North American DNA Project Harold Earl Brackett - The Broket Archive

The Broket DNA Project — North American participants

The ancestry of Harold Earl Brackett 1916-81

In the wider Broket DNA project Harold is in Genetic Group 3.

This page provides:

+++1. Evidence of Harold’s ancestry
++++++1st generation
++++++2nd generation
++++++3rd generation
++++++4th generation
+++2. Some analysis of Harold Earl’s Y-DNA results

Purpose:+Read more


Quotations:+Read more

1. Evidence for each generation

Bill Brackett has researched this clan extensively and critically for many years. Most of the information on this page has been generously supplied by him, and whenever a source isn’t mentioned, the information will have come from his researches. These can now fortunately be found in various places on the internet. So we will not duplicate his findings here for the sake of it, but only those points necessary for the purpose mentioned above, and refer you to where you can find more detailed analysis and evidence on his Brackett genealogy website.1

1st generation: Harold Earl Brackett 1916-81

Birth: 29 Mar 1916 in New Troy, Michigan, the first of the 11 children of Walter and Cora Brackett.

Marriages: 1st Ann PRIES on 27 Jul 1935 in La Porte County, Indiana. In 1945 ? they divorced. Harold married 2nd on 8 Feb 1946 Ula Arvena DANIEL, nee HAMBRICK, in Bridgman, Michigan; Harold aged 30, son of Walter Brackett and Cora Upson. This was Harold and Arvena c 1952:

Harold and Arvena Brackett c 1952

Occupation: Served in the US Air Force in World War II. Employed for 28 years at Clark Equipment Company in Buchanan, Michigan and he also pursued farming.

Death: 12 Jan 1981 in New Troy, Berrien Co, Michigan.

Harold Earl was the son of:

2nd generation: Walter Madison Brackett 1894-1966

Birth: 10 Mar 1894 in Dakota, Illinois, only son of Edgar and Sarah Brackett.

Marriage: Cora E. UPSON 4 Aug 1915 in St Joseph, Michigan. Walter was aged 21 residing in Galien, born in Michigan, son of Edward [sic] and Woolridge. This was Walter Brackett, standing on the right of the picture, and Cora Upson seated, c 1915:

Walter and Cora Brackett c 1915

Occupation: Employed for some time at the Industrial Rubber factory in New Troy; he also farmed.

Death: 6 Sep 1966.

Walter Madison was the son of:

3rd generation: Edgar Lacey Brackett 1869-1952

Birth: 11 Jul 1869 in Pipestone Township, Michigan to John and Sarah Brackett, their only child. Edgar may never have known his father. Within 16 months of his birth his father had married again. Edgar hasn’t been found in the 1880 or 1890 censuses. In 1900 he was recorded as Edgar Bracket, aged 28, in Weesaw, Berrien Co, MI, Farmer, with wife Sarah, 25, daughter Delia, 8, and son Walter, 6, father born in “Canada (Eng)”2 In 1910 he was recorded as Edward L, aged 40, in Weesaw, Berrien Co, MI, Farmer, with wife Sarah J, 36, daughter Delia M, 18, and son Walter M, 16, father born in “US”—where nearly everyone else gave a State.3 In the 1920 census Edgar stated that his father was born in Canada and that his father’s native tongue was Irish. Then in the 1930 census he said his father was born in Canada and there is a notation next to it in tiny writing that says “English”.4

Marriages: Sarah J. WOOLDRIDGE 3 Nov 1890 in Hagar Township, Berrien Co, Michigan; Edgar aged 21, born in Hagar Township, Berrien Co, Michigan, son of John W Brackett and Sarah Brant.5 This was Sarah and Edgar Lacey  1920:

Edgar and Sarah Brackett c 1920

For the 1930 census he was aged 60 and his wife was given as Bertha, aged 38, his age at first marriage 21, hers 18.6

Occupation: Farmer.7

Death: 8 Dec 1952, and was buried in New Troy cemetery.

Edgar Lacey was the son of:

4th generation: John Brackett c 1846-1921

The lack of hard documentary evidence of John’s birth and some conflicting accounts of his death meant that John was technically the MDDDA—the most distant definitely-documented ancestor—of this line. Extensive and detailed research by Bill Brackett over a long period produced fairly robust circumstantial evidence of John’s parentage, but it was never going to be sufficiently robust for certainty.8 However, recent Y-DNA evidence has proved that Harold Earl Brackett, this participant in the project, and a 4th generation descendant of this John, is closely related to Ronald James Brackett, a 4th generation descendant of Martin Brackett. Indeed it appears that Martin and John were both sons of Jonathan and Mary Brackett, as recorded in the 1861 census as follows:+

The census for Euphemia township, Lambton Co, Canada West, recorded John Brackett, aged 16, Single and born in U.C. (Upper Canada), in the one-storied log-cabin household of Jonathan Brackett, aged 66, Farmer, and wife Mary Brackett, 61, both born in US, with Newman Bracket, 28, Single, Sarah Bracket, 20, both also Single and born in U.C.9 The next one-storied log-cabin household was that of Martin and Elizabeth Brackett, aged 24 and 31 respectively.

Then in 1880:+

The census for Dorr Township, Allegan Co, Michigan, recorded John B Brackett, aged 38, born in Canada, Farmer, both parents born NY, and Emma A Brackett, born in Ohio, aged 21, and 3 children;10 and in neighboring Hopkins Township, Allegan Co, MI, recorded what looks like Martin Bracket, aged 42, born in Canada, as also both his parents, Farmer, with family.11

In 1887 both John Bracket and Martin Bracket were mentioned as siblings of Newman Bracket of Euphemia in his Will.12

The line will therefore be traced further back, see this separate page. After Christopher, this John’s grandfather, none of this Brackett line featured in the 1907 Brackett genealogy.

