Cheek/Chick DNA Project
Participants
The following list of participants has been divided into three groups according to the results of the DNA study. The participants in Group 1 are believed to be the descendants of John Cheek (c.1650) of Old Rapp./Essex Co., VA, with the exception of Participants #18 and #34, who are descended from the Cheek/Chick family of Wiveliscombe, Somerset, England. There is a good probability, based on the DNA, that John Cheek (c.1650) was related to the Cheek/Chick family of Wiveliscombe, although their common ancestor may have lived a couple hundred years earlier. To date, no one has been able to identify John Cheek's parents or birthplace in England.
The participants in Group 2 are descendants of William Cheek (1728-c.1802), an immigrant from London, England, who settled in Bedford Co., VA, in 1754. William "of London" Cheek moved to Surry Co., NC, about 1799 and had numerous descendants in North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee. According to the DNA results, William "of London" Cheek was not closely related to the family of John Cheek of Old Rapp./Essex Co., VA. There is only about a 50-50 chance that these two Cheek lineages had a common male ancestor in the last 1,000 years.
Participants in the unique group do not match anyone else in the DNA study. In many cases, the result can probably be explained by a "non-paternity" event in that participant's direct male line, such as an adoption or a child born out of wedlock. However, some of the "uniques" may be descended from a different Cheek or Chick immigrant who is still unknown. As the study progresses, we may eventually identify a Group 3 and perhaps additional family groups.
Participants:
| 1 2 3 4 5 |
6 7 8 9 10 |
11 12 13 14 15 |
16 17 18 19 20 |
21 22 23 24 25 |
26 27 28 29 30 |
31 32 33 34 35 |
36 37 38 39 40 |
41 42 |
Couch Jordan |
| Group 1 Mostly Descendants of John Cheek of Old Rapp./Essex Co., VA |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Ancestor | Comments | DNA |
| 1 | Richard Cheek (c.1780) of Alleghany Co., NC | A descendant of Richard CHEEK (c.1780-1865) of Alleghany Co., NC, through his son Chesley CHEEK (1810-1864). Richard (c.1780) is believed to be the son of Robert CHEEK (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC. |  |
| 2 | William Cheek (1752) of Madison Co., GA | A descendant of William CHEEK (1752) of Madison Co., GA, through his son William CHEEK (1782-1868). William (1752) is believed to be a son of James CHEEK (c.1730) of Laurens, SC, who was a son of Richard "of Beaufort" CHEEK who died in Beaufort Co., NC, in 1745. | |
| 4 | William B. Cheek (1824) of Buncombe Co., NC | A descendant of William Bishop CHEEK (1824-1910) of Buncombe County, NC. William Bishop Cheek may have been the son of a Robert CHEEK who appears in the 1830 census of Rutherford Co., NC (age 50-59 so born 1770-1780). Participant 4's DNA closely matches descendants of Robert CHEEK (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC. | |
| 5 | John Cheek (c.1772) of Carroll Co., MS | A descendant of John CHEEK (c.1772) of Carroll Co., MS, through his son Hilliard CHEEK (1831-1898). John Cheek first appears in the 1840 census of Carroll Co., MS, when he was over the age of 60. He was born in NC based on the 1850 census. It is possible that John was related to the line of John CHEEK of Anson Co., NC, but this is not proven. See also Participants #20 and #24. | |
| 6 | Robert Cheek (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC | A descendant of Major John CHEEK (c.1793-c.1840's) of Orange Co., NC, through his son Robert H. CHEEK. Major John was a son of John Cheek (c.1768), who was a son of Robert CHEEK (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC. | |
| 7 | James Chick (1760) of Knox Co., KY | A descendant of Nelson CHEEK (CHICK) (c.1826-1863) who was born in Tennessee and lived in Lee County, VA, and Dent Co., MO, and had descendants in Clay Co., KY. Nelson is believed to be the son of James CHICK (c.1799-1860's) of Claiborne Co., TN, who may have been a son of James CHICK (1760), a Rev. War veteran from King & Queen Co., VA. James (1760) was probably the son of Richard CHEEK (c.1720-c.1790) of King & Queen County, VA. | |
| 8 | William Cheek (1752) of Madison Co., GA | A descendant of William CHEEK (1752) of Madison Co., GA, through his son Ellis CHEEK (c.1788-1870) of Hart Co., GA. William (1752) is believed to be a son of James CHEEK (c.1730) of Laurens, SC, who was a son of Richard "of Beaufort" CHEEK who died in Beaufort Co., NC, in 1745. | |
