About us
September 2011
DNA success story
First and foremost you have to realize this DNA success story is due research of Mr. William R. McCreight living in Germany today. He is a descendant of North Carolina pioneer Andreas Killian (born 1702 Germany – died 1788 North Carolina).
The DNA project has identified 3 groups of American Colonial Killian/Killions, a Texas group of Killions and some other smaller groups Killians. The project was started by the descendants of Andreas Killian to identify broken lineages from the North Carolina pioneer to the descendant. The 37 marker test is recommended for those who know they descend from Andreas; anyone who is not sure can take the 12 marker test. Adoption of the Killian name has occurred and I am of the assumption that some of smaller groups are because of name adoption.
It has always been the assumption Andreas entered Pennsylvania on the ship Adventure in 1732, listed as 30 years old therefore born in 1702.
A historical internet site of the City of Feuchtwangen mentioned the marriage of an Andreas Killian. Mr. William R. McCreight located a copy of this 1722 marriage record in the Nürnberg Lutheran archive. The marriage record reads. . .
Andreas Kilian from Artzbach [Arzbach] and Magdalena Fischer from Steinbach . . . were married on the 6th of May [1722].
He now had names of villages and Mr. McCreight located the baptism records of this Andreas’ first 3 children. These 3 children were named the same as the first 3 children named in the 1785 North Carolina will of Andreas Killian.
Mr. McCreight left no stone unturned and found documentation back to 1611 for this family of Kilians. But documentation does not prove he found the ancestors of the North Carolina pioneer Andreas Killian.
Quote from Mr. McCreight, “Until July 2011 there was a good circumstantial case that this Andreas Killian [in Steinbach] was in fact the same Andreas Killian who appeared in North Carolina before 1749. Of all of the possible names one can choose, the chance of four names, Andreas, Leonhard, Margaretha and Johann, with the proper relationships, appearing in different families at the same time is minimal. Adding the chances that their birth dates would be similar to the baptismal records makes the chances approach nil. “
Mr. McCreight realized that the chance approach nil, but was not nil. He found a male line Kilian, who is now living in Schainbach where Andreas’ father was born. Paraphrasing Mr. McCreight, . . ." this man agreed to a FamilytreeDNA test. This DNA test proved he shares a common ancestor with descendants of North Carolina pioneer Andreas Killian. The DNA test and documentary evidence proves conclusively the Andreas Killian from Steinbach was in fact the person who settled in North Carolina.
While DNA cannot determine if the Andreas aboard the ship Adventure is the same North Carolina Andreas, it does prove the North Carolina Andreas is the same Andreas in Germany.
This is what I call a DNA success story.
Mr. McCreight graciously gave his research and manuscript to the Andreas Killian Descendants Historical Association to publish and sell to help meet the Association’s charitable goals.
This book is filled with his German research
• The ethnicity of Bavaria and Württemberg
• The lives and genealogy of the Andreas Kilian family of Germany and America
• A historical perspective on the social, economic, and political challenges of the times
• The study of German documents up to 400 years old
Records from 17th –19th centuries reference 117 people from other families including Busch, Butz, Cranz, Ebert, Fischer, Gross, Hörner, Probst, Trump, Walther and Weber.
Supporting documents include:
Copies of 85 baptismal, marriage and burial records from German church books
Land records for 1612 and 1613 from the Barons of Wollmershausen in Württemberg
The ship Adventure passenger list in 1732
2 oaths signed by Andreas Kilian in Philadelphia in September 1732
114 photographs of the places where members of the family lived in Germany
The book “The Forefathers of North Carolina Pioneer Andreas Killian” was introduced at the 2011 Killian Reunion in Hickory, Catawba County, NC after Bill McCreight's presentation on Saturday, September 10th. Purchasing information is at the website www.AndreasKillian.com
All proceeds from book sales going to Andreas Killian Descendants Historical Association, a 501(c) 3, Non-Profit.
