Betty Jean’s Adoption Search

Betty Jean and The Search for Her Birth Family

Betty Jean is my Dad’s first cousin. I have never met Betty that I remember. So we are not close – I had to explain to her who I was when I first called, “Earle, your cousin Earle’s youngest daughter.”

I had been told she might be in possession of some family papers or information. She sent my dad information a few years ago that she has compiled on all of my cousins and a bit on our family back a generation or two. She also has information on our McElmoyle’s (one tiny piece of paper on this line would be an avalanche compared to what I have already found). As soon as I told her why I was calling she said, “You know I am adopted” and I answered yes I did.

What did telling me she was adopted have to do with what her parents had left her – the family papers?

We continued talking about the papers and other information, “Have I told you about how we are related to Francis Scott Key?”, about our shared family over a few phone calls from January to March. At some point the conversation turned back to her adoption and she talked to me about her search for her birth family. How, when she and her late husband had gone to Asheville, NC to look into getting a copy of her files she was told, that she wouldn’t be able get her files because there was nothing in her file. Nothing – in – her – file.

And so started and ended her search for her birth family.

Betty Jean was probably born in Asheville, NC on or about November 5, 1927. She was probably abandoned by one or both of her parents somewhere in the city and ended up as a ward of the state of NC in the care of a Catholic Hospital in Asheville, NC.

The information about the Catholic hospital comes from Betty Jean’s adoptive mother. Betty Jean clearly remembers a conversation where her adoptive mother told her that she and her adoptive father picked her up from a Catholic hospital, in Asheville, and that the sister who handed Betty to them told her that Betty’s birth mother had black hair.

The Hospital?

St. Joseph’s Hospital was the only Catholic Hospital in Asheville, NC in 1927. Run by the Sisters of Mercy. “St. Joseph’s Sanitarium stands out because it was a religiously affiliated facility, operated by a small group of Catholic sisters, in an area where Catholicism was not the predominant religion. St. Joseph’s Sanitarium continued to operate and grow, despite community opposition, until the late 1930s.” Treatment with a Habit: Asheville, Truberculosis and The Sisters of Mercy. The Universtiy of North Carolina at Asheville, A Senior Theses submitted to the department of History in Candidacy For The Degree of Bachelor Arts, by Carol Fronkowiak Jordan, Asheville, North Carolina, November 2004.

St.Josephs was one of many Sanitarium’s for Tuberculosis which sprung up in the fresh clean air of the North Carolina mountains in the last part of the 19th and early 20th centuries. My question was why on earth, how on earth would a TB hospital take in a healthy baby? The Sisters of Mercy still operate facilities in NC, so I called and asked them about it. The answer from Sister Maria was, “I have no doubt” that the sisters would have taken a baby in and to their own homes to care for it until suitable parents could be found. Sister Maria has been a part of the Sisters of Mercy for a very long time – she herself is 87.

Suitable Parents

She was officially placed by the court with a family on January 20, 1928 for a period (“indentured to”) prior to the couple being approved for adoption. Betty X’s hopeful new mother, Ethel, wrote to her folks about her new bottle baby who had black hair and blue eyes, telling them that they had picked-her-up on Tuesday. Betty X’s Adoption was finalized on September 5, 1928. After the Buncombe County Juvenile Court Clerk, Ruth Arp, brought her forward to the court. Judge Carl B. Hyatt stated that the child, Betty X, #6437ret, appeared to be 1 year of age.

That is it – all Betty Jean has ever known about her birth and adoption.

In March of this year, without hesitation, I did what I always do, I jumped in with both feet. I told her that was one of the things I, we, my business, Grandma’s Genes, does. I, we, Grandma’s Genes help birth families find each other using DNA and Genealogy. She agreed to let me help her.

A DNA test or five and 8 months later I am ready to tell her how we did what we did and how we figured out who her birth family is. I know, the TV shows make it look like these things happen over night, but for this 90 year old (this week) Adoptee the answers are long overdue.

Genetic Genealogy Discoveries

The past seven or so days have been full of discoveries.

