Descended from African slaves and European royalty

 

I am related to Princess Di!

Conventional thinking in the UK regards UK African-Caribbeans as coming from ‘humble’ and ‘low status’ backgrounds largely because they are descended from slaves. ‘High born’ doesn’t come to mind.

Yet, there are significant numbers of UK Caribbeans who are descendants of African or European aristocracy. Recently, we heard that the late Colin Powell, whose parents were from Jamaica, had a distant relation to the Queen and so too will his relatives living in the UK.

So, conventional views can change through examining genealogy. When you look at the family trees of black Caribbeans or African-Americans, it is not rare to see European nobles.

Views about descendants have an impact on the self-perception of black individuals, especially British-born Caribbeans who, when young, were forced to struggle with the notion that, because they were black and descended from slaves, they were not human enough. Even though, these noble relations are not without irony and contradiction.

For most of my 60-plus years, I was an ordinary, British-born Jamaican. But then I discovered that I was related not just to African but also European aristocracy and royalty. I have a DNA match to the royal family of the Bamum in Cameroon but I am also the 13th cousin, twice removed, of Princess Diana Frances Spencer.

OK, I knew that I was part French from my mother’s side. I knew our family owned land in Jamaica. An aunt had been active in the PNP. That’s notable if you’re Jamaican but did not add up to ‘blue blood’. So, what I didn’t know was that I was the 24th great grandson of the soldier who led the army on behalf of William the Conquer and whose family became prominent in the UK.

Members of his family were called Lords, Barons and Sirs. They married into the Plantagenet family. Sir Francis Drake (who was involved in slavery) was in in-law. They gave their name to St Martins in the Field. My 1st cousin 13 times removed led, at one time, the Mayflower to north America and I have distant relations who are Presidents, well-known actors and other notables.

Black Jamaicans

Now think about this. A black UK Jamaica, descended from slaves, was also descended from European aristocracy. My family financially was humble. I grew up in a terraced house in Handsworth, Birmingham. When I was young, my mother did speak of an aristocrat background, But I dismissed this as silly. In fact, most people would think anyone saying that is crazy. She was right, I was wrong.

Today, I quite like the idea. It’s  not just for self-aggrandisement, although, I suppose, it’s partly that, it also mashes up racial stereotypes and ideologies. 

I can be fairly sure that this is not crazy. In August 2021, I started doing hours of genealogical research. I used Ancestry, Family Search, My Heritage, GEDmatch, Jamaican Family Search and Family Tree DNA. I have had three DNA tests (some with slightly differing results). 

My ordinary life told me that my maternal grandfather was Gilbert Nathaniel Martin, a fisherman in Port Henderson, St Catherine, Jamaica. He had married a woman of French origin, Constancia Chevannes. I had always assumed that she was racially mixed but she was not. 

My generation of family had not asked who all our great grandparents had been, which is not uncommon. Eventually, members of my family had found that his father was Henry Bensford Martin, a Jamaican of English origin. My research, making use of DNA, led to Elizabeth Lawrence, a black woman from Clarendon, Jamaica, with whom he had a relationship – 50 years after the end of slavery.

There is no record for their relationship. There are the family trees of two English Martins that show Henry Bensford had my grandfather, Gilbert. But there is no mention of Gilbert’s mother or his black children. There is a record for Henry Martin as the father of Gilbert at his wedding.

Henry Martin and my grandparents’ marriage

My English-Jamaica great grandfather

But there are records for Henry Bensford Martin’s lineage. His grandfather, Henry Martin, born 1812, was a tailor who left Chelsea, London for 15a Arnold Road, Kingston, Jamaica. My relatives followed that lineage to Richard Edward Martin, born 1609, in Devon, England and had travelled to the US. But they were stuck there and had no idea of who he was. The funny thing was that most of the family tree I created was full of white people.

Family Search uncovered his lineage. Automatically, it provided parents and grandparents that went back to Admiral-General William Robert Martin Saint Martin de Tours, 1st Baron of Kemys, born 1030 Tours, Bayeaux, Normandie, France and died 1075 Kemeys, Pembrokeshire, Wales. He is thought to have led William the Conquor’s army during the Norman Conquest. I was shocked.

My family was in fact related, although from 6 to 15 generations back, to US presidents, famous Americans, actors and actresses and, of course, Princess Di. Although, some you would not want to be related to.

To check all this, I went to Ancestry and did a completely different family tree. I used google to confirm my lineage. Yet, I came up with the same names on the new family tree. Through this, I discovered I have a few famous US relatives. This is due to a site called Relative Finder that looks at your tree in Family Search and compares it with others. 

