It’s in the Genes

Thursday, February 7th, 2019     by Debra DuPree Williams     Start the Conversation

 By Debra DuPree Williams @DDuPreeWilliams
By now, you all know that I’m the family genealogist. This isn’t something I ever saw myself doing, but since my sister and I set out about twenty-five years ago in search of our roots, most of our family members have looked to me for answers. I usually have an answer to their questions and if I don’t, I try my best to find one.

Being the genealogist of the family has led me to all manner of info. I’ve discovered genes that have been passed down for at least twelve or more generations. For instance, my Lanier ancestors were musicians and instrument makers. Nicholas Lanier, the younger, my first cousin eight times removed, was the master of the King’s music in the court of English Kings. I have many cousins who are musically talented. I and my sons also have been blessed with an extraordinary ability with music. Three of my sons are bassoonists and one plays professionally.

Traits Passed Down

In this same line is my ten-times-great aunt Emelia Bassano Lanier. Aunt Emelia has quite a history. She has been declared by many scholars to be the Dark Lady of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Aunt Emelia, as my family affectionately calls her, was a writer in her own right. She was the first English woman to become a professional poet. Her volume of poems is Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum, written in 1611.There are even people at work now to prove that Aunt Emelia is the real Shakespeare. All of my sons are excellent poets and a couple of them write wonderful short stories. I’ve written poetry all my life, and just this past week, I signed a contract for the publication of my first novel.

These same two families, the Bassanos and the Laniers, were also gifted artists. And yes, that gene has been passed down as well. I and a couple of my sons are decent artists. It isn’t just my family who received those genes from so long ago. Within the past four years, I’ve met and gotten to know a cousin, Karen Lynn Nolan, who got all of these genes. My ten-times-great-grandfather, Nicholas Lanier the elder, is Karen’s eleven-times-great-grandfather. Karen is multi-talented. She acts, she sings, she’s a fabulous artist, and this past November, her first novel, Above the Fog,  was published.

This is just one example of two families whose genes have been passed down to multiple generations.

Can you trace genes back in your family? Share that with us here. We’d love to hear your story.

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