HOW DNA LED ME TO CHANGE MY HUSBAND'S DIRECT LINE

I consider myself a novice when it comes to DNA.  Although I've taken many classes and seminars, I still have a lot to learn. I'm getting there......slowly.

One of the most Aha! moments I've had came when I was looking at my husband's DNA on GedMatch.   This was the number one match on his One to Many list.

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)

This match has a total cM of 75.6 with a 3.8 MRCA (most recent common ancestor).  That would mean the match is at about the 3rd cousin level, sharing 2nd great grandparents.  Other possibilities are 3rd cousin once removed or even 3rd cousin twice removed.  For any of those it would mean sharing 2nd great grandparents.

The exciting thing was that I noticed there is a Gedcom associated with this match.  That means I can go into the Gedcom and try to find those 2nd great grandparents and see if I can locate the match.  

NOTE: When I click on the GED link a screen comes up with "Individual Detail Display"  This gives me some information on the specific match, but not what I'm looking for.  So, I always click on "Pedigree." 

This pedigree is pretty full, which is exciting.  I count back from the point person to the level of 2nd great grandparents.  I browse down that level in the pedigree chart to see if I recognize any names.  BINGO!  There is a surname I immediately recognize as being associated with my husband's line, CUPPS.  And the location in Pennsylvania also fits.

I immediately go to my Legacy database and find the only Cupps entry I have, which happens to be the first wife of my husband's 2nd GREAT GRANDFATHER.  Now that's exciting as it is in line with what the shared DNA indicated.  

I didn't even know that my husband's 2nd great grandfather, William W. Bright (1835-1916) had a first wife until I received his Civil War pension file.  I only knew about his second wife, Mary Jane Flynn, which is whom I thought my husband descended from, based on dates and other records.  
Mmmmm..........could I be wrong?  I'm certainly anxious to find out.  

Was my husband's great grandfather, Ellmer E. Bright the son of Mary Jane Flynn or Catherine Cupps?

I set out on a research mission to find out all I could about the CUPPS names listed in that Gedcom file that was a match to my husband's DNA. 

The first thing I did was try to find the 2nd great grandparents listed on that Gedcom in GedMatch, Henry Cupps and Catherine Strauss.   I went over to Ancestry.com, where my husband's DNA is located.  I immediately found a public tree with the same pedigree as the one on GedMatch.

There are Henry Cupps and Catherine Strauss and two of their children, Sarah and Catherine.  

That, of course, isn't good enough for me, but it's surely a strong indication.  

I located Henry Cupps and his wife Catherine in the 1850 census and guess who two of the children were......that's right, Sarah and Catherine Cupps.  Further proof. 

Next, I began reviewing the dates of marriages for William W. Bright and his two wives and the dates of death of both women.

We all know that prior to about 1900 anything is possible.  You may or may not find records.  A strong indicator of when William's first wife Catherine Cupps died is in his Civil War pension file. In his deposition he states that she died "during the war."  That puts her death between 1861 and 1865.  Also in the pension file is the date of the marriage of William to Catherine Cupps, 1853 in Sharpsburg, Allegheny, Pennsylvania.  Further reading in the pension file gives her death date of August 1862.  Also listed in that pension file are the names and years of birth of all of William's children from both marriages, including Ellmer E. Bright (my husband's direct line), who is said to have been born in 1861.  I had a year of birth for him of 1859.  Either way, he was born prior to Catherine Cupps death and prior to William marrying his second wife in Feb 1864.

I have more research to do to bring out all the details for this family.  

CONCLUSION:  

• First of all, I didn't look closely enough at the Civil War pension file.  I read though it a couple of times and caught, what I thought, were most of the details. 
• I didn't consider or look closely enough at the years of birth for all six children born to William W. Bright.   I don't have a death certificate or register of death, but I do have an obituary and a probate record for Ellmer.  The obituary gives his age at death of 29 years and 5 months.  Given his date of death that would indicate he was born in November 1859.
• This family was one of the very first I worked on back in 2003-2004.  Not an excuse, but certainly a reason for all of us to review ALL of our work.
• I have officially changed my husband's direct line and now have Catherine Cupps as his 2nd great grandmother instead of Mary Jane Flynn.  

This has been a LOT of fun and really points out the value of our DNA tests.  Not only that, but making sure your DNA is uploaded to every possible site.  
This match showed up as the first hit on GedMatch.
On Ancestry it is buried several pages down with the 4th - 6th cousin matches.

I have yet to check on MyHeritage and FtDNA where my husband's test is also uploaded.

Have you had similar experiences?  Are you using your DNA matches to verify or disprove your paper trail?  

