Latest News

 

Welcome to Genetic Lincoln.  Latest news and updates are posted here so check back often.

June 13, 2021 – The following new research write ups have been added to Nancy’s Reports on the RESEARCH page:

 1.  “Is Sarah Woodbridge the wife of William Hanks, Sr. of Richmond Co., Virginia?”
2.  “Alexander Campbell, son of Sarah Campbell Hanks”
3.  “Shipley Family” (updated 6/13/21)

Mar 20, 2021 – American Ancestors magazine has published an article (winter 2021) by Rich Hall of FamousKin.com – “Testing a Theory:  Were Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee Related?” Our appreciation to both Rich and American Ancestors magazine for permission to include this article on Genetic Lincoln. Please choose the RESEARCH tab and select “Other Reports”.

Oct 28, 2020 – In 2015 the Nancy Hanks Lincoln mtDNA Study established that Lucy Hanks (daughter of Joseph and Ann Lee Hanks) was the mother of Nancy Hanks and grandmother of Abraham Lincoln. Even so, the theory persists that Abe’s grandmother was Lucy Shipley who married James Hanks. While researching the extended Hanks families, Nancy Royce, who did extensive Shipley family research, found no evidence of a Shipley daughter named Lucy. We are grateful to Nancy Royce for submitting her recently updated Shipley Family research write up. Select OTHER REPORTS on the RESEARCH page.

Oct 27, 2020 – New Henry Sparrow research write up added to Nancy’s Reports on the RESEARCH page.

Oct 08, 2020 – As our collection of Nancy Royce’s research reports grows, we realize that the repetition of Hanks family names can be confusing. To make it an easier visual experience, we are now also providing a simple Hanks Family Tree with indiviuals hyperlinked to the appropriate research report. This can be found on the YDNA page and continues to be a work in progress.

Sept 30, 2020 – Steve Whitlock is providing his research for the provenance of the Abraham Lincoln relic featured on the RELICS page. So far, census information for William H. Bower has been added.  More to come as we complete the editing process. Thank you Steve!

Sept 30, 2020 – Two new research reports for Lincoln’s mother (Nancy Hanks Lincoln) and his maternal grandmother (Lucy Hanks) have been added to Nancy’s Reports on the RESEARCH page.

Sept 27, 2020 – Nancy Royce research report “Berry Family of Kentucky has been added to OTHER REPORTS on the RESEARCH page.

Sept 26, 2020 – Nancy Royce has submitted two research reports for Abraham Lincoln’s ancestral LEE family. From the RESEARCH tab, please select OTHER REPORTS.

Sept 15, 2020 – The Hanks YDNA page is being updated to clarify the different Hanks lineages and provide direct links to pertinent research writeups. This will be an ongoing work in progress.

Aug 05, 2020 – Genetic Lincoln and the administrators of the HANKS DNA Project at Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) are creating a database of pedigrees of autosomal DNA participants who have a line of descent from a HANKS ancestor. These pedigrees, maintained on this website, will be of great research value for all Hanks researchers. Unlike Y-DNA and mtDNA, autosomal DNA testing is not limited to just male or female. Additionally, your line of descent can zigzag back and forth between males and females. Those of you who have tested at companies other than FTDNA are also welcome but we ask that you transfer your DNA data to FTDNA so the administrators can assist with the research. FTDNA offers a free data transfer. If you are a Hanks descendant and have not yet tested, FTDNA is currently offering a $59.00 sale on their Family Finder (autosomal) test. Please send your brief lineage, along with your name and where you were tested to:   [email protected]   Thanks for participating.

May 26, 2020 – MtDNA profiles for the DNA donors of the Major Henry Reed Rathbone mtDNA Study have been changed to reflect the revised Cambridge Reference Sequence (rCRS).

May 7, 2020 – Photo of the chair where Mary Todd Lincoln was probably sitting has been added to the RELICS page. It is now believed this chair may be the source of the wood pieces that were recently DNA tested and matched the mitochondrial DNA profile of Major Henry Reed Rathbone. More will be announced as soon as possible.

Apr 26, 2020 – Nancy Royce has submitted the much-awaited research report for Abraham Lincoln’s maternal grandmother, Lucy Hanks Sparrow. You can view the Pdf file for this report on the RESEARCH page.

Mar 30, 2020 – Please view the Home Page for important breaking news! MtDNA results of Abraham Lincoln assassination relic announced.

Sept 21, 2019 – We are seeking (direct line) paternally-linked  Beckwith descendants of Warren Winslow  Beckwith (1833-1905) and/or Warren Wallace Beckwith  (1874-1955) to join the Beckwith DNA Project at Family Tree DNA.  For more information, contact Suzanne Hallstrom, administrator, Beckwith DNA Project.

Aug 13, 2019 – The Hanks YDNA page has been updated to show recommended corrections to Group-1 pedigrees.  Group-1 has also been reorganized and color-coded for clarification.  As always, this is a work in progress so check back for further updates.  Group-2 will be updated as soon as possible.

