In Columbia, South Carolina, plaques are being used to identify 14 unknown soldiers found at the Battle of Camden site, with DNA analysis recently identifying one as Pvt. John Pumphrey. Enlisting in the 7th Maryland regiment in 1777, Pumphrey participated in key battles and endured harsh winters before dying in the 1780 Battle of Camden. His remains were discovered in 2022 by University of South Carolina archaeologists and identified through DNA analysis by FHD Forensics. Among the matches was Nancy White, a distant relative, who was surprised to learn of her connection to Pumphrey, given her family’s Quaker background. FHD President Allison Peacock highlighted the extensive collaboration involved in confirming Pumphrey’s identity, with family members contributing genealogical research. This discovery sheds light on the complexities of historical family ties and the unexpected paths they can reveal.
QUESTION: How might uncovering historical family connections change the way we view our own identities and heritage?
A Revolutionary War soldier’s DNA links him to living relatives