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST 
AMANUENSIS MONDAY - The Last Will & Testament of Ellmer E. Bright

SURNAME SATURDAY - Who Was Daisy Bright? (my husband's grandmother) 

If you are connected with the families mentioned here, I would love to hear from you.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2017   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

SUNDAY’S OBITUARY ~ ELMER E. BRIGHT and his wife MALISSA HUNT–1889 & 1892 - Week #4

Elmer/Elmer E. Bright and his wife, Malissa Hunt are my husband’s great grandparents on his paternal side.  They are two of the first people I researched when I began this ancestor hunt nearly 15 years ago.  They were the parents of 3 children, one was a twin who died at birth, another was a little girl who lived to 10 months and the third was the other twin, Daisy Bright, who thankfully grew to adulthood and became my husband’s grandmother.  I’ve written Daisy’s story and you can read it here Surname Saturday – Who Was Daisy Bright?

Elmer E. Bright did at age 29 of Consumption (Tuberculosis).  Malissa, his wife, died a little over 3 years later of “possible heart failure.”  These events and the death of those two siblings left Daisy an orphan at the age of 9.

Here are the transcriptions of the obituaries:

DIED – BRIGHT – On Wednesday, April 24 at 6:40 a.m., Elmer E. Bright, aged 29 years and 5 months.
Funeral from his late residence, Breckenridge Ave., Tarentum, Pa., TO-DAY at 2 p.m.  Friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend.

DIED – BRIGHT – On Tuesday, February 16, 1892, at 8:30 p.m., Mrs. Melissa, relic of the late Elmer Bright, aged 30 years, suddenly of heart disease.
Funeral from her late residence, Brackenridge Avenue, Tarentum, Friday, February 19, at 10 a.m.

It doesn’t say much in the obituaries, but Elmer was survived by his parents and several siblings.  Malissa was survived by 3 siblings.

I plan to visit their graves and many other locations around Allegheny County, PA this fall.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2017   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

AMANUENSIS MONDAY–Elmer E. Bright–Last Will & Testament–Allegheny County, Pennsylvania 1889

What does Amanuensis mean anyway?

To put it simply, it means a “person employed to write what another dictates or copy what has been written by another.”

Today I am presenting the last will and testament of my husband’s great grandfather, Elmer E. Bright.
 

Elmer was born Nov 1859 in Sharpsburg, Allegheny, Pennsylvania to William Bright and Mary Jane Flynn.  He married Malissa M. Hunt on 20 Jul 1881.  Malissa was the daughter of James Hunt and Catherine (maiden name unknown).

Elmer or Ellmer as it was sometimes spelled, worked as a glassblower and the family lived in Tarentum, Allegheny, Pennsylvania.  On 19 Apr 1882 Elmer and Malissa had twins.  One of the twins died at birth and the gender is not known.  The other twin was my husband’s grandmother Daisy Fern Bright.  On 10 Apr 1887 Elmer and Malissa had another daughter. They named her Mabel.  Sadly, Mabel died on 16 Feb 1888 before she could celebrate her first birthday.

Less than a year later we have Elmer signing his last will and testament.  He had contracted consumption/tuberculosis and was only 29 years old.
 

To add more sorrow to this story, his “beloved wife” Malissa died three years after him, on 17 Feb 1892 of possible heart failure.

This event left Daisy an orphan at the age of 10.  She went to live with her Aunt & Uncle, Thomas & Edith Hunt, also of Tarentum.

Here is the actual image of Elmer’s will.

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)

Here is my transcription of the document, including any words that I didn't understand.

No. 53  Last Will and Testament
                       of
            Elmer E. Bright  dec’d 
    
In the name of God, Amen.  I, Elmer E. Bright of the Borough of Tarentum in the County of Allegheny Pennsylvania being of sound mind memory and understanding so hereby make publish and declare this to be my last will and Testament in manner and form following, hereby revoking any will or wills heretofore made by me

First: I direct all my just debts & funeral expenses be fully paid as soon as conveniently may be after my decease.

Second: All the rest residue and remainder of my estate real personal and mixed I give devise and bequeathed to my beloved wife Malissa M. to have and to hold during her natural life or so long as she remains my widow, but should she marry again or die, then I give all my said estate to my beloved child Daisey F. provided and it is my will that should my said child Daisey die without leaving to survive her child, children or grandchildren, then I give said estate to her mother, my said wife in fee.

Third I direct also that my said child shall during her min only be mained, clothes and educated out of my estate

Lastly, I nominate constitute and appoint my said wife sole Executrix of this my last will and Testament and I appoint my friend Charles E. Barr Guardian of my said child Daisey F.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 17th day of January A D 1889   
                                       Elmer E. Bright {Seal}