DNA success story
First and foremost you have to realize this DNA success story is due research of Mr. William R. McCreight living in Germany today. He is a descendant of North Carolina pioneer Andreas Killian (born 1702 Germany – died 1788 North Carolina).
The DNA project has identified 3 groups of American Colonial Killian/Killions, a Texas group of Killions and some other smaller groups Killians. The project was started by the descendants of Andreas Killian to identify broken lineages from the North Carolina pioneer to the descendant. The 37 marker test is recommended for those who know they descend from Andreas; anyone who is not sure can take the 12 marker test. Adoption of the Killian name has occurred and I am of the assumption that some of smaller groups are because of name adoption.
It has always been the assumption Andreas entered Pennsylvania on the ship Adventure in 1732, listed as 30 years old therefore born in 1702.
A historical internet site of the City of Feuchtwangen mentioned the marriage of an Andreas Killian. Mr. William R. McCreight located a copy of this 1722 marriage record in the Nürnberg Lutheran archive. The marriage record reads. . .
Andreas Kilian from Artzbach [Arzbach] and Magdalena Fischer from Steinbach . . . were married on the 6th of May [1722].
He now had names of villages and Mr. McCreight located the baptism records of this Andreas’ first 3 children. These 3 children were named the same as the first 3 children named in the 1785 North Carolina will of Andreas Killian.
Mr. McCreight left no stone unturned and found documentation back to 1611 for this family of Kilians. But documentation does not prove he found the ancestors of the North Carolina pioneer Andreas Killian.
Quote from Mr. McCreight, “Until July 2011 there was a good circumstantial case that this Andreas Killian [in Steinbach] was in fact the same Andreas Killian who appeared in North Carolina before 1749. Of all of the possible names one can choose, the chance of four names, Andreas, Leonhard, Margaretha and Johann, with the proper relationships, appearing in different families at the same time is minimal. Adding the chances that their birth dates would be similar to the baptismal records makes the chances approach nil. “
Mr. McCreight realized that the chance approach nil, but was not nil. He found a male line Kilian, who is now living in Schainbach where Andreas’ father was born. Paraphrasing Mr. McCreight, . . ." this man agreed to a FamilytreeDNA test. This DNA test proved he shares a common ancestor with descendants of North Carolina pioneer Andreas Killian. The DNA test and documentary evidence proves conclusively the Andreas Killian from Steinbach was in fact the person who settled in North Carolina.
While DNA cannot determine if the Andreas aboard the ship Adventure is the same North Carolina Andreas, it does prove the North Carolina Andreas is the same Andreas in Germany.
This is what I call a DNA success story.
Mr. McCreight graciously gave his research and manuscript to the Andreas Killian Descendants Historical Association to publish and sell to help meet the Association’s charitable goals.
This book is filled with his German research
• The ethnicity of Bavaria and Württemberg
• The lives and genealogy of the Andreas Kilian family of Germany and America
• A historical perspective on the social, economic, and political challenges of the times
• The study of German documents up to 400 years old
Records from 17th –19th centuries reference 117 people from other families including Busch, Butz, Cranz, Ebert, Fischer, Gross, Hörner, Probst, Trump, Walther and Weber.
Supporting documents include:
Copies of 85 baptismal, marriage and burial records from German church books
Land records for 1612 and 1613 from the Barons of Wollmershausen in Württemberg
The ship Adventure passenger list in 1732
2 oaths signed by Andreas Kilian in Philadelphia in September 1732
114 photographs of the places where members of the family lived in Germany
The book “The Forefathers of North Carolina Pioneer Andreas Killian” was introduced at the 2011 Killian Reunion in Hickory, Catawba County, NC after Bill McCreight's presentation on Saturday, September 10th. Purchasing information is at the website www.AndreasKillian.com
All proceeds from book sales going to Andreas Killian Descendants Historical Association, a 501(c) 3, Non-Profit.