27 February 2024. Sometime in December of last year (2024) I received an updated Big Y 700 Terminal SNP report from Family Tree DNA. In January two more Y-DNA Causey cousins were added to this new Y-DNA haplogroup designated T-FTE75400. Now I have questions. But first I want make clear what I am talking about.
Here are some facts from International Society of Genetic Genealogy Wiki:
1. The Y chromosome (Y-DNA) is a DNA structure found in the nucleus of a male cell. Humans have 23 pairs of Chromosomes, 22 pair of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes, XX for females and XY for males. The Y chromosome is passed on without recombination by a father to his sons.
2. A SNP (Single-nucleotide polymorphism) happens when a single place in the genome sequence is altered during the cell formation process and this mutation persists in the progeny… A person has many inherited SNPs that together create a unique DNA pattern for that individual.
3. Clade comes from the Greek word Klados = branch. A Clade on the Y chromosome tree is also called a Haplogroup. Subclade describes a sub-clade being downstream (occurring later in time). A Clade includes all the descendants of a single MRCA (most recent common ancestor). [In the Y-tree older nodes (ancestors, toward the root) are Upstream. Younger nodes (descendants, toward the present) are Downstream.]
In our Causey Y-DNA tree, the root Haplogroup designation is T-M70. The terminal SNP is the defining SNP of the latest subclade known by current research. At present only three men in the world have been found to possess the Terminal SNP T-FTE75400. They include Causey/Cossey descendants, namely myself, Lamar and James Robert. Here is a visual that highlights the upstream-downstream of our Causey Y-DNA:
Before December 2023 my Terminal Y-DNA SNP (haplogroup) was determined to be T-FTE36788. But in the last few months Family Tree DNA.org discovered a new SNP mutation they have designated T-FTE75400.
The first question I had was, “Will the other Causeys who were determined to have the T-FTE36788 be “retested” and found to have the new Terminal SNP T-FTE75400. No say the experts at FTDNA. I posed the concern, (“…Please confirm those two member remaining in T-FTE36788 will or will not be reclassified as T-FTE75400. If they remain T-FTE36788, we will be able to determine within a generation when the mutation occurred.”). Their reply was:
| Request Update | Request ID: 1539817 |
Hello Windle,
Thank you for contacting FamilyTreeDNA. That appears to be the case. I didn’t find any indication that kits B192315 MK63518 will be moved to T-FTE75400 from their current placement at T-FTE36788.
Best Regards,
Casimir R.
Big Y Specialist
NOW THE BIG QUESTION. When did the mutation occur? FTDNA estimates with a 95% probability the mutation occurred between 1673 – 1913 AD. Lamar and I know we do not have a common ancestor (great-grandfather) who was born after about 1770. My second Great Grandfather James Solomon Causey was born in North Carolina in 1812. And, based on the 1880 US Census, his father was born in Maryland. Lamar’s third Great Grandfather Luke Causey was also born in Maryland in 1787. Both my line back to James Solomon Causey and Lamar’s line back to Luke Causey are well documented. So we are searching for a MRCA who was born in the mid 1700s.
We can further narrow down the date of birth of our most recent common ancestor, MRCA, knowing we have the two “nearest of kin” to John Causey (c1663-1724) and William Causey (c1664-1723) documented to be Thomas Causey-I (c1690-1776) and Philip Causey-I (c1704-1778). We don’t know if Thomas and Philip were brothers or cousins. It is likely they are both sons of John Causey since William Causey’s estate executor was his wife.
In conclusion, I believe we can presume the new line, that being T-FTE75400 will fall under the lineage of Thomas Causey-I and quite possibly be narrowed further to Thomas Causey, Jr. whom I believe to be the common ancestor of those Causey men who settled in and around Guilford County, North Carolina. Philip Causey-I removed to Craven County, North Carolina. His line migrated south through Georgia and on to Alabama.
Y-DNA testing helps to confirm our lineages. More research and testing continues.
Until next time… .
Windle Ray Causey
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