Welcome to markorear.com, a website dedicated to exploring the O'Rear lineage

February 23, 2026

One thing I've determined from utilizing AI regarding our shared O'Rear and Lewis common ancestor puzzle is that having another O'Rear or Lewis take the test could help us further isolate the answer to our mystery. Enter retired ER surgeon James Orear, who lives in the land of my O'Rear ancestors, Missouri! Over the years there has arisen several different spellings of our name, the most common being O'Rear and Orear.

I have only known of James tangentially through Facebook, I reached out to him and have learned that like me he is happily retired and shares the same zest for geneology that Jay Lewis and I do, and that he is looking into taking the test. Not sure this will solve all of our answers, but it may help! Thanks James!!

February 20, 2025

It's been awhile since I updated my blog. And I realized I have to keep it a blog not a Jamestown section, so future posts will be shorter. The cool news is that my Familytreedna Y700 test updated and am in a new haplogroup which is G-FTG73049. Incredibly, I share this haplogroup with another individual by the name of Jay Lewis. So... you ask... how do an O'Rear and a Lewis share the same haplogroup? Sharing the same haplogroup essentially says we share a same ancestor from the mid to late 1600's. I am in contact with Jay and we are both seeking to find the answer to this mystery! We have become pretty quick friends! But after all we share the same lineage so we are long lost cousins!

December 20, 2025

I attended the annual Mayflower Society luncheon held in Richmond and met my Jamestown genealogist. I have submitted my application but I still need quite a bit of documentation for it to pass muster. This is hard work!!

On a more incredible note, I've been inputting a lot of my ancestry.com lineage into AI and have discovered that I am related to no less than twenty Jamestown Qualifying Ancestors! To any of you who dont use AI to do ancestral research, do it! I use ChatGPT and sometimes Grok and Gemini.

The way it works is that you can give it part of your lineage and then ask it for the most likely Jamestown ancestors based upon your lineage. It will not do all the work for you, but it will provide very good leads, and you can do the rest through ancestry.com. Here is what I found! (note: none of these has been officially submitted to the Jamestown Society for approval, although I did share Sir George Yeardley with my Jamestown Geneologist.

TOP 20 JAMESTOWN QUALIFYING ANCESTORS

1. Sir George Yeardley (1587–1627)

Importance:
Sir George Yeardley is one of the most important figures in early American history. As Governor of Virginia, he created the First General Assembly on July 30, 1619, establishing representative government in the New World. His leadership helped stabilize Virginia after the Starving Time and shaped the political framework that evolved into American democracy.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Grace Alice Sherrow
→ Lilla/Lillie Mae Stokes Morgan
→ Margaret Salena Mallicoat
→ Nancy Martin
→ William Martin
→ Hartwell Martin
→ Sarah Porter Martin
→ Anne Hannah Povall
→ Elizabeth Woodson
→ Robert Woodson
→ Robert Woodson
→ Dr. John Woodson
→ Anne Porter / Woodson line
→ Sir George Yeardley

2. Temperance Flowerdew (1590–1628)

Importance:
One of the most revered Jamestown women, Temperance Flowerdew survived the Starving Time, became First Lady of Virginia twice, and represents the extremely rare category of early female survivors who founded major Virginia dynasties. Her presence alone is a marker of exceptional lineage.

Lineage:
Identical path as Yeardley:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Grace Alice Sherrow
→ Lilla/Lillie Mae Stokes Morgan
→ Margaret Salena Mallicoat
→ Nancy Martin
→ William Martin
→ Hartwell Martin
→ Sarah Porter Martin
→ Anne Hannah Povall
→ Elizabeth Woodson
→ Robert Woodson
→ Robert Woodson
→ Dr. John Woodson
→ Anne Porter / Woodson line
→ Temperance Flowerdew

