DNA Match : Cousin Raj

Made a DNA connection with a public match at 23andMe, Raj, who is not currently sharing genomes with me.  Because we are not sharing genomes, I'm unable to compare him with others to see where we match. We share 1 segment, or 0.31% DNA and was a predicted 4th cousin. Raj was listed as my mother's predicted 3rd to 4th cousin, sharing 3 segments and 0.59% DNA.

Looking at his profile at 23andMe, there was no family tree listed, but he did list family surnames and locations, though none of them looked familiar to me.

Because he has a rather unusual name and surname (at least to my ears), I decided to see if I could "reverse engineer" a solution to seeing exactly how we were related.  With the help of Google, FindAGrave and some genealogical intuition, I was able to successfully tie cousin Raj into the family tree.

Using Google, I located him listed as a survivor in his mother's obituary that had been posted to the Iowa Gen Web.  Likewise, his father's obituary had also been posted to the same site.  His father immigrated from India, so I made the deduction that we must be related through his mother's line.

I found the listing for his maternal grandmother's obituary that had been posted to Legacy.com and FindAGrave.com  I also found his maternal grandfather listed at FindAGrave.  There was not much biographical information listed at FindAGrave for his maternal grandfather, but his maternal grandmother's obituary at Legacy.com had her dying in Ft. Wayne, Indiana about 60 miles away from where I live.  Armed with that information, I made an assumption that our connection came from the line of his maternal grandmother's side.

Fortunately, his maternal grandmother lived to be 101 years old and her obituary at Legacy named her parents and stated that she was a native of Ossian, which is just south of Ft. Wayne in Wells County.  I remembered that I had one branch of the Pierce family that had migrated there.

Through the FindAGrave website, I was able to connect Raj's maternal great-grandfather to his maternal 2nd-great grandparents, John H. Simerman and Mary Lula Summers of Ossian, Indiana.  That's when I knew we had a connection.  Mary Lula Summers was in my database (though I had the surname as Sommers), the daughter of William Henry Harrison Summers (1844-1911) and Margaret P. Pierce (1840-1920).

Margaret P. Pierce was the daughter of Francis S. Pierce (1806-1881) and Rebecca Page (1806-1893) and the younger sister of my 3rd-great grandfather, Edmund G. Pierce (1837-1875).  I had found the connection!

I quickly sent a note to Raj through 23andMe, and he wrote me back.  We've begun exchanging information, and I've kick-started my research on these branches of the family that I previously had left blank.

Knowing that I was able to make a connection where one didn't appear possible right away makes me confident that with a little persistence and as complete of a family tree as possible, I can make connections to some of these other DNA matches at 23andMe.  There are so many descendants of my 4th-great grandparents that I need to track down, as that is where many of the connections will be found.

Family Milestones: September 3rd

My maternal 3rd-great grandaunt, Almira P. PIERCE, married on this date in 1868 in Madison County, Indiana to Andrew Jackson SIGLER, son of Daniel and Elizabeth (SHANK) SIGLER.  Almira was the daughter of Francis S. and Rebecca (PAGE) PIERCE, and the younger sister of my Edmund G. PIERCE.  Almira was born March 8, 1849.  Andrew was born March 8, 1846.  They had 4 children and lived in Pipe Creek Township, Madison County, Indiana.  Almira died July 24, 1926 in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.

My maternal 3rd-great grandaunt, Margaret P. PIERCE, married on this date in 1868 in Madison County, Indiana to William Henry Harrison SOMMERS.  William's parentage is unknown. Margaret was the daughter of Francis S. and Rebecca (PAGE) PIERCE, and the younger sister of my Edmund G. PIECE.  Margaret was born October 17, 1840.  They had 8 children.  Nothing further is known at this time.

My maternal 3rd-great grandfather, Daniel KING, was born on this date in 1820 in Ohio.  Daniel was the son of William and Sarah (SULLIVAN) KING.  Daniel married December 5, 1847 in Madison County, Indiana to Elizabeth SHAW, daughter of William and Mary (HECK) SHAW.  Elizabeth was born October 1827 in Ohio.  They lived in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana and had 10 children.  Elizabeth died October 10, 1900 in Frankton, Madison County, Indiana. Daniel died February 24, 1876 in Frankton, Madison County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Howard Cemetery, Pipe Creek Township, Madison County, Indiana.

My paternal 4th-great granduncle, Jesse C. CHEW, was born on this date in 1788 in Gloucester County, New Jersey.  Jesse was the son of Nathaniel and Sarah (SPRINGER) CHEW, and the younger brother of my Nathaniel CHEW.  Jesse married April 7, 1806 to Martha DRIVER.  Martha's parentage and dates of birth and death are unknown.  Jesse died April 18, 1846.  Nothing further is known at this time.

My paternal 4th-great granduncle, John PHILBRICK, was born on this date in 1771.  John was the son of Deacon John and Sally (JEWETT) PHILBRICK, and the older brother of my Joel PHILBRICK.  John married Anna MELVIN.  Anna's parentage and dates of birth and death are unknown.  John died December 8, 1825.  Nothing further is known at this time.

