News on the CFA DNA Project from Russ Callaway -

Cameron Todd Callaway has volunteered to take over the previous work of Kermit Bridges who will stay on as advisor. Kermit was responsible for all the U.S. lines involved in our DNA Project.
 
Cameron will have expanded duties of keeping track of the data as it is reported by the Familytreedna.com. He will be responsible for distributing the data to the DNA committee and to the testees as well. He has full access to all of the DNA records.

Please welcome Cameron and include him in your DNA correspondence on this subject. His email is: ccdna1 at gmail.com.
 
Cameron was instrumental in the development  of the Callaway Family Website in the early years, and we appreciate his willingness to volunteer to help us once again.
 
Russ Callaway
Gap Administrator

September 2004
DNA PROJECT (International Aspect) 

The establishment of a CFA DNA Databank represents a most important and permanent research facility now and for the future. 

Even in its earliest of stages it has begun to clarify many years of painstaking paper research by our dedicated genealogists and formerly independent researchers of our family from around the world. 

 Many years ago it was fortunately realised that surnames were often recorded in wills, property transactions, court proceedings and other historical documents by scribes who wrote only what they heard. Thus dialect and accents heavily influenced what was actually recorded. For the genealogists this proved and continues to prove a challenge. Where, within the same obvious family, variant spellings occurred this was not a problem. However more complex family linkages required research into for example, place of residence, occupation, marriages, inheritances, Coats of Arms etc. 

With this understanding, the CFA can be proud that we are one of the unique handfuls of Genealogical Societies around the world who have broken the ‘Medieval Barrier’. (A point in time around AD1500 beyond which records for most surnames become non-existent or hopelessly obscure). Not only this, but researchers can now show events in which the C/K name was recorded some nine centuries in the past. With increasing confidence, a paper trail is being developed which shows that these ‘ancients’ were indeed common ancestors to us all, thus proving that your name also is a very ancient one. 

Early analysis of the DNA results to hand indicates conclusively that our ‘tribe’ began to split into distinct lines at least five centuries ago. In some instances it was earlier, in some, much later. Based on current knowledge for example, it is unlikely that the 1640 Peter of Maryland had a common ancestor with Joseph until the 1300s or earlier! Lest the various ‘cousins’ here present begin to hold up their hands in horror at this remoteness, or alternately smugly think that that confirmed what they thought all along………….allow me to expand a little on the implications of these and other findings. 

Yet to be determined is the actual origin of what has rightly come to be known as the C/K surname, so called because it can be conclusively shown that all the variant spellings which appear on the masthead of our journal represent recorded ancestors and relatives now and in the past. It has been proposed that the name came from Normandy in about the year 1100, possibly as de Caillouet, de Cailly or other variants. Since the tiny bit of DNA which we are testing has been passed from father to son virtually unchanged from time immemorial, we are processing DNA from descendants with these names. Thus far there is no meaningful result, and it is possible that this will be placed on the back-burner to be resolved by researchers in the future. 

The early knowledge that the name CALLAWAY was often spelt CALLOWAY, KELLAWAY etc even within same families as late as the 19^th century, (and to the chagrin of some even to-day!) has proven most fortuitous. There had always been some inconsistency in the actual spelling of the 1640 Peter’s surname. That his descendants have subsequently been recorded and named Callaway there is no doubt. His actual origins and therefore his predecessors have involved a prolonged but fruitless search until now. With the advent of the DNA project we have been able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that his descendants are related to a resident of the U.K. who traces his ancestry within the U.K. to the 1700s. It is hoped that in the near future we will be able to locate a common ancestor. The surname of the U.K. line is and apparently for centuries has been KELLAWAY! 

Joseph is clearly another ‘kettle of fish’. Though we have ‘International’ lines who can trace their ancestry back a number of centuries in the U.K. to specific southern U.K. counties, and we have been most successful in linking some of these families who are as widely dispersed as the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Scotland, Joseph’s origins remain a mystery. 