| 12 | William Cheek (1752) of Madison Co., GA | A descendant of Elisha CHEEK (1846-1924) of Franklin Co., GA, and Clay Co., NC. Elisha is believed to be a grandson of William CHEEK (1752), who is believed to be a son of James CHEEK (c.1730) of Laurens, SC. See also Participant #3. | |
| 13 | Jeremiah Cheek (c.1760) of Bedford Co., TN | A descendant of Jeremiah CHEEK (c.1760-1853) of York and Lancaster Dists., SC, and Bedford Co., TN, through his son Benjamin R. CHEEK (1812-1865) of Marshall Co., TN. Jeremiah CHEEK might have been a grandson of John CHEEK of Anson Co., NC. | |
| 15 | John R. Cheek (c.1818) of AL and TX | A descendant of John Randolph CHEEK (c.1818-c.1860's) through his son Jasper Freeman CHEEK (who changed his name to William Riley LAMBERT). John Randolph CHEEK was born in Alabama and moved to Cherokee Co., TX, prior to 1850. He and his family are later found in Tyler, Leon, Milam, Burleson, and Somervell Counties, TX. John Randolph CHEEK may have been a grandson or great-grandson of John CHEEK of Anson Co., NC. | |
| 17 | Robert Cheek (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC | A descendant of Eli CHEEK (c.1790-1847) of Chatham Co., NC, through his son Wesley Green CHEEK and grandson Milton W. CHEEK. Eli CHEEK (c.1790) was a son of Mastin Cheek (c.1760's), who was a son of Robert CHEEK (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC. | |
| 18 | William Chicke (16th cent.) of Somerset, England | This participant in an Australian descendant of William Chicke who died 1612 in Wiveliscombe, Somerset, England. He matches our most typical Group 1 profile on 23 out of 25 markers, including the extremely rare "20" in the #464 series. However, he also has 2 extra markers (a double duplication) in the #464 series. It seems likely that Participant 18 is related to Group 1, but our common male ancestor must have lived several hundred years ago. The DNA results are evidence that Group 1's ancestors may have come from southwest England (a region known as Wessex), possibly the county of Somerset. See also Participant #34. | |
| 19 | Ellis Cheek (1760) of Laurens SC | A member of the "Fort Spunky" (Texas) Cheek family. This line is descended from Ellis CHEEK (1760) of Laurens, SC, through his son Willis Drayton CHEEK (c.1806-1863). Ellis (1760) was a son of James CHEEK (c.1730) of Laurens SC. | |
| 20 | John Cheek (c.1772) of Carroll Co., MS | A descendant of John CHEEK (c.1772) of Carroll Co., MS, through his son George CHEEK (c.1836). See also Participants #5 and #24. | |
| 22 | Robert Cheek (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC | A descendant of Nash CHEEK (1823-1904) of Orange Co., NC, through his son John W. CHEEK. Nash was a son of John CHEEK (c.1768), who was a son of Robert CHEEK (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC. | |
| 23 | Robert Cheek (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC | A descendant of Eli CHEEK (c.1790-1847) of Chatham Co., NC, through his son Wesley Green CHEEK and grandson Wiley A. CHEEK. Eli CHEEK (c.1790) was a son of Mastin Cheek (c.1760's), who was a son of Robert CHEEK (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC. | |
| 24 | John Cheek (c.1772) of Carroll Co., MS | A descendant of John CHEEK (c.1772) of Carroll Co., MS, through his son Hilliard CHEEK (1831-1898). See also Participants #5 and #20. | |
| 25 | Washington R. Cheek (c.1817) of Red River Co., TX | A descendant of Washington Randolph CHEEK (c.1817-1870) of Red River Co., TX, who was probably a nephew or cousin of Valentine "Felty" CHEEK of Red River Co., TX. "Felty" was a son of Randolph CHEEK (c.1740-1815) of Lancaster SC and Giles Co., TN, who is believed to be a son of John CHEEK of Anson Co., NC. | |
| 27 | Jesse Cheek (c.1775) of Maury Co., TN | A descendant of Jesse CHEEK (c.1775-1829) of Maury Co., TN. Jesse may have come to TN from Lancaster Dist., SC, with his brother Eli CHEEK. He may have been a grandson of John CHEEK of Anson Co., NC. | |
| 28 | Ellis Cheek (1760) of Laurens SC | A descendant of Ellis CHEEK (1760) of Laurens, SC, through his son Willis Drayton CHEEK (c.1806-1863). Ellis (1760) was a son of James CHEEK (c.1730) of Laurens SC. | |
