The STORTS DNA project through Family Tree DNA has the goal of connecting the related families from Germany who were in America by the 1700s with various spellings of the name including STORTS, STURTS, STOTZ, STEORTS, STORTZE, STOTTS, STOTS and others. My ancestor was George STORTS / STEORTS / STOTS born around the Hagerstown – Gettysburg in 1769, died 1851. in Jane Lew, Lewis Co. (W)VA. According to family notes written in 1907 George’s father was also named George (possible middle name), from Germany and a Revolutionary War soldier.

A well documented line with a possible connection was John Jacob Storts born 1763, whose family came from Germany in 1750 with spellings of STOTZ, STURTZ, and STORTS and included Peter, his son Johannes Christian, and his grandsons Johannes George and Christian STORTS II the father of John Jacob.

Another Revolutionary Soldier was Frederick Storts who died in 1783 or 1784 in Bedford Co. PA, now part of Fulton Co. PA. His will mentions nephew George, and nieces Charlotte and Mary, children of his brother whose name was not stated. Mary was married to Frederick’s stepson Peter Swarzwelder.

Another possible connection is John Storts who was living in Washington Co. OH near Marietta by 1820. The various families lived mostly in PA or nearby MD or VA.

Please contact me if you are interested in participating in the DNA project, want to share information or know of a family who may be connected. The DNA test involves a simple swab sample from the cheek. It is through the direct male line so subjects for the test would have the last name of STORTS or some version of it.

Linda Steorts Kaufman
Lskwvhomes@aol.com