Shepard DNA Project at Familytreedna.com

When considering DNA in Shapard research genealogy, it is important for the reader to know that in the early 1700s, the Shapard family settled in King and Queen County, Virginia. Regretfully, for our family, King and Queen County is considered a “burned county,” whereby, the vast majority of early public records have been lost. Some early records were consumed in a fire, in 1828, at the County Clerk’s Office; however, the majority of early records were destroyed, in 1864, during the Civil War, when invading Union troops deliberately set fire to the Clerk’s Office, County Court House and other public buildings (damned Yankees). The fragmented records that remain today were pieced together from private sources and the surviving public records of neighboring counties, yet, much of early Shapard history from this region has been forever lost to the ages.

In addition, we have lost the written record linking our paternal line beyond our oldest known Shapard forefather - Samuel Shapard (c.1700 – 1752). Though the records did not survive, we Shapard’s did; and in so doing, brought through history an extraordinary resource to link us to the past, in the form of DNA. Just as fathers pass their surname on to their sons, they also pass on their Y-DNA, which remains nearly unchanged from one generation to the next. By comparing Y-DNA with other families of similar surname (Shapard, Shepard and Shepherd) we will inevitably be able to transcend the obstacle of missing written records, and definitively reestablish a connection, beyond Samuel Shapard, with the paternal line of our forefathers.

Because of the burned records, I had come to a seemingly impassable “brick wall” in my genealogical research, and realized that the limited paper records would not offer me the information I sought. DNA was the only way for a potential breakthrough. Familytreedna.com hosts a surname project, whereby, anyone with a similar surname can compare their DNA results with one another and see if there is a relation. The Shepard DNA Project at Familytreedna.com captivated my attention. In particular, there was Y-DNA already posted by a Shepard descendant claiming to have traced their pedigree back to “Robert Shepard of Goochland County, Virginia.” My research had led me to conclude that this Robert Shepard (1732 – 1796) was the son of Samuel Shapard (c.1700-1752). There was only one way to find out if the conclusion of my extensive research had merit…

About a year ago, I submitted Y-DNA testing with Familytreedna.com for comparison on the Shepard DNA Project. It cost about $140 for a 36 marker Y-DNA test which was sufficient for making a positive connection for distant ancestors. I hoped with all my heart that the Shapard females had been faithful spouses for the last 270 years…otherwise the Y-DNA (which tests the male’s Y-chromosome) would not be accurate. The gamble paid off.  One of the most exciting moments that I have had in the field of Shapard research genealogy was when the results came back with a match to Robert Shepard!!! Y-DNA has positively affirmed the link between our two families that occurred in the 1740s! The DNA result would be meaningless without the research to provide names and dates; just as the research is only speculation or an educated guess without DNA if the paper trail is not strong.
 

As a result, I have made a wonderful connection with the research genealogist from Robert Shepard’s family line.  We have shared a tremendous amount of research back and forth to further our pursuit for knowledge about our amazing family. I would highly encourage all Shapard, Shepard, Sheppard and Shepherd families to join the Shepard DNA Project at Familytreedna.com, it is our only way to restore what has been lost through the passage of time.