DNA Group I: Early Locations in PA/MD/OH (Germanic)

Xref Status Rowland DNA Group I

This line is one of the most challenging due to tree conflicts and multiple unnconnected patriarchs. It is believed to be Germanic in origin, and its primary haplogroup of I-M170 is unique among the Rowland lines. Additionally, Rowland Y-DNA Group C, with a primary haplogroup of I-M253 the only other group with an “I” haplogroup.

Blue shading indicates new/change from the prior update
Red shading indicates a conflict between the DNA and WikiTree
Haplogroups in green are confirmed by SNP testing, while haplogroups in red are predicted

Earliest Known Ancestors – Descendant Trees

  1. Earliest Known Ancestor 1: Gasper Roland (1721-1809) was born in Germany, lived in Pennsylvania, Rowan & Wilkes counties of North Carolina, and passed away in Warren County, Kentucky. He married Marie Hunsaker.
    • 4,059 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023). Quantity believed to be inflated due to unresolved conflicts with Group D
    • WikiTree descendants in: Illinois (Ogle, Sangamon), Iowa, Kentucky (Bourbon, Harrison, Owen, Warren), Missouri (Ralls), Nebraska, North Carolina (Ashe, Macon), Tennessee (Bradley, McMinn, Owen)
  2. Earliest Known Ancestor 2: Johannes Jacob “Hanes” Roland (1691-1763) was born in Germany and passed away in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He married Anna Maria Rauscher. Many of his descendants settled in Washington County, Maryland.
    • 2,122 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023)
    • WikiTree descendants in: Illinois (Ogle), Iowa (Fayette), Maryland (Washington), Ohio (Ashland, Richland, Stark, Wayne, Wyandot), Pennsylvania (Lancaster)
  3. Earliest Known Ancestor 3: James Rolen (1785-). Very little is known about James, but his only known son, Joab Rolen (1808-1895), lived his entire life in Sevier County, Tennessee. He married Anna McMahan.
    • 29 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023)
    • WikiTree descendants in: Tennessee (Davidson, Sevier)
  4. Earliest Known Ancestor 4: Henry Roland (1785-1849) was born in Pennsylvania and died in Ohio (probably Richland County).
    • 25 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023)
    • WikiTree descendants in: Indiana (Cass, Elkhart), Ohio (Ashland, Richland), Texas (Cameron)
  5. Earliest Known Ancestor 5: William Rowland (1805-) was born in South Carolina and probably died in Autauga County, Alabama.
    • 134 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023)
    • WikiTree descendants in: Alabama (Autauga), Arkansas (Faulkner, Saline), Mississippi (Itawamba, Pontotoc, Union)
  6. Note: Discrepancies with Group D as both have kits claiming to be descendants of Gasper Roland. Group I is believed to be the correct one for Gasper Rowland, as its I-M170 haplogroup aligns with the Germanic heritage of these descendants.

Group I Cladogram

Information on how to construct and interpret a cladogram is located in Rowland YDNA Cladograms.

Group Resources

Group I Articles

Group I Notables

Charles Hedding Rowland (1860-1921) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from 1915 to 1919. He built the Rowland Theatre in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania in 1917.

——

If you are a Rowland or have a Rowland in your family tree, then you need to subscribe to the Rowland Genealogy Newsletter.

Leave a Comment

Scroll to Top