I like the title of this article--exactly my experience. I have been trying for years to take my James Mason in Culpeper VA (a 1769 deed says he was "of Stafford County) back another generation by traditional methods. No paper left to turn!  So I talked a male cousin into doing the YDNA test. So far, there have been three other Mason men who matched him closely enough to form a family grouping. 

Problem--branches, not roots!  One branch starts with a marriage of a John Mason 1840 in Roanoke VA. Another starts in Georgia ca. 1800. A third has a "paper" trail that links it to the Gunston Hall Masons--which DNA does not uphold. I found the error in that paper trail, but I'm still stuck with a "Gerard Alexander Mason of North Carolina" who married in Effingham GA 1818. So far I have not been able to trace any of those Mason lines beyond those dates, though I suspect John in Roanoke was a grandson of the Martin Mason who showed up in Botetourt ca 1786. But not a clue where Martin came from. 

Four branches, no roots.  Four brick walls instead of one. However, I persevere. Another Mason line that I can prove came out of Stafford VA and descends from John Mason/Mary Nelson has done the test--results pending. If that one matches my Mason line from James of Culpeper, I can at least trace it back to ca. 1700--beats 1840!  Of course, I will still have no clue how James in Culpeper was related to John in Stafford, but just the connection is more than I've had to work with for years!

And if the Stafford John Mason line does NOT match James in Culpeper?  Still stuck in 1769!

But I'd like to urge any male Mason with Virginia roots to do the YDNA test. Enough have done the test so that family groupings are beginning to emerge--though there are many who still have no matches at all. Mostly what YDNA is "proving" is that there were many more separate Mason families in 1700s VA than I ever imagined. I can't possibly live long enough to find "roots" in Europe, but I sure would like to identify my Mason immigrant!

Karen Dale
Larkspur CO

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