DNA Connection Friday Furnace Findings

Researching a paternal great grandmother, Jane Furnace born about 1860, to discover her parentage and additional information about her life.

For awhile, I have been looking at a Furnace family I believe are my 2nd great grandmother's family. Jane Furnace is named in the 1870 census of Copiah County, Mississippi, living in a household of Furnace folk who I believe to be Jane's siblings. Next door to them is a couple, Alexander and Charlotte, I believe are Jane's parents or grandparents. On the same page is a Nathan Furnace and his family. The 1870 census does not list relationships and Jane does not appear in any other census records. DNA tests have proven I share DNA with a descendant of Nathan's.

Ancestry DNA test declared I am an extremely high confidence with IJFurnace. We are estimated to be between 4th and 6th cousins. The paper trail has our relationship as 3rd cousins if Jane is a daughter of Alexander Furnace. We would share 2nd great grandparent(s), Alexander and or Charlotte Furnace. IJFurnace is a descendant of Nathan Furnace.

Unraveling Grandma's Paternity Dilemma Using DNA Tests

Richmond Overton
1856-1928

Paternity issues are complicated. My paternity issue is over a hundred years old, which makes it more complicated. One woman, two men and eleven children are involved. I will concentrate on one of the eleven children, my paternal grandmother.

Three years ago I wrote a post concerning my paternal grandmother's paternity dilemma, Who is the Daddy. Grandma Gertrude's mother died when she was 7 years old and the question of her paternity would not be answered by the mother but by speculating family and friends. Two names were given as grandma's father, Richmond Overton and Elijah Usher.

My grandmother Gertrude Overton-Usher Durr was born between 1893-1895 to Jane Furnace.

I am hopeful my 23andMe DNA test will solve grandma's paternity question. I have four matches linked to my grandmother's family and other cousins are promising to test.

Documents and oral history claim Match 1 is a descendant of Jane Furnace and Elijah Usher.

Match 2 is a third great granddaughter of Peggy Demyers, Richmond Overton's grandmother.

Matches 3 and 4, siblings, are the 4th great grandchildren of Peggy Demyers, Richmond Overton's grandmother.

Matches 2, 3 and 4 are not related to Jane but they match with Match 1.

Looking over our family trees, it appears that Elijah Usher may not be the father of Jane's child, Match 1's ancestor. DNA is pointing to Richmond Overton as my ancestor and also the ancestor of Match 1. I am waiting for other cousins to test before putting the question to rest.