Their genealogy was inaccurate
It all began with Troy Lee Back
The inaccurate genealogy was actually created, many years ago, by a man named Troy Lee Back.
Troy Lee Back: He was born in 1904, in southeastern Kentucky, in a little community called, "Carr Fork," which is in Perry County. He never even graduated from high school. In 1927, he married his cousin, Margaret Brashear. By 1930, they were living in Betsy Layne, Kentucky, which was a "coal camp," not too far away. A coal camp was a small settlement of people, where most of the men worked in the nearby coal mine, and they usually lived in one of the small houses provided by the coal company. They were paid in "scrip," which was similar to money, but it could only be spent at the local company store. Both Troy and his wife worked at the company store. By 1940, Troy and his family were living back in Perry County. They lived in Vicco, and Troy worked as a coal miner, for a coal company in Vicco.
Coal mining was very dangerous and dirty work. The U.S. Bureau of Mines required that every mine appoint a "Safety Director," in their mine, to insure that safety procedures were followed. Troy soon became the Safety Director at his mine. After a few years, Troy was tired of working so hard, and so he applied for a clerical job, at the headquarters for the Bureau of Mines, up in Washington, D.C. He got the job, and so he and his family moved up to Arlington, Virginia, which was a suburb of Washington.
His job was a very simple clerical position, and so he had lots of free time. He decided to research the genealogy of his mother's/wife's family, the Brashear family, and write a book about it (with Leon Brashear), because he already knew the genealogy of his father's family, the Back (Bach) family. That was because his father's genealogy had been passed down, within his family, for hundreds of years, along with an old Family Bible (actually, a Catechism). In fact, back then, the entire Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky knew all about their family's actual genealogy.
The actual genealogy: They knew that their family had originally come from Thuringia, Germany, because, back in 1762, one of their ancestors had written into the old Back (Bach) Family Bible the following statement: "We came from Thuringia." They also knew that their ancestors were related to the famous musical composer, Johann Sebastian Bach. In addition, they knew that, after their ancestors arrived in America, in 1740, they first settled in the far southern part of what soon became Culpeper County, Virginia, near the Robinson River, where the immigrant built and repaired gristmills. That area was known as "The Robinson River Valley," and it later became Madison County, in 1792.
Furthermore, they knew that one of the sons of the immigrant, Joseph Back (1745-1819), had married Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back (1755-1826), around 1773. Her parents had died, when she was young, and she was then adopted by the Maggard family; that's why modern-day researchers hyphenate her maiden name.
Joseph Back and his wife Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back later left Virginia, and they migrated to southeastern Kentucky, around 1791, with their children, including John Back (1774-1853); Mary Back (1777-1807); and Henry Back (1785-1871), who became Troy's great grandfather. They first settled along Quicksand Creek, in a place later known as "The Round Bottom," in what is now Breathitt County. They established the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky. Most of the descendants of John Back (1774-1853) later lived in Breathitt County; most of the descendants of Mary Back (1777-1807) later lived in Menifee County; and most of the descendants of Henry Back (1785-1871), including Troy Lee Back, later lived in Letcher County and Perry County. The Back (Bach) family was very well-known, and highly respected, throughout southeastern Kentucky; they still are.
The family reunions: Troy had also attended the annual Back (Bach) family reunions, ever since they started, in 1933, just like most members of the family had. Over 500 people attended most of the reunions; often, more than that. The reunions were lots of fun, and everyone looked forward to them. They were held on Miles Back's farm, every year, usually on the first Sunday of September. His farm was located in the little community of Quicksand, in Breathitt County, near where the Back (Bach) family had first settled, in 1791. The family's genealogy was always discussed at the reunions, and the old Back (Bach) Family Bible was passed around. The reunions were reported in the local newspapers, and many of those articles also featured an outline of the family's genealogy, including their connection to the famous musical composer, Johann Sebastian Bach.
And so, even after Troy had moved up to Washington, D.C., he still returned to Quicksand, Kentucky, every year, to attend the annual Back (Bach) family reunion. In fact, Troy's name was even mentioned in many of the newspaper articles, as being there, including in 1957 and 1960 (see below). He was even elected the First Vice President of the Back (Bach) Family Reunion, in 1960. Therefore, there is no doubt whatsoever that Troy Lee Back knew the actual genealogy of his Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky, just like everyone else in the family did.
Troy knew the actual genealogy of his Back (Bach) family
TROY WAS AT THE REUNION, IN 1957
TROY WAS AT THE REUNION, IN 1957
TROY WAS AT THE REUNION, IN 1957
Troy attended the 1957 Back (Bach) Family Reunion, in Quicksand, Kentucky (Breathitt County), just like he had done, ever since the reunions had started, back in 1933, even though he had moved away, in 1940, to Arlington, Virginia, and was then working in Washington, D.C.
TROY WAS AT THE REUNION, IN 1960
TROY WAS AT THE REUNION, IN 1957
TROY WAS AT THE REUNION, IN 1957
Troy attended the 1960 Back (Bach) Family Reunion, in Quicksand, Kentucky (Breathitt County) as well. He was actually elected the "First Vice President," of that Family Reunion, because he had told people that he was writing a book about the genealogy of his mother's/wife's family, which he claimed made him "a genealogy expert."
The Germanna Foundation
What they do: The Germanna Foundation is a genealogical organization, located in Locust Grove, Virginia. They research the ancestors, and the descendants, of several German immigrants (including a man named Harman Back), who had settled into northern Virginia, in the early 1700s. Those German immigrants had mainly lived in two small settlements: Germanna, along the Rapidan River (8 miles northeast of Locust Grove); and Little Fork, along the Rappahannock River (30 miles north of Locust Grove). Members of The Germanna Foundation primarily consist of many of the descendants of those German immigrants.
1956: When The Germanna Foundation opened their doors, in the spring of 1956, Troy heard about it, and so he drove down there one day, to see exactly what they did. It was only about two hours from his house. Troy could not believe how much money they made, from selling genealogy. He was really impressed. As he talked to the people there, he learned that one of the immigrants they were researching was a man named Harman Back. But when they told him that Harman was from Freudenberg, Germany, Troy knew that he wasn't related to him, because his Back ancestors came from Thuringia, Germany. However, then they told him that, unfortunately, they didn't have any information about Harman's descendants.
Suddenly...Troy got an idea. He realized that, if he could convince The Germanna Foundation that he descended from Harman Back, then he could make a lot of money, by selling a book about that genealogy, in association with The Germanna Foundation.
The inaccurate genealogy was born: Troy came up with a story (an inaccurate genealogy) to connect himself, and his Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky, to Harman Back. He started with a few facts about two men, who lived in Virginia, and who were brothers: John Back (1738-1794) and Henry Back (1740-1809). And then, he simply created some lies about them. His first lie was that those two brothers were the sons of Harman Back (they weren't). His second lie was that he descended from one of those two brothers, Henry Back (he didn't).
First of all, Troy knew that Joseph Back (1745-1819), who was the man that had founded his Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky, in 1791, and who was his actual paternal ancestor, had two brothers. And those two brothers were those same two brothers, John Back (1738-1794) and Henry Back (1740-1809). That was how Troy also knew that those two brothers had married two sisters, Margaret Hoffman and Elizabeth Hoffman, who were the daughters of John Hoffman and Maria Sabina Folg.
The fact that those two brothers had married those two sisters, who were the daughters of John Hoffman and Maria Sabina Folg, was actually well-known, among genealogy researchers in Virginia. So, Troy simply built his lies upon that well-known fact.
Troy claimed that those two brothers were the sons of Harman Back, even though he had no proof of it, because it wasn't true. Troy hoped that The Germanna Foundation wouldn't notice that he had no proof. He also hoped that they wouldn't notice that Little Fork, Virginia (where Harman Back lived), was in the far northern part of Culpeper County, Virginia; and that the Robinson River Valley (where John and Henry Back lived, and where Margaret and Elizabeth Hoffman lived) was in the far southern part of Culpeper County, Virginia, near the Robinson River, 25 miles away. In fact, Margaret and Elizabeth's father, John Hoffman, owned 3,525 acres along, and near, the Robinson River, and he was well-documented as living there.
Next, Troy claimed that, after Henry Back (1740-1809) died, in 1809, his elderly and frail, 63-year-old widow, Elizabeth Hoffman Back, suddenly moved all the way down to the dangerous wilderness of southeastern Kentucky, 500 miles away, where she had never even been before, and where she didn't know anyone, with her (alleged) children, and she founded his Back (Bach) family there. Not only was that was ridiculous, he had no proof of that either, because it wasn't true.
Troy further claimed that Elizabeth Hoffman Back's sons included John Back (1774-1853), who later married Catherine Robertson, in 1795; and Henry Back (1785-1871), who later married Susannah Maggard, in 1795. Of course, Troy also had no proof that John and Henry were her sons, because they weren't. (John and Henry were actually the sons of Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back, and her husband Joseph Back.)
And then, finally, Troy said that he descended from Henry Back (1785-1871) and his wife Susannah Maggard, which was the only part of his story that was true. (Henry and Susannah actually were Troy's great grandparents. However, Henry was actually the son of Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back, and her husband Joseph Back.)
So, that was the inaccurate genealogy story that Troy created, in order to "prove" that he, and the rest of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky, descended from Harman Back. It was all a lie.
1963: Troy then returned to The Germanna Foundation, with his inaccurate genealogy story, and he met with Dr. Benjamin Clark Holtzclaw (also spelled as Holtsclaw). Dr. Holtzclaw had been the highly respected historian at The Germanna Foundation, ever since its inception, in 1956. In fact, Dr. Holtzclaw was one of the original founders of the organization.
Dr. Holtzclaw: Dr. Holtzclaw was very suspicious of Troy's story. Dr. Holtzclaw knew that the old Family Bible, which had belonged to the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky, for generations, contained a handwritten statement, from 1762, on the book's flyleaf (the last page), which said, "We came from Thuringia." Dr. Holtzclaw had even seen that statement in the old Family Bible himself. He was also aware that Thuringia was nowhere near Freudenberg, where Harman Back was from. Because of those facts, and because Troy had no proof of any of his claims, Dr. Holtzclaw did not believe Troy's story.
