Smith DNA Project Community Forums

James M Smith b 1810 GA (or SC) Descendants in Lee MS, Itawamba MS

James M Smith that our DNA traces back to the surname RAINEY/RANEY. My YDNA matched folks with the last name RAINEY/RANEY. as did a 3rd cousin on a different branch from James M. Smith our progenitor. We determined that there was surname change event that occurred with James M Smith or prior to him, which no one has any info on him prior to 1840. and believe all the records were destroyed in Georgia because of the Civil War. Rainey researchers have not been helpful as they cannot find any possible links between our James M Smith and any of their Raineys/ Raneys in the geogrpahical area during his timeline.