In Search of Civil War Service and a Missing Man

James Kirk, my third great-grandfather, was born on January 2, 1830, in Licking County, Ohio. He was 31 years old when Confederate forces began shelling Fort Sumter in April 1861 - sparking the four-year American Civil War. 

Did James Kirk enlist during the Civil War?

According to FamilySearch, most of the conflict's 2.75 million soldiers were born between 1801 and 1849, making James a prime candidate for military service.

In about 1851, James married Hester Griffith (their Licking County marriage record was destroyed in a courthouse fire in 1875). Their first child was born in July 1852. 

According to his 1917 death notice, published in the The Des Moines Register, James "was one of the early pioneers of Polk County, having settled here in 1858."

Sure enough, James and his growing family were enumerated in the 1860 US Federal Census more than 600 miles west of Ohio in Saylor Township, Polk County, Iowa. 

1860 US Federal Census: Saylor Township, Polk County, Iowa

The death notice was very brief and made no mention of any military service. Was this an indication that he never served?

In June 1863, James Kirk was enumerated on an Iowa Civil War draft registration record. Recording "all persons of Class I, subject to do military duty..." it listed his residence as Saylor Township in Polk County, his age as 33 years, his occupation as farmer, that he was married and born in Ohio.

June 1863 Iowa Civil War Draft Registration, enumerating James Kirk

Again, according to FamilySearch, "By 1863 it became necessary for the federal government to enroll and draft men into the Army. The Conscription Act declared that men between the ages of 20 and 45 were eligible for duty." Class I men, like James, were aged 20-35 and subject to military service.

Where's the evidence of service?

James Kirk next appeared in Walnut Township, Polk County, Iowa, where he was enumerated in the 1870 and 1880 US Federal censuses.

Unfortunately, neither census asked whether an individual was a military veteran. The 1880 census did ask whether an individual was "Maimed, Crippled, Bedridden, or otherwise disabled," which could hint at a war injury. But, for James, this column was blank.

In 1895, the Iowa state census offered the first direct opportunity for James to confirm whether he was a veteran of the war.

Now aged 65 and a widower, James lived with his son Henry Banning Kirk. The census included columns to record the company, regiment, state, and arm of service and rank for "Soldiers, Sailors and Mariners in War of the Rebellion." The fields alongside James' name were left blank, suggesting that he was not a veteran.

1895 Iowa State Census

It seemed that I had my answer and the case was closed. For reasons unknown, James was apparently never drafted or enlisted into the military.

However, before I could put the research question to rest, I wanted to find additional evidence to corroborate what the 1895 state census was telling me. It should have been easy to do. After all, the 1910 US Federal Census and both the 1905 and 1915 Iowa state censuses recorded military service during the Civil War. Given that James lived to 1917, he should have been included in each document, providing additional evidence to help me close this case once and for all.

Continuing to trace James forward in time, he next appeared in the 1900 US Federal Census where he still lived with his son Henry in Webster Township, Polk County, Iowa. He was a 70 year-old widower whose occupation was "capitalist." There was no clue to whether he served during the Civil War.

1900 US Federal Census; Webster Township, Polk County, Iowa

Curiously, my search for James turned up a new, unanticipated challenge: he disappeared and apparently eluded enumeration in subsequent federal and state censuses. 

Where was James Kirk between 1900 and 1917?

After the turn of the 20th century, James Kirk was absent from census records. I've still not located him in the 1905 or 1915 Iowa state censuses, and I haven't found him in the 1910 US Federal Census. He didn't live with any of his seven children in the decennial enumeration. 

Where would an elderly widower disappear to?

The innocuous effort to determine whether he was a war veteran transitioned to a missing persons search. 

James was MIA until April 1917 when he was committed to the Polk County Insane Asylum, where he died on August 29th of that year.

Where had he been for the prior 17 years?

20th century social media yields clues

An answer came in the form of the 20th century version of today's social media: the local newspaper's society pages.

Searching the ever-expanding collection of digitized historic American newspapers on Chronicling America, I found James, many times over the 17-year gap.