While Troy was at The Germanna Foundation, that second time, Dr. Holtzclaw was finishing up his impressive historical book, Ancestry and Descendants of the Nassau-Siegen Immigrants to Virginia, 1714-1750, which he would later publish, the following year, in 1964.
Troy continually begged Dr. Holtzclaw to include his claims about Harman Back, in his upcoming book, but Dr. Holtzclaw was very hesitant to do so. However, because Troy was so persistent, Dr. Holtzclaw finally agreed. Yet, Dr. Holtzclaw also wrote in his book that he "had difficulties" with Troy's claims. He wrote that he believed there were two Back (Bach) families: one family was from Freudenberg (who settled in Little Fork, and was headed by Harman Back); and the other family was from Thuringia (who settled in the Robinson River Valley, 25 miles away from Little Fork, and whose son Joseph later migrated to southeastern Kentucky). That was actually 100% correct. Even more important, Dr. Holtzclaw wrote in his book that, "There is no proof that John and Henry Back were the sons of Harman Back of the Little Fork group."
However, because Troy was able to at least get something about his inaccurate genealogy, into Dr. Holtzclaw's book, that was actually the beginning of the inaccurate genealogy of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky. But Troy knew that he had not fooled Dr. Holtzclaw.
Dr. Holtzclaw died in 1986. Click here for more information about him.
The ship Oliver: One of the more peculiar members of The Germanna Foundation, John Blankenbaker, created the lie that Harman Back had sailed to America, on the ship Oliver, because that voyage was so dramatic. John has used that story, for years, to "establish himself as an expert on the immigrant ships." He, and The Germanna Foundation, make lots of money, telling lies about the ship Oliver. But Harman Back had actually sailed to America on the ship The Union Galley. Click here for proof of that. (On that website, scroll down to the bottom of that site and read the PDF, about the ship Oliver.)
The family's actual genealogy was destroyed
After Troy was able to get his inaccurate genealogy included in Dr. Holtzclaw's noteworthy book, in 1964, he knew that he would have to do three things, in order to move forward with his plan to "get rich quick," by selling an inaccurate genealogy book about his Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky.
Troy's plan: First, Troy knew that he would have to wait until Dr. Holtzclaw died, before he could publish his inaccurate genealogy book. That's because Troy knew that Dr. Holtzclaw didn't believe his inaccurate genealogy, and so he would most certainly speak out strongly against his inaccurate genealogy book, if he was still alive.
Second, Troy knew that he would have to claim that his inaccurate genealogy was the same genealogy that Dr. Holtzclaw had supported. (However, he could also only do that, after Dr. Holtzclaw had died.) So, many years later, on the Acknowledgements Page of the inaccurate genealogy book, The Back-Bach Genealogical Society actually gave "special appreciation" to Dr. Holtzclaw, "whose earlier research and extensive documentation helped to make this book possible." The implication was that their inaccurate genealogy was the same genealogy that Dr. Holtzclaw had supported. Of course, that was a blatant lie.
Third, Troy knew that he was going to have to eliminate all proof of the actual genealogy of his own Back (Bach) family, in southeastern Kentucky, before he could publish his inaccurate genealogy book. That's because he couldn't risk having any proof of the actual genealogy of his family coming out, because that would expose the fact that his inaccurate genealogy was truly inaccurate
Troy retired: Troy turned 65 years old, in 1969, and so he retired from his government job, with a hefty pension. By 1970, he and his family had left Arlington, Virginia, and they had moved back to southeastern Kentucky. As soon as they got back there, Troy went to see Amanda Bach. She was the widow of Dr. Wilgus Bach, and she had something that Troy wanted.
Troy vandalized the old Family Bible: Troy knew that the first thing that he had to get rid of was that handwritten statement, from 1762, that was on the flyleaf of the old Back (Bach) Family Bible, which said, "We came from Thuringia." That was because Dr. Holtzclaw had said that the handwritten statement was his main objection to Troy's inaccurate genealogy, because Harman Back was from Freudenberg.
That old Family Bible had been purchased, back in 1762, by John Henry Back, who was the father of Joseph Back (1745-1819); Joseph was the founder of the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky, and Troy's great, great grandfather. John Henry Back had been known as Johann Heinrich Bach, back in Thuringia, Germany, and he had bought that Bible from his cousin, Johann Christian Bach, who was a son of Johann Sebastian Bach. (It is suspected that Johann Christian Bach had inherited that Bible from Johann Sebastian Bach.)
When Joseph Back and his family migrated to southeastern Kentucky, in 1791, they took that old Family Bible with them. Joseph died in 1819, and his wife Elizabeth died in 1826. The old Family Bible then passed down to their son John Back (1774-1853). After John died, in 1853, the old Family Bible was then passed around to each of his children, every year or so; and then, later, it was passed around to each of their children (John's grandchildren), every year or so.
By 1911, the family of Henry "Snoot" Back (1849-1911) had possession of the old Family Bible; "Snoot" was a grandson of John Back (1774-1853). When "Snoot" died, in 1911, his family gave the old Family Bible to Dr. Wilgus Bach, because they knew that he was researching and studying the genealogy of the Back (Bach) family. In fact, Dr. Bach had written, in his genealogy book, that he had also seen the old handwritten statement, "We came from Thuringia," on the flyleaf of the old Family Bible. (Countless other people in the family had seen it as well.)
After Dr. Bach was given the old Family Bible, in 1911, he took it over to his father's store, "The Hiram Bach Grocery Store," which was not far from Quicksand, because his father maintained a small museum, up on the second floor of his store, where he displayed all sorts of artifacts, antiques, and old documents. The old Back (Bach) Family Bible stayed there, on the second floor of that store, for many years. Anyone could go there and look at it, and many people did. It was also taken over to the annual family reunions, every fall, so that people could look at it.
When Dr. Bach died suddenly, in 1936, his father Hiram Bach gave the old Back (Bach) Family Bible to his son's widow, Amanda Bach, and she then kept it at her house. She continued to let anyone come over and look at the old book, anytime they wanted. She even let people take it to their own home for a few days. And she also made sure that it was taken over to the annual family reunions, every fall.
So, when Troy Back went to visit Amanda Bach, in 1970, he secretly took along a razor blade, which he had hidden in his pocket. He asked Amanda if he could see the old Family Bible, and so she got it out for him. When she left the room for a few minutes, Troy pulled out that razor blade, and he actually cut out (and ripped out) that old handwritten statement, from 1762, from the flyleaf, which said, "We came from Thuringia." He put that piece of paper in his pocket, along with the razor blade. When Troy got home, he simply threw that piece of paper away. Amanda didn't know what he had done, until a few months later, when another family member went to see her, and wanted to see the old book; they noticed that something had been ripped out of the book. (This has been documented.)
In 2009, one of Amanda Bach's descendants donated the old Back (Bach) Family Bible to the Breathitt County Library, in Jackson, Kentucky. The library has since digitized all the pages, including the flyleaf page (the last page), and they have put all the pages on their website. Click here to see that flyleaf page. You can clearly see where that section of the flyleaf, which contained that handwritten statement, has been ripped out (page 363).
The old Back (Bach) Family Bible contains lots of very old, handwritten notes, which prove the actual genealogy of the family. One of those notes (from 1787) proves that Elizabeth Hoffman Back (born July 13, 1746), the daughter of John Hoffman and Maria Sabina Folg, married into the family of John Henry Back (not the family of Harman Back). Her name, and date of birth, were written into John Henry Back's Family Bible, because she had married into his family (not Harman Back's family). She had married Henry Back (1740-1809), who was a son of John Henry Back, not Harman Back. (Her name and that exact date of birth were also written into her father's Family Bible, proving that this was the same woman.)
Another note, also from 1787, proves that John Back (1774-1853), Mary Back (1777-1807), and Henry Back (1785-1871) were the grandchildren of John Henry Back (not Harman Back). The names, and dates of birth, of those three children were written into John Henry Back's Family Bible, because they were members of his family (not Harman Back's family). They were the children of Joseph Back (1745-1819), who was a son of John Henry Back.
Those two handwritten notes from 1787 are on the same page of the old Back (Bach) Family Bible. They can also be seen on the library's website. Click here to see that page (page 292).
There is another old, handwritten note, from 1836, written by John Back (1774-1853). He listed his name and date of birth, along with the names and dates of birth of his wife (Catherine Robertson), and their children. It also proves that John Back (1774-1853) descends from John Henry Back (not Harman Back), because it was in John Henry Back's Family Bible. That note can also be seen on the library's website. Click here to see that page (page 38).
Troy ruined Dr. Wilgus Bach's book: The second thing that Troy needed to get rid of was the actual genealogy of his Back (Bach) family that was in Dr. Wilgus Bach's book. Dr. Bach had been fascinated with the genealogy of his Back (Bach) family. So, he spent many years, in the early 1900s, interviewing scores of elderly people, in southeastern Kentucky, and writing down what they had said. He also collected copies of numerous old documents, from both Kentucky and Virginia, which included information about members of the Back (Bach) family. He put all of that information into his book. His book confirmed the actual genealogy of the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky, which was the same genealogy that everyone in the family already knew. But it was the details that Dr. Bach had accumulated, about the family, that were so interesting and so valuable.
After Amanda Bach died, in 1977, her family donated Dr. Bach's genealogy book (the only copy) to The Kentucky Historical Society, in Frankfort. They thought that it would be safe there, and that it would become a valuable resource for anyone interested in the family's genealogy.
