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I have a German great-great-great grandfather (from Vorpommern in northern Germany, around the Baltic Sea area).

Given the relative distance, I was not expecting to find much trace of this in the Ancestry DNA / FTDNA / MyHeritage ethnicity estimate, because on average a person derives 3% of their genes from a 3x great-grandparent.

In fact, no 'German' surfaced in my ethnicity map - I was 85% Irish / Scottish and 15% 'England, Wales and Northwestern Europe' on Ancestry DNA; 95% British Isles, 3% Scandinavian and 2% East Europe on FTDNA, whilst on MyHeritage the breakdown was 95% Irish, Scottish, and Welsh and 5% Scandinavian.

I didn't really think about this...until I tested an older relative who is the great-grandchild of this German Pomeranian ancestor. Now, a great-grandchild typically receives 12.5% from a great-grandfather (give or take a bit with random recombination) - yet this older relative, who is much closer genetically to the German heritage than myself, also had no 'German' showing anywhere in his ethnicity breakdown.

Instead, on Ancestry DNA (the only one he's tested with thus far) he was 91% Irish and Scottish and 8% England, Wales and Northwestern Europe, with the only other element being a very small 1% European Jewish.

I have read that AncestryDNA actually has a 'Pomerania' genetic community cluster and I find it rather suspect that even someone as closely related as a great-grandchild would apparently evidence none of this ancestor's ethnicity in his estimate.

Are the Pomeranian German genes being grouped under another category, such as 'England, Wales & NE'? Is there any other reason why the estimate would not include it at all?

There was a preliminary Articles of Peace signed on 30 November 1782.  This document was basically a rough draft of what was eventually to be the Treaty of Paris.  The Articles of Peace document was  ratified by the Continental Congress on 15 April 1783.  So, it is possible that your ancestor was celebrating that event.

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-38-02-0286

Interesting...many thanks.

I have always wondered what British public opinion had to say about, effectively, losing the American colonies.

It looks like my ancestor may have been happy that the conflict was in it's death throes.

I found an interesting newspaper article from the Leeds Intelligencer and Yorkshire General Advertiser - 21 Apr 1866 (SEE ATTACHED) about my Smith ancestors all being professional change-ringers in the Leeds Parish Church. The information was imparted by William Smith (died 1868), son of George Smith (1856 - 1813), banker of Leeds, who was in turn the son of an earlier William Smith (1716 - 1784), cloth merchant in Leeds.

The reference to William Smith (1716 - 1784) being a "most eminent artist, very celebrated in his day" who hand-wrote and conducted a peal of 10,040 changes "rung for the peace with America" near the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1783 (but months before the signing of the Treaty of Paris in which Britain recognised the independence of the United states), is corroborated on the Leeds Parish Church website:


http://www.leedsminster.org/Music/Bells/Peal-Archive/18th-Century/

January 28th 1783
was rung at Leeds a Complete Peal of Tripples called Double Union or Peace with America containing 5040 changes
which was performed in 3 hours and 10 minutes by the following persons
 
William Smith Treble

J Wheelwright 2
George Smith 3
T Bedford 4
B Shirrow 5
William Elbeck 6
Thomas Maud 7
T Normington Tenor

Treble   Composed & Conducted by William Smith

The 'melody' was performed months before the signing of the Treaty of Paris in September 1783, when Britain recognised the independence of the United States.

I am interested to know more about the context of this. Were bell "melodies" and ringing in churches conducted throughout the UK in the lead-up to the termination of hostilities? And why might my ancestor have called his melody "double union"?

If anyone could tell me where to look to find out more about change-ringers in Leeds and the popular response in Britain to the end of the war with America, I would greatly appreciate it.

memorial inscription

Ah, thank you!

Hi Matt,
I was given that family story that I forwarded to your niece about Hannah Craven Smith's portrait by my father's cousin Karen Dykes-Evans. It was handed down from her grandmother to her.

I also have some thoughts and questions regarding the story and our family and I would love to work with you.

My thought on your question as to why wasn't Hannah Craven's name listed as a witness; usually on most licenses, there aren't as many witnesses listed as there was on theirs.
Maybe Hannah thought her husband's signature as a witness was enough for the two of them?
Hannah Muschamp may have been particularly close to the bride and wanted to be included, or very close to both the bride and groom; maybe Thomas Fawell was close to the family before the marriage? He apprenticed Samuel Smith and taught him the trade of a surgeon, it could be possible.

As for why Hannah wasn't included in the story, that bothered me as well, and made me wonder if there was a mistake, but  Eve Anna does say that her mother "often spoke of writing a sketch of her, (Hannah Craven)  and a romantic incident connected with the portrait, but as she never accomplished it I will do the best I can to carry out her wish in the respect".
 It is entirely conceivable that she just forgot her name as she was rewriting the story from memory many years after the fact and after her mother dies.

I have some questions I would love to share with you and I sent them to your niece. If you would like to contact me I would like to talk them over with you as well.

Best Regards,
Laurie

Hello Laurie!

I just saw your reply today, I would love to discuss this with you! I'll send you my email address in a PM.

I look forward to hearing back from you,

Best,

Sean