This Harper line is based on the G2 DNA Y chromosome test of Jerry Warren Harper. He was born in Chattanooga in 1924 and still lives in Tennessee. He has one brother who is still living. Jerry’s brother has a son and daughter. Their sister Francis Murphy died in 2004. She has a son who is living. The family are Episcopalians.

Jerry and his wife have five children: two married daughters and three sons, two of which are twins. They have seven grandchildren: five boys and two girls. Two of his grandsons have the Harper name.

Jerry served in the U.S. Navy during WWII aboard an LSM . He entered the Univ. of Tenn in 1946 and graduated in 1949. He retired as a Manager of Contract Administration from Combustion Engineering in 1985.

Jerry and his brother, who also served in the Navy, have written two books about their experiences during WWII. Pictures of the Harper brothers during WWII are in the photos page.

Jerry believes his g-g-grandfather was Wm. Harper III who is buried at the Chelsa cemetery in Chattooga County, GA. Jerry has visited the cemetery and has a picture of Wm. Harper III’s gravestone showing that he died in 1844 at the age of 65, which would have made the year of his birth 1778/9. This Wm. Harper III married Matty Cavin on December 31, 1807 in Jackson (later Hall).County, GA. He and his wife moved to Chattooga County, GA in about 1826. His father and brothers are unknown. Their children were:

Elizabeth b. 1808, William (1811-1890), Ann (1814 -1885), Miles b. 1816, James b. 1817, Elijah (1818 -1889) (Jerry’s g-grandfather), Samuel b. 1826, Perry b. 1827

William and most of his children are buried in Chelsea cemetery in Chattooga County Ga.

Some research suggests that Jerry’s ancestor could be the same as a Wm. Harper (born about 1775) who married "Mary Cowan" in Jackson County on a date close to that of Jerry’s ancestor Wm. Harper* who married Matty Cavin on December 31, 1807. There is no correlation with their children, however, and the Wm. Harper who married Mary Cowan on December 12, 1807 does not appear to be a good match with Jerry’s ancestor, William Harper* who married Matty Cavin in Jackson County, Georgia December 31, 1807. Although they were contemporaries and may have known each other, a DNA test would prove there was no connection between the two lines, or it might point to a connection at some time in the past.

Click here for a list of the Descendants of William Harper b. 1779, d. June 1844, Chattooga Co., GA