| 29 | Jeremiah Cheek (c.1760) of Bedford Co., TN | A descendant of Jeremiah CHEEK (c.1760-1853) of York and Lancaster Dists., SC, and Bedford Co., TN, through his son Edmund R. Cheek of Dallas Co., MO. Jeremiah CHEEK might have been a grandson of John CHEEK of Anson Co., NC. | |
| 32 | William Chick (c.1750) of Hanover Co., VA | A descendant of William CHICK (c.1750) of Hanover Co., VA, through his son Ambler CHICK who moved to Butler Co., KY. | |
| 33 | Robert Cheek (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC | A descendant of Robert CHEEK (1799) of Orange and Chatham Co., NC, through his son Henry A. CHEEK. Robert (1799) is believed to be a son of the Rev. War veteran James CHEEK (1762) of Orange Co., NC, who was a son of Robert CHEEK (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC. | |
| 34 | William Chicke (16th cent.) of Somerset, England | A descendant of the Cheek/Chick family of Wiveliscombe, Somerset, England, through a family that immigrated to the United States in the 1850's. Participant 34 has 3 extra markers (a triple duplication) in the #464 series. He matches the most typical Group 1 profile on all remaining markers except one. If not for the triple duplication in the #464 series, this would be a very close match. Unfortunately, it is not possible to calculate a probable time to our most recent common ancestor, because of lack of data for such a unique configuration of the #464 series. I would guess at least 400 or 500 years See also Participant #18. | |
| 38 | Willis Cheek (c.1771) of Laurens SC | A descendant of Willis CHEEK (c.1771) of Laurens, SC, through his son Ellis Cheek (1804-1850). Willis (c.1771) was a son of James CHEEK (c.1730) of Laurens SC. | |
| 39 | Richard Cheek (c.1780) of Alleghany Co., NC | A descendant of Richard CHEEK (c.1780-1865) of Alleghany Co., NC, through his son Henderson CHEEK (1804-1897). Richard (c.1780) is believed to be the son of Robert CHEEK (c.1730) of Orange Co., NC. | |
| 40 | Ellis Cheek (1760) of Laurens SC | A descendant of Ellis CHEEK (1760) of Laurens, SC, through his son William CHEEK (1784-1877) of Jasper Co., GA. See also Participants #9 and #19. | |
| Couch | Robert Couch (c.1820) of Murray Co., GA | This individual from the
Couch DNA Project
exactly matches the most typical Group 1 profile on 36/37 markers
(including the "quirk" on #464d). Mr. Couch's
ancestor was Robert COUCH (b. abt. 1820 in SC) who lived in
Murray Co., GA, and DeKalb Co., AL. Robert Couch is
believed to be a son of William COUCH (b. abt. 1790) of
Spartanburg & Laurens Dists., SC, and Gwinnett Co., GA.
So far, 3 descendants of Robert COUCH and 1 descendant of his
brother Richard COUCH (b. abt. 1816) closely match the CHEEK DNA
results. This result suggests there may have been a name
change from Cheek to Couch. |
|
| Jordan | Joshua Jordan (1790) of Jennings Co., IN | This individual from the Jordan DNA Project matches the most typical
Group 1 profile on 37/37 markers. Mr. Jordan's
ancestor, Joshua JORDAN (1790-1872), was born in Pennsylvania and
lived in Butler Co., OH; Clermont Co., OH; and Jennings Co.,
IN. Subsequent generations lived in Bartholomew, Decatur,
and Jackson Counties, IN. This family has no obvious connection
to anyone with the CHEEK surname, although there were some CHEEK
families in Indiana. If you can shed light on this mystery,
please send an email to <jljs37@myfam.com>. |
|
| Group 2 Descendants of William "of London" Cheek (1728-c.1802) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Ancestor | Comments | DNA |
| 14 | John Cheek (c.1781) of Surry Co., NC | A descendant of John CHEEK (c.1781) of Surry Co., NC, through his son Aaron Wesley CHEEK. John CHEEK is believed to be a son of William CHEEK (1728), an immigrant from London, England, who settled in Bedford Co., VA, in 1754, and later moved to Surry Co., NC. | |
| 21 | John Cheek (c.1781) of Surry Co., NC | Another descendant of John CHEEK (c.1781) of Surry Co., NC, through his son William CHEEK (c.1815-1896) who moved to Carter Co., KY. Descendants later lived in Lawrence Co., OH. | |
| 30 | Henry Cheek of Adair Co., KY | A descendant of William CHEEK (1728) "of London" through his son Henry CHEEK (1767-1838), who moved to Adair Co., KY. | |
| 31 | Nicholas Cheek of Shelby Co., KY | A descendant of William CHEEK (1728) "of London" through his son Nicholas CHEEK (b. abt. 1772) who moved to Shelby Co., KY. | |
| 37 | Nicholas Cheek of Shelby Co., KY | Another descendant of William CHEEK (1728) "of London" through his son Nicholas CHEEK (b. abt. 1772) who moved to Shelby Co., KY. | |