Discovery One

This one isn’t a big one, but it is certainly a good one. Rick’s sister contacted me to try and find out to which of the five Campbell Clans her particular Campbell’s might belong. Since Rick is the only male line descendant in her family Rick agreed to test. His results are in and he is very Scottish, according the Campbell DNA Project Administrator who sent me a good bit of information on the Campbell DNA Project and even more information on Rick’s possible matches (2 at a distance of 1 on 37). I also ran across a Campbell DNA project results paper (The Campbell DNA Project – An Update by Kevin Campbell) that he did in the projects infancy which gives information on speculative connections to “a common ancestor in Sir Gillespic Cambel of Lochawe who lived circa. 1350.” I have an email in to him to see if there is a similar update to this paper that is more current. Needless to say I am very impressed with the Campbell DNA Project Admin.

Discovery Two

A client who’s family history claimed to be unconnected to a possible US Slave or Freedman received his results. His request was that we look for his real last name – the last name of the Caucasian boy orphaned and raised by this Freedman. He did a Y-DNA 111 and the results show he is Haplogroup E-M2 which is of African origin. Certainly not what the family lore has said for generations. As to the last name? This is something still in the works. If he is indeed the son of the Freedman, then the last name is problematic. We might know what the Freedman called himself while he lived as a Freedman. But a US Slave often took the name of his Master. Even when sold to a new master the Slave might take the name of the new Master. There are no cut and dried rules to follow on names used by Slaves. When you get right down to it though, the real last name of the family would be found somewhere in West Africa. Where to go from here? That would be up to the client.

Discovery Three

We have been working with a client since last January. She is my adoptive cousin. I called her wanting to find out what information she might have on our family. As soon as I told her what I was calling about she said, “You know I am adopted” and I answered yes I did. We continued talking about the papers she has and other information about our shared family over a few phone calls. At some point she talked to me about her search for her birth family. How, when she and her late husband had gone to Asheville, NC to look into getting a copy of her files she was told, that she wouldn’t be able to because there was nothing in her file.

I told her that that was one of the things I do, I search for adoptees birth families and that I did it using DNA and traditional genealogy. I explained how DNA could help her and she agreed to take a test. The whole story is for another series of blog postings, but in the 11 months of searching and researching and testing probable cousins we have found her last name – Cashion. The Discovery? We have found her first cousin and with this knowledge another possible very close relative who sent his DNA off to FamilyTree DNA on Monday. A first cousin? A brother? A half nephew? We should know in six weeks or so. I know, the TV shows make it look like these things happen over night, but for this 90 year old Adoptee the answers are long overdue.

Now I need to bake a blueberry pie to celebrate all these great discoveries!

Get Electronically Organized For Your Genealogy

If you, like me, have too many things on the go and your electronic Genealogy files keep being dumped in a General area(s) rather than in their own specific area then feel for me.

Time to get Electronically Organized!

I have been getting organized for my Genealogy for (how many years have I been “doing” Genealogy?)…

I have these electronic holders of my Genealogy Research:
Phone
Camera
NetBook
Laptop
Computer at my home office
Computer at my spouses desk (hadn’t even thought about looking through that til now)
Main Computer at the Office
A back-up at the Office
A travel back-up
And the Business Server

What?! A girl can’t have more than one technology tool in her life (besides the spousal unit and the business partner)?

I am often caught “out” when I stumble into something or someone shows me something they would like to have researched. I was recently in my hometown of Greenville, SC. During my long weekend, my best friend from childhood lost her mother. I spent the afternoon with my faux siblings. Inevitably the talk turned to our business’. They all knew what I was up to because all but one follow me on FB. When it came my turn to talk about what I do for a living, I talked and answered questions.

What?! It was a family gathering and where else do you talk about Genealogy of any kind other that a family gathering!

My childhood friends husband says, “I have some questions about my family, could you take a look at it?” and of course I reply “Yes.” He goes into the house and comes back with charts that he has been working on for years to identify his family. I whip out my phone and “digitize” his charts on the spot. Now I have the chart on my phone, very portable.

If I interview someone for research, I try to record the interview – again, with my phone, but I also take pictures of them and what ever else they might be willing to share with me on my Camera.

