Philip ANDERSON ²

  Research Notes:

In 2006, I recruited LeRoy Anderson, a direct male descendant of Philip Anderson by his son Richard and by Richard's son John, to participate in the Anderson DNA Project at Family Tree DNA, the website for which can be viewed at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~andersondna/. He is represented by Kit #70815 in Group 4. The goal was to see whether our line matched up with any other lines and, if so, whether those matches would help identify Philip's line of ancestors. While this goal was achieved and I am reasonably confident Philip's immigrant ancestor was Anders Jöransson of the New Sweden Colony, questions as to Philip's exact lineage remain.

As of Jan 2007, there were 13 matches with LeRoy over 37 markers. Most of these matches had a genetic distance of 1, i.e, they matched on 36 of the 37 markers, but there were also some matches at genetic distances of 2, 3 and 4 (more than 4 means the subjects were probably not related). The closer the genetic distance the more likely the subjects shared a common ancestor within the near past as opposed to the distant past. Family Tree DNA predicts, for example, that with respect to those within a genetic distance of 1, the probability that the most recent common ancestor was within 7 generations (we know from the paper trail he was not within 6 generations) is 27%, within 8 generations is 48%, within 9 generations is 63%, within 10 generations is 74%, and so forth, eventually hitting 99.9%. Traditional research then comes back into play in order to identify the most recent common ancestor.

The fact there were so many matches (13 out of 173 participants as of Jan 2007) suggests this Anderson lineage began early in America and probably has many branches here. The Haplogroup for this group of participants is I1a, which is commonly associated with Scandinavian populations. While this suggests our Anderson lineage is Scandinavian in origin, one must be mindful that this Haplogroup is also found in the British Isles, probably because of long ago Viking invasions, so the more recent national origin could have been Scandinavian or Scottish. However, for reasons set forth below, I believe our Anderson line is Scandinavian.

Two participants who were a match for LeRoy, namely Kits #17206 and 69202, share results at one marker that set them apart from the others. This marker is DYS 464, which mutates more rapidly than any of the other markers and which therefore can be useful in tracking changes in a lineage. I have been advised by DNA experts that the fact LeRoy and these other two participants share a mutation at that marker that is not shared by the others with whom they match strongly suggests they belong to a specific branch of this larger lineage.

The proven immigrant ancestor of Kit #17206 (the only member of Group 4 of the Anderson DNA Project whose immigrant ancestor has been proven) is Anders Jöransson, a certified forefather of the New Sweden Colony in America. Anders Jöransson and his Anderson descendants have been researched and documented by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig, the noted historian of the Swedish Colonial Society. Per Dr. Craig's research, Anders and his wife Sophia were probably both born in Sweden, but were probably of Finnish extraction. Most likely they immigrated to the New Sweden Colony c. 1663-1664, when it was then under Dutch rule. The first known record of Anders Jöransson in America is a 1664 land patent showing he and his wife, Sophia, had moved from Delaware to Maryland. Since their first child was born 1664-1665, they probably met on one of the Dutch ships bringing Finns to New Castle in 1663-1664 and married soon thereafter. Anders and his family did not stay in Maryland long, having moved back to Delaware by 1671. In 1675, they moved across the Delaware River to Salem Co., NJ, where Anders died that year. By 1678, Sophia had married again to Broer Sinnicksson. Sophia survived her second husband as well, dying in 1717. Anders and Sophia had five children, all sons: Christiern Andersson, who preferred to be known by his father's patronymic name, Jöransson; Jöran Andersson; Jöns Andersson; Eric Andersson; and Peter Andersson.

The patronymic naming system -- the system whereby a son's surname was his father's given name with "son" added as a suffix ("dotter" in the case of daughters) -- which was discontinued by early Swedish immigrants to America by the late 17th century and was later discontinued in Sweden by the middle of the 19th century, plays an important role in analyzing the Y-DNA results for those in Group 4 of the Anderson DNA Project. In the case of the immigrant Anders Jöransson, his children's patronymic name (Andersson) was adopted as the family surname. Since Anders Jöransson was the source of the Anderson surname in this country, at least as to his descendants, that means those Andersons whose Y-DNA match a proven descendant of Anders Jöransson almost certainly share him as the immigrant ancestor -- he is the Adam of this Anderson lineage, at least in terms of the surname. While there were other immigrants to the New Sweden Colony with a variation of the Anderson name, Anderson did not become the family surname for any of them (Anders Andersson the Finn's descendants adopted the surname Cock, later Cox; Mäns Andersson's descendants adopted the surname Mounts; and Peter Andersson of Siamensing's descendants adopted the surname Longacre). Thus, apart from Anders Jöransson's sons, no other documented Andersons came out of the New Sweden Colony. (See A Guide to New Sweden Forefathers, 1638-1664 Arrivals, by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig, and the accompanying family profiles at http://www.colonialswedes.org/Forefathers/FFList.html).

