Whitmore Surname DNA Project: Participants Showing Haplogroup R1b

Haplogroup R1b is the most common haplogroup in Europe. It is believed to have expanded throughout the western Europe as humans re-colonized after the last ice age (glacial maximum) 10-12 thousand years ago. This is the haplogroup that includes the Western Atlantic Modal haplotype. For further background on this haplotype see A. A. Foster, "Variations of R1b Ydna in Europe: Distribution and Origins."

We have three distinct families in the R1b haplogroup.

Table 5-a Haplogroup R1b: Descendants of Thomas Wetmore

				DYS (DNA Y Chromosome Segment) #
																														G
													3		3															A
								3	3				8		8		4	4							4	4	4	4		T	Y	Y					C	C
				3	3		3	8	8	4	3	4	9	3	9	4	5	5	4	4	4	4	4	4	6	6	6	6	4	A	C	C	4	6	5	5	D	D	4	4
	YSearch		Haplo-	9	9	1	9	5	5	2	8	3	\|	9	\|	5	9	9	5	5	4	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	6	H	A	A	5	0	7	7	Y	Y	4	3
Kit #	Reference	Surname	group	3	0	9	1	a	b	6	8	9	1	2	2	8	a	b	5	4	7	7	8	9	a	b	c	d	0	4	a	b	6	7	6	0	a	b	2	8
Super Western Atlantic Modal				13	24	14	11	11	14	12	12	12	13	13	29	17	9	10	11	11	25	15	19	29	15	15	17	17	11	11	19	23	16	15	18	17	37	38	12	12
Thomas Wetmore Deduced Ancestral				13	24	14	11	11	15	12	12	12	13	13	29	17	9	9	11	11	24	15	19	29	15	15	16	17	11	11	19	23	16	15	16	18	37	39	12	12
Frequency of Ancestral Haplotype (%)				95	55	93	63	90	20	98	98	74	86	90	79	50	97	12	98	99	19	85	81	39	82	69	38	67	74	67	94	77	42	66	6	17	32	18	74	96
74672		Wetmore	R1b1	13	24	14	10	11	15	12	12	12	13	13	29	17	9	9	11	11	24	15	19	29	15	15	16	17	11	11	19	23	16	15	16	18	37	39	12	12
61871		Wetmore	R1b1	13	24	14	11	11	15	12	12	12	13	13	29	17	9	9	11	11	24	15	19	29	15	15	16	17	11	11	19	23	16	15	16	18	37	39	12	12
60282		Wetmore	R1b1	13	24	14	11	11	15	12	12	12	13	13	29	17	9	9	11	11	24	15	19	29	15	15	16	17	11	11	19	23	16	15	16	18	37	38	12	12
49123	6RRVT	Wetmore	R1b1c	13	24	14	11	11	15	12	12	11	13	13	29	17	9	9	11	11	24	15	19	29	15	15	16	17	11	11	19	23	15	15	16	18	37	39	12	12
48438	M252C	Whitmore	R1b1	13	24	14	11	11	15	12	12	12	13	13	29	17	9	9	11	11	24	15	19	29	15	15	16	17	11	11	19	23	16	15	16	18	37	39	12	12
60139	ZXXYB	Whitmore	R1b1	13	24	14	11	11	15	12	12	12	13	13	29	17	9	9	11	11	24	15	19	29	15	15	16	17	11	12	19	23	16	15	16	18	37	39	12	12
61571	X9HPZ	Wetmore	R1b1	13	24	14	11	11	15	12	12	12	13	12	29	17	9	9	11	11	24	15	19	29	15	15	16	17	11	11	19	23	16	15	16	18	37	39	13	12

We now have results on seven participants who are descended from Thomas Wetmore. One is descended from his son Samue, two from his son Izrahiah, one from his son Beriah and three from his son Joseph. All seven have been tested for 37 markers. Thomas Whitmore/Wetmore (1615-1681) was an English immigrant to the Connecticut Colony circa 1635, whose birth place in England is presently unknown. The haplogroup for this lineage is R1b1c, determined by SNP testing of Kit # 49123.

