Alexander DNA Results
"Descendants of Alexander families who resided in
Washington County, Virginia, in 1780"
By Floyd L. Owsley
Updated February 24, 2023
Y-DNA results associated with the Alexander DNA Project indicate the Alexander men, whose families lived in Washington County, Virginia around 1780, are very closely related.
There were five Alexander men who served in the Battle of King’s Mountain Campaign and resided in the Green Spring area of Washington County near the city of Abingdon. They were James Alexander (1740-aft1799), Jeremiah Alexander (1763-1847), Joseph Alexander, Oliver Alexander (1740-c1812), and William Alexander (c1749-1838). There was an Ebenezer Alexander (c1750-c1824) who also lived in Washington County during this same time period. He may have also served in the Battle of King’s Mountain Campaign. Family research reveals these Alexander men had earlier migrated from Pennsylvania to Augusta County, Virginia, before moving to Washington County, Virginia. Later they moved from Washington County, Virginia, to Blount and Knox counties in east Tennessee. Jeremiah moved on to Alabama. Oliver died in Maury County, Tennessee, while William died in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Ebenezer settled and died in Hopkins County, Kentucky.
Most researchers believe all of these Alexander men were brothers and/or half brothers. Based on genealogical research and DNA results, it is clear they were descended from James Alexander “the Carpenter” of Cecil County, Maryland, and his wife, Mary Steele. James Alexander “the Carpenter” (1685-1717/18) was a son of Samuel Alexander (1657-1733) and his wife, Mary Taylor.
More information on my Alexander family research can be found at the following websites:
William Alexander “American Patriot”:
https://owslfl.tripod.com/williamalexander/william-alexander.html
My Family Database at TribalPages.com:
https://owsleyfamily.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=owsleyfamily&view=9&ver=507
Direct male descendants of Ebenezer Alexander, James Alexander, Jeremiah Alexander, Oliver Alexander, and William Alexander have submitted to Y-DNA (STR) testing with Family Tree DNA (FTDNA). Their Y-DNA test results are posted on the Alexander DNA Project website:
https://www.familytreedna.com/public/ALEXANDER-Y-DNA?iframe=ycolorized
DNA Participants (Washington County, VA sub-group):
Participant #136219 – Direct male descendant of Oliver Alexander (1740-c1812)
Samuel > James > Joseph > Oliver > Ebenezer > Jessie (Completed Big Y-700 DNA test)
Participant #776998 – Direct male descendant of Oliver Alexander (1740-c1812)
Samuel > James > Joseph > Oliver > Ebenezer > Rankin (Completed Y-DNA 111 test)
Participant #148918 – Direct male descendant of James Alexander (1740-aft1799)
Samuel > James > Joseph > James > Joseph > James (Completed Big Y-700 DNA test)
Participant #677760 – Probable direct male descendant of James Alexander (1740-aft1799)
Samuel > James > Joseph > James > Joseph > Joseph (Completed Y-DNA 111 test)
Participant #259898 – Direct male descendant of James Alexander (1740-aft1799)
Samuel > James > Joseph > James > Thomas > James (Completed Y-DNA 37 test)
Participant #656984 – Direct male descendant of James Alexander (1740-aft1799)
Samuel > James > Joseph > James > Thomas > Samuel > Isaac (Completed Y-DNA 37 test)
Participant #893864 – Probable direct male descendant of James Alexander (1740-aft1799)
Samuel > James > Joseph > James > Thomas > Samuel > Samuel (Completed Y-DNA 67 test)
Participant #213781 – Direct male descendant of Ebenezer Alexander (c1750-c1824)
Samuel > James > John > Ebenezer > William Patton (Completed Y-DNA 37 test)
Participant #441377 – Direct male descendant of Ebenezer Alexander (c1750-c1824)
Samuel > James > John > Ebenezer > John (Completed Big Y-700 DNA test)
Participant #233722 – Direct male descendant of Ebenezer Alexander (c1750-c1824)
Samuel > James > John > Ebenezer > Joseph (Completed Big Y-500 DNA test)
Participant #N102033 – Direct male descendant of Ebenezer Alexander (c1750-c1824)
Samuel > James > John > Ebenezer > Joseph (Completed Y-DNA 12 test)
Participant #222176 – Direct male descendant of William Alexander (c1749-1838)
Samuel > James > John > William > Joseph (Completed Big Y-700 DNA test)
Participant #135620 – Direct male descendant of William Alexander (c1749-1838)
Samuel > James > John > William > James (Completed Y-DNA 67 test)
Participant #124982 – Direct male descendant of William Alexander (c1749-1838)
Samuel > James > John > William > David > Hugh > Robert (Completed Y-DNA 67 test)
Participant #66445 – Direct male descendant of William Alexander (c1749-1838)
Samuel > James > John > William > David > Hugh > Thomas (Completed Y-DNA 67 test)