Possibly this is because that thus far we are drawing DNA mainly from those C/K’s who are members of the CFA and their relatives. DNA from a number of U.K. counties has yet to be resourced, but interestingly, as our project becomes more widely known, our membership is increasing and thus potentially increasing our gene pool. The closest that we have so far come to the genetic make-up of Joseph has been from a CFA member from the county of Somerset in the U.K. Those of you familiar with the early naming of the counties of Virginia would recognise such counties as Somerset, Isle of Wight, Dorset and Devon etc., the home counties of the early headrights who settled and founded the New World, and which still exist to this day. 

The Callaway/Kellaway family probably reached a peak of prominence three times in the past 1000 years. The first occasion of which we are increasingly aware, preceded, was involved with and subsequently was the beneficiary of the Norman invasion of England. The family variously maintained prestige, property and this prominence for some four hundred years of recorded history until the second rise. We have an enormous amount of detail on the lines in this latter period which extended for a further two centuries. 

Much property was owned by the Family in these centuries which may be classified as the second rise to prominence. Certain members were not only influential at Court and in the Judiciary, but were additionally beneficiaries by virtue of Henry V111s dissolution of the Monasteries following his tempestuous break with the Catholic Church and the formation of the Church of England. One Robert, known to us as Robert K/C of the Wards and Liveries, under King Edward V1, distributed many of the chantries and thus much property and wealth to his family and friends. 

It is possible that the Diaspora of the C/K tribe that we see in our DNA lines today accelerated following this period when fortunes were lost and dissipated due to political vagaries, wars and often the sheer incompetence we see to-day in dynastic families. 

But the name is a survivor and hence also the DNA which we are now harvesting. It is clear that we should not immediately expect instant solutions from the project. Much work remains to be done. That we have already been able to make linkages in paper trails of individual researchers, open an independent link to the origins of the 1640 Peter, suggest avenues of research for the elusive Joseph and already provide an everlasting record for present and subsequent lines in our extended family, is remarkable. This is truly an ‘International’ collaboration which, given the longevity of the surnames and their history is essential. 

I would like to think that we are now entering the third stage for our Family’s prominence. Not in the material sense of yesteryear, but by our adoption of cutting edge technology (only now four years out from its discovery). The DNA project has the potential to increasingly ‘internationalise’ our Society, increase our membership and increase our understanding of the huge amount of family documentation to which we are privy.

Our thanks to CFA Director, Dr. Bruce Callaway of Sydney, Australia for providing the following updates on the CFA DNA Project.

June 2004
DNA PROJECT UPDATE. JOSEPH’S ‘FINGERPRINTS’ FOUND.

For those who have not been closely following this latest CFA project here is a little explanation. As recently as the year 2000 when Oxford University discovered how to extract from the male chromosome known as ‘Y’ that tiny unchanged bit which is passed from Father to son, there has been a veritable explosion of researchers applying this technique to genealogy.

The tiny bit can be divided into at least 25 pieces, (called ALLELES - pronounced AL EELS) and each allele has been numbered. So, if you are a male, each one of these twenty five pieces will be identical, or near identical, with those of your father and his brothers, their father and his brothers etc. back into the dim mists of time.
From this then it may be seen, that even very distant male cousins can be shown to have descended from a common male ancestor who lived many centuries in the past by simply scraping a few cells from inside the mouth (with a ‘toothbrush’) and analysing them in a suitable laboratory.
The CFA has chosen FamilyTreeDNA, a Texas lab associated with the University of Arizona for our project and funding thus far has concentrated upon firstly identifying positively descendants of Joseph and Peter, who are assumed to be among the first of the possible US ancestors. Secondly and most importantly, in an attempt to identify the ancestors of Joseph and Peter and therefore their origins before the 1600’s the project has been expanded internationally.

WHAT HAVE WE ACHIEVED?

