Wanted: DNA Study Participants

Calling all ears - If anyone has any contacts that they've made over the years and those individuals might be willing to come forward and have their DNA tested by FamilyTreeDNA, we need you!

Descendants from the following individuals would be most helpful:

Robert Ervin (b-1822 VA)

Andrew Ervin(b-1824), son of James Ervin of Greenbrier Co., VA

Leavesonbranches.com will sponsor the tests and have the test kits sent to the individual. All the person would have to do is swab the inside of their cheek and mail the test kit back in.

Please let us know if you will be attempting to make contact with anyone from the list above and of course if anyone would like to donate for this specific cause, we would appreciate it.

Amy Ervin-Smithson

DNA testing of Ervins

July 20, 2008 - 3:46pm — speery

1) I would very much like to see a known descendant of Robert Ervin b. VA 1822 as well. It is thought that he is a son of Robert Ervin b. VA 1804, but this is by no means certain. Given the surprises already encountered with the Alexander Brandon Ervin line (b. VA 1811; he was clearly a brother of Robert b. 1804) it is possible that there will be more, surprises, that is. 2) Andrew Ervin, son of James Ervin of Greenbrier Co., VA, has to have been born before 1824. James died in 1830 and left his Jackson Co., OH land to Andrew. This would not have been possible had Andrew been only 6 years old -- James almost certainly would have specified a guardian in his will. In addition, Andrew's surviving sisters seem to have been born in the 1790's.

Andrew Ervin son of James Ervin, Greenbrier Co., VA

July 20, 2008 - 3:48pm — speery

I should add that Andrew Ervin sold the Jackson Co. land he had been left in 1837, to James Stephenson. (James Stephenson appears to have come from Greenbrier Co. as well.) Legally he could not have made that sale had he been only 13 years old.

Seeking Ervin DNA Study Participants

July 21, 2008 - 1:47pm — speery

Further lines which it would be helpful to test: 1) Descendants of John Ervin b. ca. 1775 MD, d. 27 Feb Tuscarawas Co., OH. Married Ascenith Herron. Children named in his will include daughters Rachel McGee (m. James McGee, Tuscarawas Co., OH 27 Aug 1846; Mathilda Lively (m. Silas Lively, MD, Tuscarawas Co., OH 6 May 1847); Nancy Wright (no marriage data); Amos Ervin (six children mentioned but not by name); James Ervin (m. Jane Unknown; two sons Elijah Wesley Ervin and David Ervin mentioned in will); John F. Ervin (m. Catherine Rule 7 Dec Tuscarawas Co., OH); Elijah Ervin (no marriage information; d. 18743 Scott Co., IN). 2) Descendants of Isaac Ervin m. Eva Smith, d. Preston Co., VA (WV) ca. 1824. 3) Descendants of James Ervin m. Abigail Unknown, d. Preston Co., VA (WV) ca. 1819.

Amy, I know of 2 living

March 10, 2010 - 11:07am — Kathie

Amy, I know of 2 living male descendents of Robert Ervin (b. 1804): Rich Ervin is a member of leavesonbranches and Bob Ervin of Jackson, Ohio has told me that he would be willing to do a DNA test. Perhaps we should contact these two.

Correction

March 10, 2010 - 11:58am — Amy

Sorry, when I updated this post from last year I meant to change the dates for the Robert we need. I'd like a descendant of the Robert (b-1822 VA), but I won't turn away an opportunity to test Bob or Rich. I'm just not sure it will yield any new information. I think it's pretty well established that he is Alexander's brother... but I guess you never can tell what the DNA will tell you! We've been surprised before with this line. I'll send Rich an email to see if he is still interested. It's been a little over a year since he last said he was thinking about it.

Rich is in...

March 10, 2010 - 1:25pm — Amy

Kathie, Heard back from Rich already and he says he will do it. I'll post an update in the AM. Amy

That's good news because Rich

March 15, 2010 - 9:04am — Kathie

That's good news because Rich is descended from Robert "Steam Mill" Ervin (b. 1822), who appears to be the son of Robert Ervin (b. 1804), and who Allen Richmond says is a son of Robert (b. 1804) [See his HISTORY OF LOWER SCIOTO VALLEY, OHIO Together With Sketches of Its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History, Portaits of Prominent Persons and Biographies of Representative Citizens. (Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Co., 1884), p 655.] This book was published during Robert 1822's lifetime so one would presume that he provided the information to the author.

However, in his will, Robert 1804 doesn't name Robert 1822 as his son but only as "Robert Ervin of Jackson Township". Later, when "Robert Ervin of Jackson Township" signs the receipt for the pitence he recieved from the estate, he signs as "Robert Ervin Jr" but doesn't mention a relationship with Robert 1804, as do the other signers of receipts from the estate:

July 7, 1862
Received of Mary Ervin, Administrator of the Estate of Robert Ervin, deceased, the sum of fifty dollars being part of a bequest of one hundred dollars from the said Robert Ervin to myself. [Signed] Robert Ervin Jr.

March 18, 1865
Received of Mary Ervin (Admin) one hundred dollars in full of a bequest of like amount made by my brother Robert Ervin, late of Jackson Co., O, deceased, to me. [Signed] A B Ervin

April 18, 1865
Received of Mary Ervin Admin. of Robert Ervin, deceased, fifty dollars, in full, of a bequest of one hundred dollars from my uncle to myself. [Signed] Robert Ervin

It seems there was some kind of hard feelings between the two Roberts, if they were indeed father and son as they appear to be (perhap a "non parental event"?) Rich's results will be interesting.

Rich opted out, is Bob Ervin still around?

July 24, 2010 - 3:48pm — Amy

Hey Kathie,

Hope you're well. Rich opted out of the DNA study after he received the test kit. I'm not sure why, but suspect something scared him about the procedure. I've tried repeatedly to contact him, but he won't respond. I thought maybe he had suddenly passed, but the music store where he works still lists him as an employee.

So, moving forward, if Bob has previously agreed to the testing, I have the money set aside and ready to go, all I have to do is tell FTDNA where to send the new kit. Could you please try and contact Bob to see if he's still game? I can get the test to him right away.

Thanks,

Amy