I have research on my phone from fours years ago (yes I have had my phone for that long, you haven’t?). I usually work slowly to get the information off and add to my Genealogy > Clients computer directory on one of my devices.

Then I make back-ups every month or so of everything.

But…

Over the last weekend and into today, Thursday, in betwixt and between keeping up with client requests, the excitement of new DNA results, research and general business (busyness) things I have carved out time every day to move things around, organize them, carefully delete duplicates from ALL of the devices in the list above to create ONE good drive. They are all good drives but too fragmented and it’s been driving me crazy!

I am still not done. It’s like trying to catch up filing work in a cobweb. So many threads of this and that everywhere. I do I have my hard copies filled neatly away in binders, by Surnames, cross-referenced and indexed for easy access. I am so old school about keeping my papers in order, but the electronics? They have a handle on me, I don’t have a handle on them. At least that’s the way I feel.

THIS TYRANNY MUST END!

By the end of the weekend all my devices will have a complete copy of my back-up Documents Section. All of my research and information will be in order just like they were papers in a binder. An every month a new copy (with all the updates and additions from the month previous) will be created. I PROMISE or I will need to take a vacation of the…mind.

Wee Doggie is Grandma’ s Genes ever busy this weekend!

Grandma’s Genes is ALL over the place this weekend – literally!

Friday at Grandma’s Genes

We are kicking off our first ever Friday at Grandma’s Genes. Come as you are and stop by for a glass of wine, a beer and light snacks while we shake off the dust from the work week. It’s an open invitation to chew the fat at our offices here in Ottawa. No one is expected and everyone is welcome.

Genetic Genealogy Tools, GEDmatch and Genomate Pro

Marc is working his magic on Saturday morning in his presentation, Genetic Genealogy Tools, GEDmatch and Geneomate Pro. If you want to take your DNA results into analysis heaven, come to the BIFHSGO DNA Special Interest Groups’ Saturday morning meeting at 9:30am. Marcs overview of these tools may get you further along in your research. Marc will be around to answer questions and give advice.

City of Ottawa Archives – 100 Tallwood Dr, Nepean, ON K2G 4R7

WikiTree’s Source-A-Thon

Marc and Mags are participating in, collaborating with other WikiTreer’s, to widdle down WikiTree’s unsourced profiles during WikiTree’s Source-A-Thon. Mags will also be hosting many of the Live Hangouts on Air, along with WikiTree’s Forest Elf, Eowyn and Greeter Chief, Julie.

“It’s the world’s first Source-a-Thon, a 72-hour sourcing marathon.

Our goal is to clear out the Unsourced Profiles category on WikiTree. Including sources is in our community’s Honor Code but inexperienced genealogists don’t always record them. Sometimes the source is ‘Aunt Mabel,’ as Mags put it. This doesn’t mean the information isn’t worth preserving or sharing. It’s a starting point — information waiting to be confirmed.”

Hangouts will be hosted every two hours all weekend long. Check into WikiTree’s G2G (Genealogist to Genealogist) Forum for a link to the Hangouts.

Wee Doggie are we ever busy!

WikiTree search results now include DNA test connections.

Once again WikiTree is moving forward with DNA functionality that is bleeding edge in the field of Genetic Genealogy. WikiTree search results now include DNA test connections.

What does this mean?

“When you search for a person, if there are any Y-chromosome, mitochondrial, or autosomal DNA tests that are believed to be relevant for the person’s genealogy, a Y, mt, and/or au icon will appear next to their name. Clicking this will open up a window with details.” _{Chris Whitten}

WikiTree Search results showing DNA connections

Clicking on the Icon gives you a window with details:
WikiTree DNa search info.

I know I often say those busy little WikiTreers are always busy coming up with better, innovative ways to work with it’s one single family tree, but this DNA tool on WikiTree is just great!

Thanks WikiTreers Kitty Cooper, Roberta Estes, Peter Roberts and of course the WikiTree techies who fly through the limbs making our suggestions come to life.

Why WikiTree Use WikiTree for Genetic Genalogy?

This one bit of collaboration is just another great example of how WikiTree and it’s global, collaborative Tree can be used by anyone to further their family research using Genetic Genealogy.