Unfortunately, just a few weeks after the book was donated to The Kentucky Historical Society, Troy heard that it had been donated there, and so he went to that facility, up in Frankfort. He asked the staff if he could see Dr. Bach's book, and so it was handed to him. And then, while Troy sat alone, somewhere in that building, he used an ink pen, and a bottle of "White Out," and he changed Dr. Bach's accurate research, to reflect the inaccurate genealogy that he had created. For example, wherever Dr. Bach had written the name "Joseph Back," as being the founder of the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky, Troy crossed it out and wrote "Henry Back" next to it (because he falsely claimed that Henry's widow had founded his family in southeastern Kentucky). Troy also used "White Out" to cover up valuable and accurate information in the book as well. ("White out" was not invented until 1951, and since Dr. Bach had died in 1936, it's obvious that he didn't use it.)
Troy ruined Dr. Bach's book. It's also quite obvious that Troy removed a large number of pages from the book (and then later threw them away). In addition, Troy actually inserted a piece of paper into Dr. Bach's book that described his inaccurate genealogy. It even had Troy's name and address on it, which proves that he was the one who had ruined Dr. Bach's remarkable book. (This has been documented as well.)
Nobody will ever know the extent of valuable research and information that Troy destroyed, in Dr. Bach's book, and also removed from his book. It's all gone now, forever.
Many years later, after Troy had published his inaccurate genealogy book, members of The Back-Bach Genealogical Society actually referred to the changes that Troy had made, in Dr. Bach's book, as being "proof" that their inaccurate genealogy was correct! On the Acknowledgements Page of their book, they also gave "special appreciation" to Dr. Bach, "whose earlier research and extensive documentation helped to make this book possible" (just like they had done to Dr. Holtzclaw). The implication was also that their inaccurate genealogy was the same genealogy that Dr. Bach had supported. Of course, that was also a blatant lie. It was truly outrageous.
As a matter of fact, they included the names of numerous people on their Acknowledgements Page, who most definitely did not support their inaccurate genealogy and who wanted nothing to do them, including Wardie and Hazel Craft, and Josephine Wheeler Bach. (David Risner, whose name was also on that list, later left The Back-Bach Genealogical Society because he had a guilty conscience; he told several people, including Tilden Bach, that Reedus Back had admitted to him that their genealogy was all wrong, and that Reedus and his cohorts had known it was all wrong, long before the book was published.)
Around 1980: By that time, Troy realized that he needed to involve more people, to help him destroy even more evidence of his family's actual genealogy. So he enlisted the help of Custer Back, who was his first half-cousin (they had the same grandfather, but different grandmothers); Kenneth Back, who was Custer's son; and Dexter Dixon, who was Troy and Custer's second cousin. However, not one of those three men had any knowledge about proper genealogical research either.
Libraries were raided: Over the next decade or so, from about 1980 until about 1990, Troy and his cohorts actually went into every library and historical society, in Kentucky and Virginia, and they removed (stole) books and documents, which proved the family's actual genealogy, and then they just threw those items away. If they were caught, trying to get a particular book or document, out of any building, they just went back later, and they used an ink pen, to simply cross out the actual genealogy, in those books and documents, and then they wrote in their inaccurate genealogy. The most common thing they did was cross out the name of "Joseph Back" (the man who actually founded their family in southeastern Kentucky), and then they wrote in the name of "Henry Back" (whose widow, Elizabeth Hoffman Back, they falsely claim founded their family in southeastern Kentucky). That vandalism was so rampant, throughout the Kentucky Library System, that some librarians still talk about it, to this day. (This has also been documented.)
The Maggard Cemetery: But, the worst thing that Troy and his cohorts did, was in The Maggard Cemetery, in Letcher County, Kentucky. There, in the fall of 1988, Troy and Custer actually pulled up the old gravestone, from the ground, of their own great, great, grandmother, Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back (1755-1826), and they threw it over the hill. Then, they replaced it with a fake gravestone that Troy had made (see the picture below), which described Elizabeth Hoffman Back (born July 13, 1746). She was the widow of Henry Back (1740-1809), who was the son of John Henry Back. However, Troy had falsely claimed that Henry Back (1740-1809) was the son of Harman Back. Troy had also falsely claimed that, after Henry died, his widow Elizabeth had moved all the way down to southeastern Kentucky and founded his family there, and then she died there. That fake gravestone was meant to "prove" all of that. But it proved nothing. Click here for documented, and proven, information about Elizabeth Hoffman Back (born 1746).
Troy and Custer actually placed that new, fake gravestone on top of the remains of their own great, great grandmother! It was truly evil. It was also illegal, because it violated several state laws.
In fact, Custer Back actually admitted that they were going to remove Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back's gravestone, and replace it, in an article that he was able to get published, in The Filson Club History Quarterly (Vol. 62, No. 4, Oct. 1988, p. 467-473). Custer wrote, "Action has been taken to replace the marker at Elizabeth's grave..." (see the article below). His bizarre article went into great detail, describing the inaccurate genealogy of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky, which his cousin Troy Lee Back had created. Custer also wrote how he and his cohorts were going to use that (inaccurate) genealogy, to "correct" their family's (actual) genealogy. However, he did not provide even one piece of evidence that proved the inaccurate genealogy (because there wasn't any). The only reason that Custer was able to get that article published was because he had claimed, in the first paragraph, that his article was "correcting" some errors made by Harry Caudill, who had written an article for The Mountain Eagle newspaper, the year before, on August 5, 1987. Mr. Caudill was a very prominent man, in southeastern Kentucky, and so the media there usually printed just about anything, and everything, about him.
Many years later, after The Back-Bach Genealogical Society had published their inaccurate genealogy book, they actually referred to that fake gravestone that Troy had made, in 1988, as being "proof" that their inaccurate genealogy was correct. That was astonishing.
Sadly, that fake gravestone for Elizabeth Hoffman Back (born 1746) is still there, in The Maggard Cemetery, on top of the remains of Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back (1755-1826). It is such a disgrace.
Memory Hill: Shortly after Troy and Custer threw Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back's gravestone over the hill, it was retrieved by Wardie Craft and his wife Hazel Bach Craft, who took it back to their museum in Caney, Kentucky. (Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back was Hazel's great, great, great, great grandmother.) Their museum was actually their home, and it was called, "Memory Hill." Behind their museum was The Memory Hill Cemetery, and so they placed Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back's gravestone back there. Troy and Custer found out about that, and they were furious. One day, when Wardie and Hazel were not home, Troy sent a stone mason over to The Memory Hill Cemetery, and had him carve the word, "INCORRECT," in big, bold, black letters, across the bottom of Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back's gravestone. (How despicable can you get!)
Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back's gravestone is probably still at The Memory Hill Cemetery. Click here to see a picture of it.
Someone needs to take her gravestone back to The Maggard Cemetery, and put it back in the ground, where it belongs, over her remains...and get rid of that fake gravestone for Elizabeth Hoffman Back.
What else?: Unfortunately, there is no way to know what other precious family artifacts, books, or historical documents, that the members of The Back-Bach Genealogical Society destroyed. But clearly, they eliminated a significant amount of their own family's actual genealogy (both in Kentucky and Virginia), because there is not much left of it today. They did all of those terrible things, so that nothing would stand in their way of selling their inaccurate genealogy book, and "getting rich quick."
They removed the gravestone of their own ancestor
THEY REPLACED IT WITH THIS FAKE GRAVESTONE
THEY REPLACED IT WITH THIS FAKE GRAVESTONE
THEY REPLACED IT WITH THIS FAKE GRAVESTONE
Elizabeth Hoffman Back (born July 13, 1746) was the daughter of John Hoffman and Maria Sabina Folg, and the wife of Henry Back (1740-1809). After Henry died, she moved to Rockingham County, Virginia, to live near her widowed sister Margaret; Elizabeth died there, in 1815.
Elizabeth never moved to Kentucky, and she is not buried in The Maggard Cemetery. This is a fake gravestone that was made, to try to "prove" the inaccurate genealogy of the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky.
CUSTER BACK ADMITTED THEIR CRIME
THEY REPLACED IT WITH THIS FAKE GRAVESTONE
THEY REPLACED IT WITH THIS FAKE GRAVESTONE
In 1987, The Mountain Eagle newspaper, in Whitesburg, Kentucky, published an article by Harry Caudill, about the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky. Some of what he wrote in that article was correct, but some of it was just absurd speculation.
Mr. Caudill was a highly respected and prominent man, in southeastern Kentucky. So, Custer Back used that fact, as an excuse, to get his "response" to Mr. Caudill's article, printed in the Filson Club History Quarterly, in 1988 (see above). But, in his article, Custer simply described that inaccurate genealogy of his family. In the last paragraph, Custer sarcastically wrote that the Back (Bach) family should thank Mr. Caudill for giving Custer the opportunity to describe the "true ancestry" of his family, but there was nothing "true" about what he wrote, except that he was going to (illegally) remove his ancestor's gravestone.
Getting closer to publishing their book
In 1986: In November of 1986, Dr. Holtzclaw died, which Troy had anxiously been waiting for. Troy then knew that he was finally "free" to aggressively pursue writing and publishing the inaccurate genealogy book that was going to "make him rich."
In 1987: In 1987, a man named Bud Phillips came to southeastern Kentucky, because he was doing research for a genealogy book that he was writing about his mother's ancestors (the Maggard family). Bud soon met Troy, and Troy told him all about his inaccurate genealogy of his Back (Bach) family. Sadly, Bud believed Troy, and so he included Troy's inaccurate genealogy, in his 1991 book, Coming Down Cumberland. Years later, Bud found out that Troy had been lying, but by then, his book had already been published. Bud was not happy about that at all.
In 1988: In the fall of 1988, Troy and his cousin Custer committed the ultimate act of evil, when they shamefully desecrated the grave of their very own great, great grandmother, in The Maggard Cemetery (discussed above).
Troy and his cohorts actually thought that people would believe that the fake gravestone they erected in The Maggard Cemetery "proved" that Elizabeth Hoffman Back, the wife of Henry Back (1740-1809), had come to Kentucky, and founded their Back (Bach) family there. They also thought that, if they simply claimed, in their inaccurate genealogy book, that her husband Henry Back (1740-1809) was a son of Harman Back, without providing any proof, people would believe it. And they further thought that, if they simply claimed, in their inaccurate genealogy book, that Elizabeth and Henry Back's children included John Back (1774-1853), Mary Back (1777-1807), and Henry Back (1785-1871), also, without providing any proof, people would believe that too.
