Turk DNA Project

Seeking Turk DNA! This is one of my greatest family mysteries.

I am looking for descendants of Johnston Turk, born about 1811 – died after 1872, who lived in Venango County, Pennsylvania, to participate.

I will be using the results (hopefully) in the case study element of my portfolio for the Board for Certification of Genealogists. So, I can’t discuss the specific details. But, broadly, I am seeking to use DNA to confirm or rule out whether the inferred children are all Johnston and Margaret’s children [hint: other records indicate they are not, and my aim is to use DNA to resolve the conflicting evidence}.

Candidates:

If you believe you are a descendant of one of Johnston and Margaret Turk’s inferred children from the 1860 U.S. Census listed below, please contact me.¹ The family lived in Cranberry Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania. All were listed as having been born in Pennsylvania. The family is split over two pages, and excepting the head of the household JF [Johnston] and Jane (the first listed on the next page), ditto marks were carried for the last name.

1860 U.S. Census
		Page 158 (stamped
First Name	Surname	Age	Occupation
JF	Turk	49	Day Laborer
Margaret	“	49	House Keeper
		Page 159 (stamped
Jane	Turk	27	House Keeper
Drucilla	“	25	“
Andrew	“	23	Day Laborer
Jas J	“	21	“
Elizabeth	“	19	House Keeper
Amanda	“	16
Jacob	“	14
David	“	12
Solomon	“	10
Clara	“	7
William	“	2

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Please Contact Me if you believe you are a Johnston Turk descendant

(financial assistance for testing is available)

Anyone who participates in this project will also have the option to receive a complimentary DNA Consultation. The DNA consultation typically consists of three virtual meetings, spaced out over approximately two months. During these meetings, you will learn how to:

• Triple or quadruple your matches
• Identify your best matches
• Contact your matches. But more importantly, how to get them to respond
• Rule out hypothesis using traditional genealogy

So, you will learn these skills and have the benefit of me doing the work to identify matches and contact them.

Want to know more about your DNA test results?

Want to know more about Venango County Genealogy?