No math degree required.

WikiTree does all the work for you. All you have to do is add what tests you have taken to your WikiTree profile. No uploading of Raw Data, just tell WikiTree what tests you and WikiTree will auto-populate your limbs with all of your DNA test information.

“The WikiTree Pledge: Always Free

As the creators and hosts of the WikiTree website, we pledge that our mission is the same as that of the community: to create an accurate, single family tree that will make genealogy free and accessible for everyone.

Free is an essential part of our shared mission. We will never charge for access to the single family tree. And we will never knowingly and willingly sell or transfer the single family tree to any individual or organization that intends to charge for access to it.” _{WikiTree Pledge}

What if something happened to WikiTree, do I lose everything?

No. If a Tornado were to rip WikiTree up by it’s roots and throw it miles away shattering it’s precious limbs, there is a plan. There are several cloud and server back-ups of the physical tree. There are also fail safe’s “if WikiTree suddenly disappeared it would not be easy for someone else to simply restart it using the same software and all our members’ data…if the team knew that the current organization could not continue hosting WikiTree it would be a top priority to find a successor organization. We are all WikiTree users who have our family information here too. The WikiTree Pledge means that a successor organization could not be planning to put WikiTree behind a pay wall. It must stay free.”_{WikiTree Back-ups}

The Lost Colony of Roanoke and DNA

The Carte of all the Coast of Virginia by Theodor de Bry -Roanoke Island Map — The Carte of all the Coast of Virginia by Theodor de Bry -Roanoke Island – Creative Commons

I love answering the many questions I receive daily from people who think they are related to someone famous. Can I prove it? Uh, erm… Today I had a question about someone getting their DNA results back and finding they may be related to many different ethnic groups which was a real surprise to he and his family. Jewish? Black? Native American? Oh, but there is one little bit of interestingness in all this. The Lost Colony. We might find links to the Lost Colony of Roanoke through DNA.

The mystery of the Lost Colony is suddenly (a drop in the bucket of time genetically speaking) coming back into discussion because of new inroads in genetic testing, advances in Archaeology and possibly a TV show. The Archeology hasn’t excavated any bodies, so genetically, who on earth could they test? No bodies = no DNA? The Descendants.

“Descendants you say”?

The email listed several North/South Carolina associated Native American tribes – Lumbee and Croatan being among them.

If you paid attention in school you learned that the only clue as to what happened to these planters (Plantation “16th- and 17th-century… involved the confiscation of land by the English crown and the colonisation of…land with settlers from the island of Great Britain.” – _{WikiPedia article on Irish Plantation}) was a word scratched into a palisade post at the Roanoke Colony location, “CROATOAN”.

The word “Croatoan” could imply a couple things:

– The Croatan, being already stirred up by the aggressiveness of an earlier group on a reconnaissance mission (read that military) and the lack of a good supply of drinking/farming water due to severe drought, attacked and killed all the planters.
– Or the Planters split into smaller groups and assimilated into the existing local population. Since there was a sign left, one wonders about the story of all the planters being killed by hostiles…

The theory current researchers seem to be working with is the latter, that the Planters were assimilated into existing populations – the Croatan included. With this in mind DNA researches like Roberta Estes and the Lost Colony Research Group are looking for DNA testers to add their DNA to The Lost Colony Research Project Gene Pool.

The Lost Colony of Roanoke DNA Projects

The lost Colony Research Group has, with it’s goal of providing “a body of credible research [on the Lost Colony], in one location, available to all researchers.”, projects for the DNA end of their work.

“The Y-line DNA project, for males who have a colonist surname or a surname of interest and whose families come from either Eastern North Carolina or England or have Native heritage.

The mitochondrial DNA project (see below) , for males or females whose maternal line carries the Lost Colony surnames or surnames of interest and who are from Eastern North Carolina or have Native heritage.

The Family Finder project (see below) who is for anyone who believes they are descended from the Lost Colonists. This project was created specifically for those who have taken the Family Finder test…
Anyone can join the Lost Colony Family Finder project, however, both the y-line and the mitochondrial DNA project have guidelines.