Kit #17206's line is through Anders' son, Eric. His line of descent can be viewed at http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/person.aspx?tid=1431952&pid=-1942674114, which is the page for Ericus Anderson (with whom, as to this line, Dr. Craig's research ends), who seems the best prospect to be Philip's father since he lived in Wilson Co., TN from 1805 to 1811, the year he died, and our Philip lived and married in Wilson Co. in 1806. However, definitive proof of this relationship has not been found. Indeed, what additional evidence has been found does not support this relationship, to wit: (i) Philip does not show up in the tax lists for Russell Co., VA, where Ericus lived before moving to Wilson Co., as one would expect given his age as extrapolated from later census records; (ii) in Wilson Co., they lived in different tax districts; and (iii) in his will, Ericus names only his son, Peter, and his married daughters, Rachel Watts and Sary Hendreck. While all these problems can be explained away, so that I still suspect Ericus may have been the father of Philip, the fact remains only their Y-DNA and their physical proximity in Wilson Co. at the same time support the relationship. (It may be just a coincidence, but Ericus appears to have had a son named John, who remained in Russell Co., VA, and who in turn had a son named Richard Price Anderson. Richard Price Anderson moved to Lawrence Co., MO, which is where our Anderson line moved.)

It should also be noted that LeRoy's match with Kit #17206 shows a genetic distance of 3, which while a solid match is not as strong of a match as with those who show a genetic distance of only 1. For example, using only Kit #17206 as the basis for comparison, the probability Ericus is the most recent common ancestor is only about 11% and the probability Anders Jöransson is the most recent common ancestor is only about 43%. One thing to remember about these probabilities is that they are kind of like horse racing odds -- 10 to 1 and 5 to 2 horses do win. Also, recall that the abandonment of the patronymic naming system in America suggests the odds that Anders Jöransson is the most recent common ancestor are much better than those quoted by Family Tree DNA. Also, I believe the unique mutation shared by LeRoy and Kit #17206 trumps the greater genetic distance and suggests their differences in one or two of the markers are attributable to mutations in Kit #17206's line. LeRoy, after all, is closer to the presumed modal haplotype of Anders Jöransson than he is to Kit #17206, the only proven descendant of Anders Jöransson.

Kit #69202, with whom LeRoy is within a genetic distance of 1 and who also shares the same DYS 464 mutation, may well be a descendant of a brother of our Phillip. His ancestor, William Anderson, of Marion Co., TN, had a brother named Sam and family stories indicate another brother who headed west. Our John Q. Anderson's oral history of our family names a Sam as the brother of Philip. I had previously thought that this oral history reference may have been to the younger brother of Richard Anderson and that he may have been the Samuel M. Anderson of Lawrence Co. records, but that didn't seem likely since the latter was born in DE. With the DNA results, it seems most likely that William and Sam Anderson of Marion Co., TN were Philip's younger brothers.

That would mean that Ericus may have had even more previously unknown sons, although there is an outside chance that Ericus' son, Peter, could be their father, since his earliest known children were born beginning in 1806, when he was 43 years old. It seems possible Peter may have had an earlier family by a previous wife. This becomes more likely if Philip's appearance on the 1806 tax list was his first such appearance, because that would mean he was born about 1785 instead of 1775-1780 as per later census records.

While many questions obviously remain, there is no question that DNA testing has given new focus to my research. Stay tuned. ⁶

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Tax List: 1806, Wilson County, Tennessee. ⁷

Captain John Presley's District: #148 Phillip Anderson (A Robert Anderson also appears in this District for the years 1805-1807).

2. Census: 1820, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ³

Household of Philip Anderson: 110010-00010

3. Court: 1822, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ^{8 9}

At the April, 1822 term, Philip Anderson was the defendant in a lawsuit brought by Levi M. Todd. The cause of action is not known. Judgment was rendered in favor of the plaintiff. Among the costs assessed against the defendant was .25 for Sheriff McNatt.

On April 19, 1822, Philip Anderson appealed the judgment against him in favor of Levi M. Todd. Pursuant to a motion by Todd, the appeal was quashed and further costs were assessed to Philip Anderson.

4. Witness: 1826, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ¹⁰

Phillip Anderson appears as a witness to two deeds: (1) a 9 Jul 1826 deed from Newton Wilkison to Samuel Cunningham for 30 acres on Cane and Norris Creeks (page 547 of Book G) and (2) a July 1826 deed between the same parties for 10 acres on West Fork of Norris Creek (page 548 of Book G).

5. Census: 1830, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ²

Household of Phillip Anderson: 00000001-0000001

6. Tax List: 1831, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ¹¹

Philip Anderson, 20 acres, 4 acres school land on Clerks list of Property and Polls.

Note that in the 1830 tax list Richard Anderson appeared with 20 acres. Query whether this wasn't the same land as shown belonging to Philip in 1831. See Deed events under Richard for indication land was located in Mulberry Creek vicinity.

Also, see 1836 Tax List event for Richard Anderson, which only shows Richard, which suggests Philip died between 1831 and 1836.

7. Survey: 1835, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ⁴

Dated 27 May, 1835; Vol. 2:264
Anderson, Philip, Survey No. 1791, 80 acre tract on waters of West Mulberry Cr. (Also 97 acres "PO" (?))

Philip married Polly McNATT, daughter of John McNATT and Sarah BENSON, on 24 Feb 1806 in Wilson County, Tennessee.¹ (Polly McNATT was born between 1780 and 1790 ² and died between 1840 and 1850 in Barry Co./Lawrence Co., MO.)

  Marriage Notes:

On the same day as Philip and Polly married, Leven McNatt married Nancy Smith and Philip was the Bondsman. ¹²