How do I trace the genealogy of my great-grandfather who was adopted?

Question

My great-grandfather, William Porter Steel(e), was born in 1850 (not sure of exact date and where -Tennessee?) and later adopted by the Cupp family at the train station in Loudon, TN. This is according to family lore but I can't find any record of adoption. The first governmental record of him is a marriage certificate issued at Loudon, TN on March 9, 1872 when he married Magdaline Kyle.  After that, I can follow hin in the US Censuses until his death in the 1920s  but have no clue who his father was and where he came from. Based on my Y chromosome data, his would have been J2 M172 suggesting a Middle Eastern/Southern European origin.

Comments

Have you taken an autosomal DNA test?

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Did William Porter Steel maintain Steel last name after Cupp family took]

him in ??

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No but I have done the FT DNA Y chromosome (67 markers) and MT DNA (full sequence). I use the FT DNA Family Finder a lot but so far the closest I have found someone is a 2nd - 4th cousin.

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He kept the Cupp name and that was the name he used when he married.

Answer 1

I think Lynda is on the right track with an autosomal DNA test. If possible, autosomal tests from several descendants of your grandfather could be uploaded to GEDmatch and Ancestry (since they currently have the largest database of users) and you can look for common ancestors to identify family lineage and triangulate matches with their tools. It's a slow process, but it works. I was able to identify my third great grandmother through cousins that took AncestryDNA tests. GEDmatch also has optional areas for users to input their Y and mtDNA results and you could sort for matches.

Try adoption_angels on this site for more information and help!