DNA and records

But how do I know I’m not barking up the wrong family tree? How do I know whether or not this is just wrong?

I will have European connections if I am related to the descendants of Admiral-General William Robert Martin. So, what are the connections? The main record is a marriage certificate for my grandparents, Gilbert Martin and Constancia Chevannes in Kingston, Jamaica, 1913. It states that Gilbert’s father is Henry Martin. But that does not answer everything. Is he Henry Bensford Martin? There were few other records that I could check.

So, it is difficult to be certain but yet, there is more evidence I can check: I can use DNA and the DNA matches I have, as well as records.

My DNA told me that on my father’s side I am mainly Nigerian, likely Igbo, Benin and Ghanian. He also had a tiny bit of Irish, which is probably where the name Hinds comes from. My mother is more interesting. She was Benin, Ghana and mainly Cameroon. She also had European DNA. I am between 10% and 15% European that includes England & Northwestern Europe, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, Greece & Albania.

My DNA matches includes lots of white people, many of whom are in the US. In fact, Myheritage puts me in a genetic group comprise those who travelled to and colonised in north America. The Northwestern North Carolina and Southwestern Virginia group were English, Irish, Scottish and German people who settled in that region. That fits with the Martin family who were among the first north American colonisers. Christopher Martin, born 1582 in Essex, was the first governor of the Speedwell and the Mayflower that landed in Plynouth Rock, America. In fact, the Martin family took part in colonisation, (although, I have not found involvement in slavery).

I share DNA with early English colonisers of North America

Other’s family trees

Having joined the Facebook group, Mayflower Ancestors and Cousins and had my DNA checked by the admin, I have 47 DNA links with the group’s members. One member, Molly, is my 13^th cousin once removed and we have a common ancestor, Sir Robert Terrell Collier, 1515–1586, who was the husband of the maternal grandmother of the wife of my 10th great-grandfather, Robert Martin. 

DNA matches with Mayflower Ancestors and Cousins

My link to a Mayflower Ancestor

I have a DNA match with someone who calls himself Poppy Bo from the US. His grandfather was William Thomas Martin, Sep 7 1857; the son of John Robert Martin, Georgia, June 11 1802. Forebears are: 

• John Martin, c 1775, Frederick, Maryland,
• Joshua Martin, 1738, Maryland,
• John Martin, Jan 15 1701, Talbot, Maryland,
• Thomas Martin, Sep 1 1672, Talbot Co. Province of Maryland,
• Thomas Martin, 1629, Dorsetshire, England,
• Thomas Martin, 1604, Somersetshire, England,
• William Martin. 1583, Dorsetshire, England and
• Sir Lord Thomas Issac Martin Baron of Athelhampton, B:8 Feb 1562 Athelhampton House, Pale Park, Dorchester, Dorset, England; D:6 Aug 1633 Athelhampton House.

Sir Lord Thomas Issac Martin is my 2^nd cousin 11 times removed.

Or there is my 14^th cousin, Claire, who is based in the UK and whose family tree is full of coats of arms. We share a small amount of dna (8 centimorgans). In her tree is Edmund Martin, birth 1650 • Stithians, Cornwall, England; death 22 Sept 1690 , St Stithians, Cornwall, England. Looking at records and other people’s tree revealed:

– David Martin, birth 28 Nov 1598 • St Stithians, Cornwall, England; death 14 Mar 1666 • St Stithians, Cornwall, England

– John Martin, birth, Jul 1580 • Pendelvear, St.Stithians, Cornwall, England; death 19 Sep 1642, St.Erth Cornwall England

– Sir Roger Martyn, birth 1504 • Illogan, Cornwall, England; death 6 Feb 1588 • Illogan/Calstock, Cornwall, England, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Martyn-219 

– Sir Baron William Martin III, Baron of Athelhampton, Lord Mayor of London; birth 1446 • Athelhampton House, Dorset, England; death 25 Mar 1504 • Chapel, Magdeline, Piddletown, Dorset, England, – my 15^thgreat-grandfather, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Martyn-100

I share 14 centimorgans with a 15^th cousin, Yolanda, an African-American, in the US. Her grandmother is Beulah Martin. One of her direct ancestors, Captain Thomas Martin, fought in the Revolutionary War against Britain. His grandson, Abraham Martin married a black woman, Sarah. Sarah was a farm hand. Their son, Frederick is also registered as black. He was also a farm labourer. Sarah is Yolanda’s 3rd great-grandmother. Our common ancestor is my 15^th great-grandfather, Sir William Martin III, of Athelhampton, 1460 to 1503.

