Joan Hurst & Elizabeth Tilley (mtDNA)

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Status summary

As of July 8, 2016

Background

Biography

Elizabeth Tilley was baptized at St. Mary's Church, Henlow, Bedfordshire, England on 30 Aug 1607, the daughter of John Tilley and Joan (Hurst) Rogers.[1] She came with her parents aboard The Mayflower in the fall of 1620.[2] Her family was part of Gov. Carver's "household" during the first winter. Gov. Carver and Elizabeth's parents all died during the general sickness of the first winter and it is believed John Howland (Carver's "servant"/assistant) assumed the head of this household.[3] Elizabeth married John Howland circa 1623. It is believed they were the fifth marriage in the new colony (after the marriage of William Bradford on 14 Aug 1623 and before the end of the year [25 Mar 1623/4] as they were presumably a couple for the 1623 Land division).[4]

The family eventually moved to Rocky Nook (now Kingston) where her husband died in Feb 1672/3.[5] Elizabeth is assumed to have lived with her children shortly thereafter (as their home in Rocky Nook was said to have been burnt down shortly after John's death). It is known Elizabeth spent the last years of her life with her daughter, Lydia, and Lydia's husband, James Brown. They lived in "Swansey" (Swansea, MA; now East Providence, RI) where Elizabeth made her will on 17 Dec 1686[6] and died on 21 Dec 1687.[7]

Elizabeth was buried in the Brown family plot at the Ancient Little Neck Cemetery.[8] At the time of her death this cemetery was located in Old Rehoboth, MA, but it is presently located within East Providence, RI.

  1. ↑ TAG 52(1976):198-205
  2. ↑ White, Elizabeth P., John Howland of the Mayflower: Vol. 1, pp. 9-12
  3. ↑ ibid.
  4. ↑ ibid.
  5. ↑ Plymouth Church records I:147(173)
  6. ↑ MD 3:54-57
  7. ↑ Plymouth Church Records
  8. ↑ Find-a-Grave for Elizabeth Tilley Howland

Ancestry

Several articles in The American Genealogist[1],The Mayflower Quarterly[2] and The Howland Quarterly[3] have revealed much information on the ancestry of Elizabeth. For the purpose of this wiki, we shall only look at the "umbilical"/mtDNA line.

Elizabeth was the daughter of John Tilley and Joan (Hurst) Rogers. Joan was baptized at Henlow 13 Mar 1567/8, daughter of William Hurst & Rose Marshe. Rose was born about 1537 presumably in Chipping Barnet, Hertfordshire, England (where she married), daughter of John Marshe & Joan _____.

  1. ↑ TAG 52(1976):198-205; 85(Jan 2011):1-8
  2. ↑ MQ AUG 1991:232; NOV 1991:342
  3. ↑ HQ 71:1[MAR 2006]:10-13

mtDNA Results

We know from the results of three mtDNA tests from two different daughters of Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland, where the "umbilical" line falls under haplogroup H1a1. The RSRS values, as reported by ftdna.com, are 146T, 152T, 195T, 247G, 522.1A, 522.2C, 315.1C, 16129G, 16162G, 16187C, 16189T, 16209C, 16223C, 16230A, 16278C, 16311T.

In addition, according to the H1 mtGenome Project the following Coding Region mutations also fall under H1a1 3010A (H1); 73G![back mutation](H1a); 6365C (H1a1). This project also dates the H1a1 clade as originating approximately 2500 B.C.E., so it is a VERY old haplogroup.

Thus mtDNA testing cannot be used to conclusively prove someone was a mtDNA descendant of Elizabeth Tilley, but it can be used to conclusively disprove such a relationship. In addition, mtDNA testing can be used to support a conclusion about a line being descended from Elizabeth, but additional evidence is also needed.

mtDNA Descendants

Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland had six daughters, all who married and had children of their own. At least one "umbilical"/mtDNA descendant of daughters Desire & Lydia have released their mtDNA results to the public, showing where they are an exact match.

Second Generation:

Desire (c1625-1683) married Capt. John Gorham and had six daughters. FTDNA Kit #337121 descends from Desire.

Hope (1629-1683/4) married Lieut. John Chipman and had eight daughters.

Elizabeth (1631-1691/2) married Ephraim Hicks (no children) and Capt. John Dickinson (five daughters). Her eldest daughter, Elizabeth (1652-) is said to have married Caleb Wright and Gershom Lockwood. However, no contemporary record proves this relationship, so the GSMD does not currently accept descendants of Caleb & Elizabeth. If a mtDNA descendant of Elizabeth is tested, and found to be a match to Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland's DNA, then there is a chance the GSMD may accept this line.

Lydia (1633-1710) married Maj. James Brown and had one daughter who survived infancy and married, Dorothy (1666-1727). Dorothy had three daughters who married. FTDNA Kit #159230 (deceased) descends from this line.

Hannah (1637-1705) married Jonathan Bosworth and had one daughter who married, Hannah (1663-1723). Hannah had two daughters who married (Hannah & Elizabeth) but mtDNA descendants only continue from Hannah (1690-1738).

Ruth (1646-1679) married Thomas Cushman and had one daughter, Desire (1673-1762). Desire married Ens. Samuel Kent and had one daughter, Hannah (1702-1796). Hannah had six daughters who married.

External links

Wikipedia article on Elizabeth Tilley

mtDNA results from Mayflower DNA Project

Pilgrim John Howland Society

John Howland of the Mayflower and Descendants

Full Genomes Corp. and Y Elite 2.0 test

Mayflower "Five Generations" Project (Silver Books)

Find-a-Grave for Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland

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