You can join the Lost Colony Y-line or mitochondrial DNA projects if you fulfill one or more of the following criteria for the Y-line or mtDNA lines you have been tested for:
1. Your surnames include those of the Colonists or others on the interest list AND your family is proven to descend from Eastern North Carolina, preferably before 1700, or the areas of interest shown on the maps later in this document.
2. You have a history of Native Ancestry from this area, confirmed or unconfirmed.
3. You have an oral history of Lost Colony ancestry.”_{The lost Colony Research Group}

If you check out the Lost Colony Research Groups FAQ Page, you’ll see a complete list of projects as well as links to all the current surnames possible.

Here are the DNA Projects:

Lost Colony – YDNA Project 277 members
Lost Colony -MTDNA Project 0 members
LC Family Finder Project
Hatteras-YDNA Project 104 members
Hatteras – MTDNA Project 12 members
Hatteras – Family Finder Project 152 members

Lost Colony TV Show?

Of course there’s a TV show in the works which may serve to give some new energy toward the work to finding the DNA of possible descendants. American Horror Story is taking on the ghosts of Roanoke in it’s newest incarnation. “…the American Horror Story season 6 theme has been revealed, and it is a bloody “Roanoke Nightmare,”_{Den Of Geek!}Will the show be less about the haunted house in Roanoake, North Carolina portrayed in the first episode of the season and more about the Planters who disappeared? Either way just having the word Roanoke in the title should spice things up a bit for the Lost Colony Research Group. Good luck – I hope you get a lot of spill over from this!

Further information and reading

º Lost Colony DNA – The Scientist
º Another listing of Surnames associated with the attempted English Plantation of Roanoke.
º New Discoveries could explain what happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke – Gizmodo
º The Lost Colony Research Group Blog
º Lost Roanoke Found – Maps, Artifacts and DNA Evidence
º Have we Found the Lost Colony? National Geographic
º Karen Ordahl Kupperman, whose book Roanoke: The Abandoned Colony
º Roanoke Colony on WikiPedia

A little Epitaph Here. A Little Epitaph There?

ep·i·taph

a phrase or statement written in memory of a person who has died, especially as an inscription on a tombstone

Origin
late Middle English: from Old French epitaphe, via Latin from Greek epitaphion ‘funeral oration,’ neuter of ephitaphios ‘over or at a tomb,’ from epi ‘upon’ + taphos ‘tomb.’ _{^{google search result}}

I have always thought I would be cremated when I pass. This idea formed over time but was pretty much a solid thought before I finished High School. The Idea has not changed, but it has become more elaborate over time. First, my ashes will be placed in the hole where a sapling will be planted in a national park. Trees aren’t cut down in national parks, right? A tombstone next to the tree? Not too sure about this part because I don’t think it’s really legal to plant your ashes with a sapling in a national parc. My thought then was to place a little Epitaph here. A little Epitaph there.

Today I saw a post in the WikiTree for Genealogist’s Facebook page which Post on Epitaph's - WikiTree for Genealogists

_{WikiTree For Genealogists Post by M. Anderson, September 16.2016}

gave me impetus to write about how I had to fly to SC recently for a Family Funeral and where I had a conversation with a family member about their recent decision to be cremated and ashes scattered (in a place which shall not be named because I KNOW this place is illegal). They have cemetery plots, so what are they going to do with those? What about a Tombstone? How will family historians be able to find out about their birth/death/husband/military service, etc.?

For me, my thought (since becoming a hard core family historian, Genealogist, Professional Genealogist and Genetic Genealogist) is that I will want a small plaque placed with a family member giving my “information”. This way others who follow in my footsteps will have some concrete (or brass in this case) “thing” to find. For me, hearing that these particular family members will possibly NOT have a plot of some kind of shook up my plans. If I can’t tag along on their graves, where would I put my plaque(s).

Plaques (above) is plural because I live far from my original home and Family base in SC, I would want one there. I also would want to place one somewhere in my adopted city. I belong to a large family here, spouse, children, cherished aunts, ma’s and pa-in-law, brother and sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews, and one or two wonderful uncles. So, I feel sure I am in good stead for finding one of these to let me, “tag along” with their memorial <stern look at SPOUSE>, surely. Maybe even a close friend may let me, “…and my loving, loyal, good friend Mags”, if my spouse isn’t willing <another stern look at SPOUSE>.

