Was Great Grandpa really an outlaw?
by D. Ross Nickle
After 4 generations of searching for the true identity of William Henry Long, it became came less and less likely of finding it. In the summer of 2006 my sister Bambie and I finally went to Sorenson forensics looking for information on the possibility of exhuming his bones for DNA testing. We were not interested in writing a book or doing a documentary, so due to possible problems that others have encountered exhuming other outlaws, we did everything legal but under the radar. We did not have a Archeologist, Geneticist, or any other professionals, although we had our camera going and several credible witnesses. For our purposes there was no need for that.
We were advised that Uncle Bill's DNA could lead to proof, if many things fell into place. After obtaining the permit, the date was set. On September 26, 2006 the femur and the skull were obtained from Bill Lon’s grave in Duchesne, Utah, and immediately taken to Sorenson Genetics. On October 18, 2006, the lab was able to get 7 Y markers, 5 inconclusive markers, and 4 no result markers. Disappointed in the results, we lost interest for several month's until they called us up and asked for permission to do another test. This time they would go for Mitochondrial DNA. By April 17, 2007, Sorenson’s was able to find the complete MITO sequence from the bones. With renewed energy and excitement and with 8 MITO DNA markers in hand we set out to find other MITO sequences of live relatives of possible genealogical connection's to compare to. At first we thought this would be relatively simple. Oh how we were wrong!!! It would prove to be much more difficult.
After doing a MITO line genealogical search, a female relative of the McCarty's in Oregon gave us our first live descendent DNA sequence to compare Bill’s MITO. [The hypothesis we were testing was that Bill Long was really John Thomas McCarty.] The result came back no match.
The next hypothesis we researched was that Bill Long was Harry Longabaugh. This hypothesis was first put forward by our uncle Jerry Nickle. Then we found Ogden Frazole Edwards,(now deceased) who was a live descendant of the Longabaugh Family MITO line which would have likely been Harry Longabaugh’s MITO sequence. They gave us exclusive rights to Edwards MITO sequence. This is the same MITO DNA sequence used in the early 1990's by Clyde Snow, Dan Buck, and Ann Meadows when they traveled to San Vincinte Bolivia, for a Nova Documentary. They exhumed 2 sets of bones thought to be Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. They then exhumed Harvey Longabough's bones (Harry's brother) in Pennsylvania and was only able to get a partial MITO result. According to their book, Mr Edwards and the partial from Harvey did line up and determined that it was likely they were relatives, the the Bones from Bolivia were not a match. If they are related then Mr Edwards sequence is the likely MITO sequence of Harry Longabough, or Th Sundance Kid’s family. We were once again excited to compare to William Henry Long's. Once again the results came in "not related".
Then it became apparent that to be affective in finding positive results we needed more DNA sequences of the whole Wild Bunch to compare to. So we started a database of as many members of the Wild Bunch outlaws and relatives as we could find. After all, its not likely these outlaws practiced good moral principles. We need a much broader base of sequences, either Y or MITO, that we believe is likely to lead to the correct sequences of the outlaws themselves. The cooperation of known or possible relatives of these bandits of the wild west was and is still needed to expand the database. We are also looking for any family stories about these guys. So far we have 10 sequences. We have 2 Longabough, 2 Parker, and 2 McCarty matches.
Our critics, have suggested that we did the exhumation "unethically", or "unauthorized. They have even called us by name and said because of mishandling the bones without professionals, and without gloves, that any sequence we get is contaminated. They have said that there is underground water at the grave site. I was there. The soil was very dry with no signs of water. Dr Kupferschmid, of Sorenson's told us that it did not matter if we handled the Bones. They ground off the surface so that a pure DNA could be obtained. They assured us that our sequence is a good sequence.
A Bill Long direct descendant, Gaylen Robison told me a couple of years ago, “There is no amount of money, professionals, documentaries, or anything else that can make my grandpa who he is not!!” We are out for the truth. We are not guided by a predetermined result. We are not led by investment return. We are guided by the desire to connect family's through generations of time. After all Bill Long did substantially influence the raising of our Grandmother Luzernia Jackson Nickle Baker. She was raised around Uncle Bill, Viola and Vinde, who was the same age and paymates. For all the good or for the bad, we are who we are in part because of Bill Long!!
If you or someone you know are interested, and have a possible genealogical connection, and if it follows either a Y or a mitochondrial line, please contact us. Once your sequence is done, and you send it to us, we can with your permission compare it to see if you are a match!! There will be a small fee for the DNA comparison so we can continue to fund this exciting project. E-mail us with your family stories and/or DNA sequences, with pedigree lines if possible, and with your help we can change history!!
THE FINAL COMPARISON IS IN:
William Henry Long is in fact, William Henry Long. We have a 15 exact match with 15 markers with a William Oscar Long and two other Long family members. All of them descended from Ware Long. EXACT MATCH means Bill Long is Bill Long when you compare the genealogy of William Henry Long the DNA matching donor to our Bill Long and you compare the Bill Long Viola Letter in which Bill named his siblings and his parents and they are an exact match to the father, mother and siblings of the DNA EXACT MATCH William Henry Long a descendant of Ware Long and DNA exact match with William Oscar Long and two other Long’s from the same family lines the results are conclusive and substantial: BILL LONG IS BILL LONG. And he rode with the Wild Bunch and was probably The Sundance Kid or took on that name after spending 18 months in the jail in Wyoming Jail and then was completely exonerated. This is the story as it is unfolding...there will be much, much more.
Follow the Outlaw Trail Adventures with Bill Long and the Wild Bunch on facebook outlawtrailadventures.
