No McElmoyle DNA
While trying to find possible DNA matches for one of my hardest family surnames—McElmoyle—I came across a source I had first seen in 2015, a census record for the daughter of my 2x great-grandfather Daniel McElmoyle and his first wife, Mary S. Chambers. I often scour the DNA databases, looking for my McElmoyle cousins, but I always come up empty. Today, I am searching for the married names of the women who are my half-aunts and the married names of their daughters. Searching the DNA databases requires that I know possible surnames.
Some North of Ireland DNA
Unfortunately for any Y-DNA research, this line has daughtered out—there are no Y-DNA testers since this branch of the family continues only through daughters. This leaves only autosomal testers—and half relations at that.
But the most meticulous and wonderful DNA Group Project Administrator I know, Martin McDowell of the North of Ireland Family History Society, who has worked magic with autosomal DNA in my Templeton research, suggested I try to find some McElmoyle cousins. He recommended asking them to upload their autosomal DNA to Family Tree DNA and join the North of Ireland DNA Group Project.
With a wave of his magic wand, he may be able to locate my elusive McElmoyles.
It’s an exciting prospect because this is probably my hardest line. So it’s back to that census record—to review it and to work on finding the daughters of the daughters of my 2x great-grandfather.
Do You Believe in Portents?
Looking at the census record today, I see not only Mary J. Chambers and her two daughters but also—living next door—another daughter. Surely I noticed that before.
But there’s something more: right next door to the McElmoyles live one of the Templeton families connected to my long-time Templeton research! The FAN, Family and Neighbors concept is not new to me, but I had no reason to notice the Templeton family right there in the census back in 2015.
That work was published in 2025—“The Three Templeton Brothers of Carolina,” by Mags Gaulden, The Carolina Herald and Newsletter, Vol. 52, No. 4, pp. 163–175, Official Publication of the South Carolina Genealogical Society, January 2025.
Stop and take a breath… methinks I’m going down the right path.
Off to find more McElmoyles—possibly with a sprinkling of North of Ireland fey dust! 🌿✨