Originally posted Sunday, June 28, 2009
Those of you who have been following the Corder Family DNA project will know that we had a genetic mismatch between two sons of Susannah [maiden name unknown] Corder, wife of Edward Corder II. Eldest son Benjamin Corder's Y-DNA signature does not match the Y-DNA signatures of younger sons Elijah Corder Sr. and Stephen Corder. This has lead us to conclude that Susannah already had one or more children when she married Edward Corder II sometime in the 1760's. It is possible that Susannah had a prior marriage, as she apparently also had one or more daughters believed to be older than Benjamin.
On January 19, 1797 Elizabeth Corder (daughter of Susannah, although she may or may not have been the biological child of Edward) married Thomas Cassidy in Burke's Garden, Tazewell County, VA (formerly Montgomery County, VA). Thomas and Elizabeth Corder Cassidy had six children before she died in about 1815. They were: Hiram b. ca 1799, Benjamin b. October 18, 1800; Elizabeth b. ca 1806; Thomas b. ca 1812; Harve b. ca 1814; and Margaret b. ca 1815.
It looks like Elizabeth named one child for her brother Benjamin. She named a younger son Harve (Harvey). Benjamin's family line uses the name Harvey frequently through the subsequent generations. Notice that Elizabeth does not name any of her children Edward, nor does she name any of her sons after her younger brothers. From what I've seen, the lines of Edward's biological sons do not use the names Benjamin or Harvey (although they do use Stephen, Edward, John [a brother to Edward II], Elijah, and Elinor [possibly the name of Edward II's mother] frequently).
Based on these naming patterns, I wonder if it makes sense to theorize that Elizabeth and Benjamin were full siblings through their mother Mary Susannah's (or Susannah Mary) first marriage, and that either Susannah's maiden name was Harvey (although if so, you would think that the name would have been passed through the younger Corder lines as well), or more likely, their biological father was named Harvey (first or last name)?
The following comments were made to the original blog post:
Laura,
I have just started to pick up work on our family where my sister left off (to save her sanity!). I have just found our connection to Edward Corder and Susannah through Elizabeth Corder (her daughter Elizabeth Payne Cassady married our Robert Dillow and Thomas Cassady lived his last years in the Robert/Elizabeth Dillow home in KY. From your research, it looks s though the Elizabeths may not be a blood line to Edward. When my brother completes the Family DNA would this verify yes or no?
I have just started to pick up work on our family where my sister left off (to save her sanity!). I have just found our connection to Edward Corder and Susannah through Elizabeth Corder (her daughter Elizabeth Payne Cassady married our Robert Dillow and Thomas Cassady lived his last years in the Robert/Elizabeth Dillow home in KY. From your research, it looks s though the Elizabeths may not be a blood line to Edward. When my brother completes the Family DNA would this verify yes or no?
Katharine, it appears that Susannah probably already had Benjamin (and therefore any of his older sisters) when she married Edward Corder. Unfortunately a DNA test for your brother won't provide any information on the Corder line. The Y-chromosome test only gives information about the direct-male line (your brother's father's, father's, father's, father's line, in other words).
I would love to keep in touch with you on the Corders, though, as we try to identify Susannah, our common ancestress. Please email me directly at genealogy@laurahenderson.com
I would love to keep in touch with you on the Corders, though, as we try to identify Susannah, our common ancestress. Please email me directly at genealogy@laurahenderson.com
Anonymous said...
Laura,
My maternal g'father was Stephen Nicholas Corder, son of James Browden (Jim) Corder, son of James Corder, son of Benjamin. I'm also very interested in following this line. Thank you for all the work you've put into this! Nicki Hughs Ryan
My maternal g'father was Stephen Nicholas Corder, son of James Browden (Jim) Corder, son of James Corder, son of Benjamin. I'm also very interested in following this line. Thank you for all the work you've put into this! Nicki Hughs Ryan
I've come across something that might possibly be of interest in the Marriage Certificates from the Hopewell Monthly Meeting in Frederick County VA. On the "5th day of 2nd month" of 1794 one Job Harvey (of Berkley Co., VA, whose parents Amos and Kissiah were deceased) married Eleanor Ellis. Witnesses signing the marriage certificate included a Susannah Carter. Probably nothing, but thought I'd note it here. Since we don't know when or where our Susannah Corder died, I don't want to entirely rule out the possibility that she might be this Susannah "Carter." Total long-shot, but worth keeping on the table.
