www.itowler.com

Familytreedna.com is offering a great sale for the remainder of the month.  FamilytreeDNA.com is a DNA testing company that focuses on Genealogy.  To date they have 157,583 Y-DNA records, 91,097 mtDNA records, and 5,424 SURNAME PROJECTS.  One of those surname projects is the Toler 2 (Virginia) project,

I am not sure that I have ever mentioned it, but I descend from several individuals that fought in the American Revolution.  I actually share a surname with one: Joseph Towler (click on the name to view my genealogy data).  Using some online Genealogy resources, I discovered that Joseph Towler Fought with the 7th Virginia Regiment.  I have even found a few images of Muster Rolls from the unit (see the image on the right, click to enlarge).  I find these records really fascinating, as they provide more insight into the lives of the people that are included. 

Last week I talked about a "New Toler" line be discovered, and the Last person in the line that we could trace was Russell Toler.  This discovery was a little bit of a surprise for me, and a few of the other Toler / Towler researchers that I know.  Part of the reason for the surprise is that they are come from Virginia, and moved into Indiana, like my ancestors, but these are all names that I have not run across before.  The other "twist" to the surprise is that they end up in Kansas, and we had a ancestor, Caleb Anthony that was in Kansas (albeit not the same town).  Well I have done a little more digging, but have not been able to find all that much.  The only real solid clue that we have so far is from the 1870 US Census record.

As of today, there have been 3 people who have taken the 67 marker DNA test for the Toler / Towler DNA Project.  I started off with the 67 marker test, and then 2 other have upgraded from the 12 to the 67.  One of the upgrades can trace his line back to David Toler of WV.  The other upgrade is a mystery.  I was talking and we discovered that we may have found a "New Toler" branch.  Obviously it is not a "new line" but it is new to me and the other Toler / Towler researchers, and as such it is a bit of a mystery....

Last week I wrote about the DNA results, but I did not put up the MRCA chart.  MRCA stands for Most recent Common Ancestor.  It turns out that I am a 67 for 67 match with a descendant of the David Toler line in WV.  That means that we are definitely related.  I have included a chart for you below that shows the chances that our MRCA (Most Recent Common Ancestor) is within a certain generation.

About a week ago I talked about my line, and when put into perspective with Ray Toler's book, you can propose a line that goes back more than 400 years.  Well recently a descendant of a the David Toler line (a Line that is deeply rooted in WV) had his DNA tests upgraded to 67 markers (from 12).  This was done to provide us more insight.  Well....the results are in.  We are a 67 for 67 match.  This means that both the David Toler line of WV and

Recently more DNA Genealogy results have come in, and this has caused me to re-examine my lineage.  Thanks to the work that I and a few cousins have done, I have been able to trace my linage back 9 generations.  Each of these generations has a document or more that helps substantiate the link (again thanks to some cousins for their work).

There are a few documents that are KEY to research in some families, and the Toler/Towler family has a few "Must See" documents.  One of those documents is Winston Dalton's Register.  Mr. Dalton's register is an old register of births, deaths and marriages which seem to have occurred, for the most part at least, in the northern portion of Pittsylvania and the southern part of Bedford counties, Virginia.

Big news on the Toler / Towler / Toller surname front.  About 6 months ago I took a DNA test to help add some clues to the info that I have already uncovered.  Using DNA for genealogy is still kind of a new thing; with lots of people still not sure what it can do or tell you.  Working with DNA on a day to day basis and having done a Masters Thesis on DNA evolution, I have a pretty good grasp on the power that this new tool for genealogy offers.  I am hoping that the DNA results will provide solid evidence for a time period that records are scarce.

It's been a little while, but now some results are starting to shed some light.  DNA results indicate that my ancestors are not related to the Toler/Towler clan that is found in North Carolina.  In addition I have a 12 for 12 match on DNA to the Toler clan of West Virginia, with the patriarch of David Toler.  And lastly, I have a 25 for 25 match to another Toler line, which comes out of Virginia.  So what does this all mean?