Their arrogance was incredibly brazen, especially when they knew full well that their inaccurate genealogy was all wrong, and they already knew the actual genealogy of their own family. They were absolutely blinded by greed, believing that they were going to "get rich quick," by selling a book, which "proved" that their family descended from Harman Back, simply because he was being researched by the incredibly profitable Germanna Foundation.
By 1989: After Troy had removed the proof that his family was from Thuringia, Germany, from the old Back (Bach) Family Bible; and after he had removed the actual genealogy of his family, from Dr. Bach's genealogy book; and after he and his cohorts had either removed all of the books and documents that contained the actual genealogy of their family, from all of the libraries and historical societies, or had altered what was in them; and after he had removed his great, great grandmother's gravestone from the cemetery and replaced it with a fake one, he felt confident that all of the proof of the actual genealogy of his own family (or at least 99% of it) had been eliminated.
However, he forgot, or he was unable, to steal the microfilms of the old newspapers from all the libraries and historical societies; they are still there. They contain articles about the family reunions, many of which discuss the actual genealogy of the family.
Reedus Back: In 1989, Troy enlisted the help of another relative, Reedus Back, to help with the writing and publishing of his inaccurate genealogy book. Reedus was also Troy's first half-cousin (same grandfather, but different grandmothers).
However, Reedus had never held a real job in his life; he had spent his life in academia. He had a Ph.D., but it was in education, and from what was then a second-rate school. Reedus also had no knowledge about proper genealogical research, nor did he know anything about early American history, German immigration, or book publishing. He was known for "turning storage rooms into classrooms," which was extremely odd. But because Reedus had a Ph.D., Troy wanted him involved, simply because he thought that Reedus' degree would lend credibility to the inaccurate genealogy book.
The Back-Bach Genealogical Society was created: In 1990, Reedus was put "in charge" of writing and publishing the inaccurate genealogy book, and "The Back-Bach Genealogical Society" was "officially created," on June 16, 1993. They gave their little club that impressive-sounding name, just to make it appear as if they knew what they were doing. But not one member of that little club was a genealogist, and not one of them knew anything about conducting proper genealogical research.
Reedus was made the "president" of their little club, and he began leading meetings about how to write and publish their inaccurate genealogy book. Reedus tried to make their meetings seem so official and so important, by following "parliamentary procedures." This means that they made all decisions by first having someone propose an idea, and then, someone else "moved it." And then, if a third person "seconded the motion," the idea passed. They actually wrote pages and pages of rules and bylaws. Even more bizarre, they even wrote a constitution!
They also elected other "officers," including a vice president, a treasurer, a secretary, and a financial secretary. (Why a financial secretary was needed, in addition to a treasurer, is not known. They were obviously expecting a massive amount of money to be pouring in, from the sale of their inaccurate genealogy book.) They also announced that the treasurer and the financial secretary were bonded, "for the protection" of their little club, but there is no proof that a bond was ever obtained.
They also set up several committees, including a Membership Committee, and a Steering Committee. They voted on everything, no matter how trivial, or how absurd. They also spent a great deal of time congratulating each other. They even published the minutes of their ridiculous meetings, in newsletters, which they then mailed to as many people as they could. It was all so foolish, and so childish. But they did all those things, in a desperate attempt to make it appear as if they were a legitimate organization. But again, not one member of that little club was a genealogist, or even a historian. They had no idea what they were doing, but they didn't care. Their only goal was to publish an inaccurate genealogy book, so that they could "get rich quick."
More lies: They announced in their newsletters that they were "obtaining a tax number," because they were "setting up their organization as a non-profit." But both of those statements were a lie. The Kentucky Secretary of State has no record of The Back-Bach Genealogical Society ever registering as a non-profit, or even as a corporation, a LLC, or a sole proprietorship. Click here (search by Business Name).
And there is no record of The Back-Bach Genealogical Society ever obtaining a tax number, from the Internal Revenue Service. Click here (search by Organization Name, in the second field). Therefore, because The Back-Bach Genealogical Society lied, and they never had a tax number, there was no way that they could have reported any of their income to the Internal Revenue Service. All of their income just went into their officers' pockets, tax-free.
They finally published their book
In November of 1994, they finally published their inaccurate genealogy, in a big, orange book, which they sold for $85 (a 2-volume set). The title of the book was, A Back Family History: The Story of a Major Branch of the Back/Bach Family. They had 500 copies printed. (For some reason, Reedus Back's name was not on the cover. But his name was inside the book, as "The Coordinator and Director of Publication.")
However, Reedus never even obtained an ISBN number for the book. All legitimate publishers get an ISBN number for every book; it's how books are identified. This proves that Reedus knew nothing about book publishing.
In addition to the inaccurate genealogy that the book contained, it was also full of misspelled words, bad grammar, and typos. The carelessness was truly extraordinary. Moreover, there was absolutely no proof, in the book, that the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky descends from Harman Back. The book also featured the same bizarre numbering system, to organize the people, that Troy had used in his Brashear book. It was painfully obvious that the book did not conform to any proper genealogical research standards. Why anyone would ever believe one word of it remains a mystery.
The book falsely claimed that the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky descends from a man named Harman Back (aka Hermann Bach), who was born in 1708, in Freudenberg, Germany, and who came to America in 1738, and later settled in Little Fork, Virginia. The book also falsely claimed that Harman Back sailed to America, on the ship Oliver, but that was not true either. Click here for accurate information about Harman Back.
More importantly, the book falsely claimed that Harman Back had four sons, although they altered some of the dates of birth and death of those four men, to fit in with all of their outrageous lies: Harman Back Jr. (1737-1797); John Back (1738-1794); Henry Back (1740-1809); and Joseph Back (1756-1832).
However, Harman Back only had one son, which was Harman Back Jr. (1737-1797). This has been well-documented, and conclusively proven.
Harman Back Jr. (1737-1797): It has been conclusively proven, by many Board-Certified genealogists, several respected historians and researchers, and the genealogy experts at DAR, that Harman Back only had one son, which was Harman Back Jr. (1737-1797). It has also been proven that neither Harman Back Jr., or any of his descendants, ever migrated to southeastern Kentucky. Click here for accurate information about Harman Back Jr.
John Back (1738-1794): It has also been conclusively proven, by many Board-Certified genealogists, several respected historians and researchers, and the genealogy experts at DAR, that John Back was not the son of Harman Back (or Harman Back Jr.). John was actually the son of John Henry Back (1709-1789), which was a completely different Back family than the Harman Back family. John Henry Back's family lived in the far southern part of Culpeper County, Virginia, near the Robinson River, which became Madison County, in 1792. That was 25 miles south of Little Fork. The brother of John Back (1738-1794) was Joseph Back (1745-1819), who migrated to Kentucky, in 1791, and founded the Back (Bach) family there. John Back (1738-1794) married Margaret Hoffman, around 1773, and they had five daughters. Margaret was the daughter of John Hoffman and Maria Sabina Folg. Click here for accurate information about John Back (1738-1794).
Henry Back (1740-1809): It has also been conclusively proven, by many Board-Certified genealogists, several respected historians and researchers, and the genealogy experts at DAR, that Henry Back was not the son of Harman Back (or Harman Back Jr.) either. Henry was actually the son of John Henry Back (1709-1789) as well. Henry was the brother of John Back (1738-1794), and he also lived in the far southern part of Culpeper County, Virginia, near the Robinson River, which became Madison County, in 1792. Henry Back's other brother was Joseph Back (1745-1819), who migrated to Kentucky, in 1791, and founded the Back (Bach) family there. Henry Back (1740-1809) married Elizabeth Hoffman (who was the sister of Margaret Hoffman, who married Henry's brother John), also around 1773. Henry and Margaret had six sons and two daughters. One of their sons was John Back (born 1776), who migrated to North Carolina in 1798, where he raised a large family; he died, sometime after 1820; he never moved to Kentucky. Another one of their sons was Henry Back Jr. (born 1783), who died around 1805, in Madison County, Virginia; he never moved to Kentucky either. Click here for accurate information about Henry Back (1740-1809) and his actual sons.
It is critical to understand that John Back (born 1776), the son of Henry Back (1740-1809), was not the John Back (1774-1853), who migrated to southeastern Kentucky, in 1791, with his family, and who later married Catherine Robertson.
It is also critical to understand that Henry Back (born 1783), the son of Henry Back (1740-1809), was not the Henry Back (1785-1871), who migrated to southeastern Kentucky, in 1791, with his family, and who later married Susannah Maggard.
Joseph Back (1756-1832): It has also been conclusively proven, by many Board-Certified genealogists, several respected historians and researchers, and the genealogy experts at DAR, that Joseph Back was also not the son of Harman Back. He was actually the son of Harman Back Jr. (1737-1797). However, The Back-Bach Genealogical Society simply backed up Joseph's year of birth to 1742, in order to make it seem more plausible that he was a son of Harman Back. Why they did that is not known, especially since Joseph wrote down his date of birth into his own Family Bible, and so his date of birth was documented. Joseph married Winneford Harper, in 1786, and in 1789, they migrated to what later became Garrard County, Kentucky, with his parents (Harman Back Jr. and his wife Katherine). Click here for accurate information about Joseph Back (1756-1832).
****************
Elizabeth Hoffman Back (born July 13, 1746): It has also been conclusively proven, by many Board-Certified genealogists, and several respected historians and researchers, that, shortly after Elizabeth's husband Henry Back (1740-1809) died, in 1809, she moved to Rockingham County, Virginia, to live next to her widowed sister Margaret Hoffman Back, who had moved there after her husband, John Back (1738-1794), had died. (Henry Back was a brother of John Back.) This can be confirmed by the fact that Elizabeth was seen in the 1810 Census Report, living in Rockingham County, with her son Aaron, and her two daughters. Elizabeth was also listed in the Tax Lists, in Rockingham County, from 1810 through 1815. (Her sister Margaret was also seen in the Census Reports and Tax Lists, in Rockingham County, until her death, in 1831.) Click here for accurate information about Elizabeth Hoffman Back.
