In our last post (Evidence of RUDDLE ancestry of John SAINSBURY the younger of Urchfont) we documented a set of four genetic cousins whose DNA match could prove the paternity of John SAINSBURY of Urchfont (1664-1719).

We identified two first cousins in Canada (R.S. and P.T.) who match two second cousins in Australia (N.B. and D.B.). The Australian cousins have a well-documented line of descent from John RUDDLE and Edith SAINSBURY who were married in Urchfont, Wiltshire in 1631:

When these “in common with” matches were identified, our next step was to see if they formed a triangulation group. In other words, do they all share the same segment of DNA? If so, that would provide the best possible autosomal DNA evidence that this tree is correct, and the father of John SAINSBURY the younger of Urchfont (1664-1719) was his documented father’s double first cousin, John RUDDLE (1633-?).

In September, 2022, we used GEDmatch to confirm that this is, in fact, a triangulation group. The segment of DNA that R.S. and P.T. share with N.B. is identical:

The yellow and blue segment near the end of chromosome 3 (above) that begins at position 184,077,557 and ends at 189,521,319 is identical to part of a larger segment that R.S. shares with his first cousin, P.T., that begins at 171,889,467 and ends at 189,521,319:

Further proof

Unlike Y-DNA, which only traces descent on a single (patrilineal) line, autosomal DNA can come from any ancestral line. At the generational distance we’re dealing with here (i.e., 7th great-grandparents) it means this segment of DNA could have come from any one of 512 ancestral lines.

And although we have good “tree completeness” in this case to rule out any other line, we can further corroborate this as a RUDDLE triangulation group because another Ancestry user (T.A.) who descends from (most likely) the same RUDDLE family shares this same segment of DNA with R.S., P.T., and N.B.:

And so, absent a Y-DNA match with a present-day RUDDLE male (which we are still keen to find), this triangulation group allows us to conclude with near certainty that the biological father of John SAINSBURY the younger of Urchfont (b.1664) was indeed John RUDDLE (1633-?), the son of John RUDDLE and Edith SAINSBURY of Urchfont, Wiltshire.

Decimus sexto Die meses July Anno

Dei 1631 … [16 July 1631]

Appeared personally John Sainsbury of Estcott in the parish of Urchfont in the County of Wilts & Diocs of Sarum yeoman & humbly Craved licens for the folowing zacon? of marriage be tween? John Ruddle of Ichilhampton in the County of Wilts & Diocs of Sarum husband. aged 34 <& Edith Sainsbury of Escott in the parish of Urchfount …? her? aged xx & three? yeares or thereabouts> yeares or thereabouts, & alledged that to his knowledge there is noe impediment either in respect of consanguinity affinity former contract or otherwise but that they may lawfully marry & that he hath consent of her father & of the truth thereof he offereth to make faith. Dude …. etc. [Latin].

RUDDLE Group Project

Are you a male RUDDLE whose direct male line traces back to Wiltshire? Please join the Riddell/Riddle/Ruddle Group Project on Family Tree DNA and help us test this theory with Y-DNA:

Disclaimer: As with any research project, when new evidence comes to light, former theories may change. This blog post includes theories and conclusions developed from the best available evidence at the time this post was written. It may be corroborated or refuted by later research. This post must therefore be considered in the context of all information presented in earlier and later posts.