The Leon Reporter, a local paper covering the town of Leon and surrounding communities in Decatur County, Iowa, tracked James' visits to his sister, Sarah (Kirk) Eaton, and, in later years, her daughter Ella (Eaton) Hamilton.

Although the paper began circulation in 1887, Chronicling America's earliest digitized copy dates to December 1899. The first mention of James appeared in a July 1902 issue:

Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa, 17 July 1902

The newspaper confirmed that James lived in Grimes, Iowa in 1902. Grimes is a city that overlaps both Dallas and Polk counties in Iowa. Grimes was already familiar to me. James was eventually buried in Grimes' Sunny Hill Cemetery alongside his wife Hester who pre-deceased him in 1889.

Nearly seven years later, in March 1909, James was mentioned again. This time he was recorded visiting his niece Ella Hamilton, daughter to his sister Sarah.

Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa, 04 March 1909

James' residence was now Granger, a town about seven miles northwest of Grimes. Was this where he was enumerated in the 1910 federal census (or where he should have been enumerated)? Why could I not find him?

In 1913, James was mentioned on four separate occasions (January 16, January 23, March 13, and April 24). Each mention seemed to indicate that James was now a resident of Leon, perhaps living with his niece Ella.

For example, "Mr. Len Hamilton [Ella's husband] and uncle James Kirk were city callers Wednesday afternoon" and "Mrs. Ella Hamilton and uncle James Kirk were business callers in Leon Monday."

But fast-forward to September 1914, and a society page clipping indicated that James still lived in Grimes.

Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa, 03 September 1914

In March 1914, Ella's husband Len Hamilton died. Seven months later, in October 1914, the society pages recorded the widow taking on a caretaker role for her uncle.

Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa, 29 October 1914

From subsequent mentions in the newspaper, James lived with his niece through 1915. In one mention, we learn that his son Henry came for a visit from Grimes. Perhaps James was living with his son Henry in 1902 and 1914 when the newspaper gave his residence as Grimes.

By autumn of 1916, James was no longer a resident of Leon. In September of that year, the society page labeled him a visitor.

Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa, 14 September 1916

James left for Gentryville, Missouri for an extended visit with his son James Jr., nearly seventy miles southwest of Leon. About a month later, both father and son were again recorded in Leon's newspaper having come "for a visit with relatives in this city." This was James' last recorded visit to Leon.

Eleven months later, the society pages wrote of Ella's travels to Grimes where she attended James' funeral. The paper recalled that he "was well known by a number of Leon people, having been a frequent visitor at the Mrs. Hamilton home in this city."

Apparently, the old man was bounced around from home to home. Perhaps that would explain why he was never recorded in the 1905 and 1915 Iowa state censuses nor the 1910 US Federal census. Or maybe I've simply overlooked him and he will eventually turn up.

In the absence of census enumerations, the usefulness of local newspapers is clear. The Leon Reporter helped trace James' whereabouts over the last 17 years of his life when traditional genealogical records like the census failed, underscoring the value of newspapers in research.

In the end, I seem to have confirmed that James wasn't a Civil War veteran and, I also found him, when I didn't even realize he was missing.

That's the thing about genealogy, one research question always leads to another...

Picturing The Kirk Family's Westward Movement: Ohio to Iowa

On March 8, 1827, Vachel Kirk and Jane Delzell married in Licking County, Ohio. The young couple - my fourth great-grandparents - started their lives together on the rugged Ohio frontier.

Licking County, Ohio Marriage Register recording nuptials of Vachel and Jane (Delzell) Kirk

Soon, the family began to grow. On February 22, 1828, Jane gave birth to a daughter named Sarah. Two years later, on January 2, 1830, the family welcomed the birth of a boy named James, my third great-grandfather.

In March 1832, tragedy struck the growing Kirk family. Vachel died when he was just 26 years old, leaving his young widow - who was four months pregnant - alone to raise their family.

Less than four months later, on August 16, 1832, Jane - now a single mother - gave birth to a son named Vachel Jr. in honor of the family's recently departed patriarch.

