would receive more suitable healthcare. In May of 1896, the family traveled back to Minnesota, bringing with them Marie’s parents; Bjørn Olson Bøyum and Marie Friksdatter Fjærestad (both age 72).

The family traveled back to America aboard the steamboat ship: Luciana (above).

Setting Roots

Upon arrival in America (for the second time), the young Eithun family moved back to familiar land in Winona County. In 1898, Nils and Marie had a son, Martin, and in 1900, they welcomed a daughter (my great grandmother), Emma. Three years later, the family moved to the former Ensrud farm, just east of Lanesboro, in the southern adjacent county of Fillmore.

County line between Winona County and Fillmore County

On June 15th, 1912, Marie suddenly passed away from complications during surgery. Two years later, Nils sold the farm and purchased the Lanesboro Hotel property.

Emma Eithun on the family farm (abt. 1914)

In 1915, Nils fell sick and was diagnosed with cancer. On November 11th of the same year, Nils passed away peacefully and was buried next to his wife at Lanesboro Cemetery.

Headstones of Nils and Marie Eithun at Lanesboro Cemetery

The Next Generation

On April 25th, 1918, Emma Eithun (age 17) married Temmen Johnson (age 22) at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lanesboro. One month later, Temmen was deployed overseas during World War I and was stationed in France and in Spain.

1918 Wedding portrait of Temmen and Emma Johnson. The witnesses were Bennie Eithun (Emma’s brother) and Cora Johnson (Temmen’s sister). Four months later, Bennie and Cora were married.

While Temmen was serving overseas, Emma was tending to the property they owned in the village of Whalan, just east of Lanesboro. Emma was pregnant and on November 15th, 1918, she gave birth to their firstborn son, Loren (my mother’s father).

1919 – Emma holding Loren on the family farm in Whalan

In the summer of 1919, Temmen returned home safely from the war. Soon afterwards, he went back to work for Milwaukee Railroad as a section foremen.

The Johnson family expanded over the next several years, having Wesley in 1921 and Gene in 1927.

Temmen and Emma had a large strawberry field on their property. Emma would can the strawberries and sell them at the local market. It is worth noting that “Emma hated strawberries”.

1930’s photo of Temmen and Emma’s strawberry field. The boy on the front-left is their son, Gene.

Gene Johnson (Temmen and Emma’s youngest son) eventually took over the property, where he established a profitable mink farm and a baseball field, used for fastpitch softball tournaments. In 2017, the Whalan Baseball Field was inducted in the Minnesota Softball Hall of Fame.

Cedar Valley Resort in Whalan, Minnesota

In 2001, the property was redesigned for the purpose of commercial lodging. Known as Ceder Valley Resort, the lodge is acclaimed as one of the top resorts in all of the Midwest, and remains family owned and operated by Temmen and Emma (Eithun) Johnson’s descendants.

From the Fjords to America: My Erickson Family History

Preserving my family’s Norwegian heritage

Verified through documented research, my mother’s Erickson ancestry traces back several centuries in the Stavanger region of Rogaland County, located in Southwestern Norway.

2018 visit to Rogaland County, Norway

Ragnhild is an Old Norse name: ragn (advice) + hildr (battle) meaning “advisor in battle”. Ragnhild Iversdatter (my mother’s 3rd great grandmother) was born in 1796 on the Helland farm in Strand, Rogaland, Norway. She was the youngest of six children born to Iver Torsteinson Lyse and Marthe Eriksdatter Underberge. Ragnhild’s parents shared deep rooted ancestry (est. 1400’s) in the village of Lysebotn, located at the head of the Lysefjord.

Lysebotn, Rogaland, Norway (photo courtesy of Band of Climbers)

In 1820, Ragnhild married Tollef Torgerson and settled in a flat terrain section on the Helland farm known as Hellandsmoen. Between 1820 to 1825, they had four children; Martha, Helga, (a second Helga) and Iver. In the summer of 1826, tragedy happened when Tollef drowned while fishing at sea. A few years pass by before Ragnhild married her second husband; Erik Olson, on April 9th, 1829 at Strand Church.