July 16, 2019 – Nancy Royce has submitted five new Hanks research reports for the RESEARCH page:

LUKE HANKS II (Elizabeth Dale) son of Luke Hanks I & Elizabeth
JOHN HANKS (Amy Swift) son of Abraham Hanks I & Jemima Million
WILLIAM HANKS (Margaret Loyd, Betsey Loyd) son of Abraham Hanks I & Jemima Million
LUKE HANKS (Celia) son of Abraham Hanks I & Jemima Million
ABRAHAM HANKS (Lucy Jennings)) son of James Hanks & Nancy LNU

July 15, 2019 –  Nancy Royce has been diligently working to rename her Hanks research reports for the RESEARCH page.  These reports are now arranged by family groups which should make researching your Hanks ancestry much easier.

July 14, 2019 – Research report for Thomas Hanks, son of Joseph and Ann Lee Hanks, added to Nancy’s Reports on the RESEARCH page.

July 5, 2019 – Research report for Charles Hanks, son of Joseph and Ann Lee Hanks, added to Nancy’s Reports on the RESEARCH page.

June 25, 2019 – Research report for William Hanks, son of Joseph and Ann Lee Hanks, added to Nancy’s Reports on the RESEARCH page.

June 19,  2019 – Our appreciation to Rich Hall of FamousKin.com for linking our website to his article:  The Lincoln-Hanks Debate

June 17, 2019 – Research report for Elizabeth Hanks, daughter of Joseph and Ann Lee Hanks, added to Nancy’s Reports on the RESEARCH page.

June 11, 2019 – New research report for Joshua Hanks, son of Joseph and Ann Lee Hanks, added to Nancy’s Reports on the RESEARCH page.

June 7, 2019 – Nancy Royce has been working on research reports for the children of Joseph and Ann Lee Hanks. We have just added Nancy’s writeup for Joseph Hanks, Jr. (born 1781), on the RESEARCH page. Joseph Hanks, Jr. was the youngest and last child of Joseph and Ann Lee Hanks.

May 28, 2019 – New research report for “Mary Hanks / Jesse Friend” added to Nancy’s Reports on RESEARCH page. Mary Hanks was daughter of Joseph and Ann Lee Hanks.

Apr 27, 2019 – New research report for “James Hanks son of Wm and Hester” added to Nancy’s Reports on RESEARCH page.

Apr 10, 2019 – William Hanks III (son of Wm and Hester) (married Sarah Durham) research report added to Nancy’s Reports on RESEARCH page.

Mar 29, 2019 – William Hanks II (married Hester Mills) research report added to Nancy’s Reports on RESEARCH page.

Mar 28, 2019 – Pardon our delay in updating the Genetic Lincoln website while we updated the computer system. Nancy Royce has sent several new Hanks research writeups which will be added to the RESEARCH page soon.  Thanks for your patience.   …Suzanne

Jan 3, 2019 – The link to the video of Richard G. Hileman’s 2017 presentation, “The Search for Nancy Hanks”, has been added to the NHL mtDNA page. We are grateful to Rich for representing the Nancy Hanks Lincoln mtDNA Study with his presentations. Many thanks also to Jane Gastineau, the Lincoln Librarian of the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, IN for her enthusiastic support of the NHL mtDNA study.

Jan 1, 2019 – Happy New Year!  Five new research reports have been added to Nancy’s Reports on the Research Page: Turner Hanks, Abraham Hanks II, Sarah Hanks line (dau of Abe II), Mary Hanks Ringo, and Dulcena Hanks.

Dec 14, 2018 – Photo of Lt. William H. Bower, an officer who guarded Ford’s Theatre after Lincoln’s assassination has been added to the Relics Page.

Nov 29, 2018 – Pedigrees for Hanks DNA Project Group-2 have been added to the Hanks Y-DNA Page.

Nov 13, 2018 – Pedigrees for Hanks DNA Project Group-1 have been added to the Hanks Y-DNA Page.

Oct 20, 2018 – Genetic Lincoln is pleased to announce the results of the Major Henry Reed Rathbone mtDNA Study. See the MAIN page for full details. Many thanks to my colleague, Steve Whitlock for working on this project with me.

Oct 12, 2018 – New discussion on the HANKS Y-DNA page and new image added to RELICS page.

Oct 9, 2018 – Joseph Hanks research report added to RESEARCH page. Luke Hanks I report has been updated.

Sept 18, 2018 – Two research reports (Luke Hanks I & Abraham Hanks I) added to RESEARCH page.

Sept 14, 2018 – Additional information and images added to RELICS page.

Sept 12, 2018 – Many thanks to Judy Kellar Fox for providing an article for the RESEARCH page.

Sept 4, 2018 – Images added to RELICS page.

Sept 2, 2018 – Additional content has been added to the RELICS page. Images will be added as soon as I conquer the image enhancer Plug-In.  …Suzanne

Aug 30, 2018 – To date, four research reports have been added to the RESEARCH page with more to come. Thank you Nancy Royce for sharing your many years of Hanks research.