Interpretation of Test Results

• Network diagrams
• Main findings
• Remaining questions

Network Diagrams

• Project participants in haplogroup R1b

Main Findings

1. Samuel Corson (b.c.1686, Div. I), Benjamin Corssen (b. 1686, Div. III), Hendrick Vroom (b. 1683, Div. III), and the progenitors of surname Divisions II, IV, and VII  were not related to each other (in the direct male line) in a genealogical timeframe.

Based on the estimated ancestral haplotypes of these six ancestors, I used Dean McGee's Y-DNA Comparison Utility to calculate a 95% confidence interval for the number of generations to the most recent common ancestor of each pair.  Multiplying the interval by a mean generation length of 25 years gave an estimate of the number of years to the birth of each common ancestor:

(Infinite allele mutation model, mean mutation rate: 0.0024, mean generation length: 25 years)

The table shows that the closest male-line relationship among these pairs may have existed between Jacob Corson (b. c.1755) and three of these ancestors, with no less than 875 years back to each pair's common ancestor.  Also, both Benjamin Corssen (b. 1686) and Hendrick Vroom (b. 1683) are documented as grandsons of the Division III progenitor, Cors Pieterszen (1612-1655).  However, the haplotypes that represent them come from two different haplogroups (R1b and I2b1), as shown by the greater than 5000-year period back to their most recent common male-line ancestor.  Thus, at least one of the two haplotypes does not represent Cors Pieterszen.

2. William Corson, Sr. (bef. 1765 - aft. 1823), parents unknown, descended from Corson Division IV.

The genetic signature for participant #6, a descendant of William Corson, Sr., matches the ancestral genetic signature estimated for Division IV Corsons.  Thus, he now knows to look for documentary evidence about descendants of their common ancestor to find the parents of William Corson, Sr.

3. Participant #16 comes from a Colson line unrelated (in a genealogical timeframe) to Division I Colsons.

Based on a genetic distance of 16, the most recent common ancestor to participant #16 and Division I Colsons lived no more recently than about 60 generations ago (95% confidence interval, assuming a marker mutation rate of 0.003).  Statistics source: Y-DNA Comparison Utility (an excellent tool!)

4. Daniel Corson (1763-1849), parents unknown, who migrated from Sussex Co., New Jersey, to Ontario, Canada, descended from a Division III Corssen family.

The genetic signature for participant #34, a descendant of Daniel Corson, matches the ancestral genetic signature estimated for descendants of Benjamin Corssen (1686-1740).  Thus, he now knows to look for documentary evidence about Benjamin Corssen or his male-line relatives to find the parents of Daniel Corson.

5. Benjamin Courson, Sr. (ca. 1740-ca. 1830), parents unknown, who migrated from New Jersey to Licking Co., Ohio, descended from a Division II family.

The genetic signature for participant #57, a descendant of Benjamin Courson, Sr., matches the ancestral genetic signature estimated for descendants of Jan Corszen (ca. 1649-1703).  Thus, he now knows to look for documentary evidence about Jan Corszen or his male-line relatives to find the parents of Benjamin Courson, Sr.

Remaining Questions

Results of the DNA tests have raised nearly as many questions as they have answered.  Current and future research aims to answer these questions:

1. Which family line, Vroom or Corson (if either), descends from documented Division III progenitor Cors Pietersz (1612-1655)?
2. Do any of the family Divisions descend from French Courson or English Curzon families?
3. How and in what generation did one branch of Division IV Corsons acquire a genetic signature carried by descendants of a Lee family from Ireland?
4. How recent is the relationship between Division VII Corsons and a Moore family from England?