Thomas West and His Family
In 1610, Thomas West became the leader of Jamestown. He was joined by three of his brothers and several other male relatives.
Source: American History Central
Recently, DNA analysis of two skeletons from unmarked graves in a Jamestown church revealed that these individuals were related to West. The DNA also indicated that the men were connected through a shared maternal lineage.
A Surprising Connection
This genetic link led researchers to historical documents that proved one of the men — Captain William West — was illegitimate. He was born to Thomas West’s spinster aunt, Elizabeth.
Source: Britannica
Although Captain West was raised as part of the high-status West family in England, details of his scandalous birth were deliberately removed from the family’s genealogical records.
The Motivation to Leave England
Lingering whispers of Captain West’s illegitimate birth may have influenced his decision to seek his fortune in the American colony. These findings were reported on August 13 in the journal Antiquity.
Source: Cleveland Museum of Art
The discovery highlights how genetic data, combined with historical evidence, can uncover narratives that were once hidden or considered shameful.
Insights from the Study
Dr. Christine Lee, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Mississippi, who was not involved in the research, noted that this discovery offers a better understanding of how individuals in the past circumvented societal rules.
Source: Wikimedia
The case of Captain West is a prime example of how personal scandals were managed within high-status families.
The Jamestown Burials
In 2014, researchers found four unmarked graves at Jamestown in an Anglican church used by the colonists between 1608 and 1616.
Source: Wikimedia
The superior craftsmanship of two coffins suggested that the individuals buried there were important members of the colony. One of the graves even contained a spangled military sash fringed in silver.
Identifying the Remains
These burial details, along with age estimates for the skeletons and historical documents, indicated that the remains in the better-made coffins were those of Captain West, who died in his early 20s, and Sir Ferdinando Wenman, who died at age 34.
Source: Wikimedia
Jamestown records identified both men as relatives of the governor, but only Wenman’s status as a first cousin was documented.
The Role of Ancient DNA
To further investigate, scientists sampled and analyzed ancient DNA (aDNA) from the skeletons. The analysis took an unexpected turn, revealing surprising connections that researchers had not anticipated.
Source: Brano/Unsplash
Study coauthor Kari Bruwelheid, a skeletal biology specialist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, noted that the aDNA led the investigation in a direction that would not have been pursued otherwise.
Challenges with Ancient DNA
The ancient DNA, degraded over four centuries, was in poor condition. The only conclusive results came from the mitochondrial haplogroup, a matrilineal part of the genome.
Source: Freepik
According to study coauthor Dr. Éadaoin Harney, a lecturer of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University, while there wasn’t enough DNA to establish immediate family ties, Wenman and Captain West both shared the haplogroup H10e.
Uncovering Maternal Links
This commonality suggested that Wenman and Captain West were likely close maternal relatives.
geralt/Wikimedia Commons
This discovery surprised the researchers, as they had initially assumed that the relationship would be on the paternal side, given the shared surname of “West.”
Further Investigation
The genetic findings directed researchers to documents mentioning Captain West’s female relatives. Eventually, they discovered a previously overlooked court case from 1616 regarding the beneficiary of West’s will.
Source: Wikimedia
The legal documents revealed that Mary Blount, another aunt of the Jamestown governor, had raised Captain West on behalf of her unmarried, deceased sister, Elizabeth.
A New Chapter in Jamestown's History
The study confirmed that Captain West, Governor Thomas West, and Ferdinando Wenman were all cousins. This discovery adds another layer to the story of Jamestown, the oldest English settlement in North America.
Source: Freepik
Study coauthor Michael Lavin, director of collections and conservation at the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation, remarked on the significance of revealing such secrets over 400 years later, highlighting the enduring human experience of family secrets and interpersonal drama.