| Unique Results | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Ancestor | Comments | DNA |
| 3 | Elisha Cheek (1846) of Franklin Co., GA | A descendant of Elisha CHEEK (1846-1924) who lived in Franklin Co., GA, and Clay Co., NC. Note that Participant #3 does not match Participant #12 who is also a descendant of Elisha Cheek and is part of Group 1. Explanation: probably a "non-paternity event" in Participant #3's lineage. | |
| 9 | Ellis Cheek (1760) of Laurens SC | Believed to be a descendant of Ellis CHEEK (1760) of Laurens, SC, through his son William CHEEK (1784-1877) of Jasper Co., GA. Note that Participant #9 does not match Participants #19 and #40 who are also descendants of Ellis Cheek (1760). Explanation: probably a "non-paternity event" in Participant #9's lineage. | |
| 10 | Thomas R. Cheek (1865) of Franklin Co., GA | This participant is a descendant of Thomas Rube CHEEK (1865-1948) of Franklin Co., GA. Thomas Rube CHEEK's parents are unknown. He was raised as a grandson of Freeman CHEEK (c.1802) of Franklin Co., GA, who was a son of William CHEEK (1752) of Madison Co., GA. Several other descendants of William CHEEK (1752) match Group 1. Explanation: Thomas Rube Cheek was probably adopted. He may have been the son of one of Freeman Cheek's daughters and raised by his grandparents. This is a classic "non-paternity event" that leads to anomolous DNA results. | |
| 11 | Henderson Cheek (c.1805) of Wilkes Co., NC | A descendant of Henderson CHEEK (c.1805-1880's?) of Wilkes Co., NC. Henderson is a mystery. These DNA results indicate he was not related to the other Cheeks in neighboring Wilkes, Surry, and Alleghany Counties, NC. Explanation: unknown; could be a new Cheek lineage. | |
| 16 | John R. Cheek (c.1818) of AL and TX | A descendant of John Randolph CHEEK (c.1818-c.1860's) through his youngest son(?) John Robert CHEEK (1864-1929). Note this participant does not match Participant #15 who is also a descendant of John Randolph Cheek through a different son. Explanation: John Robert Cheek would have been born when his mother was in her late 40's. Therefore, he may have actually been a grandson (born out of wedlock) who was raised as a son. Another classic "non-paternity event." | |
| 26 | Jesse Cheek (c.1775) of Maury Co., TN | A descendant of Jesse CHEEK (c.1775-1829) of Maury Co., TN. Note this participant does not match Participant #27 who is also a descendant of Jesse Cheek. Explanation: probably a "non-paternity" event in this participant's lineage. | |
| 35 | William Cheek (c.1790) of Surry Co., NC | This participant is a descendant of Martha CHEEK, daughter of William CHEEK (c.1790) of Surry Co., NC. William was a son of William CHEEK (1728) "of London." (See GROUP 2, above.) Martha had several children born out of wedlock. The reason that this participant does not match the other descendants of William "of London" is because he is descended through a female line. Y-DNA is inherited only through the male line. | |
| 36 | James Cheek of Decatur Co., IN. | A descendant of James CHEEK (b. abt. 1788) of Decatur Co., IN, who was possibly a grandson of George CHEEK, Sr., of Front Royal, Warren Co., VA, and Dearborn Co., IN. Some of James Cheek's descendants settled in Ellis Co., TX. So far, no one has been able to determine if the Front Royal Cheeks were related to other Cheek families in Virginia. These DNA results suggest they were an unrelated family, but more descendants of George Sr. need to be tested. Participant #36 has a rare haplogroup E3b. | |
| 41 | John Wilbur Cheeks of Wilkes Co., NC | A descendant of John Wilbur Cheeks, a son of John (Aaron) Wesley Cheek(s) & Jenny Burchett of Wilkes Co., NC. Some researchers believe that John (Aaron) Wesley Cheek(s) was a son of Henderson Cheek of Wilkes Co., NC. However, Participant #41's DNA results do not match Participant #11, who is also believed to be a descendant of Henderson Cheek. We need to test more descendants of Henderson before drawing any conclusions about this family group. | |
| Pending | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Ancestor | Comments | DNA |
| 42 | William P. Cheek (c.1798) of Bedford Co., VA | A descendant of William P. Cheek (c.1798-1881) of Bedford Co., VA. William P. Cheek was a son of Thomas Cheek of Bedford Co., VA, who may or may not be the Thomas who was a son of William Cheek (1728) of Bedford Co., VA, and Surry Co., NC. | |
Genetic Distance