Major Update on the Ancestry of Edward F. Matthews Based on DNA Testing

January 4, 2013

For over 20 years, I have searched in vain for the parents of Edward F. Matthews (1813-1887) who married Rebecca Daugherty. I finally encouraged my father, one of Edward's direct male descendants, to have genetic DNA testing. The results were surprising if not downright shocking. Edward Matthews was NOT a Matthews, at least on his father's side. Most likely, he was a CAMERON (or perhaps a McPhee or McPherson, as these three families were closely related in Scotland).

Scottish Origin

We are NOT of German or Welsh descent as previously supposed. Instead, the descendants of Edward F. Matthews are of ancient Scottish origin, possibly from the Pict people:

The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval Celtic people living in ancient eastern and northern Scotland... Picts are recorded from before the Roman conquest of Britain until the 10th century, when they are thought to have merged with the Gaels. They lived to the north of the rivers Forth and Clyde, and spoke the extinct Pictish language, thought to have been related to the Brythonic languages spoken by the Britons to the south. They are assumed to have been the descendants of the Caledonii and other tribes named by Roman historians or found on the world map of Ptolemy. Pictland, also known as Pictavia, gradually merged with the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata to form the Kingdom of Alba (Scotland). Alba expanded, absorbing the Brythonic kingdom of Strathclyde and Bernician Lothian, and by the 11th century the Pictish identity had been subsumed into the "Scots" amalgamation of peoples.

 

Non-Paternal Event

I am still searching for Edward's parents. Edward is now a "non-paternal event," which in genetic genealogy means that a child is proven genetically not be related to the genealogical father. Types of non-paternal events include1:

• Pregnancy outside of a marriage
• Pregnant female married man who was not father of child
  
• Adoption (formal or informal)
  
• Man married pregnant widow
  
• Children known by step-father's name
  
• Man took wife's name and/or children given the wife's surname
  
• Man changed name - various reasons
  
• Aliases
  
• Illegitimacy - child given mother's surname
  
• Clerical error in recording administrative data such as assigning a name to the wrong person
  
  

Still Related to Matthews Family?

Based on Family Tree DNA's autosomal testing, Family Finder, I suspect that Edward's MOTHER may have been a Matthews. We are genetically related to people who also have Matthews ancestry. This is one avenue of research I am now exploring. I will report my findings when I have more definitive proof and conclusions.

What I can tell you is that Edward Matthews is NOT the descendant of Garrett Matthews (born in Hardwick, NJ on Dec 7 1750) through his sons. Edward may have come through one of Garrett's daughters, but I don't have proof of this yet. Edward did live near the children of Garrett Matthews during his youth. As I said, there is likely a connection to this family, even if they raised him in an informal adoption. I have not found proof of this either, however.

We share many genetic connections to Alexander Matthews and his wife, Catherine Grizzel. Alexander was born before 1708 in Northern Ireland before coming to America, living in Chester County, PA, and eventually marrying Catherine Grizzel (1720-1783) in Augusta County, VA. Alexander and Catherine raised their family in Thompson Hollow, VA. Their progeny eventually moved on to Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia. I am still unsure about how we fit into this family - I just know that genetically we do. I also don't know whether Garrett Matthews and Alexander Matthews are related, something I hope to someday learn.

The Search for our Cameron Grandfather

Needless to say, I am also in hot pursuit of our Cameron ancestor. We share many connections to other Cameron descendants, but not one that's close enough to draw any conclusions. There are many Camerons who came to America, Canada, and the Caribbean after the Reformation, including a few who settled in southwestern Pennsylvania where Edward was born. The quest continues.

About Edward F. Matthews

Edward was born in 1813 in Fayette County, PA and moved around most of his life, living in Indiana in his early years; Guernsey County; Belmont County; Marshall County, WV; Washington County, PA; and finally settling in his 50s in Putnam County, WV. He died there in 1887. I have reviewed his death certificate but his parents aren't listed unfortunately.

To learn more about this family, check out Edward Matthews' family group sheet.

How You Can Help

If you would like to participate in the hunt for Edward Matthews, please get DNA testing done through Family Tree DNA.

• If you are a man, do the Y and Family Finder testing
• If you are a woman, do the mtDNA and Family Finder testing

FTDNA will automatically connect us through the website and we will learn much more about our genetic and genealogical history.

Contact

If I can provide any other information or answer any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Julie Matthews
Ggg-granddaughter of Edward Matthews and Rebecca Daugherty
julie@julieandcompany.com