Rogaland County, Norway

Erik Olson (my mother’s 3rd great grandfather) was born in May of 1800 in a section of the Nedre Fjelde farm known as Grøtnæs. Nedre Fjelde is one mile southeast of the Helland farm, located in the town of Jørpeland. Erik was the youngest of three children born to Ole Erikson Barkved and his fourth wife, Marthe Olsdatter Birkeland.

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In Norwegian tradition, it is customary to name the firstborn son in a second marriage after the deceased husband (and vice versa for a deceased wife) from the first marriage. On August 2nd, 1829, Erik and Ragnhild had their firstborn son and named him Tollef (in homage to Ragnhild’s late husband). Between 1831 to 1838, they had four children; Jonas, Elen, Marthe and Berthe.

Erik Olson (age 29) married Ragnhild Iversdatter (age 32) in 1829 at Strand Church

Tollef Erikson married Ingeborg Svendsdatter on March 24th, 1854 at Strand Church. Ingeborg was born on February 14th, 1824 on the Nedre Fjelde farm. She was the middle child of three children born to Svend Endreson Erevik and his second wife, Berthe Knudsdatter Nedre Fjelde.

Tollef Erikson (age 24) married Ingeborg Svendsdatter (age 29) in 1854 at Strand Church

Less than two weeks after their marriage, Tollef and Ingeborg (along with Tollef’s younger sister, Marthe) traveled a short distance by boat across the Idsefjord to the port of Stavanger; Where on April 4th, 1854, they immigrated to America.

LaSalle County, Illinois

Tollef’s older half-brother; Iver, was the first in the family to immigrate to America, in 1848. He went to work and lived in one of the earliest Norwegian settlements in America; LaSalle County, Illinois. Iver sent letters back to Norway, describing his livelihood in America. During the summer harvest, he earned 50 cents a day swinging the cradle and scythe throughout the rich crop fields while in the fall, he traveled down the Mississippi River and cut cordwood for 50 cents a cord, including room and board.

Tollef, Ingeborg and Marthe arrived at Ellis Island in late Spring of 1854. Following Iver’s path, their destination was La Salle County, Ill. During the 1850’s, the journey from New York to Chicago took one month, which was accomplished by traversing the riverway with boats drawn by horses on land.

In 1855, Tollef and Ingeborg had their second child; a daughter named Rachel Marie Erickson. Their firstborn son; Erick, died during infancy.

Fillmore County, Minnesota

The first Norwegian settlement in the territory of Minnesota was established in Fillmore County and therefore, this county is mentioned in connection with the first settlers. The first Norwegian American child born in Minnesota was in 1852, also in Fillmore County. Prospectors from LaSalle County, Illinois described the climate and terrain as similar to their homeland in Norway. In 1853, a small influx of Norwegian immigrants came to settle in Fillmore Co. Some of the early pioneer families came by way of LaSalle County, including Christian Christopherson and his wife, Helga (Tollef’s older half-sister).

Cedar Valley Resort in Fillmore County, MN

In 1856, Tollef moved his family to Fillmore County, MN. He acquired 60 acres of farmland in the village of Highland in Holt Township, and named his farm: Vindhaug [Windy Hill]. Iver Thompson (Tollef’s older half-brother) moved here as well and acquired 120 acres of farmland, just two tracts to the north of the Erickson’s. Tollef and Ingeborg’s third child; Betsey, was born on May 27th, 1858 (just two weeks after the state of Minnesota joined the Union). By 1860, all of Tollef’s siblings, including his parents, had immigrated to America and would eventually settle in Fillmore County.

Erik Olson (Tollef’s father) was buried at North Highland Cemetery in 1874. Transcription at the bottom reads: Fred med din støv. Velsigne være din minde – Peace with your remains (dust). Blessed be your memory

Between 1860 to 1868, Tollef and his wife would have four more children; Elen Serine, Elias, Sven and Ellen Sorine (the latter named in homage of Elen Serine, who died in 1863).

