Peterson Paternal Project – Hemsworth-Morgan Branch

My half-sister Glennis has long wondered who her biological father is. Thanks to Ancestry DNA we have a great clue. She has a match with a person, I’ll call M.A., [i] who she shares 201 centimorgans of DNA across 8 segments with. M.A. does not match with me, so we know that the match is on Glennis’ paternal side. Ancestry DNA predicts the relationship to be 2nd to 3rd cousins and Blaine Bettinger’s “Shared CM Project”[ii] suggests they are second cousins. That means that she and M.A. likely share a great grandparent. The really great thing is that M.A. has all of his/her great grandparents identified. If I can take all eight of those great-grandparents and follow their descendants, possibly one of them was in the right place at the right time. If so, I will have a very likely candidate to my Glennis’ biological father.

Background notes: Glennis’s mother was 21 when Glennis was born. I estimate that Glennis’ biological father must have been between 19 and 32, suggesting a birth year from 1920 to 1934. Supposedly his name was Paul, but he went by Phil. Additionally, Glennis was probably conceived in either Minnesota or Michigan.

One of second cousin M. A.’s sets of great grandparents was James Luther Hemsworth & Mary D. Morgan, were married on 28 Aug 1881. I’m looking to see if one of their grandchildren was in the right place at the right time. Additionally, the amount of DNA shared could suggest a 2nd cousin once removed, or even a 1st cousin once or twice removed. Basically, that means I need to follow each of the Hemsworth children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to about 1940 to determine if any of them are males born between 1920 and 1934.

James Luther Hemsworth and Mary D Morgan Married 28 Aug 1881.

Stella Belinda Hemsworth (1883-?) Married Joseph Frank Stewart 18 Nov 1906

Mary Naomi Stewart – (1908-? – Married John Clifford Huber 16 Dec 1929.
They had two boys,

JC Huber was born in 1930. He lived in Michigan 1935, 1940, 1988-2001.
RL Huber was born in 1932. He lived in Michigan 1935, 1940, 1987-1998.
Both are potential candidates, Further research to follow.
Ivan Stewart (c.1910-1989) – Married Mary Eloise Not a candidate.

All known children born after 1939.
Harry Stewart (c. 1913-
Franklin James Stewart (1922-2007) – Married Inza Gay Fierce 10 Oct 1942. Unlikely candidate.

Donald Dean Stewart (c. 1925-2012) – Married Joanne Ruark in 1959. Potential Candidate.

R.E. Stewart (c. 1925) Potential Candidate.
Alma Lovelia Hemsworth (1884-?) – Married Thomas J. Morrell (c. 1878) in 1905.

Had two daughters born 1919 and 1921. No male children born before 1934.
M. C. Hemsworth (1887-1887) – Died as an infant

Olive Hemsworth (1890-?) – If a descendent of Olive, M.A. would be a 1st cousin with no generational difference.

Iza A Hemsworth (1892-?) Married Leslie W. Lamp in 1915.

Three children. Son born about 1916 – Probably too old. Unlikely.
Two daughters. Too young to have sons of interest.
Baby Girl Hemsworth (1894-1894) Died as an infant.

I finished my initial analysis of the second of four sets of great grandparents. I think I have found two potential candidates and three unlikely candidates. I have two more sets of great grandparents to look at. Possibly, I will find even better candidates there.

Endnotes

[i] I do not use the full name for living individuals unless I have received their specific permission or are citing them as a source for information.