Coming to Canada, Kissing Cousins and DNA.

In a prior post I wrote about my Vidito line, from my 7^th to 10^th great grandfathers. To recap, my 10^th great grandfather, Jean Vittiteau, a Huguenot fled from France due to religious persecution, and immigrated to New York via Amsterdam about 1660. At the close of the American Revolution my 6^th great grandfather, John Vidito and his family sought refuge in Nova Scotia. This is where we pick up today.

John Vidito was born in 1737 in Long Island, New York. He served in the Military in Connecticut in 1759 and was married to his wife, Sarah (maiden name unknown) some time prior to 1771. According to documentation they had four children: Charlotte, Phebe, Jesse and Jacob. 

Jacob is my 5^th great grandfather. He was born in 1781 in Long Island, New York and was in Annapolis, Nova Scotia with his family by 1784. We know this because his mother died in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia in 1784. Jacob married Mary Elizabeth Weatherby and from the records I’ve found, they had six children: Jacob, John, Mary Eliza, Sarah, James and my 4^th great grandfather, Robert Weatherby Vidito. Robert was born in 1816 in Annapolis, Nova Scotia and married Mary Ann Vidito. That’s right, they both had the surname Vidito. I was fairly certain right away that they were related, but needed to map out the families to figure out how.

Mary Ann Vidito was born in 1818 in Annapolis, Nova Scotia to her parents, John Vidito and Ann Daley. Johns’ parents are Jesse Vidito (1771-1850) and Isabel Fisher (1774-1844). Jesse’s parents are (drum roll please…): John and Sarah Vidito, my 7^th great grandparents, who settled in Nova Scotia at the close of the American Revolution. Jesse and Jacob are brothers, which means Robert Weatherby Vidito and Mary Ann Vidito are second cousins.

Robert and Mary Ann had one child that I’ve found documentation for, my 3^rd great grandfather, Samuel Vidito. He was born October 9, 1836 in Annapolis, Nova Scotia and married Elizabeth McKenzie on December 23, 1857 in Nictaux, Nova Scotia. Their children, according to documentation, are: William Henry (1860-1944), Charles (1863-?), Elias (1864-1931), Katy M. (1871-1937) and Milford (1876-?). 

Elias Vidito is my 2^nd great grandfather. He was born June 10, 1864 in Nictaux Falls, Nova Scotia. He married Mary Jane Sabean on June 11, 1888 in Wilmot, Annapolis, Nova Scotia. They had many children: Chester, Laura, Herman, Maggie, William Wilbert, Ernest Willard, Percy, Milford, Ada, Aubrey, Bessie, Leafy May, Eva May, Clarence Walter, Victoria, and Helen Mae.

Leafy May is my great grandmother. She was born January 29, 1901 in Bridgetown, Annapolis, Nova Scotia. She married my great grandfather, George Angus Grant on March 24, 1920 in Paradise, Annapolis, Nova Scotia. They also had many children: Daisy, Murray, Harold, Gerald, George, Margaret (Peggy), Shirley, Anna and my grandfather, Angus Freeman Grant. 

I recently had my DNA tested through 23andMe and was matched to over 800 cousins, ranging from 3^rd to distant. I contacted a potential match on my Vidito line and received a message from her the other day confirming that her 2^nd great grandparents are also Elias Vidito and Mary Jane Sabean! This means we are 3^rd cousins! It is exciting to have made a confirmed match to a new relative, AND it confirms that my research is correct. Now going forward I can compare other matches to her DNA and mine, and if we both get a match, we know we are related through this line!

Sources:

www.novascotiagenealogy.com

Vidito, John Vidito of New York City and His Descendants, A Huguenot Founder of an American Family, by Alice L. Priest