Is this Alexander Connected Correctly?

At issue, is who was Alexander Jameson (1797-1864) and more specifically, who were his parents and direct ancestors? We know he existed because he is burred in Appleton, Knox County, Maine.[1] We also know that this Alexander, the one born in 1797, is connected with the larger Jameson family of Maine, because a Y-DNA test[2] from one of his known direct descendants, matches other known tests from different branches of this same large Maine family.

All indications are, that Edward William Jameson, the person who took a Y-DNA test in 2009, did not know his earliest American ancestors. He may not even have known who his great-great-grandmother Nancy (Packard) Jameson (wife of this Alexander-1797) was, as she was buried in Rice County, Minnesota, near Minneapolis, some distance from where he lived and died in Koochiching County, in far north Minnesota. He did know of their son, Abner Packard Jameson, because it was him he listed as his earliest known ancestor, along with Abner's date of birth, on his application for his YDNA test.[2] This Abner Jameson also lived in Koochiching County, Minnesota. Unfortunately Edward Jameson passed away before we were able to identify and contact him personally about what he knew about his family and ancestry. However, we were able through Nancy Packard Jameson's cemetery records[3] and Edward's public Y-DNA test record,[2] figure out who she was and that she was married to an Alexander Jameson, buried in Appleton County, Maine. We were also able to figure out and confirm her descendants all the way to Edward who took the test, as well as her parents and ancestors. The only problem we then had was who her husband's (and Edward, their descant who took the Y-DNA test) parents were and the rest of his family and their ancestors.

So, We know positively that the Edward who took the Y-DNA test in 2009, completely matches other Y-DNA tests, making him and them part of the same family. We know that to be the Jameson family of Maine descended from William Jameson, through both traditional genealogical methods and DNA matches. We know that Edwards's family was also part of that as his known lineage has his provable great-grandparents in both Minnesota and Maine. What we can not yet prove conclusively is how exactly that generation connects with what the DNA says is the ancestors of that family, back to the immigrant William.

Making that connection is proving to be far more difficult. Starting with Nancy (Packard) Jameson (buried in Minnesota), and her husband Alexander (buried in Appleton, Knox County, Maine), the known direct ancestors of Edward William Jameson, we were able to find some evidence of their earlier life in the Knox County of Maine, prior to any migration to Minnesota. This included Nancy's parents and siblings, as well as all of Nancy and Alexander's children. We were easily able to establish Alexander and Nancy's life in Knox County Maine up and through 1860 to the time of Alexander's death in 1864.

From separate research we know there were several Jameson families in this same general area of Maine, in the late 1700s, who could have been the parents of this Alexander born in 1797. Most, if not all, were the descendants of the 1718 immigrants William and Margaret (Adam) Jameson. Some of these Jameson families in this immediate area were, Alexander and Sarah (Blackington) Jameson, Ebenezer and Catherine (DeMorse) Jameson, both in what is now Knox County, Maine, the area where the provable ancestors (Alexander and Nancy (Packard) Jameson lived. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be any contemporaneous documents directly connecting this Alexander Jameson (above) to any specific ancestors, at least none yet found.

Several researchers suggest, with some circumstantial evidence that his connection was likely, as a son to Alexander and Sarah (Blackington) Jameson as his parents. That connection then allowing him and his descendants lineage leading all the way back to the Scottish born, 1718 immigrant ancestor William Jameson (1674-1734)[4] and even further. Much of the support for this theory is possibly because the name "Alexander" was not so common in this particular larger immigrant family and that this Alexander and Sarah (Blackington) Jameson, who's father was also an Alexander,' had roots in the area around what became the Appleton area of Knox County, Maine, would seem a logical fit as to time and location. However, this connection is highly unlikely as that family has a considerably different and well documented history.[5]

Connections with the Ebenezer and Catherine (DeMorse) Jameson family, an older brother, are more likely, as that family seems to have a more direct and sustained connection with the Hope area, of what is now Knox County, Maine, where we know Alexander (1797) and Nancy (Packard) Jameson, to be living in the mid 1800's. In fact this is where Alexander died and very near where he is buried, in Appleton.

Unfortunately, very little information is known about this Ebenezer and Catherine Jameson family. The 1800 census (study here) information for this family shows there were at least 4 children, all sons and apparently all born before 1800. There is also an 1820 census (study here) for this family, but nothing after that, suggesting they may have died before 1830, or were part of another household. There is an 1830 and an 1840 census for their son Ebenezer (1788-1867), living in Montville, Waldo County, Maine. We also have a census return for Alexander, in Hope, Waldo County, for 1840. There seems to be very little genealogical interest in the family and no real genealogy work-ups actually done about them, at least that we have been able to find. Aside from a 1800 census, we do find an Ebenezer Jennison, in Hope, Waldo County in 1830 census, but this misspelling does NOT watch well with any of our known Ebenezer Jamesons. It is possible that this Ebenezer and Catherine (Demos) Jamesons. died or perhaps they were living with any of their children or other relatives.

From the information we do have on this Ebenezer and Alexander Jameson, it does seem possible, although the question reised with the study of the 1820 census cannot be ignored. As such, we can only say this connection cannot be proven likely but also cannot be completely ruled out either. The proximity of location being very persuasive.