DNA Results for Wilson Ulysses Godwin

In an earlier post, Godwin DNA - Two New Participants, I mentioned that a descendant of Wilson Ulysses Godwin was interested in participating in the Goodwin/Godwin DNA surname project. He submitted his 33-marker test and his results were uploaded to the Ancestry.com DNA database on March 6, 2009. His results were listed at the top of my own 37-marker DNA match results, so they were easy to find. My own DNA was tested by ftDNA and I manually uploaded my results to Ancestry.com's database. Here's a screenshot from Ancestry.com.

My Ancestry.com 37 Marker DNA Results (2011) - Names are redacted for privacy


You can see that the results from my 37-marker test are in the color gray across the top. The results for Wilson Godwin's DNA are listed right below mine. If our marker values matched, a check mark was inserted in the box. Wilson Godwin's Ancestry.com DNA test only included 32 markers, to my 37 that were tested with ftDNA, so there are 5 empty boxes beside Wilson's name. Ancestry.com did not test 5 of the markers that were tested with my ftDNA test – CDYa, CDYb, DYS570, DYS576, and DYS607.  

Even though Wilson’s descendant was tested with Ancestry.com and there were some discrepancy between markers being tested, we were still able to include his results in the Goodwin/Godwin DNA Surname Project at Worldfamilies.net that is hosted by ftDNA.  Wilson Godwin’s results were included in the Group 2 Godwins which matched up to 11 other Godwin lines at the time of this post (Updated 9/7/2010).

DNA Results posted to the Godwin Surname Project at Worldfamilies.net (2009)


Again you see the 5 missing markers from Wilson’s results. We cannot assume that these markers would have been identical. However, we tested many Godwins from the VA/NC area and have not seen any results that differed at these markers (Except Alexander Godwin). In all, if we count all of the same markers that were tested between the two testing companies - 32 total - Wilson Ulysses Godwin was a 32/32 or 100% match to the modal of Group 2 Godwins.
According to Ancestry.com results, there is a 50% probability that our families were related within 2 generations or 50 years. We can decrease this window if we tested more markers. The more markers you test, the more precise the prediction is.

Now the good stuff.
The descendants of Wilson Ulysses Godwin have been trying to connect to the family of Elijah Godwin for several years now. Elijah Godwin was born c. 1801 and Wilson was born c. 1820, both in Randolph Co., NC. Both families were found in southern IL and northeast AR at the same time*. These DNA results provide evidence that a close relationship definitely existed between the two men. It is predicted that they were brothers and both were sons of Nathan and Sarah (Latham) Godwin. The DNA results correspond with the paper trails we have composed.
* Be careful not to assume that just because two men were in the same place at the same time that they were necessarily related as I gave an example of how this was not true in my post about the DNA Results of Wilkerson Godwin

Cornelius Godwin was also thought to have been a son of Nathan and Sarah (Latham) Godwin. He was living in Perry County, Illionois when Nathan and Sarah were living there in 1830s and 40s. This would be another great addition to our DNA project. Goal: Find a descendant of Cornelius Godwin to participate in the DNA surname project.

**UPDATE**

Wilson Godwin's descendant took another 67-marker DNA test with ftDNA in 2011. His results have been posted to the Group 2 Godwin DNA Surname project and compared to the rest of the Group 2 Godwins. He matches to my Grandfather in that they both display a mutation on marker 444. To date, no other Godwins have this mutation, therefore, this indicates that my Wilson's line and my Grandfather's line (Ancestor Elijah Godwin) are very closely related, and supports my hypothesis that they were brothers. There is, however, another mutation between Wilson's descendant and my Grandfather on marker CDYa which is a fast-mutating marker. It is not uncommon to have mutations occur between lines of brothers, especially when there is such a big difference in ages. My Elijah Godwin was born in 1801. Wilson, a presumed brother of Elijah Godwin, was born in 1820. It is also possible Wilson was a son of Elijah, however Elijah was not married until 1826 and Wilson fits more in line as a son of Elijah's father, Nathan, than as a son of an unmarried or previously married Elijah Godwin.

Here is an updated pictorial of the Group 2 Godwin DNA results:

You can view these results online at the Goodwin-Godwin DNA Surname Project here: http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/goodwin/results