Probate Settlement and Resettlement in Iowa 

The settlement of Vachel's estate dragged on for several years. Finally, on April 11, 1835, the proceedings of the Licking County Court of Common Pleas awarded legal guardianship of the three Kirk children to their mother Jane.

Jane Kirk awarded guardianship, Licking County Court of Common Pleas 1835

During her widowhood, Jane (Delzell) Kirk was one of those rare examples of a woman appearing on a pre-1850 census by name because she was now the de facto head of household. The 1840 US Federal Census gives a sense that, although she was a single mother, she had the support of her family. Jane and her three children were enumerated living between her brothers Robert and James Delzell.

1840 US Federal Census, Licking County, Ohio

In the ensuing decades, the Kirk children would grow, marry, and begin families of their own in Ohio.

• On March 3, 1847, Sarah Kirk married Francis Eaton, son of Oren Eaton who was enumerated in the 1840 census just two doors down from Jane Kirk.

• On September 22, 1851, James Kirk married Hester Griffith.

• On March 20, 1858, Vachel Kirk Jr. married Mahala Lawrence.

Eventually, the allure of westward expansion piqued their curiosity. That comes as no great surprise since many of Jane's late husband's siblings had already moved to Crawford County, Illinois. Her children, though, opted to move further west from Ohio to the farmlands of Iowa.

James was the first to move. An 1880-published history of Polk County, Iowa, featured a biographical sketch of his life. While in Ohio, "he learned the cooper's trade, and followed it until the spring of 1858, when he came to this county [Polk County, Iowa]."

Next up was Sarah (Kirk) Eaton's family. Years later, her obituary would recall that, "In 1865 they removed to Iowa, and in 1870 came to Leon..." Her family was enumerated in West, Montgomery County, Iowa in the 1870 US Federal Census enumeration.

In 1866, Vachel Jr's wife, Mahala, passed away in Ohio when she was about 30 years old. His obituary noted that, "Mr. Kirk then came west with his two little children, bringing his mother [Jane Delzell Kirk] with him to care for them." By 1870, he was settled in Morning Sun, Louisa County, Iowa.

With Vachel Jr.'s move, the widow Jane and her three children and their families were now all settled in Iowa.

Kirk children's location in Iowa for the 1870 US Federal Census

Picture This: 20th Century Ancestors

I'm particularly interested in the Iowa branch of my Kirk family because each of Jane's children lived well into the age of photography:

• Sarah (Kirk) Eaton passed away on November 23, 1912 at the age of 84. She was survived by four daughters: Mrs. Emma Harvey, Mrs. Len Hamilton, Mrs. W.A. Hunt, and Mrs. Sam Rush.

• Vachel Kirk Jr. passed away on October 13, 1916 at the age of 84. He was survived by two children: Mr. Frank Kirk and Mrs. Flora Jarvis. 

• James Kirk passed away on August 29, 1917 at the age of 87. He was survived by four sons: William, Henry, James, and Charles Kirk; and three daughters: Mary Scovel, Jennette "Nettie" Seibert, and Bessie Clarke.

Despite living during the first part of the 20th century, I've never seen a photo of any of them.

Is there a photograph of James Kirk, my third great-grandfather, tucked away in a dusty Iowa attic? Or maybe a picture survives of one of his siblings or even their mother Jane, who passed away in 1886?

I'm putting it out into the universe and we'll see what the internet turns up. The search is on for descendants with more of the Iowa Kirk story. Stay tuned!

The Daughter of a Preacher Man

Hester (Griffith) Kirk was a preacher's daughter.

At least that's my working hypothesis. Turn the volume down on that Dusty Springfield track, and let me tell you why I think so.

Hester Griffith was my third great-grandmother. She married James Kirk in Ohio in about 1851 (sadly, their marriage record was likely destroyed in Licking County's 1875 courthouse fire). They moved to Polk County, Iowa in the spring of 1858 and raised a family of eight children.

Tracing Hester's parents quickly ran into the roadblock we see for many women in pre-1850 American censuses. They're not enumerated by name unless they were a head of household. I wasn't finding Hester with her parents.

