About us
Since we began the Fairbanks project in 2006 we have made some surprising discoveries. We were expecting there would be close genetic marker matches between the participants who descend from the Fairbanks families living fairly close together in East Tennessee in the early 1800's. Unfortunately test results have shown no matches between the descendants tested thus far from those families. Two descendants of the New England Fairbanks (Jonathan Fairbanks line) families have now been tested and they are a 65/67 marker match with one of the Tennessee Fairbanks lines. The descendants of the New England Fairbanks are a 63/67 match with each other. Y-DNA test results for participants in the project and information about their Most Distant Ancestor are as follows:
Kit #60314 - most distant known ancestor is William Fairbanks who died in Guilford Co., NC in 1797. Heirs listed in William's will are sons David and William and daughter Susannah. William's son David Fairbanks is listed in the 1810 and 1820 Guilford Co., NC census. In 1820 David is married and had 3 males (born between 1810 and 1819) in his household. David may have had more children born after the 1820 census but since we cannot find him on the 1830 census we have no way of knowing. David's first wife died sometime before 29 July 1832 and on that date David married Nancy Heart in Rhea County, Tennessee. The participant for Kit # 60314 is a descendant of Richard Fairbanks (1845-1898) son of David Fairbanks and his second wife Nancy Heart. The participants' Y-DNA test results are 65/67 marker match with Kit #50472 and Kit #N88959.
Kit # 60352 - most distant known ancestor is Levi Fairbanks who was born 1826 in Tennessee and in 1850 and 1860 was living in Dade Co., GA and had moved to Alabama by 1870. He died there sometime after 1880. Before DNA testing began speculation was that Levi was the son of the John Fairbanks who was born about 1802 in North Carolina and was living in Bledsoe Co., Tennessee in 1850. However DNA test results seem to dispute that theory. Test results for Kit#60352 match only those of Kit#161489. These two participants are father and son.
Kit #69975 - most distant known ancestor is John Fairbanks who was born about 1802 in North Carolina and was living in Bledsoe Co. Tennessee in 1850. He died there about 1857. Speculation before Y-DNA testing began was that John Fairbanks might be the son of David Fairbanks who was the son of William Fairbanks who died in Guilford Co., North Carolina in 1797. However Y-DNA test results have failed to confirm that. Kit #69975 descends from John Fairbanks through his son David Fairbanks who was born 1828 and died 1911 in Warren Co., Tennessee.
Kit #50472 - most distant known ancestor is Jonathan Fairbanks Jonathan was born 1595 in England and died 1668 in Dedham, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. Participant of Kit#50472 descends from Jonathan Fairbanks through his great grandson Thomas Fairbanks (1707-1791). Kit#50472 is a 64/67 marker match with Kit # N88959 who is also a descendant of Jonathan Fairbanks and a 65/67 marker match with Kit #60314 who is a descendant of William Fairbanks who died in Guilford Co., NC in 1797.
Kit # N88959 - most distant known ancestor is Jonathan Fairbanks born 1595 in England and died in Dedham, Suffolk Co., MA in 1668. Kit #N88959 descends from Jonathan Fairbanks through his great grandson Joseph Fairbanks (1693 - 1792). Kit # N88959 is a 65/67 marker match Kit #60314 and a 63/67 marker match with kit #50472.
Kit #60314 - most distant known ancestor is William Fairbanks who died in Guilford Co., NC in 1797. Heirs listed in William's will are sons David and William and daughter Susannah. William's son David Fairbanks is listed in the 1810 and 1820 Guilford Co., NC census. In 1820 David is married and had 3 males (born between 1810 and 1819) in his household. David may have had more children born after the 1820 census but since we cannot find him on the 1830 census we have no way of knowing. David's first wife died sometime before 29 July 1832 and on that date David married Nancy Heart in Rhea County, Tennessee. The participant for Kit # 60314 is a descendant of Richard Fairbanks (1845-1898) son of David Fairbanks and his second wife Nancy Heart. The participants' Y-DNA test results are 65/67 marker match with Kit #50472 and Kit #N88959.
Kit # 60352 - most distant known ancestor is Levi Fairbanks who was born 1826 in Tennessee and in 1850 and 1860 was living in Dade Co., GA and had moved to Alabama by 1870. He died there sometime after 1880. Before DNA testing began speculation was that Levi was the son of the John Fairbanks who was born about 1802 in North Carolina and was living in Bledsoe Co., Tennessee in 1850. However DNA test results seem to dispute that theory. Test results for Kit#60352 match only those of Kit#161489. These two participants are father and son.
Kit #69975 - most distant known ancestor is John Fairbanks who was born about 1802 in North Carolina and was living in Bledsoe Co. Tennessee in 1850. He died there about 1857. Speculation before Y-DNA testing began was that John Fairbanks might be the son of David Fairbanks who was the son of William Fairbanks who died in Guilford Co., North Carolina in 1797. However Y-DNA test results have failed to confirm that. Kit #69975 descends from John Fairbanks through his son David Fairbanks who was born 1828 and died 1911 in Warren Co., Tennessee.
Kit #50472 - most distant known ancestor is Jonathan Fairbanks Jonathan was born 1595 in England and died 1668 in Dedham, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. Participant of Kit#50472 descends from Jonathan Fairbanks through his great grandson Thomas Fairbanks (1707-1791). Kit#50472 is a 64/67 marker match with Kit # N88959 who is also a descendant of Jonathan Fairbanks and a 65/67 marker match with Kit #60314 who is a descendant of William Fairbanks who died in Guilford Co., NC in 1797.
Kit # N88959 - most distant known ancestor is Jonathan Fairbanks born 1595 in England and died in Dedham, Suffolk Co., MA in 1668. Kit #N88959 descends from Jonathan Fairbanks through his great grandson Joseph Fairbanks (1693 - 1792). Kit # N88959 is a 65/67 marker match Kit #60314 and a 63/67 marker match with kit #50472.