1. Descendants of two of Joseph’s sons, William 1714 and James 1720 ‘match’ after more than 280 years, therefore we can assume that we do indeed have Joseph’s ‘fingerprints’. We can assume that descendants of his other sons, Thomas 1712, Francis 1716 and Richard 1717 would also be the same and work continues on these lines.
2. The testing of the ‘paper-trail’ of Peter’s descendants is at an advanced stage, but his fingerprints not yet established. It is highly probable that Peter was not related to Joseph.
3. The realisation by our genealogists that in earlier times and even to-day variations in the spelling of the surname occurred and are occurring has to be taken into account in establishing lines. One established line traced to the 16th century changed from Calway to Kellaway and then to Calloway within two centuries, hence the inclusion for testing of these variant names.
4. A prominent Kellaway line in the US has been matched to a Devon, England line that extends to the 16th century and cannot yet be excluded as possible forbears of further C/K lines in both countries.
5. Fingerprints of C/Ks from a number of southern counties of England are being collected, not only in the hope that we may pinpoint the origins of Peter or Joseph, but to elucidate and confirm the huge amount of paper data collected by the CFA over many years.

WHAT DO WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE?

The CFA DNA Databank may ultimately allow members with a C/K surname to check their family tree with scientific certainty. This is possible now for descendants of the US immigrant JOSEPH Callaway. Contact the project coordinator Russ Callaway (email - r.callaway at juno.com)

Particularly we need direct male descendants of Thomas (1712), Francis (1716) and Richard (1717) who were sons of the immigrant Joseph Callaway. We also need direct male descendants of Peter Jr. (1681) and William (1688) who were sons of the immigrant, Peter Callaway.

We are establishing DNA lines for C/K’s both within the US and Internationally which will be known only as that of the oldest known ancestor of these lines. This should enable researchers to attempt by participation to complete family trees. For US lines contact Cameron Todd Callaway. (email - ccdna1 at gmail.com) For International enquiries including the counties within southern England of Somerset, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Wiltshire and Cornwall, Contact Bruce Callaway. (email - bruce at callaway.com.au)

Footnote: The Y-DNA-25 male test costs USD $171. if performed within our project.

If you would be interested in participating in the CFA DNA Project, contact one of the email addresses above.

February 2004
CFA JOINS THE WORLD OF FORENSICS

Many gaps in the paper trail of Family Trees are now increasingly capable of being filled by modern science. Whilst still in its infancy, the rapidly expanding field of forensics as applied to genealogy has attracted the attention of your Board. 

It has long been realised that the difference between males and females lay in their sex chromosomes. Also known was that females have two identical sex chromosomes named X, whereas males have two non identical ones called X and Y. 

Parts of the Y chromosome are passed from father to son virtually unchanged for many generations. This is the part, which quite recently has become capable of identification. Thus, if the family name remains unchanged or capable of recognition as a variant, such as Calloway/Kellaway/Kelway etc., relationships between males, over many hundreds of years, can be established with very great accuracy. 

These developments have proven a boon to one name Genealogical Societies who have been able not only to establish various lines within their families, but in some instances establish countries, even counties of origin for that line. Further, a common ancestor to various lines is predictable in some instances, up to and beyond 1000 years! 

The Board has appointed a committee led by our technologist Russ Callaway to explore the benefits to members of the CFA of this exciting technology. One of the leading testing laboratories has been engaged and is already conducting some testing. FamilyTreeDNA of Texas, which is associated with the University of Arizona, provides not only the testing, but also a comprehensive analysis of the results and detailed explanations of the science itself. 

Preliminary results would indicate that the two main lines within the U.S., that of Peter and Joseph, are quite distinct. Identification of relationships within these two lines may therefore prove easier than were these two ancestors closely related. Members in these lines seeking clarification of their personal Family tree are encouraged to avail themselves of the greatly reduced rate negotiated for our Family project. Note that only males of the line with the surname can be tested. The test involves a simple mouth swabbing. Contact Russ Callaway  r.callaway at juno.com for details. 

For many years, our Genealogist and researchers have been gathering records of our Family not only within the U.S. but internationally. An increasing amount of this work may be viewed on our website www.callawayfamily.org and more particularly the link to English Research. There is clear evidence that not only the ancestors of Peter and Joseph, but also other lines within the U.S. and Internationally already are identified in this work. The advent of the Y-chromosome testing outlined above may prove pivotal in identifying with extreme accuracy, exciting ancestral links now, and also in the dim mists of time. 

Dr. Bruce C. Callaway
MB.BS. (HONS) University of Sydney
F.R.A.C.G.P. February 2004.