Hester's first known appearance by name was in the 1850 census. She was 22 years old; born in about 1828 in Delaware. She was living with Nathan and Eliza Dodd. Nathan worked as a cooper and, just like Hester, was enumerated with $400 in "Value of Real Estate Owned."

1850 US Federal Census, Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio

Who were Nathan and Eliza Dodd? Nathan's occupation immediately struck a chord because Hester's soon-to-be husband, James Kirk, was also a cooper in 1850 (but in Licking County about 50 miles northeast of Pickaway County). An 1880-published biography of James Kirk recalled that, "While young, he learned the cooper's trade..." Did James Kirk meet Nathan Dodd through their shared profession? Perhaps James, who was ten years younger than Nathan, was apprenticed to him? I believe barrel-making is how James met Hester.

But still, what was the relationship between the Dodds and Hester?

Sister Undercover

My initial guess was that Eliza Ann Dodd, who was born in Maryland in about 1820, was a sister to Hester. A March 1849 marriage record in Pickaway County, Ohio provided supporting evidence in the form of a surname match. Nathan Dodd married Eliza Ann Griffith.

March 1849 Marriage Record for Nathan Dodd and Eliza Ann Griffith

Was Hester living with her sister because their parents were deceased? Did Hester and the Dodds both have $400 in owned real estate because they inherited it from a probate settlement?

That's where I left the case for a couple years. I set Hester aside and turned to other genealogy research.

Email Opens Cold Case

In December 2016, I received an email from a researcher who stumbled onto my blog.

The message was to the point: "I may have some information of value to you. I believe I have established the parents of Hester Griffith who married a Kirk."

If that doesn't win you over to the value of blogging your family history, nothing will!

During our correspondence, I learned that she was researching her fourth great-grandfather William Banning Murphy. In the course of her research, she came across an 1814 land record that was recently digitized by the Maryland State Archives.

The deed recorded William Murphy Jr, son of William Banning Murphy, paying $200 to Ferdinand and Mary Griffith in exchange for "their right of that tract or tracts or parcel of lands lying..." in Dorchester County, Maryland.

More importantly, the deed specifies that Mary, husband of Ferdinand Griffith, was the daughter of the late William Banning Murphy. She was selling her share of her father's estate to her brother. [Quick aside: The middle name Banning raised my eyebrow; Hester named one of her sons Henry Banning Kirk.]

September 23, 1814 Maryland deed between
William Murphy Jr and Ferdinand and Mary Griffith

Having linked Ferdinand and Mary Griffith to her Murphy family, the researcher began stitching together their movements.

She wrote, "Ferdinand Griffith was the trustee for a Methodist Episcopal Church in Federalsburg, Caroline Co, MD in 1815; he was a preacher at a Methodist Church in Kent County area of DE in 1820-1830 time frame; and he was a minister in Pickaway, Ohio by 1840."

An itinerant preacher could explain the varied geography that appeared in the Griffith family pedigree:

• Eliza Ann (Griffith) Dodd was born in Maryland.
• Hester (Griffith) Kirk was born in Delaware.
• Both Griffith women were living together in Pickaway County, Ohio.

The Itinerant Preacher

Who was Ferdinand Griffith? He didn't appear in the 1850 census, but he was in Pickaway County, Ohio in 1840 along with seven other unnamed individuals in his household.

1840 US Federal Census, Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio

I assume the Reverend Ferdinand Griffith was the male aged 50 to 59. 

Born in about 1828, Hester Griffith would have been around 12 years old in 1840. There was a girl enumerated between the ages of 10 and 14. Was that Hester?

Eliza Ann Griffith would have been about 20 years old in 1840. There were two women enumerated between the ages of 15 and 19. Was one of them Eliza Ann?

But look at the size of that household! There were eight people. Was it not only possible that Hester and Eliza were siblings, but that they had other brothers and sisters?

A general search of census records turned up another single female Griffith in Pickaway County, Ohio. Elizabeth Griffith was living with Benjamin and Eliza Byers and two children both named George Byers (one 3 years old and the other 2 months). 

