Volume 13 , Issue 13

Origins of the GWINN Family

Ron Gwinn sent the link to a couple of his genealogy websites, which I shall give the link below. Ron also says, "Hello, Linda! I believe that you are a descendent of the Gwin(n) family of Augusta County, Virginia. I thought you might find the latest Y-DNA research on the Gwinns to be of interest. Although not mentioned in the websites, two other Gwinn lines have the same results; one is a descendent of Lt. Joseph Gwin, the other is descended from James Gwinn, both sons of Robert Gwin, Sr. of the Calfpasture River."

Ron mentioned some errors of family legend on his site The Origins of the Gwinn Family that the family tradition has two brothers, Samuel and David Gwinn leaving Ireland together, were shipwrecked and Samuel drowned. David was picked up by a sailing vessel and brought to America. He married an English woman, settled in Augusta County, Virginia and reared a large family. Two of David's sons, james and Samuel came to the Vicinity of Lowell, West Virginia from the Calf pasture River, Virginia, about the year 1780.

He goes on to mention on his website that the first GWINN settler on the Calf Pasture River was Robert Gwin, Sr. who was the father of David, Joseph, Robert, James and Samuel.

The family tradition does clearly point to Ireland as the place of origin and Augusta County as the destination of the GWINN family. The story of a shipwreck, or very bad storm, is an enduring legend in the GWINN family and may have a basis in historical fact.

On that same page under the heading "The PUblished Sources," the History of the Graham Family, by David Graham, published in 1899, states "Samuel and James Guinn, two brothers, settled and made their home near that of Graham. Before the Lowell settlement the Grahams and Guinns were neighbors on the Calf Pasture River and had even both sailed over the blue waters from Ireland."

Another source, History of Rockbridge County by Oren F. Morton, says that "John Graham and his family experienced a great storm during their voyage from Ulster." Again echoing the GWINN family legend.

Ron's website states that, "Robert Gwin, Sr. makes his first known historical appearance in a land transaction in Augusta County, Virginia. At a court held for Orange County on Thursday, July 20, 1745, an indenture was acknowledged and ordered to be recorded between James Patton and John Lewis of Beverly Manor, Augusta County and Robert Gwin of the Calf Pasture, Augusta County. The indenture was for the sale of 544 acres on the Great Calf Pasture River to Robert Gwin for five shillings. The indenture was signed by Patton and Lewis and sealed and delivered before witnesses David Kinkead, Robert Bratton and Loftis Pulliam on July 16, 1745."

Ron's other website, The GWINN Family, mentions among other things that, "The Gwinn family was until recently believed to be of Welsh descent. However, Y-DNA testing of three documented descendents of Robert Gwin, Sr. matched the Northwest Irish Modal Haplotype (R-M222). This rare haplotype appears in only 10 percent of men in Ireland. A study conducted by Trinity College Dublin noticed a close relationship of this haplotype with surnames associated in the traditional Irish genealogies with the Ui Neills--Irish and Scottish dynasties claiming descent from the Irish warlord and High King, Niall Noigiallach or 'Niall of the Nine Hostages.'"   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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