So, you see my plan is for a little epitaph here, a little epitaph there. I WANT to be found.

More on the elaboration of a little epitaph here a little epitaph there.

Since I know how important Genetics can be to family research, I also would like to have me teeth (or what’s left of them) sealed in a test tube for anyone to use in the extraction of my DNA at a much later date. Think of it as a biological time capsule, with genealogical implications.

Ok, so not just a plaque but a little bit of my DNA too. Too much to ask? Do cemeteries even allow “add-on” plaques? Do they allow encapsulated DNA (isn’t a body in a casket just a one big DNA encapsulation anyway?) to be placed with/in the plaque in some fashion (some clever Genealogist should design this Plaque and DNA Time Capsule for just this purpose! Of course you will need to credit me for the idea of course, but just run with it – really. And while we are at it about a RFID tag with further information about the individual. You could go on a cemetery tour and learn all about the people buried there – again credit me, but run with it!).

I have it all worked out, kind of sort of. Who wants to share your tombstone with me?

Truth or Lore in Eyvel Family History

Mr. George Eyvel, President of the Canadian Shorthand Writers Association^[1], was a reporter for the Hansard News (see information below), who after covering Parliamentary goings-on, was assulted, “…knocked down by Foot Pads [padfoots] at night and lay insensible on the street.”^[2] while walking home in the early hours of the morning, on or about the 25 of March, 1888.”

The Temperature that night could have been -2c or close to that. Mr. George Eyvel, whilst laying in the street insensible, also very nearly froze to death.

Information unreported in the news, and according to his now-a-days cousin was that when the police found him, they thought he was drunk and just needed to sleep things off. They carried him to the station and locked him up. Later, much later, as he lay near death in his cell, the Police discovered he was really a victim of a padfoot. They then got him some medical attention. After his death Parliament passed a resolution and most everyone present signed a book of condolences for his wife and raised $1000.00 for his wife and kids.

The information that jives.

He did receive medical attention. He had nearly frozen to death and had fingers amputated, developed blood poisoning

and ultimately died about a month after sustaining his original injuries from the padfoots (I am pretty sure this has nothing to do with Harry Potter but more to do with an English term, “one of many names for ghostly black dogs reported across the United Kingdom.”[1] I hope these black ghost dogs have not spread to Ottawa in the past 130 years).

Family Lore or Truth

From the story above we see that the press reported he awoke himself and smashed a window in a house near where he fell, or was attacked, and given immediate medical attention. So if the press is correct he was not found and mistaken as a drunk in the street.

Do we believe the press of the day or do we believe the family lore?

More Truth

As mentioned in the article above, “the press gallery met to pass resolutions of condolences.” There is indeed a book of autographs from many of the pressmen and parliamentarians of the time. Was it a Parliamentary Resolution? More research is needed to verify this.

Geroge Evels Condolence Books and letter.

As a note of interest, Included in the autographs is the then Prime Minister of Canada, Sir John A. McDonald’s signature.

The Hansard Press

The Hansard Press “…In 1878 a subsidy was granted to the Hansard press and at that point reporters were employed.[1] Despite hiring contract reporters there were still widespread complaints about the accuracy of the debates.” This press was an attempt to publicly report debates and happenings in the Parliament. At points this style of press was more a commentary on the happenings rather than a true to the facts kind of reporting. Parliamentarians were even allowed to edit what had been written and correct it before their words were sent to press. Parliamentary debates had been in the realm of privacy prior to 1809.[2]

The question then, is the story about a man who worked for a news organization with questionable accuracy…? Who is to be believed, the Family of George Eyvel or the press of the time?

Sources

↑ The Ottawa Journal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Thursday, April 21, 1887 – Page 1, NewsPapers.com
↑ Manitoba Free Press, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Tuesday, February 28, 1888 – Page 1, NewsPapers.com

“Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FMNF-8XY : 10 April 2015), George Eyvel and Ella Maria James, 22 Nov 1877; citing registration , Napanee, Lennox And Addington, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,863,649.