Birth: c 1846, most probably in Ontario Canada. Census records for his son Edgar say John was born in Canada and his 1st marriage record of 1868, when he was 22, gave his birthplace as “Canada, Wst.”. Canada West was known as Upper Canada, then Canada West until 1867 when it became part of the territory of Ontario. This marriage record would suggest a birthdate around 1846 and the 1861 census mentioned above recorded a John Brackett, aged 16.

Marriages:+

1. Sarah Jane BRANT 16 Sep 1868 in Millburg. Benton Township, Berrien Co, Michigan; he aged 22, born Canada Wst; she 19, born in Livingston, Lake Township, Berrien County (or St Joseph?); both residing Benton Harbor.
2. Myra BLAIR 15 Nov 1870 in Martin township, aged 25; John B Brackett aged 26, born in Canada West.13 Myra died 1873 in Allegan.14
3. Emma STUBBERT 2 Apr 1874 in Hopkins city, aged 16; John B. Brackett aged 26, born in Canada.15

Occupation: On the railroads, later a farmer. John B Brackett served in the 12th Michigan Infantry, Company F during the Civil War.

Death: Reported to have been in an accident on the railroad in 1869, but no contemporary death record has been found and other facts (notably John’s 2nd marriage in 1870) show it to have been improbable and suggest a reason for its fabrication. The Grand Rapids Press carried a death notice on 4 Aug 1921: “J.B. Brackett, a Civil War Veteran, died at his residence in Kent City” on 2 Aug 1921, aged 77 years 11 months and 7 days, born on 25 Sep 1843, son of Jonathan Brackett and May Facher (Fancher).

2. Some analysis of Harold Earl’s Y-DNA results

Haplogroup: Q-M242
For the term ‘Genetic Distance’ see here.

Matches recorded on the FTDNA database as of Jun 2019:

Genetic Distance zero

1. Richard Heaton BROCKETT 1912-2005
2. William Leroy BROCKETT 1925-2008
+++
Discussion: Richard Heaton and William Leroy Brockett descended from John, son of the immigrant John of New Haven, died 1690. The ancestry of Harold Earl has been traced here to Christopher Brockett/Brackett, descended from Samuel, son of John, died 1690. This makes both Richard H and William L 7th cousins once removed of Harold Earl, yet there is zero Genetic Distance between them. No mutation in their Y-DNA has thus occurred in 7 or more generations, or at least 350 years, validating all three lines right back to the original immigrant John Brockett of New Haven:Descendants of John and Samuel

Genetic Distance 1

1. Ronald J BRACKETT 1927-2013
+++
Discussion: Ronald J and Harold Earl were 3rd cousins:Descendants of Jonathan
But since Harold Earl’s Y-DNA is identical to that of Richard H and William L, as just described, the single mutation between Ronald J and Harold Earl must have occurred in Ronald J’s line within the last 4 generations. Thus while the Y-DNA of Harold Earl hasn’t mutated at all over 7 or more generations, that of Ronald J’s has mutated in one marker over the last 4 generations—some time since Ronald J and Harold Earl’s common ancestor, Jonathan.

Genetic Distance 2

1. Harold H BROCKETT 1921-2001
2. Harry D BROCKETT 1928-2005
3. William H BROCKETT 1914-88
+++
Discussion: These three participants all descended from Capt William Brockett 1748-1819/21. There are two variations between each of them and Harold Earl (i.e. a Genetic Distance of 2) but the variations are not the same in each case. This is discussed with Richard Heaton Brockett’s results—which are identical to Harold Earl’s—so it need not be repeated here.

Genetic Distance 3

1. Marlin L BROCKETTE 1913-2000
+++
Discussion: This participant also descended from Capt William Brockett 1748-1819/21, and the same considerations apply as with participants with a Genetic Distance of 2 from Harold Earl, discussed above.

Page Last Updated: April 7, 2020

Footnotes

For full bibliographical details please see the sections Publications or Glossary.

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[1] goo.gl/MeSE3d (accessed 8 Nov 2018). Thanks to Bill for the images reproduced on this page.

[2] US 1900 Federal Census for Weesaw Township, Berrien Co, Michigan, sheet A7.

[3] US 1910 Federal Census for Weesaw Township, Berrien Co, Michigan, sheet 4A.

[4] US 1930 Federal Census for part of Weesaw Township, Berrien Co, Michigan, sheet 4B.

[5] Liber 'G' of the Berrien County Marriage Records p 83; W in John’s name may be an error as Edgar’s step-father---by whom he was raised---was John W Powell.

[6] US 1930 Federal Census for part of Weesaw Township, Berrien Co, Michigan, sheet 4B.

[7] US 1930 Federal Census for part of Weesaw Township, Berrien Co, Michigan, sheet 4B.

[8] On findagrave.com at goo.gl/uq9iSV (accessed 7 Nov 2018).

[9] Canada Census 1861 for Canada West (Ontario) Province, Lambton District, Euphemia Subdistrict, enumeration District No. 1, Film C-1040-1041, p 13.

[10] US 1880 Federal Census for Enumeration district 2, Dorr, Allegan, MI, sheet D 20.

[11] US 1880 Federal Census for Enumeration district 11, Hopkins, Allegan, MI, sheet B 18.

[12] Written 19 Mar 1887, probated 2 Jun 1887 (Lambton County Surrogate Court Records 1876-1892, vol B-C no 1119, Archives of Ontario Microfilm GS 2, Reel 69). Many thanks to Bill Brackett for this reference.

[13] Marriage records for Allegan Co.

[14] Death records for Allegan Co.

[15] Marriage records for Allegan Co.