Charlotte Lampert: A Case Study in Classic Pedigree Collapse

One of the more unusual projects I’ve undertaken centers on Charlotte Lampert (1928–2019), who married James Sutton. Charlotte’s family tree illustrates a fascinating case of pedigree collapse—a situation where the same ancestors appear in multiple branches of a person’s pedigree.

The Challenge

Pedigree collapse complicates both documentary research and DNA analysis. Instead of having completely independent lines of descent, Charlotte inherited DNA from the same Gebhart ancestors through more than one path. That meant:

• Documenting multiple lines of descent from the same Gebhart ancestors.

• Identifying where overlaps occurred and how they affected relationships.

• Interpreting DNA results cautiously, since a match could be explained by more than one ancestral connection.

Learning from the Project

Working with Charlotte’s case gave me hands-on experience with how to:

• Trace multiple independent descents from the same founding families.

• Understand the mathematical impact of pedigree collapse on DNA results.

• Distinguish between “expected” relationships (e.g., a fourth cousin) and “closer than expected” relationships caused by shared ancestry in more than one line.

• Use pedigree collapse as a way to strengthen DNA analysis when overlaps are recognized and mapped correctly.

A Note on Publication

The complete proof argument evaluating Charlotte Lampert’s family tree and demonstrating how pedigree collapse impacts DNA interpretation for the Gebhart family has been developed. To preserve originality, the full argument and its conclusions are not included here. A version is being prepared for scholarly publication.

Why It Matters

Charlotte’s tree became more than just a family chart—it became a lesson in how family structure affects DNA evidence. Pedigree collapse complicated the work, but it also provided an opportunity to understand how overlapping lines reinforce genetic connections. For me, this project highlighted the importance of combining careful tree-building with DNA analysis to avoid circular reasoning and to produce reliable genealogical conclusions.

👉 Contact me if you’d like help untangling DNA evidence complicated by pedigree collapse or intermarriage in your own family tree.