1870 census – Holt, Fillmore, MN. Thomas [Tollef] and Isabel [Ingeborg] Erickson with their children

The neighbors to the west of the Erickson’s were Osmund and Barbro Johnson. Osmund Johnson was a local Civil War hero who served in the Wisconsin Scandinavian Regiment and was once a prisoner of war who was fortunate to survive an eight month sentence at the infamous Andersonville Prison.

1870 plat of Holt Township. Tollef Erickson’s property (highlighted) with neighbors; Osmund Johnson and Tollef’s older half-brother, Iver Thompson [Tollefson]

On July 4th, 1893, Osmund’s daughter; Clara, and his nephew, John Paul Johnson, took part in a double wedding in La Crosse, Wisconsin. John married his aunt & uncle’s next door neighbor, Betsey Erickson. John’s mother; Kirsti Reierson, was the younger sister of Barbro Johnson. The Erickson’s, Johnson’s and Reierson’s were not only family, but close friends and pioneer members of Elstad: The second oldest Norwegian Lutheran congregation in Minnesota.

1893 Double wedding – On the left: BRIDE Clara Johnson and her husband, Ervin Keifer. In the middle: WITNESSES Ellen (Erickson) Vaaler and her brother, Elias Erickson. On the right: BRIDE Betsey Erickson and her husband, John P. Johnson. *Note- Clara Johnson was John P. Johnson’s first cousin, and the witnesses were Betsey Erickson’s siblings.

John and Betsey (Erickson) Johnson were my mother’s great grandparents.

Tollef Erickson died from heart disease on January 1st, 1890 in Highland. He was 60 years of age. His wife; Ingeborg, passed away at their daughter (Ellen)’s house in nearby Whalan on March 2nd, 1913. They were buried at Elstad Cemetery.

sources; Elstad Lutheran Church records, the Digitalarkivet and family obituaries

Genetic Mapping: Finding the Earliest Genetic Ancestor

A comprehensive autosomal DNA study

“A DNA segment is a time capsule, containing a genetic puzzle.”
Code Break 23

DNA segment on Chromosome 14 • Measuring 23 centimorgans in total length, it is a fraction of the genome that I inherited from my maternal great grandfather; Temmen Johnson (1895 – 1960). In accordance with genetic genealogy, a segment of this size is inherently much older than larger DNA segments, and therefore regarded as impractical for analysis. On the contrary, there is power in numbers, as I managed to find fifteen DNA matches to form a Triangulation Group within the mentioned segment coordinates.

segment coordinates: [82966993 – 97529421] 23cM

My closest known cousins matching me within these segment coordinates are Eithun, Larson and Kloster. We share common ancestry through my 5th great grandparents; Peder Pederson Kroken (1768 – 1845) and Steinvor Johannesdatter Reienasis (1768 – 1853) from Rennesøy, Rogaland, Norway.

Triangulation Subgroup A

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My objective for this Autosomal DNA study is to analyze and interpret the path of shared DNA segment inheritance from the earliest known common ancestor.

2018 visit to Western Norway

Introduction

The Norwegian Bygdebøker [farm books] are the primary source of family history and genealogy for researchers learning about ancestry in Norway.

Page from the Rennesøy Bygdebok – my 5th great grandfather [5] and 4th great grandfather [c]

The church and census records in Rogaland County date back to the 1600’s, while the court records date back much further. These genealogical records (including the bygdebøker) make it possible to trace Rogaland ancestry back to the 1600’s and earlier. Of the fifteen DNA matches in this study, thirteen of them share deep rooted ancestry in Rogaland.

Rogaland County in Southwestern Norway

Shared Ancestry in the Triangulation Group

After a period of extensive research and collaboration with TG [Triangulation Group] matches, I found a total of three separate common ancestral couples from the 1600’s, shared within my Rogaland County match group. Only one of the mentioned couples; however, is the genetic placeholder in the Triangulation Group.