Participant #32959 – Direct male descendant of Jeremiah Alexander (1763-1847)
Samuel > James > Joseph > Jeremiah > John > Jason (Completed Big Y-700 DNA test)
Participant #207980 – Direct male descendant of Jeremiah Alexander (1763-1847)
Samuel > James > Joseph > Jeremiah > John > William Asiel (Completed Y-DNA 37 test)
Participant #641298 – Direct male descendant of Jeremiah Alexander (1763-1847)
Samuel > James > Joseph > Jeremiah > John > Jeremiah (Completed Y-DNA 37 test)
Based on their Y-DNA results, all of the above eighteen participants have been placed in the (Seven Brothers, Two Sisters: Ireland to MD) “7+2” group in the Alexander Surname DNA Project. All are very close matches with each other. The Y-DNA results of these eighteen members differ from others in the “7+2” group at marker DYS390, where there is a 25 instead of 24, showing a one-step mutation. This clearly places them in a category by themselves. This one-step mutation must have occurred at or before the birth (est. 1712) of the father of these “brothers.” Family Tree DNA considers marker DYS390 a slow moving marker, which rarely ever changes. With all of the supporting evidence identifying these Alexander as possible brothers, the difference at marker DYS390 (25 instead of 24) is extremely relevant and clearly distinguishes them from the rest of the “7+2” group. This writer strongly believes the mutation at marker 390 occurred with the birth of James Alexander “the Carpenter.”
As to my knowledge, only one other member (Participant #N239064) of the (Seven Brothers, Two Sisters: Ireland to MD) “7+2” group has this same mutation at marker DYS390. His Alexander lineage has not been confirmed at this time.
Big Y-700 DNA Testing with Family Tree DNA:
Based on Big Y DNA testing, the Y-DNA Haplogroup for the seven brothers, who migrated from Ireland to America around 1685, is R-A848. These brothers first settled in Somerset County, Maryland, with most of them later moving to Cecil County, Maryland.
Participants #233722, #441377, #222176, #32959, #148918, and #136219, have completed the Big Y DNA testing. Two are descended from Ebenezer Alexander, while the other four participants are descended from William Alexander, Oliver Alexander, James Alexander, and Jeremiah Alexander. As expected, all six are close DNA matches with each other. All six share the SNP R-A848, which is also shared by the twenty-one (22) other members of the 7+2 group who have completed the Big Y testing. They also share hundreds of SNP's, which are located upstream (or further back) of the SNP R-A848 in the Family Tree DNA Y-DNA Haplotree.
Concerning the 700+ Y-DNA (STR) markers, the six participants (noted above) are all still very close Y-DNA matches with each other. Along with the mutation at marker DYS390, all six participants share a mutation at marker FTY285, while five of them share a mutation at marker DYS612U5.The other participant was a no call at marker DYS612U5. A "no call" result means Family Tree DNA didn't have anough information for the STR (marker) to confirm a value. So, it doesn't mean he was not positive for the mutaton. It just didn't show up in the test results. Eight other members of the 7+2 group claim to be descendants of Samuel Alexander (1657-1733), through his sons Francis Alexander, Martin Alexander, and Andrew Alexander. None of these eight members share the three mutations at marker's DYS390, FTY285, and DYS612U5. This is solid evidence that the three mutations occurred at the birth of James Alexander "the carpenter," oldest son of Samuel Alexander (1657-1733).
The direct male descendants of Ebenezer Alexander and William Alexander share the SNP R-CTS4554, which is located just downstream of R-A848 in the FTDNA Y-DNA Haplotree. They share R-CTS4554 with no other person in the huge FTDNA database, including the descendants of James Alexander, Oliver Alexander, and Jeremiah Alexander.
Along with R-A848 and R-CTS4554, the two Ebenezer Alexander descendants also share the SNP R-A20668, but not with the William Alexander descendant, who tested negative for R-A20668.
The Y-DNA Haplogroup for the William Alexander descendant is now R-CTS4554. The Y-DNA Haplogroup for the two Ebenezer Alexander descendants is now R-A20668, which is just downstream of R-CTS4554 in the FTDNA Y-DNA Haplotree.
The William Alexander descendant has three private variants which he shares with no other person. One of the Ebenezer Alexander descendants has one private variant, while the other has three private variants. The descendants of James Alexander and Jeremiah Alexander both have two private variants, while the descendant of Oliver Alexander has four private variants. They share these private variants with no other person.
