Secrets of Jamestown unearthed: DNA reveals hidden family ties
7:31 AM EDT, August 18, 2024
Recently, archaeologists made a remarkable discovery regarding the colonists of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. One of the prominent local families had kept a secret that could have jeopardized their social standing.
The colonists of Jamestown earned a notorious place in history. They engaged in acts of cannibalism, ate their own pets, and exploited people for slave labor.
As reported by the Geekweek portal, the latest DNA research on the remains of two prominent individuals from the local community reveals more to uncover. After 400 years, additional secrets have come to light.
Many skeletons were discovered during recent archaeological research around the church, which existed in Jamestown from 1608 to 1616. Two belonging to men were examined.
Scientists' remarkable discovery in Jamestown
The skeletons were buried far from the altar, indicating their high social status. The remains were determined to belong to Sir Fernando Wenman and Captain William West.
Sir Fernando Wenman and Captain William West belonged to the influential West family, which included Thomas West, the third Baron De La Warr, and the first governor of the Jamestown colony. The portal explains that scientists discovered that Wenman and West were related unexpectedly through the maternal line.
Further investigations by researchers led to the discovery that William West was the son of Thomas's aunt, Elizabeth, who never married. Thus, William was an illegitimate child. As is well known, such children were a serious social problem in those times, especially among high-ranking families.
The case of the illegitimate child, which was wholly erased from the official records concerning the West family genealogy, was never intended to see the light of day.