Calibrating the TG Alignment

The lineal pathway of a shared DNA segment, must coincide with the segmentary lineage within a Triangulation Group. Undertaking this genealogical task requires a process of elimination among multiple common ancestors, in order to balance and interpret the alignment of shared Genetic Ancestors.

The following ancestral charts include all of the TG matches, sorted and arranged in an incremental system of individual scales. A format that I refer to as Segmentary Lineage Scales.

Shared ancestral couple #1

Shared ancestral couple #2

Process of Elimination

While the charts above identify common ancestry with several of my TG matches, I did not find relation of additional TG matches within the ancestry of the mentioned couples. Of the three ancestral couples shared within my Rogaland County match group, only one remains as a placeholder in the Triangulation Group (see next chart).

Shared ancestral couple #3

Jon Austbø and his wife; Ingeborg, were the great grandparents of Steinvor Johannesdatter Reienasis (mentioned in connection with Triangulation Subgroup A). This observation links a subgroup consisting of my closest cousins, to an earlier MRCA [Most Recent Common Ancestor] match group consisting of remote cousins. Thus, forming a new triangulated subgroup.

Triangulation Subgroup B

Tipping the Scales

Concepts of geometry support the methods that led to the convergence of the new subgroup (B). The framework of this genetic alignment calibration, using line segment points, scales and patterns, led me on a refined path of new discoveries, as demonstrated in the following charts.

Ingeborg Bjørnsdatter Løw – MRCA of Triangulation Subgroup B, was the daughter of Bjørn Løw and Anna Wegner.

Triangulation Subgroup C

Anna Tomasdtr. Wegner – MRCA of Triangulation Subgroup C, was the daughter of Tomas Wegner and Anna Thrane.

Triangulation Subgroup D

The Power in Numbers

The majority of my TG matches (nine of fifteen) share common ancestry through Tomas Cortson Wegner and his wife, Anna Christensdatter Thrane. This cumulative pathway was revealed through the ascending order of triangulated subgroups. – A strategy that I developed, which coincides with the ascending alignment of my DNA Assigned Ancestors.

17th Century epitaph painting in Stavanger Domkirke – Norway’s oldest Cathedral. Anna Christensdatter Thrane [standing center] was my mother’s 9th great grandmother. Anna’s husband, Tomas Cortson Wegner (not present in the painting) was the Bishop of Stavanger until his death in 1654.

Anna Christensdtr. Thrane – MRCA of Triangulation Subgroup D, was the granddaughter of Christen Thrane & Karen Povelsdatter.

Triangulation Subgroup E

Pattern Recognition

While searching for DNA matches with the ancestral surname; Thrane at MyHeritage, I found Olsen and Bjørkeng, and to my surprise, they matched me on Chromosome 14. Olsen and Bjørkeng (from the unrelated column) are distant cousins to each other, with deep ancestral roots in Northern Norway. They do; however, share one distant ancestor from Southwestern Norway – Peder Christenson Thrane (1541 – 1622) from Stavanger. Coincidentally; Stangeland, Warland and Espedal (also from the unrelated column) descend from Peder’s brother; Palle Christenson Thrane (1537 – 1584). Peder was the half-brother of Palle and Christen Christenson Thrane (1533 – 1600) – my Direct Ancestor, and of all other matches within the Triangulation Group.

All fifteen of my DNA matches, sharing IBD (Identical By Descent) segments on Chromosome 14

My Conclusion

Christen Pederson Thrane, born circa 1500 in Denmark, and father of Christen, Palle and Peder Thrane (mentioned above), is the Apical Genetic Ancestor of the DNA segment that I inherited on Chromosome 14, including for all of my DNA matches mentioned in this project.