1850 US Federal Census, Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio

Was this single Elizabeth Griffith a sister to Hester and Eliza Ann? Born in about 1830, she would have been around ten years old in 1840. Jumping back to Ferdinand's 1840 household, there was a female enumerated between the ages of 10 and 14, which I initially pinpointed as Hester, but there was also a female between the ages of 5 and 9. Was Elizabeth that child? Without exact birth dates it's difficult to assign precise ages, so we'll put a pin in this question for now.

Church Minutes Link Griffiths

I returned from vacation to a package from the Pickaway County Historical and Genealogical Library. A fantastic researcher had dug into the Griffiths, and found mention of the family in the minutes of Leader's meetings from the Community Methodist Church in Circleville.

The minutes established a timeline for Ferdinand, and - by proxy of mentioning Eliza, Hester, and Elizabeth - brought the cast of characters together, strengthening the case that they were likely family.

• September 20, 1838, "On motion, it was resolved that Ferdinand Griffith and Eliza Ann Griffith be put into George Bruner's Class."

• October 17, 1838, Ferdinand Griffith was one of the "Local preachers" present for a leader's meeting.

• December 6, 1838, Ferdinand Griffith was one of the "Local preachers" present for a leader's meeting.

• December 6, 1838, "On motion, resolved that Ferdinand Griffith and Mary Griffith be put in William McArthur's Class." Is this Mary Griffith Ferdinand's wife?

• December 6, 1838, "On motion, resolved that Eliza Griffith be put in Jason Case' Class."

• March 25, 1840, "The following persons were then received on probation to wit:...Elizabeth Griffith...Hester Jane Griffith..." That's the first mention of my third great-grandmother, Hester, and with her middle name! 

• June 8, 1844, "The Leaders Meeting was opened with singing; and prayer by Bro. F. Griffith." 

• August 24, 1846, "He [Rev Wornock] also reported that Elizabeth Griffith and William Greenleaf had been laid aside for neglect of class." 

The Long Goodbye

The Pickaway researcher also found mention of Ferdinand Griffith in the County's 1846 tax book. The entry listed "Griffith Ferdinand Heirs of" having paid 22.5 cents in tax on lot 23 in Circleville, which was valued at $50.22.

1846 Circleville, Pickaway County Property Tax Book

Ferdinand had passed away sometime between when he delivered the opening prayer at the church leader's meeting on June 8, 1844 and 1846 when his heirs paid property tax. I need to investigate whether there are other tax or land records that can help narrow this timeline. 

There's also a perplexing question regarding Ferdinand's probate file. Except for a letter of administration, there are no other records overviewing the estate's settlement. Nothing to name heirs. 

Oddly, the letter of administration is dated April 9, 1850 - four years after Ferdinand's heirs are listed on the property tax record. Why would it take so long for an administrator to be assigned?

Ferdinand Griffith Pickaway County Probate file, Letter of Administration, April 9, 1850

Ferdinand Griffith Pickaway County Probate file, Letter of Administration, April 9, 1850

Also, what does the name of the administrator look like to you? Is it John Boyce? Bryce? It's not Byers, right?

DNA To Top It Off

There's a lot of circumstantial evidence that brings Ferdinand and Hester into the same orbit, suggesting that they were father and daughter. But none of the records say it explicitly. 

Could DNA help tip the scales and provide greater certainty in answering this question?

The Murphy researcher who first reached out to me in 2016 had not yet taken a DNA test, but opted to do so. While we waited for her results, I began trawling through the Ancestry database to see if I could link any of my kits to known descendants of William Banning Murphy.

Sure enough, I was able to surface three matches to people who descend from William Banning Murphy's son William Murphy Jr (the same man who was party to the deed with Ferdinand and Mary Griffith). All three Murphy descendants were genetic matches to a single kit I administer for a woman who is a great-granddaughter of Hester (Griffith) Kirk.