The results shown in Table 5-a have been arranged in the same order as the descendants shown in Figure 5, below.

Two of the participants (Kit # 61871, descended from Izrahiah, and Kit # 48438, descended from Joseph) are an identical match on all 37 markers. Using the results from these two, we can deduce the same haplotype for the common ancestor, Thomas himself. Three participants (Kit # 75672, descended from Samuel; Kit # 60282, descended from Izrahiah; and Kit # 60139, descended from Joseph) have a one step mutation (a change amounting to one number) at DYS (DNA Y chromosome Segment, the "name" of the particular marker)391, CDYb and at GATA H4 respectively, or a genetic difference of one from the ancestral haplotype in each case. (These mutations are highlighted in yellow in the table.) The remaining two participants (Kit # 49123, descended from Beriah, and Kit # 61571, descended from Joseph) have two one step mutations on two different markers, or a genetic distance of two from the ancestral. All seven mutations are unique to the individual tested. These mutations are shown on Figure 5-a, below.

Figure 5-a Transmission Events: Descendants of Thomas Wetmore

The perfect match between Kit #61871 and Kit # 48438 is slightly surprising. The two men are 8th cousins, once removed. Using the 37 markers and a total of twenty transmission events with the estimated mutation rate of 0.002, the calculated number of mutations is 1.5.^[1] One mutation or two mutations would have been a more probable result, but the actual result of zero mutations is certainly within a reasonable probability.

If we were to compare just the results for the two participants with two mutations from the deduced ancestral, a genetic difference of four on 37 markers, we would be unlikely to predict the relationship as close as it is (they are seventh cousins, once removed). However, if we compare them with the ancestral haplotype or with the two participants with the identical haplotypes, the results are much closer to what we would expect

As noted above haplogroup R1b is the most the common haplogroups among Europeans, and because of this the haplogroup itself is being thoroughly investigated for sub groupings. The deduced ancestral haplotype conforms closely to the "Super Western Atlantic" Modal Haplotype.^[2] shown in the first line of Table 5-a. The markers where the deduced ancestral haplotype differs from the "Super Western" are highlighted in white, for a total genetic distance of seven. the family haplotype is thus quite common. The frequencies of each of the markers in the deduced ancestral haplotype is sown in the table in the third line from the top in red. In all but one case it is the value closest to the mode. The one exception is DYS 576, which is two steps away from the mode and value represents only 6% of the samples tested. One of the participant (Kit # 49123) is being tested for SNP's (Single Nucleotide Polymolrphisms) which define subgroups (clades) in this haplogroup. Testing by FTDNA has not found any subgroups beyond R1b1c for this sample, and has tested all the SNP's available to them. The participant has submitted a sample to EthnoAncestry to test for additional SNP's which are not on FTDNA's "menu." This will give more information on the remote ancestry of Thomas Whitmore, and even, perhaps, be able to define the part of England in which his remote ancestors originally settled.

We now have a solid base line for this family. The following long term additional steps are forseen:

Thomas Wetmore was the father of nine sons: John, baptized 1646; Thomas, born 1652; Samuel, born 1655; Izrahiah, born 1657; Beriah, born 1658; Nathaniel, born 1661; Joseph born 1663; Josiah, born 1668 (no record of any descendants); and Benjamin, born 1674 (no record of any descendans). Warren Wetmore, who is very familiar with many of the lines, believes that the Thomas line "daughtered out." That leaves us with Nahtaniel who may have living male descendants. It would be useful to have another descendant of both Beriah and Samuel as well as two from Nathaniel's line to round out our knowledge of this family.
All of the mutations on tested participants are unique to those participants, which means that they may be very descriptive of those lines. An additional participant in the Samuel and Beriah lines might help to more closely define when the mutations in the present participants occured.
We have added two English Whitmores to our project. One of these has tested as probably haplogroup G, which means no realtionship with anyone else in the project. We have extended his markers from 12 to 25 in the hopes that this will clarify his haplogroup. Our second new participant is Sir John Whitmore, Bart., who has agreed to serve as an honorary patron of the project. We hope that this, as well has having a DNA sample from a man with a well documented lineage back to the time of the Norman Conquest will encourage other English participants and help us to locate the English roots of Thomas Wetmore and Francis Whitmore. There is an outstanding offer (from a female descendant of Thomas) of three additional 12 marker sponsorships of English Whitmores and Wetmores who can trace their lines at least to the early 19th century. This may give us some leads on the English ancestry of Thomas. We have recently extended this to a male descendant of the Whatmores, another spelling variation of Whitmore, which probably originated as Watmough or Watmore. We believe that this connection is unlikely, but a 12 marker test could allow us to eliminate this line, as has been the case with the Whittamores of Hitchin, Herts.

Table 5-b Haplogroup R1b: Descendants of Francis Whitmore

				DYS (DNA Y Chromosome Segment) #
																														G
													3		3															A
								3	3				8		8		4	4							4	4	4	4		T	Y	Y					C	C
				3	3		3	8	8	4	3	4	9	3	9	4	5	5	4	4	4	4	4	4	6	6	6	6	4	A	C	C	4	6	5	5	D	D	4	4
	YSearch		Haplo-	9	9	1	9	5	5	2	8	3	\|	9	\|	5	9	9	5	5	4	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	6	H	A	A	5	0	7	7	Y	Y	4	3
Kit #	Reference	Surname	group	3	0	9	1	a	b	6	8	9	1	2	2	8	a	b	5	4	7	7	8	9	a	b	c	d	0	4	a	b	6	7	6	0	a	b	2	8
Super Western Atlantic Modal				13	24	14	11	11	14	12	12	12	13	13	29	17	9	10	11	11	25	15	19	29	15	15	17	17	11	11	19	23	16	15	18	17	37	38	12	12
Francis Whitmore Lineage Modal				13	24	14	11	11	14	12	12	12	14	13	30	17	9	10	11	11	25	15	19	30	15	15	17	17
Frequency of Modal Haplotype (%)				95	55	93	63	90	52	98	98	74	10	90	79	50	97	87	98	99	67	85	81	31	82	69	52	67
74114		Whitmore	R1b	13	24	14	11	11	14	12	12	12	14	13	30	17	9	10	11	11	25	15	19	30	15	15	17	17	11	11	19	23	15	15	18	17	40	40	11	12
56626	7SRFK	Whitmore	R1b	13	24	14	11	11	14	12	12	12	14	13	30	18	9	10	11	11	25	15	19	30	15	15	15	17
65115		Whitmore	R1b	13	24	14	11	11	14	12	12	12	14	13	30	17	9	10	11	11	25	15	19	31	15	15	17	17	11	11	19	23	15	15	18	17	40	40	11	12

We now have results on three participants who are descended from Francis Whitmore. Two are descended from his son Francis (who moved to Middletown, Connecticut, and whose family intermarried with that of Thomas Wetmore, above), and one from his son Samuel. Two have been tested for 37 markers and one for 25. Francis, born in 1625 was an English immigrant to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, whose birthplace in England has not been determined. The haplogroup for this lineage has been estimated with a high level of certainty by FTDNA t be R1b. It is quite likely that it is R1b1c as well.

The results shown in Table 5-b have been arranged in the same order as the descendants shown in Figure 5-b, below.