Francis S. Pierce household - Wayne and Madison Cos. IN

The Francis S. PIERCE household appears in the 1860 census of Centre Twp., Wayne Co., IN and the 1870 census of Lafayette Twp., Madison Co., IN. Francis was my maternal 4th great grandfather, the son of Gordon and Thirsa (SMALLEY) PIERCE.

In the 1860 census of Wayne Co., the surname was enumerated as PEARCE. Francis was a 53 year old Farmer, born in Connecticut, with real estate valued at $4000 and a personal estate valued at $400. His wife Rebecca, was aged 53 and born in New Jersey. Children listed in the household included Albert, aged 20, Margaret, aged 19, Minerva, aged 13, and Almira, aged 10; all born in Indiana.

In the 1870 census of Madison Co., Francis was enumerated as F. PIERCE, aged 64, a Farmer with real estate valued at $7200 and a personal estate valued at $1500; born in New York. His wife Rebecca, aged 63, was also born in New York. A William PIERCE, aged 17, born in New York, was living with the family as a farm hand. I believe that this was Francis' nephew, the son of Royal and Juliet (MORTON) PIERCE.

Francis S. PIERCE b. June 8, 1806 Vermont, d. August 5, 1881 Wayne Co., IN., m. October 25, 1831 Wayne Co., IN to Rebecca PAGE. Rebecca b. August 18, 1806 New Jersey, d. June 26, 1893 Wayne Co., IN.

Known children of Francis S. and Rebecca (PAGE) PIERCE are as follows :
i. John PIERCE b. ca. 1831 Indiana, d. before 1832 Indiana
ii. John PIERCE b. ca. 1833 Indiana, d. before 1840 Indiana
iii. David PIERCE b. ca. 1833 Indiana, d. before 1840 Indiana
iv. Henry Aldred PIERCE b. October 10, 1833 Piqua, OH, d. after June 1, 1880 Madison Co., IN, m. Scineathy SINELSOR.
v. Francis N. PIERCE b. July 25, 1835 Indiana, m. Susan MOORE
vi. Edmund G. PIERCE b. April 30, 1837 Wayne Co., IN., d. January 8, 1875 Madison Co., IN., m.(1) Lydia DUELL; m(2) Catherine GROENENDYKE.
vii. Albert Orlando PIERCE b. June 2, 1839 Wayne Co., IN, d. after 1920 census, m(1) Elizabeth Williams PIKE, m(2) Sarah S. WILSON
viii. Margaret P. PIERCE b. October 17, 1840 Indiana, m. William Henry Harrison SOMMERS
ix. Amanda P. PIERCE b. December 20, 1842 Indiana, d. February 22, 1845 Indiana
x. Minerva PIERCE b. December 6, 1846 Indiana, d. August 31, 1902 Elwood, Madison Co., IN., m. Daniel SIGLER
xi. Almira P. PIERCE b. March 8, 1849 Indiana, d. 1926 Madison Co., IN., m. Andrew Jackson SIGLER.
xii. Emma P. PIERCE b. February 20, 1851 Indiana, d. August 15, 1853 Indiana

Today in my database : Rebecca Page (b. August 18, 1806)

Today's featured relative in my database is my maternal 4th-great grandmother, Rebecca Page.

Rebecca was born August 18, 1806 in New Jersey. Her parentage is unknown, but she did have a brother named John, and it is believed that her grandfather was named John as well. Rebecca married Francis S. Pierce, son of Gordon and Thirsa (Smalley) Pierce, on October 25, 1831 in Wayne Co., IN. Francis was born June 8, 1806 in Vermont and died August 5, 1881 in Wayne Co., IN. Rebecca died June 26, 1893 in Wayne Co., IN.

Known children of Francis S. & Rebecca (Page) Pierce :

i. John b. ca. 1831; d. ca. 1832
ii. David b. ca. 1833; d. bef. 1840
iii. John b. ca. 1833; d. bef. 1840
iv. Henry Aldred b. October 10, 1833; d. aft. 1880; m. Scineathy Sinelsor
v. Francis N. b. July 25, 1835; m. Susan Moore
vi. Edmund G. b. April 30, 1837; d. January 8, 1875; m(1) Lydia Duell; m(2) Catherine Groenendyke
vii. Albert Orlando b. June 2, 1839; m(1) Elizabeth Williams Pike; m(2) Sarah ____
viii. Margaret P. b. October 17, 1840; m. William Henry Harrison Sommers
ix. Amanda P. b. December 20, 1842; d. February 22, 1845
x. Minerva b. December 6, 1846; d. August 31, 1902; m. Daniel Sigler
xi. Almira P. b. March 8, 1849; d. 1926; m. Andrew Jackson Sigler
xii. Emma Pierce b. February 20, 1851; d. August 15, 1853

I descend from Francis & Rebecca's son, Edmund G, as follows :

Rebecca Page m. Francis S. Pierce
Edmund G. Pierce m. Catherine Gronendyke
William Francis Pierce m. Clara Pennisten
Edna Muriel Pierce m. Virgil Lee Wright (my great-grandparents)