James Franklin Messer (1735 - 1784)

Born 1735 in Edgefield, South Carolina

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 19 Jul 1784 at about age 49 in Edgefield, South Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: DorothyC Crowder [send private message]

Biography

James was born in 1735. He passed away in 1784.

DNA

Autosomal and Y-DNA testing have proven that there is a relation between Samuel Watts, also know as “Watts alias Mercer,” born 1691 Haverhill, MA. (Watts-837) to James Messer (Messer-339) and Henry Mercer (1736-1791, Robeson, NC) (Mercer-3722.)

Two known male line Watts descendants have taken Y-DNA tests. One is a descendant of Samuel through his son Samuel III (Watt-1168.) The other is descendant to Samuel II's brother John Watts (Watts-2601.) Both of these men have matches at the 37, 67 and 111 markers to known descendants of James Messer (Messer-339) and Henry Mercer (Mercer-3722.) I have found numerous triangulated autosomal DNA matches between descendants of Samuel Watts and descendants of both Henry Mercer and James Messer.

As noted in the comments, George Messer and Omia Bennett cannot have been the parents of the James Messer of this profile since George and Omia were living into the 20th century.

Based on DNA and other circumstantial evidence, (See research notes on Watts-837.) I am proposing that Samuel Watts (Watts-837) is the father of James Messer (Messer-339) and Henry Mercer (Mercer-3722.)

Sources

• South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980. ancestry.com. Will was probated in Abbeville, SC 1784. John Messer was the executor.
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:3WYG-GZ7 : accessed 2016-10-03), entry for JAMES FRANKLIN /MESSER/.

Acknowledgments

First-hand information as remembered by DorothyC Crowder, Wednesday, July 30, 2014.