The direct male descendants of James Alexander, Jeremiah Alexander, and Oliver Alexander, tested negative for the SNP R-CTS4554. Their Y-DNA Haplogroup is R-A848. These new Big Y-700 results revealed that Ebenezer Alexander and William Alexander were brothers, but were not brothers of James Alexander, Jeremiah Alexander, and Oliver Alexander. According to my research, I believe James Alexander and Oliver Alexander were full brothers, while Jeremiah Alexander was their half brother. They were sons of Joseph Alexander, son of James Alexander "the carpenter." I am now convinced that Ebenezer Alexander and William Alexander were full brothers and sons of John Alexander, son of James Alexander "the carpenter." Although Ebenezer and William were not listed in the will of John Alexander, they may have received their inheritance when they moved to Virginia from Maryland/Pennsylvania. In William's obituary, it is noted that he was born in Pennsylvania. This may be correct as John's land was partially in Cecil County, Maryland, and Chester County, Pennsylvania.
It's easy to conclude that the SNP (mutation) R-CTS4554 occurred with the birth of John Alexander, son of James Alexander "the carpenter." Since the two Ebenezer Alexander descendants are descended from two different sons of Ebenezer, it's also easy to conclude that the SNP R-A20668 occurred with the birth of Ebenezer Alexander.
Family Tree DNA (Y-DNA Haplotree) SNP Lineage for Samuel Alexander and his brothers:
(from R-M269 through R-A848)
M269 > L23 > L51 > P310 > L151 > P312 > Z290 > L21 > S552 > DF13 > Z39589 > L1335 > L1065 > Z16325 > S744 > S691 > A850 > BY11749 > A855 > A848
#148918
Samuel > James > Joseph > James:
R-A848 > + two private variants
#136029
Samuel > James > Joseph > Oliver:
R-A848 > + four private variants
#32959
Samuel > James > Joseph > Jeremiah:
R-A848 > + two private variants
#222176
Samuel > James > John > William:
R-A848 > R-CTS4554 + three private variants
#441377
Samuel > James > John > Ebenezer > John:
R-A848 > R-CTS4554 > R-A20668 + three private variants
#233722
Samuel > James > John > Ebenezer > Joseph:
R-A848 > R-CTS4554 > R-A20668 + one private variant
EXPLAINING THE BIG Y-700 DNA TESTING
With the Big Y-700 DNA test, a male is tested for 111 Y-DNA (STR) markers, plus over 700 more STR markers. He is also tested for thousands of SNP’s. SNP testing determines a male’s confirmed Y-DNA Haplogroup and his place in the Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) Y-DNA Haplotree (sometimes referred to as the giant Y tree for all mankind).
SNP: single-nucleotide polymorphism
SNP’s (pronounced snips) are first known as (private) variants found on the Y-DNA Chromosome. A variant is a mutation and is identified by a group of numbers - based on their place on the Y-DNA Chromosome where the variant occurred. A variant remains private until two males tests positive for the same variant.
Once a variant is shared by two males, the variant becomes a SNP and receives a SNP name. A new branch will then be added to the FTDNA Y-DNA Haplotree. The SNP name always starts with a letter and is based on which DNA company finds and identifies the SNP. For example, SNP’s starting with BY or FT were named by Family Tree DNA based on Big Y test results. SNP’s starting with A, were named by the YSEQ DNA company, which is ran by Astrid Krahn and her husband, Thomas Krahn.
SNP’s (variants) have been occurring in a male’s lineages since the beginning of time (the birth of DNA-Adam). Some DNA experts say that SNP’s occur on average about every 4 generations or every 83 years. Some of us refer to SNP’s as our ancestors because they occurred with the births of our ancestors. A male inherits all of the SNP's which have occurred in his lineage all the way back to the beginning (DNA-Adam).
With genealogical research, you always start with yourself and go back (or upstream). With SNP testing and the Y-DNA Haplotree, it starts with the DNA-Adam and then comes all the way downstream to the person tested.
To view the Family Tree DNA Y-DNA Haplotree, go to the main page of the Family Tree DNA website at: https://www.familytreedna.com/ Then scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and click on Y-DNA Haplotree under Community. Then enter the Y-DNA Haplogroup where it notes: Go to branch name. For example, type in R-A20668 and hit enter. You will then be able to view the Y-DNA Haplotree.
SNP blocks: Quite often, a SNP in the Family Tree DNA Y-DNA Haplotree is actually a block of different SNP’s. For example, the SNP R-A848 is a block of eleven different SNP’s including R-A848. The other ten SNP’s in the R-A848 block are called equivalent SNP’s. It is impossible to define the chronological order (time of occurrence) of the SNPs in one block. R-A848 will continue to be a block of SNP’s until someone tests positive for part of the SNP’s in the block and tests negative for the others. When this occurs, the block will then be split into two different SNP blocks and a new branch added to the Y-DNA Haplotree.