3. Nicholas Martiau (1591–1657)

Importance:
Martiau is known as the “French Founder of Yorktown” and the engineer who designed Virginia’s earliest defensive fortifications. He is a major pillar of colonial gentry and the direct ancestor of George Washington, placing him among the most historically prestigious Jamestown ancestors.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Grace Alice Sherrow
→ Lilla/Lillie Mae Stokes Morgan
→ Margaret Salena Mallicoat
→ James Kelley Mallicoat
→ William M. Mallicoat
→ Ellender Dedman
→ Mary Elizabeth Dixon
→ Lucy Ann Reade
→ Thomas Reade
→ Colonel George Reade
→ Elizabeth Martiau
→ Nicholas Martiau

4. Colonel George Reade (1608–1674)

Importance:
Reade served as Acting Governor, Secretary of State, and a leader in the political and legal development of colonial Virginia. He stands at the core of many elite Tidewater families, and his descendants shaped both Virginia and early America.

5. Major Joseph Croshaw (1610–1667)

Importance:
Official Jamestowne Society Qualifying Ancestor #C001, Croshaw was a prominent planter, the son of a Knight, and connected to nearly every major family in early York County. His descendants include Wests, Foxes, Claibornes, and many members of the colonial elite.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Grace Alice Sherrow
→ Lilla/Lillie Mae Stokes
→ Margaret Salena Mallicoat
→ Nancy Martin
→ William Martin
→ Hartwell Martin
→ Sarah Porter
→ Anne Hannah Povall
→ Elizabeth Woodson
→ Robert Woodson
→ Robert Woodson
→ Ursula Unity Croshaw
→ Major Joseph Croshaw

6. William Claiborne (c.1600–1677)

Importance:
One of the most powerful early Virginians, Claiborne served as Secretary of State, Surveyor, explorer, and instigator of the famous Kent Island dispute. Few early colonists held more influence over Virginia’s political and territorial expansion.

7. Sir John West (1590–1659)

Importance:
Brother of Lord De La Warr and Acting Governor of Virginia, John West was part of the powerful West political dynasty. His descendants settled Northumberland and York County, occupying major roles in the colony.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Grace Alice Sherrow
→ Lilla/Lillie Mae Stokes
→ Margaret Salena Mallicoat
→ Nancy Martin
→ William Martin
→ Hartwell Martin
→ Sarah Porter
→ Anne Hannah Povall
→ Elizabeth Woodson
→ Ann Elizabeth Claiborne
→ Anne Fox
→ Anne West
→ Sir John West

8. Colonel John West (1632–1691)

Importance:
Part of the same dynasty, Colonel John West was a militia leader, influential landholder, and connecting point among the West, Fox, and Claiborne families. His role in Virginia’s York River development was significant.

Lineage:
Same as above through Anne West:
Mark O’Rear
→ …
→ Anne West
→ Colonel John West

9. Anthony Armistead I (1587–1642)

Importance:
The immigrant patriarch of the powerful Armistead family, Anthony founded a line that produced Burgesses, Council members, and key political figures throughout the 1600s and 1700s.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Cora Raymond Freeman
→ Gabriel F. Freeman
→ Gabriel C. Freeman
→ Susannah Foster Latham
→ John Thomas Latham
→ Susannah Churchill Latham
→ Elizabeth Robinson Armistead Wormeley
→ John Armistead “The Councillor”
→ Anthony Armistead I

10. John Armistead “The Councillor” (1625–1693)

Importance:
A member of the Governor’s Council, Sheriff, and Burgess, he was central to political power in Gloucester County. His descendants intermarried with Wormeleys, Churchills, and Robinsons—Virginia’s leading families.

11. Colonel John Churchill (1657–1710)

Importance:
A wealthy merchant and Burgess in York County, Churchill was a major land developer and formed alliances with the Armistead, Wormeley, and Robinson families, anchoring the Tidewater elite.

