I know this should possibly be in the DNA section, but I feel it equally belongs here as well.
For those that are anti DNA or can't see any value in what it can bring, let me tell you about my success over the weekend.
Within the first year or two of my research I quickly established that my great grandmother had an unknown Father, nothing unusual, it was fairly common back then. Of my 16 great great grandparents, this was the only one 'missing' from my tree, I had 15 out of 16.
Over the last 20 years, I have kept coming back to this, but with not really a lot to go on.
A couple of years ago I did an Ancestry DNA test, learnt fast what to do, how to collect matches, but again paid no real attention to my missing great grandfather. As my knowledge improved, I was able to start grouping matches into paternal and paternal. Then I had a lightbulb moment, what if one of these groups contained the missing great grandfather.
So over a number of weeks and with the help of some wonderful DNA contacts and a new Canadian Cousin we were able to piece it all together. The final piece went into the puzzle yesterday and Ancestry kindly confirmed the match, when I added him to my tree, by adding 4 new DNA matches.
So if you are a doubter as to what DNA can bring to the table, it can prove or disprove a theory and can open doors that a paper trail could NEVER open.
Only a Genealogist can feel the excitement that I felt this weekend. Its taken 20 years, some dogged determination, a great deal of luck as well, but I managed to find my first ever needle in a haystack!!!
For those that are anti DNA or can't see any value in what it can bring, let me tell you about my success over the weekend.
Within the first year or two of my research I quickly established that my great grandmother had an unknown Father, nothing unusual, it was fairly common back then. Of my 16 great great grandparents, this was the only one 'missing' from my tree, I had 15 out of 16.
Over the last 20 years, I have kept coming back to this, but with not really a lot to go on.
A couple of years ago I did an Ancestry DNA test, learnt fast what to do, how to collect matches, but again paid no real attention to my missing great grandfather. As my knowledge improved, I was able to start grouping matches into paternal and paternal. Then I had a lightbulb moment, what if one of these groups contained the missing great grandfather.
So over a number of weeks and with the help of some wonderful DNA contacts and a new Canadian Cousin we were able to piece it all together. The final piece went into the puzzle yesterday and Ancestry kindly confirmed the match, when I added him to my tree, by adding 4 new DNA matches.
So if you are a doubter as to what DNA can bring to the table, it can prove or disprove a theory and can open doors that a paper trail could NEVER open.
Only a Genealogist can feel the excitement that I felt this weekend. Its taken 20 years, some dogged determination, a great deal of luck as well, but I managed to find my first ever needle in a haystack!!!
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