Although we need test results from a third son of Francis to properly triangulate the ancestral haplotype, we are using modal values until we have results from a descendant of a third son. All the valuses in Kit # 74114 are modal, so based on this Kit # 74114 is assumed to be the ancestral haplotype. Kit # 56626 has two mutations, one single step on DSY 458 and the other a two step mutation DSY 464c. DSY 464c is a pallindromic marker, and for this reason the mutation is counted as a genetic distance of only one, resulting in a total genetic distance of two. Kit 65115 has a single step mutation on DSY 449, for a genetic distance of one.

Figure 5-b Transmission Events: Descendants of Francis Whitmore

The following long term additional steps are forseen:

Francis Whitmore was the father of five sons: Francis, John, Samuel, Thomas and Joseph. Our three participants represent two of these (Francis, two participants and Samuel, one participant.) We know that or the others at least Joseph has male descendants and we hope to test one of these in the near future. An additional participant from the Samuel line would be useful as well.
As mentioned above for the Thomas Wetmore family, testing of English participants should also benefit the Francis line.

Table 5-c Haplogroup R1b: Descendants of John Whitmore (1793-1864)

				DYS (DNA Y Chromosome Segment) #
																														G
													3		3															A
								3	3				8		8		4	4							4	4	4	4		T	Y	Y					C	C
				3	3		3	8	8	4	3	4	9	3	9	4	5	5	4	4	4	4	4	4	6	6	6	6	4	A	C	C	4	6	5	5	D	D	4	4
	YSearch		Haplo-	9	9	1	9	5	5	2	8	3	\|	9	\|	5	9	9	5	5	4	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	6	H	A	A	5	0	7	7	Y	Y	4	3
Kit #	Reference	Surname	group	3	0	9	1	a	b	6	8	9	1	2	2	8	a	b	5	4	7	7	8	9	a	b	c	d	0	4	a	b	6	7	6	0	a	b	2	8
50900		Whitmore	R1b1	13	24	14	11	10	15	12	12	12	13	14	29	17	9	10	11	11	25	15	19	29	15	15	16	18	11	11	19	23	16	15	18	17	37	39	12	12
72515		Whitmore	R1b1	13	24	14	11	10	15	12	12	12	13	14	29

Kit # 50900 is a known descendant of John Whitmore. Kit # 72515 is an exact match on 12 markers. Kit # 72515 reported a grandfather as the most distant ancestor, but a tie in with the paper trail of Kit # 50900 confirms a relationship. While match on only twelve markers is far from definitive, even with the same surname, this appears to confirm the relatioship. We see no reason to extend the testing on Kit # 72515 unless there is some indication that the paper trail is shakey.

The following additional steps are suggested:

The two participants should contact each ohter to confirm the paper trail. (eMail links will appear on your personal FTDNA web site, or contact one of the Project Coordinators.)
Consider contacting the family whose name was provided to you and asking them to test as well.

Notes:

[1] Ann Turner, "Mutation Calculator for Y Chromosome STR Markers," http://members.aol.com/dnacousins/MRCA.exe. See explanation on http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/GENEALOGY-DNA/2001-12/1008355259. (Accessed 26 May 2006.)

[2] Whit Athey, "STR Allele Frequencies for Haplogroup R1b,"
http://www.worldfamilies.net/Super%20Western%20Atlantic%20Modal%20Haplotype.htm (Accessed 25 May 2006.)

[3] SMGF1 data was taken from Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation Y-Chromosome Database, http://smgf.org/ysearch.jspx. (Accessed 26 May 2006.) Haplogroup was estimated by use of Whit Athey's Y-Haplogroup Predictor, Version 2.15, https://home.comcast.net/~whitathey/predictorinstr.htm. (Accessed 25 May 2006.) Markers reported as ** were not reported by Sorenson.

If you have / want further information, please contact the project administrators.

DNA tests by . Note: The project administrators are volunteer Whitmore genealogists and are not paid by Family Tree DNA.

Finally: Please do not copy any of this material without our permission. We have quoted fellow researchers liberally, with their permission, and only they have the right to publish their material. For more about copyrights, see Copyright Discussion.

This page was last modified on 7 January 2007.