Elizabeth Hoffman Back (born July 13, 1746), who was the wife of Henry Back (1740-1809), and the daughter of John Hoffman and Maria Sabina Folg, died in 1815, in Rockingham County, Virginia. She never moved to Kentucky. She did not die "after December 12, 1831," in southeastern Kentucky, as was inscribed on that fake gravestone that Troy Back had made for her, in 1988. She was not buried in The Maggard Cemetery, in Letcher County, Kentucky. She did not establish the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky.
In fact, Elizabeth's son Aaron Back had bought that land for her to live on, in Rockingham County, on April 10, 1809. Six years later, after Elizabeth had died, in 1815, Aaron sold that land, on August 19, 1816. The fact that Aaron had bought that land for her, and then sold it, was well-documented, in that 1816 deed. Click here for information about Aaron Back and that land deed.
Elizabeth Hoffman Back (born July 13, 1746), the daughter of John Hoffman and Maria Sabina Folg, and the wife of Henry Back (1740-1809), NEVER went to southeastern Kentucky; she did NOT establish the Back (Bach) family there; and she was NOT buried in The Maggard Cemetery.
The Back-Bach Genealogical Society: 1994-2008
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
COPY OF PART OF THEIR FIRST NEWSLETTER
COPY OF PART OF THEIR FIRST NEWSLETTER
Shortly before The Back-Bach Genealogical Society published their inaccurate genealogy book, that's when they suddenly realized that the people who were living in southeastern Kentucky would never buy their book, because they already knew all about the actual genealogy of their family. That's when they came up with a devious plan to sell their book.
They decided to find members of their Back (Bach) family who had been born, and then raised, far away from southeastern Kentucky. They figured that those people probably would not have already heard about the actual genealogy of their family, and so they would probably buy their book.
They began locating those people, and in the summer of 1994, they sent them an invitation to attend a "secret family meeting," that was going to be held in Lexington, Kentucky, at the Ramada Hotel, on October 1, 1994. (Lexington was over 100 miles away from southeastern Kentucky.)
They told those people that the "true ancestry of their Back (Bach) family" would be "revealed" at that meeting, and how exciting it was going to be. Reedus Back later bragged, in one of his newsletters, that those attendees at that 1994 meeting had come from 24 different states.
The Back-Bach Genealogical Society held those annual "secret family meetings" for four years, from the fall of 1994, through the fall of 1997. At those meetings, they sold all 500 copies of their inaccurate genealogy book, simply because the attendees didn't know the actual genealogy of their own family. They also sold over 200 "memberships" in their little club: $20 for a one-year membership, and $100 for a "lifetime" membership.
They even collected money from people who wanted to buy a "membership" in The Germanna Foundation, which they referred to as their "sister organization." In fact, to this day, The Germanna Foundation is still spewing out Troy's inaccurate genealogy about Harman Back as being true. That's so strange, because they must know it's a lie.
COPY OF PART OF THEIR FIRST NEWSLETTER
COPY OF PART OF THEIR FIRST NEWSLETTER
COPY OF PART OF THEIR FIRST NEWSLETTER
Reedus duplicated nearly everything that The Germanna Foundation did. Besides selling books, memberships, and tickets to their annual meetings; and begging people to donate items to be auctioned off at the meetings; Reedus also sold trips to Germany, to Freudenberg ($5,000 per person). Reedus headed up all of those trips; and by overcharging people for their trips, he got his trip for free.
At that first annual meeting, in October of 1994, both Reedus and Custer gave a speech about the inaccurate genealogy of their family. And then, they gave each other an award for "doing such a great job." Reedus then took "pre-orders" ($50 down payments), for the inaccurate genealogy books that were soon going to be printed.
However, shortly after the books had been printed, in November of 1994, someone in the Back (Bach) family, down in southeastern Kentucky, heard about it, and they were very angry. They found out where the books had been printed, and so they went there and destroyed the plates. That meant that no more copies could be printed.
That's why, in his December, 1994 newsletter, Reedus announced that they were not printing any more copies of the book. However, he simply had a CD made, from his copy of the book. He then had it duplicated, and he began selling CDs for $45 each. He sold thousands of CDs, mainly from a bizarre website that he had set up, which only featured strange pictures of the club's members.
In all of his newsletters, Reedus constantly begged people to get other people to buy a membership in his little club. He wrote that people weren't really a member of the family, unless they bought one of his memberships! Brazenly, he also wrote how much he wanted "to build an ongoing and profitable genealogy business" for himself.
His newsletters also contained pages of corrections to his book, for people born in more recent years. At one point, there were so many corrections needed, that Reedus said he was giving up on providing any more corrections!
THE PINE MOUNTAIN GRILL
THE PINE MOUNTAIN GRILL
THE PINE MOUNTAIN GRILL
1998: In the spring of 1998, The Back-Bach Genealogical Society sent out newsletters to members of their family who lived in southeastern Kentucky, announcing that they were suddenly going to be "in charge of" the reunions.
They said they were moving the reunions, from Miles Back's farm, in Quicksand (where they had been held for nearly 70 years), all the way down to the Pine Mountain Grill restaurant, in Whitesburg, 60 miles away. They also said they were charging people $25 to attend the reunion, and $20 to join The Back-Bach Genealogical Society. When members of the family in southeastern Kentucky received those newsletters, they were outraged.
Nobody had ever paid money to go to their own family reunion before, and there was no reason to join any club!
So, nobody from southeastern Kentucky went to that "new reunion," in 1998, or to any of the subsequent "new reunions." The few people who went were from out-of-state, and they had no idea what was really going on.
REEDUS BACK
THE PINE MOUNTAIN GRILL
THE PINE MOUNTAIN GRILL
"New reunions": Reedus Back was able to get a few prominent local people to come and speak at some of the first few "new reunions," but once those people saw that there was no proof of the genealogy that was being sold, and they realized that the sole purpose of the reunions was to get money out of people, they never returned.
The few attendees had to sit quietly, and listen, for over two hours, while Reedus Back loomed over them, from up at the podium, looking down at them, and lecturing them about Harman Back. He also continually solicited the attendees for money. He even had his friends come in, and solicit them for money as well, including a man who tried to sell them Gideon Bibles! (Gideon Bibles are supposed to be given away for free.) And if anyone dared to ask about the actual genealogy of the family, Reedus and his cohorts mocked them, and laughed at them.
Only thirty people attended that first "new reunion," but less and less people went, each year after that. By 2008, nobody showed up, and so the "new reunions" ended.
The Back-Bach people
The real damage: But it was that big, orange, inaccurate genealogy book that caused the really serious damage to the family. It pitted the people who had bought the book, and somehow believed what was in it (even though there was absolutely no proof in the book for any of the claims that it made); against the people who already knew the actual genealogy of their own family, and those who had figured out that the inaccurate genealogy was truly inaccurate.
The Back-Bach Genealogical Society tore their own family apart, with their big, orange, inaccurate genealogy book. Most people just walked away from it all, because they were so disgusted by what The Back-Bach Genealogical Society had done. But there are still a few people around today, who blindly support that inaccurate genealogy; and they are still known as the "Back-Bach people," which is definitely not a compliment.
The "Back-Bach people": These are people who still continue to cling to that inaccurate genealogy, because, either (1) they refuse to admit that they were duped, and they are too lazy to research the facts for themselves; (2) they are simply not very smart; or (3) they like to pretend that they descend from Harman Back, or his alleged son Henry Back (1740-1809), so that they can join DAR (The Daughters of the American Revolution). Harman Back was said to have "rendered aid" (provided supplies or ammunition) to some of the soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War; and the name of Henry Back (1740-1809) was seen on a list of soldiers, in the far southern part of Culpeper County, Virginia, in the Robinson River Valley, which was 25 miles south of Little Fork. (All the other men on that list, "Class No. 95," also lived in the Robinson River Valley.) That means that both men are considered to be "Patriots," in DAR, which means that the actual descendants of those men qualify for membership in DAR.
The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
Respected organizations were "used": While The Back-Bach Genealogical Society was preparing their inaccurate genealogy book, they started looking for credible and respected organizations that they could "use," to promote their book. (By "use," we mean, to lie to, and to manipulate.)
They decided that they would send copies of their book to The Library of Congress (in Washington, D.C.), and to the Family History Library (in Salt Lake City, Utah); and then later, they claimed that, because their book was in those two locations, that meant that the genealogy it contained was accurate! Of course, that was ludicrous, because all they did was mail their book to those places. But that was the manipulative manner in which they always operated.
Another respected organization that they decided to "use," to promote their inaccurate genealogy, was DAR (The Daughters of the American Revolution).
The DAR database: The Back-Bach Genealogical Society had discovered that Harman Back, and Henry Back (1740-1809), were already listed as "Patriots," in the DAR database. And so, they simply submitted information to DAR, claiming that: (1) Henry Back (1740-1809) was a son of Harman Back; and (2) Henry Back (1740-1809) had sons named John Back (1774-1853) and Henry Back (1785-1871). Of course, both of those claims were false, and they had no evidence to support them, because they were false, however, DAR accepted their claims as being valid, and they included them in the DAR database.
That's because, back then (in the 1980s), DAR was not very strict about what information they accepted; they basically accepted whatever was submitted to them. However, nowadays, DAR requires a substantial amount of documented proof, when new information is submitted, and when existing information needs to be corrected. Their standards are extremely strict now.
The Back-Bach Genealogical Society claimed that John Back (1774-1853), and his brother Henry Back (1785-1871), were the sons of Henry Back (1740-1809), in the information they submitted to DAR, and in their inaccurate genealogy book, because those two brothers were very well-documented as living in southeastern Kentucky.