DNA Matches to William Banning Murphy Descendants

The amount of shared DNA and projected relationships between the kit I administer and the Murphy descendants were in alignment, based on Blaine Bettinger's The Shared cM Project, with what I would expect to see if Hester (Griffith) Kirk was a granddaughter of William Banning Murphy.

The DNA evidence seemed to support the theory that her mother was Mary Murphy who married the Reverend Ferdinand Griffith.

As a cherry on top, the DNA results recently came back for the Murphy descendant who first alerted me to Hester's likely parentage. Sure enough, she was a match!

DNA Match to William Banning Murphy Descendant

Although the search for additional records continues, the preponderance of evidence strongly suggests that Hester (Griffith) Kirk was the daughter of the Reverend Ferdinand Griffith and his wife Mary Murphy. I feel confident that I have found my fourth great-grandparents.

Grandpa Reappeared in the Insane Asylum

James Kirk was a successful farmer. In the 1870 census, he owned property valued at $3,600. Thirty years later, he gave his occupation as "Capitalist" on the 1900 census.

Perhaps that success and confidence was what landed my 3rd great-grandfather's biography in the 1880-published volume, The History of Polk County, Iowa. Along with other esteemed citizens, James' biography provided a pithy summation of his life up to that time. It was a gold mine for his genealogist progeny.

But James' later life holds some mystery. The final 37 years become very hazy.

In the 1900 Federal Census, James was living with his son Henry in Webster Township, Polk County, Iowa. Ten years later, he is nowhere to be found in the 1910 Federal Census, and there's no trace of him in Iowa's 1905 and 1915 state censuses. Where did this accomplished gentleman disappear to?

James and his wife Hester Griffith had eleven children. Seven of them were alive at the time of the 1880 biography, and each of them survived both of their parents. Yet, James was not enumerated with any of his kids in 1905, 1910, or 1915. Where was he?

From the unknown, James made a dramatic reappearance at the Polk County Insane Asylum. From a Record of the Insane, I learned that "Kirk J" was committed on April 14, 1917.

Insane Records 1910-1927, Polk County Insane Asylum

Less than two months later, on June 10, 1917, "Kirk, J" was paroled from the Polk County Insane Asylum. No explanation was provided for his committal or release.

Insane Records 1910-1927, Polk County Insane Asylum

Exactly one month after his release, the records simply state that "Kirk" was "Returned" on July 10, 1917.

Insane Records 1910-1927, Polk County Insane Asylum

The final record states that "Kirk, J" died on August 29, 1917 while a resident of the asylum.

Insane Records 1910-1927, Polk County Insane Asylum

Four short records hint at James' curious final four months in the Polk County Insane Aslyum, yet reveal nothing about who had him committed or for what reasons. His death certificate listed the cause of death as Acute Intestinal Intoxication with old age a contributing factor.

His daughter Mary (Kirk) Scovel was the informant on the death certificate, but another careful review of her appearances in the 1910 and 1915 census records still doesn't reveal James' whereabouts.

He must have been a man of some means at the time of his death. He was buried in Sunny Hill Cemetery instead of the city cemetery (which would be expected if he died in the asylum as a pauper), and his grave is marked by a large - presumably expensive - granite memorial.

My research continues with the hopes of locating his obituary and probate records. Given that he lived until 1917 - well into the age of photography - I am hopeful that not only can I pinpoint his movements in his final years, but also see his face.

Family Mystery Part IV: DNA Doesn't Lie

A couple years ago, I stumbled onto a non-paternal event after discovering a birth certificate for my paternal grandfather that listed his father as Jimmy Kirk. Jimmy Kirk was not my great-grandfather's name. At least not the name of the man I believed to be my great-grandfather.

Shortly after this discovery, I heard a family rumor that my great-grandmother had a relationship with a man who worked at the water reservoir beside her home. 

I've blogged my way through this mystery. Catch up on all of the sordid details to-date:

• A Family History Mystery Revealed
• Family Mystery Part II: Identifying the Watchman
• Family Mystery Part III: Are You My Grandpa?

