Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Blake Newsletter - Volume 2 Issue 3, 2013

Blake Newsletter

Blake yDNA Study

We are awaiting two new members’ results for the yDNA study. The perfect match in I2a2b continues to fascinate in that the known genealogical history for these two individuals does appear to be in southern England and in the Republic of Ireland. Does this line represent the Blake known to have accompanied Strongbow to Ireland in the 1270s? An intriguing thought. The Blake yDNA study along with the Calendar of Patent Rolls does seem to me to indicate that there are a number of Blake lines extending back into the 1200s that are distinct from each other. As always, more males with the Blake surname testing can add greatly to our understanding of the Blake family.

Bill Bleak and I are giving some consideration to the idea of purchasing ten 12 marker tests from FT DNA and offering them for free on the Blake study website. All that we would ask for in return would be a five generation chart. We would retain the ability to decide on which tests to support in that we would like to have a variety of testers preferably not all from the same family line. For those who are unable to afford the cost of the yDNA test this would at least “put them on the study” albeit though with only twelve markers but as can be seen from the study it is possible to place a person into their respective haplogroup with twelve markers. More news will be forthcoming in the next newsletter on this project.

Blake Wills
I continue to transcribe the over 700 wills that I have at hand for the Blake family. They appear somewhat regularly on my blog and when fall and winter return once again I will be able to speed up the transcription as I would like to have that project complete by this time next year at the latest. There have been some interesting connections with the wills completed thus far and you can refer to my blog
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/
in order to review completed wills thus far. I am moving through the wills alphabetically by county and have now completed Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, and Cornwall. Currently I am working on Devon.

Genealogies
I am also currently going through one of the members of the yDNA studies genealogy. There is a possibility that his line is of the Somerset Blake line and knowing that would be most helpful. Anyone wishing to submit their genealogy to me that has not already done so would be most welcome to do so. I retain privacy on all submitted information and would only use any with your permission. Before archiving my study at some point in the distant future, I would request from you permission to archive your material with the study. I am hopeful that at some point in the future other Blake members or descendants will become interested in the study and be co-researchers with Bill Bleak and myself.

Publications
Studies on the Theophilus Blake family of Pennsylvania and West Virginia and that particular research group has uncovered interesting information on that line. Eventually we would submit it to The American Genealogist (TAG) for possible publication in their journal.

Any submission for this newsletter to: kippeeb@rogers.com

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