John Back (1774-1853) had married Catherine Robertson, and they mainly lived in Breathitt County; and Henry Back (1785-1871) had married Susannah Maggard, and they mainly lived in Letcher County. Those two men were the "final step," to falsely connecting the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky, to Harman Back, through Henry Back (1740-1809).
For many years, that inaccurate information about Harman Back's alleged son Henry Back (1740-1809), and Henry Back's two alleged sons, John Back (1774-1853) and Henry Back (1785-1871), remained in DAR's database, and it was presented as being accurate. As a result, many people who actually descend from John Back (1774-1853), and Henry Back (1785-1871), were able to obtain membership in DAR, based upon that inaccurate information.
The truth always comes out: However, sometime around 2004, the accurate genealogy of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky began to emerge again, through the publication of several well-researched books, written by very credible and highly educated people, who actually utilized The Genealogical Proof Standard. As a result, some of the "Back-Bach people" responded in anger, especially those who had obtained their DAR membership through either John Back (1774-1853), or his brother Henry Back (1785-1871).
A few of the "Back-Bach people" got particularly upset, because they realized that their DAR memberships were suddenly in jeopardy.
The staged "DNA Project"
Fight back!: One of the "Back-Bach people" who got really upset was a very strange woman who decided to "fight back" against the accurate genealogy of her own family! Obviously, there is something deeply wrong with her.
She decided to "fight back," because she is a member of DAR, and she was afraid that she would be kicked out of DAR, if they found out that she really didn't descend from Harman Back, and that she had lied about her lineage. She might even have to return her DAR sash, badges, and pins. She was very worried about being embarrassed, in front of all of her DAR girlfriends.
Using DNA to deceive: So, this strange woman set up what she calls, a "DNA Project," on an online DNA company called, "FamilyTreeDNA.com," and she made herself the "Administrator" of it. She called it, the "Bach to Back Project." She had just one goal in mind...she was absolutely determined to make it appear as if the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky (her own family) descends from Harman Back, by "using" (lying about) DNA tests. After all, everyone has heard about using DNA to prove genealogy, and everyone trusts that DNA tests are accurate. So, she decided that she would use that concept of DNA always being accurate, to fool people into believing that her "Bach to Back Project" contained valid DNA tests, even though she was going to alter the test results, and then lie about what those results meant. She was so excited at the thought of finally being able to "prove" that her Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky decends from Harman Back!
First of all, FamilyTreeDNA.com clearly states on their website that their "Projects" are called, "Group Projects," or "Surname Projects." They are not called, "DNA Projects." The only results that their "Projects" can show is, whether or not, a group of participants, using their DNA test results, probably share a common ancestor, hundreds and hundreds of years ago, usually about 15 generations ago. In fact, FamilyTreeDNA.com even provides charts to use, to analyze that. But this strange woman actually ignores those charts, and claims the common ancestor for her "DNA Project" is just a few generations back.
FamilyTreeDNA.com's "Projects" cannot prove lineage, which means that they cannot prove who someone's father was, generation by generation, going back in time. They even say so, right on their website.
However, this strange woman claims that her "Bach to Back Project" proves lineage, and that it is a "DNA Project." That is simply not true.
The management at FamilyTreeDNA.com has confirmed, in writing, that each of the Administrators of their "Projects" have "complete control" over their own "Project." In fact, the Administrators set up, and operate, their "Projects," without any supervision at all, from the management at FamilyTreeDNA.com. For example, the Administrator is the only person who decides which DNA test kits they want to include, in their "Project," from the company's database of DNA test kits.
Text files: Up until early 2023, the Administrators could also have people send their DNA test results directly to them, by emailing their results to them, in a text file (.txt). And then, the Administrators could upload those text files to their "Project." But that policy was changed, in early 2023, and the Administrators are no longer permitted to upload text files of DNA test results to their "Projects."
However, long before early 2023, this strange woman, as the Administrator of her "Bach to Back Project," obtained DNA test results, from at least two men (Kit #68731 and Kit #B281410), in a text file (.txt). But before she uploaded those two files to her "Project," she saved them in a very common software computer program called "Windows Notepad," in which she could make any changes she wanted, to those test results. She simply changed some of the STR numbers, in those two men's test results, to match, or closely match, the STR numbers of the DNA test kits that she already had, in her "Bach to Back Project." When she was done making changes, she then uploaded the text files to her "Bach to Back Project." And voila! All the DNA test results matched, or were a close match. In fact, she called some of them, "a perfect match!"
Therefore, she already had her "Bach to Back Project" set up, with her staged results, long before the text file policy was changed, in early 2023.
That's why, ever since early 2023, she now proclaims how happy she is that FamilyTreeDNA.com has such strict rules that "must be followed." She repeatedly announces how much she "likes their rules," and that she "follows their rules." (Of course she says that now, now that her staged "Project" is already set up!) She also now claims that the management at FamilyTreeDNA.com has control over all of the "Projects," which is a blatant lie. She even now claims that she is simply an "unpaid volunteer," for her "Bach to Back Project," and that she had nothing to do with setting it up, which is also a blatant lie. And, of course, she repeatedly says that, "DNA doesn't lie."
Whose DNA test results are actually in her "Bach to Back Project"?: This is extremely important. The management at FamilyTreeDNA.com has also confirmed, in writing, that the Administrators can create whatever description, or lineage, they want, in order to describe each participant whose DNA test kit is in their "Project," on the Project's "About us/Results" page.
This strange woman only provides extremely vague, and mostly incorrect, descriptions of each participant, on her "About us/Results" page. She only says that some of them are descendants of Harman Back, and some of them are descendants of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky. But she doesn't provide the actual name of any participant, because she doesn't want anyone to know who any of the participants actually are. Why not? (It has taken extensive, in-depth research, to determine who they are. Read on.)
She was the one who wrote in the name of "Harman Back" as being the ancestor of each participant!: This is also extremely important. Not only did she not provide the actual descriptions, lineages, or names, of any of the participants, on the "About us/Results" page, she was also the one who wrote in the name of "Harman Back" (or his alleged son "Henry Back"), as being the paternal ancestor of every participant, in the "Paternal Ancestor Name" column, on the Project's "DNA Results/Classic Chart" page!
The management at FamilyTreeDNA.com has also confirmed, in writing, that, as the Administrator, she has the authority, and the ability, to write in whatever names she wants, as the paternal lineage, for each of the DNA participants, in the "Paternal Ancestor Name" column, on the "DNA Results/Classic Chart" page. And she most definitely has done that.
How she staged her "DNA Project" to produce the results she wanted: Around 2010, she added her first DNA test kit, to her "Bach to Back Project." It was from the FamilyTreeDNA.com database, and she described the man as being a descendant of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky. (He was.) It was Kit #195252, which is her own brother, John Lee Back.
In 2011, she obtained her second DNA test kit. It was in a text file (.txt), and she described that man as being a descendant of Harman Back. (He was.) It was Kit #68731, which is Greg Back. (He had taken his DNA test, years before, through the National Geographic Society, and all of those DNA tests were maintained at FamilyTreeDNA.com, in text files.) She changed Greg's STR numbers to closely match the STR numbers of her brother, and then she uploaded Greg's text file to her "Bach to Back Project." At that point, she had actually achieved her sick goal, of "proving that the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky descends from Harman Back," simply because she made the DNA test results of two men match. But she wanted more "proof."
In 2020, she obtained another DNA test kit in a text file (.txt). She described that man as also being a descendant of Harman Back (He was.) It was Kit #B281410, which is Ronnie (Back) Lamb. Once again, she simply changed some of his STR numbers, to closely match the STR numbers of her brother, and then she uploaded Ronnie's text file to her "Bach to Back Project."
She also made two duplicate text files of Ronnie (Back) Lamb's text file, and uploaded them to her "Bach to Back Project" as well. She called them Kit #852765 and Kit #450919. She simply wanted to make it seem as if she had more participants than she really did. However, Kit #852765, Kit #450919, and Kit #B281410 (Ronnie's), are now shown to have DNA test results that are 100% identical, which is impossible. That is even more proof that she has changed STR numbers, and staged her "Project."
In 2022, she added another DNA test kit, from the FamilyTreeDNA.com database, to her "Bach to Back Project." She described that man as being a descendant of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky. (He was.) It was Kit #B98445, which is Larry Back. (Of course, his STR numbers matched the STR numbers of her brother.)
There is one more kit in her "Bach to Back Project," which is Kit #645783. He does not appear to be in the FamilyTreeDNA.com database, and so she probably got his DNA test results in a text file (.txt), at some point. He may also be a descendant of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky, but his actual identity has not yet been confirmed. (He may be William Douglas Back.)
Therefore, by claiming that she has DNA test results from the descendants of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky, and the descendants of Harman Back; and by changing the DNA test results of the descendants of Harman Back to make them match the DNA test results of the descendants of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky; and by writing in the name of "Harman Back" (or his alleged son "Henry Back"), as being the ancestor for each of the participants, she has effectively staged her "Bach to Back Project," to make it appear as if all of the participants descend from Harman Back.
She also lies about the DYS425 marker, which is one of the STR numbers. She first made all of the participants have no number in that field (called "a null"), and then she claimed how rare it is to have no number at the DYS425 marker. She claims that is further "proof" that the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky descends from Harman Back! But the fact is, having no number at the DYS425 marker is extremely common! It means nothing. All she does is lie.
That is why her "Bach to Back Project" does not "prove" anything.
It is all staged.
The truth: When DNA test results from a group of participants are very similar, the only conclusion that can be made is that the participants probably share a common ancestor, about 15 generations ago, which would be back in the 1500s, or so. That's it. Sometimes, that number of generations can be "projected" to be somewhat less than 15 generations, but the conclusion remains the same...the participants simply share a common ancestor.
However, in this strange woman's "Bach to Back Project," because she has made changes to many of the STR numbers, it is absolutely impossible to know if the participants share a common ancestor.