12. Christopher Calthorpe (c.1622–1688)

Importance:
An early York County landholder, Calthorpe is linked to the Foster, Latham, and Churchill circles. His family contributed to the settlement of the York River plantations.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Cora Raymond Freeman
→ Gabriel F. Freeman
→ Gabriel C. Freeman
→ Susannah Foster Latham
→ John Thomas Latham
→ Susannah Foster Latham
→ Calthorpe branch
→ Christopher Calthorpe

13. Richard Foster (c.1619–1681)

Importance:
A respected early colonist who served the militia and held land in York County, Foster anchors your connection into one of the key clusters of mid-1600s Virginia families.

14. Thomas Latham (c.1620–1688)

Importance:
Latham is central in the early York County family network and represents one of the most solid and well-documented mid-century landholding lines.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Cora Raymond Freeman
→ Gabriel F. Freeman
→ Gabriel C. Freeman
→ Susannah Foster Latham
→ John Thomas Latham
→ Thomas Latham

15. William Angell (London)

Importance:
A London merchant whose descendants entered Virginia through strong colonial alliances. Your Angell line is recognized by the Jamestowne Society and forms part of your Freeman/Latham/Churchill network.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Cora Raymond Freeman
→ Gabriel F. Freeman
→ Gabriel C. Freeman
→ Susannah Foster Latham
→ John Thomas Latham
→ Susannah Churchill Latham
→ Elizabeth Robinson
→ Robinson–Angell connection
→ William Angell

16. Francis “Burgess” Fowler

Importance:
A Jamestown-era figure whose descendants became prominent in early Virginia. Your Fowler line is strong because it runs cleanly through your Freeman ancestors.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Sr.
→ Cora Raymond Freeman
→ Gabriel F. Freeman
→ Gabriel C. Freeman
→ George Henry Freeman
→ Henry Freeman III
→ Henry Freeman Jr.
→ Bridget Fowler
→ Francis “Burgess” Fowler

17. Freeman Cluster (George Henry Freeman & Christopher Holmes Freeman)

Importance:
This cluster gives you another verified Jamestown-era qualification through the early Freeman line, which was present in Virginia’s colonial records and intermarried with Mallicoat and later Stokes/Sherrow families.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Sr.
→ Cora Raymond Freeman
→ Christopher Holmes Freeman
→ George Henry Freeman

18. Gov. John West / Col. John West Line

Importance:
An extension of your West–Fox–Claiborne–Martin line, this branch ties you into the powerful West dynasty that shaped early Virginia politics across multiple generations.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Grace Alice Sherrow
→ Lilla Mae Stokes
→ Margaret Salena Mallicoat
→ Nancy Martin
→ William Martin
→ Hartwell Martin
→ Sarah Porter
→ Anne Hannah Povall
→ Elizabeth Woodson
→ Ann Elizabeth Claiborne
→ Anne Fox
→ Anne West
→ West line

19. Dr. John Woodson (1586–1644)

Importance:
One of the most famous Jamestown-era settlers, Woodson was a surgeon who survived multiple attacks, became a major landowner, and founded the extensive Woodson family of Virginia.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Grace Alice Sherrow
→ Lilla Mae Stokes
→ Margaret Salena Mallicoat
→ Nancy Martin
→ William Martin
→ Hartwell Martin
→ Sarah Porter
→ Anne Hannah Povall
→ Elizabeth Woodson
→ Robert Woodson
→ Robert Woodson
→ Dr. John Woodson

20. John Isaac / John Bates (Jamestown immigrant)

Importance:
Your Bates line traces to the early Jamestown-era immigrant John Isaac/John Bates, a recognized qualifying line involving some of the earliest families of Tidewater Virginia.

Lineage:
Mark O’Rear
→ Rev. Floyd Barrett O’Rear Jr.
→ Grace Alice Sherrow
→ Lilla/Lillie Mae Stokes
→ Margaret Salena Mallicoat
→ James Kelley Mallicoat
→ William M. Mallicoat
→ John Daniel Mallicoat
→ Susanna Mary Bates
→ John “Quaker” Bates
→ John Bates (1655–1719)
→ John Isaac / John Bates

November 5, 2025

I’ve ordered the y700 and it should be coming in a few weeks. They need new DNA.

