Knowlton (Y-DNA)

Status summary

Completed as of April 4, 2021:

• Recruiting patrilineal (all male-line) Benjamin Knowlton descendants for NGS/WGS SNP testing. Any male who believes they qualify should Read me First

IMPORTANT: Read me First

Still to do as of April 4, 2021

• NGS/WGS test multiple Y-DNA descendants of Benjamin Knowlton to firmly place family clade as well as test descendants to discover any subclades unique to descendants lines

Biography

For more information see Sherman, Robert M. & Verle D. Vincent (rev. by Robert S. Wakefield), Mayflower Families through Five Generations vol. 15, Chilton & More. General Society of Mayflower Descendants, Plymouth, MA 1997, reprinted 2013.

Early Family

The 1897 The History and Genealogy of the Knowltons of England and America; Charles Henry Wright Stocking, D.D.; the Knickerbocker Press indicated John Knowlton (father of Benjamin Knowlton see below was the brother of William Knowlton and they were the sons of (Capt.) William Knowlton & Ann Elizabeth Smith. However, Y-DNA testing see below indicates where Y-DNA descendants of John and William fall under totally different haplogroups, and cannot be related within thousands of years. In addition, Y-DNA testing has shown where some individuals who believed they were paternal line descendants of John Knowlton (based on the 1897 genealogy) were not genetically/biologically descended from John in a straight paternal line. This is a prime example of why Y-DNA testing is so vital to genealogical research.

First Generation

Benjamin Knowlton was born Ipswich abt 1674, the son of John Knowlton & Bethia Edwards. John died Ipswich Hamlet (now Hamilton) in Dec 1764. He married Susanna Dutch and they had three children: Susanna (bp 1714), Elizabeth (bp 1716/7) and Benjamin (bp 1718).

Second Generation

Benjamin Knowlton (II) was baptized Ipswich 23 Nov 1718 and died there 2 Apr 1781 ae 63. He married twice, first Ipswich 28 Feb 1738 Susanna Potter and second, int. Ipswich 22 Apr 1756 Abigail Dane. By his first wife he had seven children (born Ipswich): Ezra (bp 1739), Susanna (bp 1741), Benjamin (bp 1742/3-d.y.), Nehemiah (1745), Edmund (c1747), Moses, James (d bef 1781). By his second wife Benjamin had ten more children (born Ipswich): Ephraim (1758), Malachi (1759), Hepzibah (c1762), Abigail (c1764), Benjamin (c1766), Hannah (c1767), Esther (bp 1769), Annis (bp 1770), Betty (bp 1773) and Catharine (bp 1776-1778).

Third Generation

Ezra Knowlton was bp Ipswich 29 Jul 1739 and died Hamilton 24 Aug 1814. He married Ipswich 11 Feb 1762 Abigail Dodge and they had eight children: Susanna (1763), Tamson (1765), Ezra (bp 1766-1792 unm.), Abigail (bp1771), Amy (bp1773), Nancy (bp1777), Joseph (bp1780-c1802 unm.) and Levi (bp1782).

Nehemiah Knowlton was bp Ipswich 19 Apr 1744 and died Sandy Bay (now Rockport) 13 Aug 1834. He married thrice, first Ipswich 14 Nov 1769 Elizabeth Potter then Ipswich 11 Oct 1771 Susanna Fellows and finally Ipswich 22 Nov 1774 Martha Tilton. Only had children by last wife: Nehemiah (1775), Asa (1777 d.y.), Martha (1779), Benjamin (1781), Asa (1784), Josiah (1784) and Charles (bp1789).

Edmund Knowlton was born Ipswich abt 1747 and died Hamilton 24 Nov 1827. He married Ipswich 7 Sep 1774 Mary Austin and they had four children: Mary "Polly" (c1775), Moses (1781), James (1783) and Edmund (bp 1791).

Moses Knowlton was born Ipswich and died Poland, ME bef 21 Nov 1835. He married Gloucester 27 Dec 1781 Mary "Polly" Pulsifer and they had nine children: Hannah (1782), Moses (1784), Mary (1787), Esther (1789), Susanna (1789), Benjamin (1791-1803), Elizabeth, David and Benjamin.

Ephraim Knowlton bp Ipswich 26 Jun 1758 died Thomaston, ME 13 May 1831. He married Ipswich 11 Sep 1680 Mary "Molly" Murphy and they had nine children: Polly (1781), Katherine "Kate" (1783), Ephraim (1785), Eunice (1787), Enos (1791), Temple (son 1793-1812), infant (d 1795), Fannie (1798) and prob. Benjamin.

Malachi Knowlton born Ipswich 10 Jan 1759 died Hamilton 13 Sep 1830. He married Wenham 14 Jun 1781 Abigail Patch and they had six children: Michael (1782), Azor (1784), Lavinia (1785), Ivers (1790), Mercy (1800) and Anna (1802).

Benjamin Knowlton (III) born Ipswich 1766 died Beverly 28 May 1839. He married twice, first Beverly 1 Dec 1789 Beverly Larson and then Beverly 4 Apr 1826 Abigail HOOPER Hooper (no ch.) By his first wife he had five children: David (1789-1813 unm.), Abigail (1792), Ira (1797), Hezekiah (1801) and Hannah (1803).

DNA results R1b-ZP129

Previous Y-DNA testing

The Knowlton surname DNA project does not list the Most Distant Known Paternal Ancestor (MDKPA) in their results. However, they did note where the descendants of John Knowlton fall under Haplogroup R1b. It is assumed the R1b - DF95 Group is the primary group for John Knowlton descendants. It currently cannot be determined whether descendants of Benjamin (son of John Knowlton) fall under this group, or whether they fall into a different group (and thus Benjamin NOT being a genetic/biological son of John).

The Haplogroup/clade for the R1b - DF95 group of the Knowlton surname DNA Project falls under: R1b-U106>>Z18>>DF95>ZP85>ZP121>ZP124>ZP129

Further needed testing

We need additional direct male-line descendants of Benjamin Knowlton to WGS/NGS test to both to refine the haplogroup further and delineate descendant clades.

References & External Links

• Stocking, (Rev.) Charles Henry Wright, The History and Genealogy of the Knowlton Family of England and America, The Knickerbocker Press, New York, 1897
• Sherman, Robert M. & Verle D. Vincent (rev. by Robert S. Wakefield), Mayflower Families through Five Generations vol. 15, Chilton & More. General Society of Mayflower Descendants, Plymouth, MA 1997, reprinted 2013