Segmentary lineage chart – ascending to the Apical Genetic Ancestor of the Triangulation Group

Confirmed Relationship of My DNA Matches

(Last) Name	Shared segment cM’s	Genetic relation
Eithun	15.9	3rd cousin, 1R
Larson	8.3	5th cousin
Kloster	22.7	6th cousin
Harestad	19.6	9th cousin
Finnesand	7.4	8th cousin, 1R
Marwick	22.7	9th cousin
Gangenes	7.7	7th cousin, 3R
Ellingsen	11.0	9th cousin, 2R
Vik	8.6	8th cousin, 3R
Kleveland	10.4	13th cousin
Stangeland	21.6	12th cousin, 2R
Warland	17.8	13th cousin, 1R
Espedal	12.9	14th cousin, 2R
Olsen	15.3	14th cousin
Bjørkeng	9.5	12th cousin, 2R

Supporting evidence in the form of DNA match trees are privately secured, for the record. DNA testing companies associated in this study: Family Tree DNA, MyHeritage, Ancestry, 23andMe and Gedmatch. Chromosome maps by DNA Painter.

Thrane Family Crest

“The crane holds a stone (a symbol of vigilance). If the crane drops the stone, the stone splashes into the water – alarming the area”. Suggesting that the family is closely guarded.

Disclosure

A DNA discovery of this magnitude has substantial hurdles and therefore, I must address the complexities in my conclusion of this study.

Coefficient of Relationship. Whether distant or remote, endogamy is intertwined in our ancestry. Even a random cousin marriage in recent or distant generations will undoubtedly complicate the outcome in Autosomal DNA research. However, as substantiated in this study, there is no evidence of pedigree collapse within the direct inheritance pathway of my DNA Assigned Ancestors. Consequently, this keeps the coefficient of relationship accurate and unaffected by inflated DNA sharing.

Segment Phasing. While sorting through shared matches with my siblings and TG matches, I was able to identify my false positive matches on Chromosome 14, and exclude them from my research.

Tree Completeness. Traditional genealogy is the weakest link in the practice of genetic genealogy. With that being said, I began to hit the occasional brick walls in my research of DNA ‘match trees’ at about eight generations. However, most of the branches in all of the Norse related trees traced back much further. In part, due to the broad relation and documentation of prestigious heritage throughout the Stavanger Region.

My conclusion in this DNA study was formed upon two (pandemic era) years of extensive research, including: Pedigree triangulation, segment data mapping, cross referencing records, collaboration with DNA matches, building mirror trees with integrity, and utilizing every genealogy tool to the best of my ability.

“Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible.”
Albert Einstein

Genetic Profiling: Y-DNA Edition

How I used Y-DNA analysis in tandem with autosomal DNA to solve a distant family mystery.

1918 – John and Betsey Johnson (on the right) were my mother’s great grandparents

John Paul Johnson (my mother’s great grandfather) was born out of wedlock and was by far, the most challenging ancestor to research. Nothing was known about his parents.. Who were they? Where did they come from? In 2014, the floodgates opened when I took a DNA test.

My origins at Family Tree DNA

In December of 2013, I, Devin Flato, took the autosomal DNA test with Family Tree DNA. On January 14th, 2014, my results appeared in the FTDNA database. The next day, someone contacted me with the following message…

Hi, You match me, my sister Victoria, and my mother Helen, on a DNA segment which is associated with cousins who descend from common ancestors; Lars Bjørnson Ekrene (1780 – 1822) and Marta Larsdatter Nordbø (1786 – 1876). They came from Southwest Norway- Rennesøy, Rogaland. Unfortunately, I have limited information about them, to the disgust of my cousins on my mom’s side, but if you are interested I could probably ask someone who might know more.