If she had not changed any of the STR numbers, we may have found out if these two families shared a common ancestor, back in Germany, back in the 1500s. If they did, that would not be too surprising, since both families come from Germany. But that still would not mean that the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky descends from Harman Back!
Her "Bach to Back Project" does not "prove" that members of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky descend from Harman Back, and it also does not prove that members of both families share a common ancestor. This is because she changed the test results of the descendants of Harman Back, to match the test results of the descendants of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky. Therefore, the results of her "Bach to Back Project" are completely meaningless.
Furthermore, her "Bach to Back Project" does not "prove" that, at some point in time, in the 1700s, in America, ancestors of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky suddenly "jumped over" and descended from Harman Back. That would be ridiculous. But she attempts to do that, by adding three sons to Harman Back that he never had. She has included two of those three alleged sons (Joseph and Henry), in the alleged lineage of the participants, in the "Paternal Ancestor Name" column, of her "Bach to Back Project."
She claims that Joseph Back (1756-1832) was Harman's son; but he was actually a son of Harman Back Jr. She also claims that Henry Back (1740-1809) was Harman's son; but he was actually the son of John Henry Back (1709-1789), who was the father of Joseph Back (1745-1819), who founded the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky!
And then, she claims that two well-known ancestors from the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky, John Back (1774-1853) and Henry Back (1785-1871), were the sons of Henry Back (1740-1809), but they were actually the sons of Joseph Back (1745-1819). What a mess she has made. What a disgrace she is.
She also likes to claim that her "Bach to Back Project" somehow "proves the existing paper trail" of the genealogies of these two families. NO, IT MOST CERTAINLY DOES NOT! The "paper trail" actually conclusively proves that Harman Back's family came from Freudenberg, and the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky came from Thuringia. The "paper trail" also conclusively proves that Harman Back only had one son, which was Harman Back Jr. The "paper trail" further conclusively proves that the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky descends from the immigrant John Henry Back (1709-1789), through his son Joseph Back (1745-1819); and that Joseph Back (1745-1819) married Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard (1755-1826), and their children included John Back (1774-1853) and Henry Back (1785-1871).
Her "Bach to Back Project" is not a "DNA Project."
It absolutely cannot prove lineage. It is a "Surname Project."
It could only prove if the participants share a common ancestor, or not, but it can't even do that, because she changed the STR numbers.
The "Bach to Back Project" is completely staged. It's just another scam, created to "prove" the inaccurate genealogy, just like the inaccurate genealogy book, and the fake gravestone. What she is doing is so wrong, and so evil. Someone needs to step up and put an end to it.
UPDATE: Absolute proof that her "DNA Project" is staged
The picture above is a screen-shot of a page from this strange woman's own account at FamilyTreeDNA.com. She actually provides her user name and her password, to access this account, on another website that she set up, which she calls her "Family Kaleidoscope." On that website, she also falsely claims that her Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky descends from Harman Back, with no actual proof whatsoever (because there isn't any proof, because it isn't true). All she does on her "Family Kaleidscope" website is misrepresent who is featured, on most documents, and then she lies about what those documents mean; she does the same thing, on her "family trees," on Ancestry.com and FindAGrave.com.
Apparently, she publicly provides her user name and password, for her account at FamilyTreeDNA.com, because she wants people to get onto her account, and look at the list of her own DNA matches. However, that list actually proves that her "Surname Project" on FamilyTreeDNA.com is staged! (She's obviously not very smart.)
That list (shown above) reveals the people in the FamilyTreeDNA.com database whose DNA matches hers. There are just five people on that list. The first person on her list is her brother John Lee Back, who she identifies with her own initials, "K.J. Back" (Karen Jane Back), which is extremely odd; she also uses her own email address for his contact information, which is also extremely odd; he is, of course, a very close match to her. (She ordered his test from her account.) The little purple icon by his name shows that she is related to him, through her mother and her father. The second person on her list is "Larry Back" (Larry Wynn Back Jr.), who is a proven descendant of the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky; he is her fourth cousin (once removed), and so he is also a match to her. Of course, this list also proves that she, and her brother, are proven descendants of the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky!
The other three people on her list are women, who are her cousins; two of them are related to her, through her mother, as indicated by the little red icon by their names. Strangely, their names show that their DNA test was submitted to FamilyTreeDNA.com, with just three initials (not their real names), by this strange woman. Why is this strange woman submitting DNA tests, for other people, to FamilyTreeDNA.com? Why aren't those other people submitting their own DNA tests themselves? The company sends you a Q-tip, to swab the inside of your mouth, and then you mail it back to them. Why wouldn't you use your real name to mail it back? Why would you have someone else mail it back, under a different name? This is extremely suspicious, and it shows that this strange woman is definitely up to something.
That list (shown above) also brings up another very important question. This strange woman's "Surname Project" on FamilyTreeDNA.com has seven men in it, all of whom she claims descend from Harman Back. (Her "Surname Project" only tests for the Y chromosome, which is only in men.) Since she claims that she also descends from Harman Back, along with her brother, and Larry Back, as well as the rest of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky, why aren't the other five men on her own DNA list, in her account? Where are they? One would think that they would have to be in the FamilyTreeDNA.com database, in order to be in her "DNA Project," on FamilyTreeDNA.com. But the reason they aren't is because she got their DNA test results sent to her in a text file (.txt). She then changed their test results, so that they matched the test results of her brother and Larry Back, and then she uploaded their altered test results to her "Surname Project." THAT IS SO UNETHICAL, AND SO WRONG!
In her "Surname Project," the DNA results for all seven men are either 100% identical (which is impossible), or 99% identical (with just one or two numbers off, which seems extremely unlikely, and verging on impossible). We can prove that one of the seven DNA participants in her "DNA Project," is Ronnie (Back) Lamb, who is a proven descendant of Harman Back, and another one of the seven participants is Greg Back, who is also a proven descendant of Harman Back. So, why isn't Ronnie (Back) Lamb, or Greg Back, on her own DNA list, at FamilyTreeDNA.com, which includes her brother John Lee Back and Larry Back? Answer: Because she obtained their DNA test kit results in a text file (.txt). Greg had his DNA test taken though National Geographic, so the results are in a text file (.txt). Ronnie apparently had his DNA test taken at FamilyTreeDNA.com, but he sent her his test results in a text file (.txt).
By the way, this strange woman has also ordered lots of DNA tests, under her name (with some initials attached, so that only she can identify them) on several other DNA websites, besides FamilyTreeDNA.com. Who does that! Obviously, this strange woman is pulling some sort of scam. Why? Why lie about your own ancestors? What is the point? What in the world is wrong with her!
Actual DNA tests prove that there is no DNA match
There are at least two legitimate websites, which gather people's genealogies (through family trees), and their DNA test results, and then they compare that information with other people's genealogies and DNA test results. But they don't involve an "Administrator," who can alter the results, and deliberately deceive people, like that "DNA Project" described above does. They simply let the facts speak for themselves.
Those two websites are WikiTree.com and GEDmatch.com.
WikiTree.com and GEDmatch.com prove that there is no DNA connection whatsoever between the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky and Harman Back.
Here is how we know that is true. We went to those two websites, and we compared the genealogies (the family trees), and the DNA test results, from two different men.
One man is a known descendant of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky; his name is Larry Wynn Back Jr. He is also known as Larry Back.
The other man is a known descendant of Harman Back; his name is Ronnie (Back) Lamb. His biological father was Russell Back; but he was adopted by his mother's second husband, Bill Lamb, when he was a young child, and so he is generally known as Ronnie Lamb.
Both of these men have submitted their genealogy (their family tree), and their DNA test results, to WikiTree.com and GEDmatch.com. And both of these men had their DNA tested, at both Ancestry.com and FamilyTreeDNA.com.
Because these two men have already freely and openly provided their names, their genealogies (family trees), their DNA test results, and their email addresses, to several websites online, we are just duplicating that information here. Nobody's privacy is being infringed upon here, because both men have already freely and openly provided all of this information online.
But before we go to WikiTree.com and GEDmatch.com, let's first go to a very popular website called, FindAGrave.com, so that we can clearly see the Family Tree for each man, which each of these men have actually created themselves.
First, let's check FindAGrave.com
You do not have to pay a fee, or sign up for an account, in order to view a person's information on FindAGrave.com. When you are viewing a person's information (called a "memorial"), you can easily click on their father's name, to view their father's information. And then, you can click on their father's name, to view their father's information, and so on, going up the family tree.
Let's start with Larry Wynn Back Jr. His father was Larry Wynn Back Sr. Click here to see Larry Wynn Back Sr.'s memorial on FindAGrave.com. Larry Jr. actually maintains that memorial for his father, and he is mentioned in his father's obituary as being his son. (Larry Jr. goes by the nickname of "Bone Digger," on FindAGrave.) Everyone in the family knows that Larry Jr. is Larry Sr.'s son. Simply click on Larry Sr.'s father, Price Burnum Back, to see his father, and then keep on clicking, on each man's father, until you get up to John Henry Back (1709-1789), who was born in Thuringia, Germany. His son Joseph Back (1745-1819) migrated to southeastern Kentucky, in 1791, and established the Back (Bach) family there. Larry Back is obviously a descendant of the Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky.
Now, let's go to Ronnie (Back) Lamb. His biological father was Russell Lee Back; Ronnie's parents divorced when he was young and his mother's second husband, Bill Lamb, adopted Ronnie and gave him his last name. Click here to see Russell Lee Back's memorial on FindAGrave.com. Ronnie actually created that memorial for his father, which is quite obvious. Simply click on Russell's father, Thomas Jennings Back, to see his father, and then keep on clicking, on each man's father, until you get up to Harman Back (1708-1789), who was born in Freudenberg, Germany. His son Harman Back Jr. (1737-1797) migrated to central Kentucky, in 1789, and established his Back family there. Ronnie Lamb is obviously a descendant of Harman Back. (None of Harman Back's descendants went back to the original spelling of "Bach," but many of John Henry Back's descendants did.)
