The Family of Jeremiah Grace - DNA Project

03/12/2025

The latest update is completed (pp. 113). I shall be issuing it to participating DNA-matched cousins this week, based on email list. Remember, if you are entitled to a copy and don't get an email, please let me know.

01/12/2025

The project has been informed of the passing of Brian Walter GRACE (1930) at the aged of 94 years. Our condolences to his family. Brian was the Reading-born only child of Walter Frederick GRACE (1911) of Birmingham and Edith MORRIS and the grandson of Frederick George GRACE (1883). He had two sons, two of whom are still living (son Paul having passed in 2023).

Brian represented the last of three living 2C1Rs to this researcher, who were the oldest and the most complete reservoir of GRACE genetics. It is with regret that we were unable to obtain his DNA.

With the data from cousin Richard being the only data from that generation (after the deletion of Brian's cousin John's data by his manager before we could use it), the opportunity for obtaining the best DNA evidence has now closed. It now turns to 3rd cousins who would have inherited no more than a random half the DNA of their parents, which inevitably means some signals from our family's past has been lost.

Once genetic distances reach 3rd cousins, we enter the window when no DNA may be shared at all from the target generation being investigated; having been lost in the intervening generations. We know of 8 living 3Cs in branches that have yet to be genetically tested, so we will hope for some unique results should they ever test that may break through the genetic wall we have faced.

This is also a reminder to all who are doing family DNA studies to collect the data from the oldest generation while you have the opportunity and preserve it for later generations. The easiest way is to turn up at Christmas gatherings with DNA test kits in hand!

01/12/2025

I am a unicorn!

This is a term used by (FTDNA) in the Y-DNA analysis (male line) for people like me who represent either a rare or under-sampled male genetic line.

As you can see on the image (I am at the top, and my 3rd cousin inferred as the same through a less detailed test), our nearest male connection goes back to the Bronze Age. The result is a direct line, or single 'unicorn' spike. Other people we very distantly relate to in the chart appear in genetic branches more resembling deer antlers.

My Y-DNA has been on this database for over 20 years, so I am not sure whether our line is rare, but certainly under-sampled.

The chart does now show our connection to the mediaeval burial uncovered beneath St. John's College in Cambridge (St. John 78), who I have posted a picture of in this blog.

Not shown on this chart, now that Tutankhamun's DNA has been added to the historical database, is that the male GRACEs share a common male ancestor at around 17,000 BCE. That's nice to know. 🧬

29/11/2025

GRACE DNA Project – End of 2025 Report

Dear Genetic Cousins

It has been nearly 25 years since my first DNA test and it has been 46 years since the journey into our shared past began. Morphing from a family history into a genetic genealogy during the “noughties.” Irrespective of what we have discovered to date, depending on which side you are looking from, the truth is that there are only few living descendants of Jeremiah ; probably less than 100 in total. We are a unique genetic group.

It has been a frustration that we can easily connect ourselves because we all seem to have inherited the same pieces of DNA. Those that have different pieces have not led us anywhere at the moment, despite all the different creative approaches I envisage from time to time and the help from some who appear to be distantly related to us. However, I am using the experience to help others with their DNA and solving many adoption and illegitimacy questions.

We are as well positioned as we can be to make breakthroughs as the genetic tree is on and the full family tree is on with over 85,000 people (scoring 9.5 out of 10). My thanks to those collaborating genetic cousins who have kindly shared their DNA results to (where some are included in the 90 kits I manage on that platform) and those who tested with Ancestry, who copied their data over to the main DNA project on MyHeritage. As those following will have noted, MyHeritage has now gone full genomic with their testing which means that the window of opportunity for the free uploading of data from other testing companies has permanently closed. MyHeritage provides frequent offers, so the only way to join the project is by independently testing with them (kits are as low as €29 in some online sales), so price should not be a barrier. If you still haven’t joined in, DM or email me for advice before you get started.

Along the way we have lost some data but have gained the occasional new cousin. There remain 6 cousins who have declined to join the family project by sharing their DNA. One from Ernest Sanders GRACE, one from Charles GRACE, one from Gerald GRACE, two from the side, and a new cousin on the side from Harriet GRACE. Any match is extremely rare, so we hope to see their data sometime. There were also three people who responded positively to DNA testing following the initial outreach but then did not follow through. Hopefully, they will revisit the idea later.

As a reminder, DNA collaborators are entitled to a copy of the GRACE DNA Family History studies. There are two volumes:
Part 1 covering GRACE, GRACE = BOWLES, GRACE = SANDERS & SANDERS= (last issued October 2022, 48 pages) and
Part 2 covering the GRACE = BRADLEY side, for those interested in the extensive ancestry (last issued December 2022, 46 pages).

If you did not get your copy, please email or DM me and I will send. Since the 2022 editions, I have been waiting for some of the additional DNA matches mentioned to share their data, so the latest draft version of Part 1 (now 115 pages) has been pending. I think I will now wrap that one up in the next few weeks and issue it to those of you who are on my email list. Just in time for Christmas, hopefully!