Risa farm in Rennesøy, Norway

The message was from a predicted ‘second to fourth cousin’ named Julianne. Her revelation was intriguing yet, baffling to me at the same time. My mother’s paternal grandmother’s ancestry was from Sogn og Fjordane County, which is far north of Rogaland and out of the realm of possibility. Without a doubt, the relation would certainly come from my mother’s paternal grandfather; Temmen Johnson (1895 – 1960). Temmen’s maternal side of the family (the Erickson’s) have deep roots in Rogaland. The dilemma with this query is that the names and place that she mentioned are not found in my Rogaland ancestry, which is well documented through the 1700’s and beyond. In Julianne’s second message, she wrote…

Dear Devin, both my mom and I have also tested at 23andMe, where we both match a cousin whose most obvious connection to us is through common descent from that couple [Lars Bjørnson and Marta Larsdatter]. I descend through their daughter Marta and through her daughter Stine Johnson who married John Ludvig Larson. My cousin descends through their son, Rasmus Larson Hauske (1815-1900), Rasmus Hauske (1860-1925) and Mabel Hauske. She shares another segment match with us on Chromosome 2 and matches us on the same segment we match with you. I know we are looking at the same half of the chromosome pair because both of you match my mother.

Chromosome browser at Family Tree DNA

After exchanging a few emails, Julianne sent me an invitation to view her family tree at Ancestry.com. While searching for clues in her family tree, I noticed a mutual place of interest. Her Norwegian ancestors settled in Fillmore County, Minnesota (the same county where my Norwegian ancestors settled). Another interesting clue is that the island of Rennesøy is less than two nautical miles southwest of the island of Finnøy, where Kirsti Kjellsdatter (John P. Johnson’s mother) was born and raised. Then it dawned on me, could Julianne’s family be the missing link in John P. Johnson’s paternal ancestry?

Rogaland County, Norway

John Paul Johnson was born in 1858 in Wisconsin. Nothing was known about his parentage until in 2011, when I randomly found John and his mother in an 1870 Iowa census record; However, the identity of John’s biological father remained a mystery.

1870 Forest City, IA. John Johnson (age 12) with his mother (Christy) and step-father; Paul Ryerson and half-siblings

Julianne’s great great grandmother was Stina Marie Johannesdatter (1843 – 1909). Stine, along with her brother (Peder) and her mother (Martha) immigrated to America in 1862. Stina had two older brothers; Lars and Sivert, who immigrated in 1853 and 1854. Upon arrival in America, all of the brothers changed their patronymic name of Johannesson to the surname of Johnson. Could one of the older brother’s be the biological father of John P. Johnson?

While searching for more answers, I found a descendant and family historian of the Johnson/Rennesøy family named Rachel Gibson. Like Julianne, Rachel is also a descendant of Stina Marie Johnson and has been a tremendous help with her own research and knowledge of the family. We learned that Stine’s eldest brother; Lars, settled in Minnesota in 1855, long before the birth of John Johnson in the State of Wisconsin. Suddenly, the scope of possibility was narrowed down to one brother; Sivert Johnson.

In the following months after taking the DNA test, four more descendants of the Johnson/Rennesøy family tested at Family Tree DNA and the results confirm that I am closely related to all of them. One of the testers; Phillip Johnson (great grandson of Sivert Johnson) took the Y-DNA test, which traces the paternal “father to father” line exclusively. My mother’s first cousin; Larry Johnson, agreed to take the Y-DNA test as well. In July of 2014, the results were in, and confirmed that Larry and Phillip Johnson are Y-DNA cousins! Now we have proof that our Johnson lineage descends from the Johnson family of Rennesøy!

Y-DNA genetic distance report at Family Tree DNA

It has been concluded that Sivert H. Johnson (1836 – 1896) was the biological father of John P. Johnson. The extent of Sivert and Kirsti’s relationship continues to be a mystery. I suspect that Sivert remained close to Kirsti until the time of John’s birth for one reason in theory.. If Sivert and Kirsti parted ways shortly after conception, then Kirsti would have likely named her son: Kjell (after her father). Instead, she named her son: John, in homage to Sivert’s father (Johannes). This pattern is traditional in the Norwegian naming system.

Sivert H. Johnson, circa 1870 – Biological father of John P. Johnson

We may never learn the reason as to why John P. Johnson’s biological father was never mentioned in family lore. Regardless of the matter, it is truly fascinating that with genetic testing and conventional genealogy, our 156 year old family secret was officially solved!