FindAGrave.com makes it very clear that these two men, Larry Back and Ronnie Lamb, descend from two very different families. And it is also very clear that those two families are not related, and that one family does not descend from the other family.
Now, let's take a look at the genealogies (family trees) of these two men, with their DNA test results attached, on WikiTree.com and GEDmatch.com, which will definitively prove that these two men are not related by DNA, and that one family does not descend from the other.
Actual DNA website: WikiTree.com
You do not have to pay a fee, in order to view a person's information on WikiTree.com, but you do need to sign up for an account (it's free), in order to view a person's information
WikiTree.com also provides genealogies of people (with family trees). But it also includes DNA test results of hundreds of thousands of people, using test kits from several different companies, including 23andMe.com, FamilyTreeDNA.com, Ancestry.com, and MyHeritageDNA.com.
WikiTree.com has over 33 million profiles of people, with 11 million of them connected by DNA test results. The website works in a very open, and very transparent way. They show the actual names of the DNA participants, and they let people see all the information for themselves, including who took which DNA tests. Quite often, the DNA kit numbers are provided as well.
So, please go to WikiTree.com and create an account. Click here.
Let's start with Larry Wynn Back Jr. After you sign in, at the top of the home page, type in "Larry W. Back." Lots of names will come up, but his profile should be the first one, so click that one. On the next screen, at the top right, you can see that his WikiTree number is "Back-1616." You can also see that he has taken DNA tests at Ancestry.com and FamilyTreeDNA.com. Once again, you can click on his father's name (Larry Wynn Back Sr.), and keep on clicking, on each man's father, until you get up to John Henry Back (1709-1789). It's the same, accurate family tree that is on FindAGrave.com.
But on this website, we are more interested in Larry's DNA test results. So, click here to see Larry Jr.'s Ancestry test results, compared to all the other people who took a DNA test on Ancestry. You will discover that there is not one person on that list who descends from Harman Back (including Ronnie Lamb). Then, click here to see Larry Jr.'s FamilyTreeDNA test results, compared to all the other people who took a DNA test on FamilyTreeDNA. You will also discover that there is not one person on that list who descends from Harman Back (including Ronnie Lamb).
Now, let's go to Ronnie (Back) Lamb. At the top of the home page, type in "Ronnie Lamb." Lots of names will come up, but his profile should be the first one, so click that one. On the next screen, at the top right, you can see that his WikiTree number is "Lamb-4539." You can see that he has also taken DNA tests at Ancestry.com and FamilyTreeDNA.com. And once again, you can click on his father's name (Russell Back), and keep on clicking, on each man's father, until you get up to Harman Back (1708-1789). It's also the same, accurate family tree that is on FindAGrave.com.
But we are also more interested in Ronnie's DNA test results. So, click here to see Ronnie's Ancestry test results, compared to all the other people who took a DNA test on Ancestry. You will discover that there is not one person on that list who descends from John Henry Back (including Larry Wynn Back Jr.). Then, click here to see Ronnie's FamilyTreeDNA test results, compared to all the other people who took a DNA test on FamilyTreeDNA. You will also discover that there is not one person on that list who descends from John Henry Back (including Larry Back).
Connection Finder: On WikiTree.com, there is one more way to check if Larry Wynn Back Jr. and Ronnie (Back) Lamb are related by DNA, or share a paternal ancestor. Just go to the "WikiTree Connection Finder." Click here. Then enter the WikiTree numbers for each man ("Back-1616" and "Lamb-4539"). Next, select "Connection through a common paternal-line ancestor." Then click "Find Connection." The result will say, "No Connection Found." That's because these two men are NOT related by DNA, and they do NOT share a paternal ancestor.
Actual DNA website: GEDmatch.com
Some people say that WikiTree.com may not always be correct. They say that you need to use GEDmatch.com, and use a "GEDmatch number," so that you can truly verify DNA results. So, let's do that.
A GEDmatch number is actually a combination of all of the different types of DNA tests, from all of the main DNA testing companies, including 23andMe.com, FamilyTreeDNA.com, Ancestry.com, and MyHeritageDNA.com. So, by comparing GEDmatch numbers, you will be getting even more accurate results.
GEDmatch.com works closely with law enforcement, to locate criminals, using DNA, so you know that their accuracy has got to be extremely high. Just like WikiTree.com, GEDmatch.com also provides genealogies of people (with family trees), and it also includes DNA test results of millions of people. GEDmatch.com works in a very open, and very transparent way, as well, although their website is a bit confusing to navigate.
Therefore, you will need the GEDmatch numbers, for both Larry Wynn Back Jr., and Ronnie (Back) Lamb, in order to compare them, on GEDmatch.com.
Ronnie's GEDmatch number is actually listed, right on his home page, on WikiTree.com. Click here. Over to the right, you will see his GEDmatch number, which is ZP3881114.
However, Larry's GEDmatch number is not listed on his home page, on WikiTree.com. So, you will have to get it from GEDmatch.com.
So, it's now time to go to GEDmatch.com. Click here. You do not have to pay a fee, in order to view information on GEDmatch.com, but you do need to sign up for an account (it's free), in order to view the information.
After you sign in, from the home page, over to the right, under "Information," click "User Lookup." On that page, you can look up anyone in their database, by their GEDmatch number, or by their email address. Larry Back openly and freely shares his email address, on lots of genealogy websites, and so it is not a secret. His email address is: lb52585sc (AT) aol.com. So, just enter his email address, using @, instead of (AT), with no spaces, and click "Display Results." On the next page, there will be a list of all of the DNA kits that have been submitted, using that email address. Larry's kit number is the second one, identified by his name; it is A292841. (His wife is listed above him; his mother is listed below him; and his father is listed below his mother.)
Now, let's go back to that "User Lookup" page again. Just for confirmation, you can enter Ronnie's GEDmatch number, which is ZP3881114, and click "Display Results." On the next page, it shows that his email address is: ronnie.lamb35 (AT) yahoo.com. So, you know that this number actually is his GEDmatch number. (Ronnie Lamb also openly and freely shares his email address online, and so it is not a secret either.) Also please notice, on that page, that Ronnie is known by the name of "Ronnie Back," on GEDmatch.com.
So, now that we have both GEDmatch numbers, for these two men, we can do a comparison of their DNA. From the home page, at the top, click "Free Tools," and then select "Match Both or 1 of 2." When the next screen comes up, enter those two kit numbers (GEDmatch numbers): A292841 (for Larry Back) and ZP3881114 (for Ronnie Lamb, aka Ronnie Back). And then click "Display Results."
On the next page, it shows that there are three types of results, with each type on a separate tab: (1) kits that match Larry (A292841); (2) kits that match Ronnie (ZP3881114); and (3) kits that match both of them. Let's first look at the tab that shows kits that match Larry. The system shows over 3,000 people in that database have some degree of matching DNA with him. The ones at the top of the list have the highest degree of matching (3,587). Those first two people are actually his parents (Larry Wynn Back Sr. and Christa Montag Back). Curiously, you will notice that Ronnie Lamb is not showing up, anywhere, on Larry's list. That means that Ronnie's DNA does not match Larry's DNA at all.
Now let's take a look at the tab that shows kits that match Ronnie. There aren't very many. The closest match, is the man at the top with just 496, which isn't very much. Curiously, you will notice that Larry Back is not showing up, anywhere, on Ronnie's list. That means that Larry's DNA does not match Ronnie's DNA at all either.
On the third tab, there are some people who are remote matches to both Larry and to Ronnie, but they are so remote that they don't really count, and that tab is actually meaningless.
This is curious: The woman who staged that "DNA Project" online has actually submitted her DNA to GEDmatch.com as well. We obtained her GEDmatch number, through her email address, which she openly and freely shares on several websites (including her "DNA Project" website), and so it is not a secret either. Her email address is: gtskjs (AT) gmail.com.
So, under "Information," click "User Lookup," and just enter her email address, using @, instead of (AT), with no spaces, and click "Display Results." On the next page, there will be a list of all of the DNA kits that have been submitted, using that email address. Her kit number is the first one, identified by her name (Karen Back); it is RY3988238. (Also please notice that she has ordered four additional DNA kits, using her name. Why?) Her brother, "J. Back" (Kit number T174739), is listed right below her, and her email address is also his contact email address. (Why? Doesn't he even have his own email address?) Why does he also have Kit #195252?
Then, we ran the same "Match Both or 1 of 2" comparison, comparing her DNA, first to Larry, and then to Ronnie.
We know for a fact that she descends from the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky, because she has posted her family tree, online, in several places (including Ancestry.com). Of course, the family tree that she posted is only accurate, up to a certain point in time, when she starts lying, and claims that her great, great, great grandfather, John Back (1774-1853), was a son of Henry Back (1740-1809), when he was actually a son of Joseph Back (1745-1819)! But her lies do not change the truth.
So, it was not surprising that, when we compared her GEDmatch number to Larry's GEDmatch number, she was on his list, and he was on her list. That means they are related, and they share DNA. They are, in fact, fourth cousins (once removed). They both descend from John Back (1774-1853); Larry descends from John's son John, and she descends from John's son Isaac. Also, when we compared her brother's GEDmatch number to Larry's GEDmatch number, her brother was on Larry's list, and Larry was on her brother's list. They are also fourth cousins (once removed).
But when we compared her GEDmatch number to Ronnie's GEDmatch number, she was not on his list, and he was not on her list. (Same for her brother.) Since it has been verified that Ronnie definitely descends from Harman Back, it can be confirmed that she, and her brother, do not descend from Harman Back. How amazing is that! The DNA from yet two more people, from the Back (Bach) family in southeastern Kentucky, does not match the DNA of a proven descendant of Harman Back! This is even more proof that her "DNA Project" was staged.
The Back (Bach) family from southeastern Kentucky does NOT descend from Harman Back, and actual DNA tests prove it.
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