Some short notes on where we stand:

- Jeremiah: Nothing new in terms of Y or atDNA, except ancient Medieval remains in Cambridge hint at the family being local to East Anglia. A few very distant matches suggest leads into , but nothing concrete.

- Very little DNA signal coming through Mary Ann as she was an only child, however we have a tentative DNA link to a BOWLES line from into Australia/New Zealand (no reply). If we change our opinion on Thomas, the Boatman, Mary Ann’s father, then we can explain the match. I need to see the match in detail first.

- in Middlesex: Nothing proving anything prior to Joseph Alexander, despite what people may have in their own trees. I am still getting paternal signals from the West Midlands. The historical newspaper article in Leicestershire that gave the possible SANDERS gunmaking story did refer the “the family business in .” After finding JA’s daughter Elizabeth Mary Ann being baptised in (YKS) and following her marriages to , they went and settled in . Therefore, there may be wider roots that we are unaware of in this area. We have one US STEVENS cousin who provides a DNA link (no reply). Note that many people with an interest in our family have the wrong Elizabeth and the wrong marriage, so the is a lot of disinformation out there for this family.

- ASHFORD: Several cousins have now DNA supported Charlotte ASHFORD (1810) as the one who was born in Scotland. This follows the earlier discussions with members of the family that there was some connection between Birmingham and through the WALKERs and that they were a Scottish family. My origins, according to Ancestry, is 7% Central & NE Scotland on my paternal side. The surname comes from “waulker,” the son of a fuller or clothmaker, particularly part of a process used in the making of tweed. The name is widespread in Scotland.

- SANDERS in France: The access to some French records have expanded the tree headed by Frederick Thomas SANDERS and the family. This will be in the new edition. I have found a few living cousins in France on Facebook but have not yet got any answer to outreach to fill out the details, despite my best French!

To conclude, your DNA contribution remains important as I do go into the databases semi-regularly, specifically on the look out for new matches or possible leads that may move the needle forward in some of our problem areas. One of us may have the answer. I hope that new AI-based algorithms will be able to provide more clues soon. The project remains low-key until new data makes an appearance.

Wishing you all the very best,
Mark

12/11/2025

08/11/2025

A rare photo of Frederick George GRACE (1883-1966). my great granduncle (taken sometime after 1924) with his second wife, Edith widow nee .

Fred had 5 children by his first wife, Sarah Ann , who died in 1918. The two daughters had no issue, and one son had just one son, who also had no issue. The grandson's DNA did prove a family lineage for this extinct line.

Two sons of Fred & Sarah Ann have a number of descendants (including 3rd cousins to this researcher and their offspring); Walter Frederick GRACE (1911-1964) and Wilfred GRACE (1917-1997).

Descendants of Fred are welcome to respond to the open invitation and join the family DNA project.

30/10/2025

Special deal for DNA test kits with MyHeritage.
Log into your account and you can order for just €29 each. A great way to kick off that project by testing all your close relatives!

28/08/2025

We appear to have found a new DNA match shared with this researcher and cousin Charles, with a descendant of Harriet Ann GRACE's son Edward Frank (born 1862 Spalding, LIN). They have been approached for collaboration.

Edward had son Frank WILKINSON (1897-1971), who had a daughter Beryl (1933-2012) who married . The family are in the Worthing area of SSX. This new match would be my 4th cousin, and the shared segment coming either through Jeremiah or his wife Mary Ann .

The importance of this type of match, back to Jeremiah and his wife, cannot be under-estimated, based on the need for clues for earlier missing ancestry. Such matches will need to be shared to GEDmatch so we can crossmatch all 26 people in the GRACE family, as one of us may show a DNA segment that relates to others outside of our tree.

22/07/2025

Ancestry recently introduced matches by cluster a new ProTools feature that clusters your matches together. And no, before you ask, this is not the long-awaited triangulation. Ancestry’s new match …

26/06/2025

A very short mid-year update for family

On most DNA testing platforms the number of DNA testers has fallen overall, and so there is no progress to report so far this year.

There are 4 direct descendants of Jeremiah who have tested (on or ) with clear matches to project members and this researcher. Half have not replied and the others do not seem so interested in sharing their data. We do need need to see what DNA we have in common, and test whether it may open up new lines of enquiry to help us with Jeremiah's mysterious origins.

For those in the UK I hope you are enjoying ITV's new "Long Lost Family" series investigating modern-day foundlings. If Jeremiah is a foundling, as we suspect based on the lack of data, then all we can do is wait for that one-in-a-million chance of a significant match relating to 5 generations back suddenly dropping and the owner's willingness to collaborate as most of the family have done to date.

Have a good summer!

05/04/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfVaYVADS24

The ancestry-research company 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy, raising questions about what happens to its stockpile of DNA profiles. Attorney and author Ma...