I am a 5th gr-granddaughter of Samuel Dyar or Dyer and his wife Elizabeth Griffith. I had my DNA recently tested by Ancestry, and one of my matches has no obvious common ancestor, but does include Burch in their ancestry. This person is also on Gedmatch.com, where the matching DNA segments are reported. Naturally my curiosity was aroused. If I have Burch ancestry, it is most likely through Samuel Dyar.
Samuel Dyar's mother is reported to be Sarah Swann, but there is no proof, and the only real evidence is that her father Samuel Swann called her "Sarah Dyer" in his will. Some people dispute that Sarah Swann is Samuel's mother, since she would have been in her 40s when he was born. Possible, but.... She could have been a grandmother, and we are missing a generation, but all this is speculation.
I am looking for other cousins, descendants of Samuel Dyar, who have had their DNA tested and have already uploaded the raw data to Gedmatch.com or are willing to do so. It is not difficult at all. I would like to see if other descendants also share this piece of DNA, which I think would corroborate the link to the Swann family -- Sarah Swann's mother was a Burch. If other cousins share the DNA, we'd still have to do the standard research to prove the link.
If anyone is interested in this, please send me a message through Ancestry. I'd like to find out if DNA testing can help to break through the genealogical brick walls we all have.
Thank you,
Sue Runnells Berryhill