Ed Steers' Article in Time

[Steve Whitlock]

(04-16-2021 12:49 PM)Steve Wrote:  I think that was a great, thoughtful, well-written opinion piece by Ed. I'm really interested in checking out his new book.

Steve,

As you read "Getting Right With Lincoln" I should point out something. On pgs 14-19 there is a discussion of Nancy Hanks Lincoln and issues for her heritage. On pg 15 and pg 19 there is reference to: The Nancy Hanks Lincoln MTDNA Study at Genetic Lincoln.

On pg 19 Mr Steers correctly points out that the Study, which included testing sisters Naomi (Shipley) Mitchell and Rachel (Shipley ) Berry, proves there is no genetic relationship for them to Nancy Hanks (because there is no relation to her mother, Lucy (Hanks) Sparrow, who is NOT Lucy Shipley).

On the pg 15 reference to the NHL Study, Mr Steers says "We now know from mitochondrial dna analysis (mtdna) that Nancy Hanks was the daughter of Lucy Hanks, as historians believed".

Yes, Nancy Hanks was the daughter of Lucy Hanks, but the mtdna study alone doesn't prove that. A paper trail is required. Abraham Lincoln provides that paper trail, along with Dennis Hanks, and others. It's a small thing, to be sure, but genealogists know that the Y-dna and mtdna matches only prove common ancestors, and more is necessary to prove parentage. Autosomal dna (atdna) is better in that regard, if the matches are within 4-5 generations.

Not commonly known is that there are about 6 more X1c matches for the NHL Study; however, research for those lines does not prove who the common ancestors are, and they have no paper trail to Nancy Hanks. At some point they might reveal the distribution of the X1c haplogroup and mtdna results for the maternal line of Abraham Lincoln. One of the matches was even in Richmond Co., VA, but the common ancestor may be back in the British Isles.

This post is not meant to criticize the brilliant writing of Mr Steers, merely to point out that more is required than a dna match to establish lines. I am writing this solely for myself, and it has no connection to the NHL Study, or Genetic Lincoln, so if anyone has a complaint it should be directed to me.