“Ontario, Toronto Trust Cemeteries, 1826-1989,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KH6H-92G : 28 November 2014), George Eyvel, ; citing Toronto, Ontario, Canada, section and lot , line 12201, volume Volume 07, 1883-1891, Toronto Trust Cemeteris, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,617,041.

Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Series: MS935; Reel: 53, Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938, 1943, and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

The Ottawa Journal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Saturday, February 25, 1888 – Page 4, Newspapers.com

The Ottawa Journal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Monday, February 27, 1888 – Page 1, Newspapers.com

The Ottawa Journal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Thursday, February 23, 1888 – Page 1, Newspapers.com

Manitoba Free Press, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Tuesday, February 28, 1888 – Page 1, Newspapers.com

The Ottawa Journal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Thursday, April 21, 1887 – Page 1, Newspapers.com

Right Chromosome, Right Place, Wrong Side.

My cousin Christopher found me through 23andMe about a year ago. He and his ancestors are from West Virginia. Since meeting online we’ve been trying to figure exactly how we connect. Since he matches my maternal uncle I know he’s a cousin through my maternal side. My Bayley line came from West Virginia. They were two counties away from where Christopher’s ancestors were. Christopher still lives in the area.

Right Chromosome, Right Place

Our match is on chromosome nine from 15M to 24M. This is a 13.2 cM 2,142 SNP match. This triangulates to my maternal Drybread side. My Drybread uncle matches on an overlapping 133.6cM 19,427 SNP segment. There are only a handful of GedMatch kits that match me in the section. Of those only one GedMatch kit with traceable genealogy triangulates me, Christopher, and my Drybread uncle. A Hatfield cousin that matches me on a 16.9cM 1,582 SNP segment.

My ninth chromosome GedMatch Segment Search

So when I saw seven new samples in GedMatch Segment Search I was excited! I started to write Christopher a quick message. Before I even finished typing I stopped. I’d only looked at the matches for ten seconds. Just in that short time I’d seen names like, Seamus, Liam, McGee, Donegal and Quinn. They all sounded Irish. As in Ireland Irish. That is a long way from West Virginia where Christopher and I think we connect.

Wrong Side

To check this match I ran a ten sample Multiple Kit Analysis at GedMatch. The first three kits I entered were me, my uncle, and Christopher. The next seven kits were all the new ones. There are several Visualization Options under GedMatch Multiple Kit Analysis.

The first visualization option I chose was the Chromosome Browser. Immediately the table told me what I had expected. All the new samples match me, but do not match Christopher or my uncle. Since most DNA matches are half-identical you can match different sides in the same place on the same chromosome.

Same ten samples - GedMatch Traceability — Same ten samples – GedMatch Traceability

Another useful visualization option for seeing if people on the same place of the same chromosome are related is Traceability. The same ten samples run in Traceability generate a web-like image. Since there is a triangle between me, Christopher and my uncle it shows we are related. The lines show all the new samples are related to each other and me, but not Christopher or my uncle. The Traceability option also includes a table similar to Chromosome Browser with a generations estimate. Judging by the names of the new samples it seems highly likely they live in Ireland.

My father and all his known ancestors are from Southern England. My mother’s ancestors all came to America before ‘the USA’ was a thing. When I look at lists of cousins it’s easy for me to guess which side they are on. This is because 97% of my maternal cousins seem to be in America. And 97% of cousins on my fathers in the British Isles and Australia.

Back to Genealogy and Oral History

So my instinct to stop writing that first message to Christopher was good. We are still where we were before. Two cousins seemingly connected through West Viriginia ancestors. Like many from West Virginia we have mixed race family history. The lines that we suspect connect us start to brick wall as recently as the Civil War. So far the best clue we have found is a shared oral history of Blackfoot ancestry on our maternal lines.

Today many people with Blackfoot oral history originating from the Virginia/Carolina Piedmont identify as Saponi. Through genealogy research at Searching for Saponi Town and other forums I’ve been able to learn more about my lines. Especially relevant now that I am also making DNA matches to people I have met through these forums. For all the discoveries made through DNA it seems oral history is still one of the best tools we have.

