Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:07:45 -0230 (NDT)
From: David Pike 
To: pike-dna-l@rootsweb.com
Subject: Four Items



Hi everybody.

It's been about two months since our last email bulletin was sent out.
Since then the FTDNA lab has reported a few new results, two of which I'll
mention below, along with a couple of other things.


Larry (kit 149705) joined our project at the end of March by ordering a
67-marker test.  Larry had previously traced his Pyke ancestry back to
Abraham Pyke who was born in the early 1800s, possibly in Baltimore,
Maryland.  This family forms our project's "Group 3" at
http://www.math.mun.ca/~dapike/family_history/pike/DNA/index.php?content=results.html#Group3
which is also where Larry's DNA results are now on display with two other
participants who match his genetic profile.


Meanwhile, kit 151034 (who is currently an anonymous participant in our
project) joined our project and tested 37 markers.  His closest match
within our project is with Greg (47429), but to say that the match is
"close" would be false:  at 37 markers, Greg and 151034 have a total of 17
differences between them, which is to say that participant 151034's Y-DNA
profile is a new one for our Pike project.  Until some genetic matches
come along, 151034's results have been placed within the "Ungrouped"
results on our Test Results page:
http://www.math.mun.ca/~dapike/family_history/pike/DNA/index.php?content=results.html


Now, on a completely different matter, I want to say a few words about
Zebulon Montgomery Pike.  Back in 1806 he sighted Pikes Peak in Colorado
(yes, it's him that the mountain is named after).  A few years later
Zebulon was serving as an American Brigadier General in the War of 1812.
It was during an attack against the British that Zebulon was killed.  As
for Zebulon's ancestry, it is well known that he is a direct descendant of
John Pike who settled in Massachusetts in 1635.  Because of Zebulon's
fame, we have included him in the mini family tree shown for our project's
"Group 1" at:
http://www.math.mun.ca/~dapike/family_history/pike/DNA/index.php?content=results.html#Group1
where he is represented by the blue square with the initials ZMP.

In contrast, it seems that not nearly as much is known about Zebulon's
maternal ancestry as is known about his paternal roots.  However, it might
be possible to use genealogical DNA testing to gain some new insight into
Zebulon's maternal ancestry, by considering his mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA)
and then investigating any mtDNA genetic matches that are revealed.  Our
project has tended to focus on Y-DNA, which is passed only from father to
son (typically along with the surname of the biological father), but this
is a case where mtDNA (which is only passed on by women) might come in
handy.  Part of the challenge in this case though would be in locating a
relative of Zebulon who carries the same mtDNA.  This much we have already
accomplished, for we have found somebody whose direct female ancestress
was Zebulon's sister Maria Herriott Pike and who has donated a DNA sample
to our project.

The next challenge is to arrange for the analysis of this DNA sample.
This is where I want to ask for help, specifically regarding covering the
expenses involved.  Ideally it would be good to have a complete analysis
of the entire mtDNA genome performed, which FamilyTreeDNA will do for
$453.  Alternatively, a partial mtDNA analysis can be done for as little
as $103.  My hope is that there are enough people with an interest in
Zebulon's maternal ancestry that we can work together to raise the funds
to analyse the DNA sample that's been made available to us.  If you wish
to contribute towards this cause, then you can do so online at this
webpage: http://www.familytreedna.com/group-general-fund-contribution.aspx


One more thing that I want to share with you is that in July I was in
England for a few weeks.  Similar to my last trip to the UK in 2007, I was
able to visit some of the ancestral homes of a few of our project's
participants, as well as a few other places where I know Pike families
once lived but from which we don't yet have any participants (at least not
that we know of).  Among the places that I was able to visit are:

In Dorset:     Bloxworth, Church Knowle, Kingston, Morden, Poole, Worth Matravers
In Hampshire:  Ashmansworth, Portsmouth, Weyhill and Winchester
In Kent:       Gravesend
In Wiltshire:  Figheldean and Milston

I have placed "thumbnail" photos from my trip on my website at:
http://www.math.mun.ca/~dapike/gallery.shtml

To mention one of the discoveries I made while at the Dorset archives, I
found the marriage record, dated 17 January 1680 at Poole, of Thomas Peeke
and Susannah Bird.  In 1703 Thomas wrote a will in which he described
himself as Thomas Pike of Poole, mariner, soon to be bound on a voyage to
Newfoundland.  In this will Thomas referred to his two "brothers" named
Timothy Bird and Edward Bird, so we had long speculated that Susannah's
maiden name was likely Bird.  Now we are sure.

- David.