DNA Testing: Old Peter Related to Joseph

Old Peter Skaggs had a contemporary in Montgomery County, Virginia c. 1790, Joseph Scaggs. Joseph, his wife Martha, father William and mother Esther were described in an earlier post. Joseph was the last remaining Scaggs in Montgomery County by 1820. DNA evidence has come in that indicates Joseph and Old Peter were related.

A documented descendant of Old Peter (Person A) has three triangulated matches with both descendants of Old Peter and Joseph on a section of Chromosome 2, each match has a Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA):

  • Person A matches Person B; MRCA = Old Peter Skaggs/Martha Cothran
  • Person A matches Person C; MRCA = Joseph Scaggs/Martha Seagraves
  • Person A matches Person D: MRCA = John Scaggs/Polly Woods
John Scaggs was the documented son of Old Peter, so from these results it looks like Old Peter and Joseph had a common ancestor.  Both Old Peter and Joseph appear to have been born in the early to late 1760s, with Peter born about 1760 and Joseph about 1765.  Joseph's father was William Scaggs, based on a deed to property in Montgomery County, however we don't know exactly who Old Peter's father was. More DNA results with other Skaggs from that time period (e.g. Zachariah) may provide an answer to how these Skaggs were related.

6 comments:

  1. So....I am confused. Is the MRCA of person (A) William Skaggs (Died 1774) or John Skaggs )Died in 1779 or both ?

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    1. I don't know. Yet. Persons A, B, C and D have a MRCA who was an ancestor of both Old Peter and Joseph. My guess at this point is John Scaggs, with William and Old Peter as sons of John and half-brothers from different mothers. Another possibility is Old Peter and Joseph were brothers, sons of William and grandsons of John.

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  3. It seem unlikely that Peter would be the son of William. If so, and because Peter is older than Joseph, there should be some paper evidence of that relationship. Much like the 1774 transfer of deed evidence of Esther and Joseph. (Mother/Son). Also, how do we know that Joseph wife's last name was Seagraves ?

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    1. Peter may have been younger than we think. Some think he was born c. 1770, though I think the census records indicate he was born in the early 1760s.

      I think the Seagraves name comes from the Lawrence County death records. One of her children died there and parents were said to be Joseph and Martha Seagraves.

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  4. Interesting....I am from Northern Ohio and will be spending the weekend with some friends in Montgomery Co.Virginia who are decedent's of Joseph and Martha Skaggs and Jacob /Katherine Bishop. I will pass on the information....Thanks again.

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