I identified Samuel James Kirk as the likely candidate for my biological paternal great-grandfather, but I still needed something more than conjecture, rumor, and hunches to give me solid answers on which I could stake my surname.

Could there be a role for DNA?

Samuel James Kirk was the son of William Frank Kirk. In total, Samuel had ten siblings (six brothers and four sisters). Unfortunately, they're all deceased. To find answers, I would have to move on to the next generation. One of Samuel's brothers had a daughter who is still alive. 

Autosomal DNA Test

I found an address for her, wrote her a letter, and over the course of several months she shared information on her Kirk family history. In November 2014, she agreed to take an autosomal DNA test with Ancestry.com. 

An email finally arrived with the long-awaited news that her results were in; however, it took a full day for her genetic matches to populate. The wait was torture thrilling! 

Her four closest matches were (drum roll, please...) my father, my aunt, my uncle, and myself.

Bingo! DNA had confirmed a winner.

Ancestry.com estimated her relationship to my dad and his siblings as second cousins. In actual fact, they would be first cousins once removed. This relationship prediction aligned exactly how I would expect it to if Samuel James Kirk was my great-grandfather. 

Based on this genetic evidence, I had finally latched onto the correct Kirk family. Great-grandma did indeed have a very friendly relationship with the reservoir watchman!

Y-DNA Test
After the autosomal DNA test connected me to the correct Kirk family, I began mapping out the family tree. I wanted to locate a direct male Kirk descendant to further confirm the initial DNA results. In preparation, both my father and I took Y-DNA tests with FamilyTreeDNA. 

My Kirk genealogy determined that William Frank Kirk was the son of James Kirk (1830 - 1917). James and his wife Hester Griffith had eight children, including James Kirk, Jr. 

Following James Jr.'s descendants, I eventually landed on a male Kirk cousin living in the Midwest. Judging by our family tree, he would be my third cousin once removed. But would the DNA confirm the relationship?

I mailed him a letter explaining my interest in researching the Kirk family tree, and then I asked if he would take a DNA test. (It must be so odd to receive a request like that out of the blue!) He wasn't weirded out.

I received a phone call from the cousin. He was on board. I had a Y-DNA test kit shipped to him and after several months (it took him a while to actually take the test) the sample was at the lab for analysis.

In early July 2015, his results came back. He was a very close match with a genetic distance of 1 (on a fast changing marker) for 67 markers. Based on those results, it was safe to say that we did share a common male ancestor - James Kirk - as the paper trail suggested.

Again, DNA had reinforced the case for my link to the Kirk family.

How Far Can I Go?

While I was waiting for the Y-DNA results to arrive, I continued researching the Kirk family tree. I was able to push the paternal line as far back as the paper trail currently supports. 

The furthest my male Kirk line can be traced is to a man named Thomas Kirk (c.1778 - 1846) who was married to Sarah Louise Bonar and lived in Licking County, Ohio. 

After one non-paternal event, you get a bit skittish and begin to only trust the science. The truth DNA brings to genealogy is both refreshing and a confidence builder in the accuracy of your research. Could I genetically confirm Thomas as my 5th great-grandfather?

I would need to find and test another direct male descendant of one of his sons. Fortunately, Thomas had 12 children. Nine of them were boys. There was no shortage of Y-DNA to track down.

I descend from Thomas' eldest child Vachel Kirk. Zeroing in on Thomas' eighth son Greenberry Dorsa Kirk, I eventually found a direct male descendant who was willing to take a 67-marker Y-DNA test.

In late August, his results came back. He was a close match to my father with a genetic distance of two (the same fast changing marker mentioned above and a slow marker).

The test again reinforced the paper trail: I am a descendant of Thomas Kirk. 

Genetic Genealogy Is Here To Stay

The entire mystery of my grandfather's paternity would not have been solved with any level of confidence without the DNA tests.

Genetic genealogy is now a fundamental tool in the genealogist's toolkit. In fact, DNA will likely play a key role in helping to learn the ancestry of Thomas Kirk and his national origins. 

I look forward to the adventure and my newfound role as a citizen scientist. Now where did I put my lab coat?