Project News
LATE 2009, there is little new to report, so that the text below is still relevant. In spite of attempts at 'recruitment', including extra financial incentives, there has been only one response this year, when a member of line PM/K undertook to upgrade from 12 to 37 markers. (More details appear below.)
JUNE 2009
We have now been actively running the CANTON SURNAME PROJECT for one and a half years. This is a summary of the results so far:
The earliest people to take tests were of Pembrokeshire origin.
#107126 is a member of line PM/S and was followed by #107827 from line PR. Later came #113261 from line PM/NZ, then #121546 from PM/K. The latter two have particularly well documented descents from Henry Canton of Martletwy so would be excellent for comparison with others. #121546 took the test for only 12 markers, which indicated that he is, indeed, part of that family group, but the lack of 13-37 marker results meant that the picture created is incomplete. See below, under LATEST NEWS, for details of progress here.
Overall, we can say that all four are part of the same family, though we need more ‘in-betweens’ to take tests if we are to establish specific relationships. For example, line PR descends from an illegitimate son of George Canton (who may be PM/P or PMn) but the results don’t yet permit us to assume which line he should eventually be allotted to.
I have called this group PEM A for the purposes of this report and the display of results.
The third person to test was #108320 and his results were quite different, so I named his group PEM B.
I would expect that, if we can test more people with Pembrokeshire ancestry, some would be in PEM A, others in PEM B. In other words, not even in Pembs are all Cantons related! However, they all – so far - belong to Haplogroup I1, a group which has, as might be expected from Canton history, ultimately non-Welsh origins.
Our final test in the first year of the Canton Surname Project was of a descendant (line GL/A4) of John Canton, the 18th century scientist. This has turned out to be completely different from all the Pembrokeshire tests. It is not considered sufficient to test just one person per documented line, so we must hope for someone else to come forward to verify this – or otherwise. As it is, this participant is part of Haplogroup R1b1b2, basically more representative of native stock than I1.
The following show the lines of descent of participants so far:
PEM A
#107126 Henry d.1763 -> John (1730) -> John (1764) -> William (1800) -> John (1830) -> George (1878) -> Participants’s father –> Participant.
#107827 George (fl.1832) -> William (1832) -> Thomas George (1866) -> Participants’s father –> Participant.
#113261 Henry d.1763 -> John (1730) -> Charles (1761) -> Henry (1796) -> John (1834) -> Participants’s father –> Participant.
#121546 Henry d.1763 -> John (1730) -> Charles (1761) -> Thomas (1798) -> (1834) -> Participants’s father –> Participant.
PEM B
#108320 John (1771) -> John (1824) -> Timothy (1869) -> Participants’s father –> Participant.
GLS
#131188 John -> (c.1660) ->John (1687) -> John (1718) -> William (1748) -> George Augustus (1790) -> Alfred G. -> (1815) Frederick (1847) -> Participants’s grandfather –> Participants’s father –> Participant.
NEWS: #121546 upgraded to 37 markers, which was excellent news. We should be able to take another step towards establishing a 'norm' for the PM families (aka PEM A here). LATER: Alas, at the time of writing (11/2009), a second sample, required by FTDNA (kit provided free) because of an unspecified hitch, has yet to be returned. So far we have the results for the first 25 markers.
PLEASE NOTE:
* There is at present a free kit available for the first PM/P descendant to test. Effectively this means a descendant of James Canton (1843-1930) through his sons, grandsons, etc. We should obtain very useful information from this to add to our knowledge of the group PEM A.
* We still need someone to test from the line which was in 18C and 19C Manorbier, Pembrokeshire.
* We also need a participant from the line which was in 18-19C Freystrop, Pembrokeshire, and which moved to Nolton Haven.
* In fact, any new participants, of known or unknown lines, will be very welcome in the Project. Further discount vouchers are often available.
MtDNA is the test which provides information on your maternal line, mother's mother's mother and so on, and so on. We have one test so far (click on the mtDNA button at the side). Of course, this doesn't contribute to solving problems in the Canton lines, but it is of interest to know one's maternal origins and FTDNA discounts apply to these tests as well!
We have established a General Fund, to accept donations in any currency via credit card. These funds will be held at the testing company, and used to help sponsor test kits for key males who may otherwise be unable to participate. We encourage you to make a donation, however small. To make a donation please click on the last link on the left, entitled "Contribute to the Surname Project General Fund". If you decide to donate, please specify "Canton Project General Fund" in the top box of the Donation form - if you wish, you may donate in someone's memory and/or specify the line it should apply to.
Applicants for tests who wish to apply for a discount from donations should contact the Administrator first, sending details of names, dates and places connected with the paternal main line. Priority is being given to the first people to test in a 'new' line.
We hope you will order your test kit TODAY!!! Click on the Join link in the sidebar on the left, labelled "Request to Join this Group".
