At this time there are ten Banister family participants who have been confirmed as genetic matches on all markers with the DNA testing. This is very exciting! 
        Balaam Banister was born around 1776 in possibly Virginia. (Date of birth and birthplace not proven.) In the 1800 census Balaam was in Abbeville, South Carolina. In 1809 Balaam is on the Jackson County, Georgia Tax List. By 1810 he was on the Warren County, Kentucky Tax list. In 1816 he was present at  his daughter, Celia Jane’s wedding to Daniel Wooten in Davidson County, Tennessee. They married in on October 18, 1816. The marriage bond was signed by Balaam Banister with his mark "B". Celia's application for Daniel's pension claim acknowledges her brother, William Bannister, along with her brother-in-law Jesse Dickerson. By 1820 Balaam migrated to Catahoula Parish, Louisiana and died there after 1821.

         James ‘Jim’ Leroy Banister was the great-grandson of Balaam. He was born on September 4, 1867 in Winn Parish,Louisiana. As a young child his parents, Balaam and Margaret Harvey Banister, and grandparents, William and Amanda (Wright) Banister, migrated in 1870 to Red River County, Texas. By 1880 they resided in Hunt County. Jim's four brothers and four sisters were all born in Texas.

         Burrel Banister was born 19 July 1779 in Prince William, County, Virginia, and was the son of John Banister. There Burrel resided until the age of majority, when he went to South Carolina, where he married Miss Margaret, daughter of Luke and Catherine (Sailors) Blades. By 1790, the Blades family had settled in Abbeville, South Carolina. It is believed that Burrel traveled south with Thomas Banister who was born in the same county as Burrel. Thomas Banister was a veteran of the Revolutionary War and was found enumerated on the same page as Luke Blades in the 1810 census for Abbeville, South Carolina.

         After a sojourn of about six years in South Carolina, Burrel Banister left for Kentucky about 1805, settling near Georgetown,Scott County, where the family resided for nearly five years.  The migration continued and they settled in Indian Territory, now Franklin County,Indiana. Here they dwelled in the valley of the Whitewater below Brookeville at the mouth of Blue Creek. Blue Creek was settled mostly by South Carolinians, among whom were the Blades, Stuckeys, Higgs, Herndons, Cherrys, and Robesons. While we don't know precisely when Burrel left Kentucky, we know that he was a resident by June 1, 1811, since he appears on Franklin County, the first tax list and was assessed 37 1/2 cents for each of his two horses.

         Also, Jarret Banister is an exact match to the Burrell and Balaam lines. Jarrett was born about 1778. He was from Union, Edgefield County, South Carolina, served in the War of 1812 and migrated to Georgia. He married Mary Hudson. He died in Campbell County, Georgia.

         Laban/Laborn Banister was born around 1801 in Tennessee. He married Saloma “Sally” unknown. He died in 1885. Laborn’s name is engraved on his grave marker along with Sally in Scipio, Jennings County, Indiana. Laban’s son David (1836-1918) married Elizabeth Jane Beatty. Two individuals who have been tested from this line area match to the Burrell & Balaam lines.

         Another confirmation of genetic DNA match to Burrell, Balaam, Jarret & Laban is Edward Wesley Banister (b. 1819-SC, d. 1912-AL). Edward married Lucy Jane Newsome 1821-1897. From this union fourteen children were born. Some of his descendants migrated to Forney, Kaufman County, Texas.

          John Thomas Banister (b. 4-16-1840-Abbeville, SC, d.4-18-1913-Mt. Vernon, Franklin County,TX) can be added to our list of DNA matches. He married Susan Madera in Dekalb Co. AL around 1859. They migrated to Hopkins County, Texas and are found in the 1880 census records. (Franklin County is close to Hunt County where Balaam and Margaret Banister lived.) The information received from this participant was John's father was the son of James Thomas Banister (b. 1807-Pendleton, SC, d. 1862-Etowah, AL) and Rebecca Haddon.  James' father, Mattison was born (1783) in Prince William County, VA. Mattison's father, Thomas, was born in 1763, Prince William County, VA, served in the Revolutionary War and applied for a pension in 1833.

          Another line related to the above mentioned Banister’s is John Banister (b. 1794, d. 1869-Lafayette,Tippecanoe County, IN). He married Nancy Patsy Perkins.

          Enoch Bannister is a match as well. He is the son of Augustine Banister of Fauquier County, Virginia which is next door to Prince William County, VA.

          At this time we do not know our common ancestor. However, we are hopeful with additional male Banisters participating we will be able to find more genetic cousins and find our common ancestor.