In 1929, William E. Barton published an article claiming that Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee were related (I work it out to 6th cousins, 1ce removed). He claimed that Mr. Lincoln was a descendant of William Lee--whom he suggested was a brother of Richard Lee, ancestor to General Lee. A year later, Lyon Gardiner Taylor refuted the claim. Through the years there's been a controversy with supporters of both sides weighing in.
As a member of the New England Genealogical Society, I receive its quarterly magazine; the issue in my postbox today published a lengthy study by Richard Hall of MayflowerKin.com. Mr. Hall did exhaustive DNA sampling and analysis. His conclusion was that Mr. Lincoln and General Lee were not related--that Mr. Lincoln's Lee family is haplogroup R1b while the General's Lee family is haplogroup 11a. Although their forebears were contemporaries with the same name, living in the same area, any common ancestor would have to be thousands of years earlier. Apparently the two men needn't feel badly about not having sent each other Christmas cards.
Caveat: if anyone is interested in the analysis, I'll happily reference Mr. Hall's article but admit that I cannot understand the procedure (and cannot explain it). I long ago decided that I wasn't interested in pursuing DNA genealogy and am completely ignorant.
As a member of the New England Genealogical Society, I receive its quarterly magazine; the issue in my postbox today published a lengthy study by Richard Hall of MayflowerKin.com. Mr. Hall did exhaustive DNA sampling and analysis. His conclusion was that Mr. Lincoln and General Lee were not related--that Mr. Lincoln's Lee family is haplogroup R1b while the General's Lee family is haplogroup 11a. Although their forebears were contemporaries with the same name, living in the same area, any common ancestor would have to be thousands of years earlier. Apparently the two men needn't feel badly about not having sent each other Christmas cards.
Caveat: if anyone is interested in the analysis, I'll happily reference Mr. Hall's article but admit that I cannot understand the procedure (and cannot explain it). I long ago decided that I wasn't interested in pursuing DNA genealogy and am completely ignorant.
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