ROSS NICKLE
by D. Ross Nickle
After 4 generations of searching for the true identity of William Henry Long, it became came less and less likely of finding it. In the summer of 2006 my sister Bambie and I finally went to Sorenson forensics looking for information on the possibility of exhuming his bones for DNA testing. We were not interested in writing a book or doing a documentary, so due to possible problems that others have encountered exhuming other outlaws, we did everything legal but under the radar. We did not have a Archeologist, Geneticist, or any other professionals, although we had our camera going and several credible witnesses. For our purposes there was no need for that.
We were advised that Uncle Bill's DNA could lead to proof, if many things fell into place. After obtaining the permit, the date was set. On September 26, 2006 the femur and the skull were obtained from Bill Lon’s grave in Duchesne, Utah, and immediately taken to Sorenson Genetics. On October 18, 2006, the lab was able to get 7 Y markers, 5 inconclusive markers, and 4 no result markers. Disappointed in the results, we lost interest for several month's until they called us up and asked for permission to do another test. This time they would go for Mitochondrial DNA. By April 17, 2007, Sorenson’s was able to find the complete MITO sequence from the bones. With renewed energy and excitement and with 8 MITO DNA markers in hand we set out to find other MITO sequences of live relatives of possible genealogical connection's to compare to. At first we thought this would be relatively simple. Oh how we were wrong!!! It would prove to be much more difficult.
After doing a MITO line genealogical search, a female relative of the McCarty's in Oregon gave us our first live descendent DNA sequence to compare Bill’s MITO. [The hypothesis we were testing was that Bill Long was really John Thomas McCarty.] The result came back no match.
The next hypothesis we researched was that Bill Long was Harry Longabaugh. This hypothesis was first put forward by our uncle Jerry Nickle. Then we found Ogden Frazole Edwards,(now deceased) who was a live descendant of the Longabaugh Family MITO line which would have likely been Harry Longabaugh’s MITO sequence. They gave us exclusive rights to Edwards MITO sequence. This is the same MITO DNA sequence used in the early 1990's by Clyde Snow, Dan Buck, and Ann Meadows when they traveled to San Vincinte Bolivia, for a Nova Documentary. They exhumed 2 sets of bones thought to be Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. They then exhumed Harvey Longabough's bones (Harry's brother) in Pennsylvania and was only able to get a partial MITO result. According to their book, Mr Edwards and the partial from Harvey did line up and determined that it was likely they were relatives, the the Bones from Bolivia were not a match. If they are related then Mr Edwards sequence is the likely MITO sequence of Harry Longabough, or Th Sundance Kid’s family. We were once again excited to compare to William Henry Long's. Once again the results came in "not related".
Then it became apparent that to be affective in finding positive results we needed more DNA sequences of the whole Wild Bunch to compare to. So we started a database of as many members of the Wild Bunch outlaws and relatives as we could find. After all, its not likely these outlaws practiced good moral principles. We need a much broader base of sequences, either Y or MITO, that we believe is likely to lead to the correct sequences of the outlaws themselves. The cooperation of known or possible relatives of these bandits of the wild west was and is still needed to expand the database. We are also looking for any family stories about these guys. So far we have 10 sequences. We have 2 Longabough, 2 Parker, and 2 McCarty matches.
Our critics, have suggested that we did the exhumation "unethically", or "unauthorized. They have even called us by name and said because of mishandling the bones without professionals, and without gloves, that any sequence we get is contaminated. They have said that there is underground water at the grave site. I was there. The soil was very dry with no signs of water. Dr Kupferschmid, of Sorenson's told us that it did not matter if we handled the Bones. They ground off the surface so that a pure DNA could be obtained. They assured us that our sequence is a good sequence.
A Bill Long direct descendant, Gaylen Robison told me a couple of years ago, “There is no amount of money, professionals, documentaries, or anything else that can make my grandpa who he is not!!” We are out for the truth. We are not guided by a predetermined result. We are not led by investment return. We are guided by the desire to connect family's through generations of time. After all Bill Long did substantially influence the raising of our Grandmother Luzernia Jackson Nickle Baker. She was raised around Uncle Bill, Viola and Vinde, who was the same age and paymates. For all the good or for the bad, we are who we are in part because of Bill Long!!
If you or someone you know are interested, and have a possible genealogical connection, and if it follows either a Y or a mitochondrial line, please contact us. Once your sequence is done, and you send it to us, we can with your permission compare it to see if you are a match!! There will be a small fee for the DNA comparison so we can continue to fund this exciting project. E-mail us with your family stories and/or DNA sequences, with pedigree lines if possible, and with your help we can change history!!
THE FINAL COMPARISON IS IN:
William Henry Long is in fact, William Henry Long. We have a 15 exact match with 15 markers with a William Oscar Long and two other Long family members. All of them descended from Ware Long. EXACT MATCH means Bill Long is Bill Long when you compare the genealogy of William Henry Long the DNA matching donor to our Bill Long and you compare the Bill Long Viola Letter in which Bill named his siblings and his parents and they are an exact match to the father, mother and siblings of the DNA EXACT MATCH William Henry Long a descendant of Ware Long and DNA exact match with William Oscar Long and two other Long’s from the same family lines the results are conclusive and substantial: BILL LONG IS BILL LONG. And he rode with the Wild Bunch and was probably The Sundance Kid or took on that name after spending 18 months in the jail in Wyoming Jail and then was completely exonerated. This is the story as it is unfolding...there will be much, much more.
Follow the Outlaw Trail Adventures with Bill Long and the Wild Bunch on facebook outlawtrailadventures.
ROSS NICKLE