• Beulah Martin, B:20 Jan 1922 Florence, Georgia, D:3 Apr 2000 Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA

• Albert Lawrance Martin, B:25 Apr 1900 Georgia, D:5 Mar 1976 Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA

• Frederick Martin, B:abt 1841 Georgia, D:1910 Lumpkin, Stewart, Georgia

• Abraham Martin, B:abt 1812 Georgia, D:1880 married Sarah Martin, B:1814 Georgia, D:1890

• Samuel Martin, B:1801 Virginia, USA, D:28 Feb 1845 Fountainhead Tennessee

• Rev Abraham Martin, B:28 Oct 1774 Albemarle County, Virginia, USA, D:4 Aug 1846 Sumner County, Tennessee, USA

• Captain Thomas Martin, fought in the Revolutionary War, B:1 Jun 1713 Parish St Peters St Paul, King William, VA or Caroline, VA, USA, D: Dec 1792 Locust Grove Plantation, Albernarle Co, Virginia, United States

• Colonel John Abram Martin, B:1683 King William CO, VA, D:25 Mar 1756 Caroline, Virginia, United States

• Col Zachariah Abraham Martin II, B:1642 Ballynahinch Castle, County Galway, Galway, Connaught, Ireland, D:Feb 1711 York, St Peters Parish, King William County, Colonial America, Virginia, Bates, Missouri, USA

• Captain John Abram Martin of Pale Park, The 1st, of The Swan, B:15 Apr 1616 Pale Park, Dorset, England, United Kingdom, D:3 Nov 1693 King William County, Virginia, USA, my 4th cousin 12x removed

• Sir Lord Thomas Issac Martin Baron of Athelhampton, of Pale Park
  B:8 Feb 1562 Athelhampton House, Pale Park, Dorchester, Dorset, England, D:1673 Athelhampton House, Dorset, England, my 3rd cousin 13x removed

• Sir Robert Martin Baron Martin of Athelhamson
  B 3 AUG 1532 • Athelhampton House, Dorset, England, D 17 MAR 1586 • Athelhampton House, Pale Park, Dorset, England. My 2nd cousin 14x removed

• Sir Thomas Robert Martin Baron of Athelhampton, MP
  BIRTH 22 APR 1510 • Athelhamston House, Puddletown, Dorset, England, United Kingdom, DEATH 1575 Athelhampton House, Dorset, England. 1st cousin 15x removed

• Sir Christopher Martin Lord of Athelhampton,
  BIRTH ABT. 1500 • Dorset, Athelhampton House, Dorset, England, DEATH 22 MAR 1525 • Athelhampton House, Dorsetshire, England.  My 14th great-granduncle 

• Sir Baron William Martin III, Baron of Athelhampton, Lord Mayor of London; birth 1446 • Athelhampton House, Dorset, England; death 25 Mar 1504 • Chapel, Magdeline, Piddletown, Dorset, England, my 15^thgreat-grandfather and our common ancestor.

Thankfully, it is not all about notable white people. I have a distant relation to Dr Charles Drew. He saved thousands of lives during WWII because he invented a means of storing blood. He has been named as one of the 100 greatest African-Americans and numerous schools and health-related facilities, as well as other institutions, have been named in honor of him, including the Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles.

My DNA matches tell me that I and my family are related to African royalty. Myheritage says I have a DNA match with Njingoutana-Bamoun of Cameroon. He wants his details to remain confidential but he has confirmed that he is a prince and a cousin of a king. The same match extends to my 3rd cousin, Loretta, whose tree I explored to find Elizabetrh Lawrence. Bamoun is a kingdom in Cameroon and his family tree is apparently run by a princess.  I suspect that we all have a common ancestor with Elizabeth’s father Thomas and his wife in Clarendon, Jamaica. TWe will all have a common ancestor from Bamum perhaps during the 1700s. I’m around 17% Cameroon/Congo/Western Bantu all of which comes from my mother’s side. 

My DNA match with an African prince

There is other evidence concerning the Martins. This is not evidence that is there but evidence derived from what is not there. The Devon/Dorset Martins were early colonisers in north America and went to Jamaica. I share DNA with English and other people who did that. So, if I am not related to the Devon/Dorset Martins then there should be clues in my DNA matches of another Martin lineage who also went to the US and Jamaica. If there is, I have not found it. The only Martin I can be related to is the Devon/Dorset Martins.

Not all black people in the UK and the diaspora will have links to African or European royalty and the absence of such links should not mean their descendants are of no consequence. Indeed, people of African descent around the world should have access to DNA testing and the creation of family trees that is sponsored by governments in Africa and the Caribbean. We need to have our past reconstructed. Also, my noble links does not change my material circumstances. But what this does say is that we adopt narratives about the world and people that when compared to the facts of the world are simply wrong.