Miles Lassiter did not live in Wilson County, but I recommend Margo Lee Williams’ book as a detailed chronicle of an African-American family history research journey and because Miles Lassiter may have been linked to Wilson County’s Hardy Lassiter through common roots in Gates County, North Carolina.
Thank you so much! While the white Lassiters in each location were related, no DNA matches to date indicate Miles and Hardy were biologically related. I have been looking into this and working with other descendants.
Ahh! Thank you for that information! The shared first names between the Af-Am Edgecombe/Wilson County Lassiters and the white Gates County Lassiters seem more than coincidental, but a connection may not be possible to prove. At that remove, even DNA testing will not be definitive.
Oh not so fast, it can be.
Sorry. Dna can be helpful. I’ve done it.
Yes we have overlapping names in our county between the white and black Lassiters. They have always maintained close relationships with us and that we are related. Regardless, you just need to analyze the dna data and find the match cohorts. Folks do it everyday.
I’ve done extensive DNA testing over more than a decade. I’ve broken through brick walls with DNA. But I also have known 4th+ cousins that I do not match, though our in-common matches confirm our common descent from a known ancestor. My point is not that DNA can’t prove a link between the Miles and Hardy lines, but that the lack of DNA matches at that remove does not DISPROVE a link.
Agreed.
Received the book via Amazon yesterday afternoon. It is encouraging me in my own genealogical work and is simply a good read. Thanks for the recommendation Lisa, and thanks for sharing your journey Margo.
Fantastic!!