Do I have enough proof to show I am related to a Slave Owner?

Question

I just consider it speculation for now. But I descend from a Hambright family in Alabama, they all identify as Black Americans.

On 23andme I share 17cM with a woman descended from Lt. Col Frederick Hambright. And on Ancestry, I share 15cM - 9cM with ten people who descend from him (more specifically, descend from his grandson; Lawson Hambright).

I don't have the specifics for exactly who possibly sired my family, but I wanted to get others opinions on the matter.

Comments

Do you have information that puts your known ancestors in the same place, say, same county, as this family? You might also look for the Slave Census schedule for Hambright  family. There is also a possibly that family members could be listed in a Will or other documents.

The aggregate of all the data could make the case.

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My 4th great grandfather, Henry Hambright on the 1880 census lists his parents being from South Carolina, which is where the other Hambrights are from. It's very loose evidence since it's only listed on the census, but it's really all I can find on him.

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I think you do. You can also show the DNA connections on that profile and let others decide.  We always say DNA doesn't lie.  Look at one of my profiles Bussey-928,  this is just an example on how I've posted the DNA relationship. There is no wrong or right way to show the connection.  

I do think it will help verify your connections as well. Good luck.

David Anthony Taylor

Answer 1

Hi Kennedy!

As George commented, the aggregate of lots of little bits of data could make the case -- also, looking carefully at specific segments of chromosomes and maybe finding if you can actually triangulate the segments to map them to a specific family.

Y-DNA could be useful also, if you can find a black all-male Hambright line that matches the slave-owning paternal Hambright line.  

Cheers

Shirlea

Comments

Sounds like I'll be busy collecting data then.

I believe I should be able to get into contact with a male descendent line, hopefully, they'll be open to testing their Y chromosome.

Thank you very much.

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I see that many WikiTreers with Hambright ancestry have tested their DNA, but so far no Y-DNA mentioned here on WikiTree.  

Here's a list of the auDNA testers:

https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Special:DNATests&s=HAMBRIGHT

Does that link work for you?  If not, let me know and i'll try to explain how to generate the list.

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Henry Louis Gates has been able to identify some slave-owner ancestors of Black Americans as he has shown in his Finding Your Roots program, so it is certainly possible, but does depend on finding the right documents.

Best of luck in your search.