Thankfully I come from a line of ancestors, many Quakers, (Friends) who recorded the genealogy that I work with. As a genealogist today I stand on their shoulders. The rise in popularity of DNA testing, shows how many people are searching for these answers. Answers these ancestors took the time to record. People are searching for their roots. They are searching for who their ancestors are. Because we all stand on the shoulders of our ancestors.

Swab-A-Thon a Success ‘Thanks Ottawa!’ says Grandma’s Genes

Grandma’s Genes held Ottawa’s first (World’s First) genetic genealogy Swab-A-Thon. The event, held at Bowman’s Bar and Grill on Saturday August 27^th, brought a diverse crowd. People came with questions about their origins, asking what they could learn from DNA testing? Genetic genealogist, and Grandma’s Genes co-founder, Marc Snelling opened the event. He spoke about the discoveries that can be made through DNA.

Marc spoke about how to learn more about your ethnic background. About how and where we fit into the human family tree. He also spoke about breaking a brick-wall in records, such as adoptions where no records are available, or finding unknown grandparent. Other reasons for DNA testing he covered included; leaving a legacy for your children and grandchildren, making new discoveries, and connecting with living cousins.

Grandma’s Genes co-founder Mags Gaulden spoke about DNA tests currently available to consumers. Autosomal tests (chromosomes 1-22, and X), are a test offered by ‘the Big 3’ testing companies, 23andMe, AncestryDNA and Family Tree DNA. 23andMe includes testing for DNA health markers, and idetifies paternal and maternal haplogroups, currently priced at $249 (CA). She also spoke about mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) a test of your direct maternal line and it’s associated halpogroup, and Y-DNA a test of the direct paternal lines. (tests offered by Family Tree DNA). She also spoke about The Genographic Project, a science-focused DNA project to document the human family tree and it’s haplogroups.

Mags Gaulden, Marc Snelling of Grandma's Genes at Swab-A-Thon — Grandma’s Genes co-founders Mags Gaulden and Marc Snelling answer attendees DNA questions at the Swab-A-Thon.

Mags and Marc spoke with Swab-A-Thon particpants about the value-added services Grandma’s Genes provides to customers who have purchased a DNA test from one of ‘The Big 3’. Some of the services offered by Grandma’s Genes include;

In-depth ethnic analysis, beyond simple percentages with results across multiple DNA testers,
Searching for birth families of adoptees, and uncovering the identity of unknown ancestors,
DNA mapping – identifying common ancestors shared with DNA cousins, through triangulation of DNA and genealogy across all company’s databases and public records,
Preparing genealogical reports for First Nations or American Indian Nations, and other lineage societies such as United Empire Loyalists, Daughters / Sons of the American Revolution.

Lesley Anderson from Ancestry.ca spoke to the crowd about the Ancestry database, over 2 million samples. The size of the DNA database together with millions of user-created family trees creates discoveries through Ancestry DNA Circles. Ancestry DNA Circles are an automated tool that discovers common ancestors shared between DNA matches.

Everyone who came had a different reason for being there. One adoptee sought to learn more about his birth parents. Two others wanted to learn more about what their DNA will tell them about their deep roots in their home countries, France and Algeria. Another wanted to know more about his maternal granparent. An ancestor the family says was in England while other lines were in Eastern Europe. Several others purchased tests as gifts for their relatives.

Free kits won by three!

Three free DNA kits were awarded. One from Grandma’s Genes., one by Family Tree DNA, and a third from Ancestry.ca. Geraldine won the FTDNA Family Finder kit offered by Grandma’s Genes. Vanessa won the Family Finder kit offered by Family Tree DNA. Lyle won the free AncestryDNA kit. Those who won prizes all purchased additional kits for testing themselves at both Family Tree DNA and AncestryDNA. They also purchased kits for other family members.

Another Swab-A-Thon?

Thanks to everyone who came out and helped create Ottawa’s first genetic genealogy Swab-A-Thon. Several participants were hopeful another Swab-A-Thon will be held. An event to bring their cousins and family members to, to learn more about DNA testing. Grandma’s Genes hopes to bring another Swab-A-Thon to the area in the future.