I’ve also made very solid progress on my Jamestown society application and should have it submitted by the end of November. All of the basic research has been conducted it’s all just about formatting it for society review now. They are very particular when it comes to the application and the references.

Another exciting (for me!) discovery I made today was that my father’s (Floyd Barrett O’Rear) DNA shows he has 30% DNA from the Normandy region of France. This is huge as it backs up the G-L30 haplogroup as being French Huguenot from the Normandy region.

My mother’s DNA (Virginia May Beckman) now shows Netherlands for the first time, which makes sense given that her Mayflower ancestors spent a little time in the Netherlands before coming over.

October 30, 2025

This is my first blog post. I had a pretty cool day today as I discovered from Familytreedna that I am in Haplogroup G-L30. Now, you might be wondering what exactly a haplogroup is. It’s essentially a group of similar DNA sequences that a person can inherit, usually passed down from a common ancestor, giving us clues about our ancestral origins. In my case, being part of haplogroup G-L30 tells a fascinating story about where my ancestors might have come from and how they ended up where they are today. In fact, if you or a family member has the last name of O'Rear this likely applies to to you to, as it has been said that all O'Rear's in the U.S. came from "John O'Rear I" who arrived in the U.S. in the late 1600's.

One striking feature of haplogroup G-L30 is its distribution. It's much more common in Normandy, France, than it is in places like England, Ireland, or Scotland. This makes sense when considering my family lore, which talks about our French Huguenot roots. The Huguenots were French Protestants who faced persecution in France during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Many of them sought refuge in other countries, and some eventually made their way to England. It is a particularly important part of the puzzle since for many many years it has been debated in the broader family where we came from. Some say Ireland, some say Scotland, some say French Huguenot.

According to my family stories passed down through generations, my earliest ancestors were part of the French Huguenot migration. They came from France and found their way to England, where they settled in the late 1600s. The area they settled in was a little town called Brent Town. It’s quite fascinating to think about the journey my ancestors made. They left their homeland due to religious persecution and found a new life in a different country, all while preserving their French heritage.

Now, let’s get back to haplogroups and why it’s so interesting that I belong to G-L30. This haplogroup provides insights not only into my own lineage but also into the migrations and population movements in history. With its higher presence in Normandy, it suggests that many people who share this haplogroup likely have ancestral roots in that region of France.

Throughout history, Normandy has been a melting pot of different cultures, influenced by Viking settlers, the Normans, and of course, the Huguenots. This rich tapestry of history makes the area a significant point of interest for understanding my own ancestry.

On the other hand, the lower prevalence of haplogroup G-L30 in the British Isles—namely England, Ireland, and Scotland—hints at the uniqueness of my family’s migration story. Many families in the UK have different ancestral backgrounds, often tied closely to the local Celtic and Anglo-Saxon populations. However, my lineage seems to stand apart due to those French roots.

Why is this important to me? I guess because it helps confirm a lot of family lore. My father once met a man on a plane who said that he was from Alcase and he told me that the name O’Rear is likely Alcasian and he knew someone of that name that lived there. I know, that is very strange. Also, one of our earliest ancestors, John O’Rear III (as we call him) married a woman with the surname Reno or Reynaud and they were of French Huguenot origin. Her father was Pierre (or some say Francis) Reynaud, and he was very clearly a French Huguenot escaping France from religious persecution.

Finally, it is cool to me because we settled around 1687-ish in Brent Town, which was land that George Brent procured and brought in Huguenots to settle. The fact that virtually all O’Rears in the U.S. are Protestant is a pretty good indication that we are also French Huguenot as they were not bringing in Protestant English, Irish or Scottish people into that settlement

More to come, as I will soon order the Y700 DNA test which will help confirm a lot more. There are some special “strands” of DNA identified in that test that should be more definitely prove our French Huguenot paternal origin.