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Testator Elmer E. Bright as & for his last Will & Testament in the presence of us who have, at his request & in his presence & in the presence of each other affixed our names as witnesses thereto.
                                           Thos J. Ford
                                           Nanie Hunt
State of Pennsylvania }
  Allegheny County } ss
       Be it known That on the Third day of May A.D. 1889 before me, Samuel P. Conner, Register of Wills & in and for the County aforesaid came Thos J. Ford and Nanie Hunt the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last Will and Testament of Elmer E. Bright deceased and on their solemn oath did depose and say that they were present and did see and hear Elmer E. Bright the testator therein named sing, seal publish and declare the same as and for his last Will and Testament, and at the time of so doing he was of sound mind and memory to the best of their knowledge and belief and at his request and in his presence they subscribed their names as witnesses thereunto.
Sworn and subscribed before
me the above date
        Sam’l P. Conner                     Thos J. Ford
               Register                          Nanie Hunt
Now May 3  A.D. 1889 the testimony of the above named witnesses being sufficient, I do hereby admit the foregoing Will to Probate and order the same to be recorded as such.
             Given under my hand the above date
                                             Sam’l P. Conner
                                                     Register
State of Pennsylvania
  Allegheny County
    Be it known, That on the 3 day of May A.D. 1889 Letters Testamentary with a copy of the Will annexed upon the Estate of Elmer E. Bright deceased were duly granted unto Malissa M. Bright the Executrix in said Will named who was duly sworn to well and truly administer the goods and chattels, rights and credits which were of said decedent and to faithfully comply with the acts of assembly relating to collateral inheritances.
                      Given under my hand the above date
                                         Sam’l P. Conner
                                                 Register

You may visit the memorial’s for Elmer, Malissa & little Mabel by clicking on each of their names.

Here’s a post I wrote about Daisy Bright on Surname Saturday.

PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU ARE RELATED TO ANYONE MENTIONED IN THIS POST.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2015   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

SURNAME SATURDAY - WHO WAS DAISY BRIGHT?

SURNAME SATURDAY

TODAY'S FEATURED SURNAME

BRIGHT

•  Who was Daisy BRIGHT?
•  Who were her parents?
•  Who were her siblings, if any?

These are the questions I asked when I first began doing genealogy research, back in 2003.  

Here is what I knew about her:

1. She is my husband's grandmother on his paternal side.  She died when he was only 3 yrs. old, as did her husband, so my husband knew nothing at all about them.
2. According to the obituary & a large newspaper article about Charles S. Hall, she was his wife.  
3. Her name was also listed as "spouse" on his death certificate.
4. According to the 1910, 1920 & 1930 census records, she was born about 1882 in PA.

That was about it for information.   I did some poking around, but wasn't able to locate much.  We've got that HUGE gap in information between the 1880 census and the 1900 census. NOTE: A fire destroyed all but about 6,000 records for the 1890 census.

 If she was born in 1882, she wouldn't be on the 1880 census.  By the time the 1900 census rolls around, she's 18 and could be out of the house.  Living where?  With whom?

I found a few more clues.  A likely candidate was Daisy BRIGHT living with the HUNT family.  

Could this be her?

Daisy Bright listed in the 1900 census living with Thomas & Edith Hunt

If so, then who are the Hunt's?  Notice that Thomas Hunt is a glassblower.  That's not a common profession.   

Now I have a little something to go on.  I went to the 1880 census records and typed in Bright, living in Pennsylvania.  Hunting through those records I located an Ellmer Bright in Allegheny County, which is the right location.  Guess what his profession was?  Glassblower!!  OK, maybe I'm on to something now.  But, I'm new to researching back then and I didn't know how to prove the connection.

So, I hired a professional genealogist (she is no longer in business).  It was a huge risk, as I didn't really know her, but she had good reviews and her price was reasonable.  

NOTE: I've only used two other professionals to help me during this time and the results were not as rewarding.  But, sometimes when you have a brick wall you have to try everything.

Within 2 weeks I had my answers.  She called me and then sent me a really detailed step by step report of what she had found.  OH BOY!!!  Was I ever excited.

How correct were my assumptions? 

Well, I'm happy to tell you, they were right on!  Ellmer Bright, the glassblower in the 1880 census is her father.  And, Thomas Hunt, glassblower from the 1900 census is her Uncle.  Here are the facts about Daisy Bright's family.  This turned out to be very sad, as she lost everyone by the time she was 10 years old.

• Daisy Bright was born 19 Apr 1882 in Tarentum, Allegheny, Pennsylvania

• Her parents were Ellmer Bright & Malissa Hunt

• She was a twin (the twin died at birth)

• She had a younger sister named Mabel, born in 1887 and died in 1888, age 1

• Her father, Ellmer died of Consumption in 1889, age 29

• Her mother, Malissa died of possible heart failure in 1892, age 31

Church records for the Bright family of Tarentum, Pennsylvania

Tarentum Methodist Episcopal Church Membership list 1887 with E.E. Bright and Meliss Bright lower left column

 The mystery of Daisy Bright's life was solved.  I located her marriage record to Charles S. Hall, several census records, her death certificate, her burial location (right here in my own city) and the bonus was tracking down my husband's first cousin, Tom (now deceased).  

BONUS FIND -   I have become friends with Tom's daughter, Lynn.  She and I have shared family information and she had several pictures of Daisy and Charles in their younger years.

I almost forgot to include a picture of Daisy.  Here she is as a young woman and then with her husband Charles, holding my husband on his first birthday, 1951.

Daisy Bright Hall - year unknown

 

Daisy Bright Hall & her husband Charles S. Hall with their grandson - 1951

Happy Hunting,

Michigan Girl