We are into Genes and Genealogy
April 15, 2017 – 3:00PM EDT:WATCH LIVE – The Rangers Project with the Forest Elf, Eowyn Langholf.
Oh you know the Forest Elf has things to talk about. Not only does she keep the nutrients flowing into all of our branches from the trunk, she helps keeps our Tree healthy by leading the Rangers Project. Ever wondered what the Rangers do in our Tree? Tune in and hang out while we discuss this group of WikiTree Protectors.
The Scottish Project with Doug Straiton. We will discuss the Scottish Project and throw in a good measure of all things UK while we have him. Doug is Also a Military Guru too, so bring your questions and we will see if he can answer them all.
April 1, 2017 – 3:00PM EDT: WATCH LIVE – The Profile Improvement Project with Bob Kenniston and award winning author and editor, the Book Doctor, Bobbie Christmas.
The Profile Improvement Project with Bob Kenniston & the Book Doctor. We will chat about the Project and some of the nuts and bolts of Profile improvement on WikiTree. Then we will throw in a bit of Professional Writing help from the Book Doctor herself, award winning writer and editor, Bobbie Christmas.
March 25th, 2017 – 3:00 PM EDT: WATCH LIVE – One Name Studies and All things Doug Lockwood.
Doug will join us to talk about all the things he does on WikiTree, but most importantly he’ll discuss his one Name Studies. How are One Name Studies on WikiTree different than anywhere else? How to set up a One Name Study, where to find people to help with your One Name Study and How to tie-in the ever important Surname DNA Study.
March 18th, 2017 – 3:00 PM EDT: WATCH LIVE – Getting Started with DNA with Peter Roberts.
Why should I get me DNA tested? Where should I get my DNA tested? What kind of DNA test should I take? We will answer all of those questions for you during this WikiTree LiveCast. Information you need to know before jumping into the Gene Pool with the rest of your DNA Cousins.
Orange Alert! If you have an aversion to Orange, navigate away from this page now.
What to write, what to write, what to write? It’s been incredibly busy after coming back from RootsTech2017. Just unpacking all the gear from doing interviews and a WikiTree LiveCast, LIVE, from the conference was a huge undertaking. Then to set it all back up in Grandmas Genes Offices? I am tired all over again just thinking about.
Oh the trials and tribulations of flying across the northern hemisphere in winter. The first plane had engine trouble, so the flight to SLC was missed (thank goodness as they eventually arrived in SLC at 3:30 AM after sitting on the plane for 6 hours prior to take off). Air Canada put me and fellow castaways up at the Westin in Chicago for the night then flew us on to SLC the next day. No harm no foul except I missed a planed sleep-over with Eowyn and Julie, and lunch with Darlene Athey Hill.
The flight home was almost as much fun whit the connecting flight from Toronto canceled and foul weather once again at play. I started my travel day before sunrise in SLC and ended it, landing in a snowstorm at 9:00PM.
All the travel woes were worth it.
Dick Eastman, and all of our very orange clad WikiTree RootsTech2017 Team, had breakfast together on the first morning. So Dick was one of the first to amble my way for a five minute chat about DNA. I also wandered the Expo Hall grabbing people as I went to talk about DNA. I tried a bit of stalking…hanging out around session doors to grab speakers after the fact. This approach doesn’t work as the speakers are usually swarmed by adoring fans.
David Allen Lambert, with NEGHS and I had a chance to talk about his DNA Story. WikiTreers Kim Jordan, Randy Whited and Kirsty Gray also carried on a bit about DNA and WikiTree and how it’s important in Genealogy. Peter roberts steered me towards the Innovators tunnel to talk with David Nicholson and Hannah Morden-Nicholson with Living DNA. Interesting how specific their DNA testing can be.
Curtis Rogers, of GEDmatch, and I talked about the new Integration of WikiTree and GEDmatch and also about the future of WikiTree and DNA.
Did some not so subtle eavesdropping on WikiTreer-in-Chief, Chris Whitten, chatting with Luther Tychonievich and Tim Jansen (in front of the only support column in the Salt Palace which was actually a part of our booth).
All the footage, and then some, of the interviews from RootsTech2017 will be put together in some kind of spiffy Video.
Oh, there were shenanigans alright. One of the great things about being able to represent WikiTree at RootsTech is the ability to meet and interact with people, colleagues, genealogists, that you work with on a daily basis. You also get to have fun with your volunteermates (<— this is not a word). From goofing off and being serious about DNA with Peter Roberts to watching Julie and Kitty Dancing to talking to ALL the WikiTree’s who stopped by the booth to Steve the Tree (a guy dressed in a Tree costume…this prompted Chris to ask me if I would dress as an elf for next year…or maybe walk around with a sandwich board, he he) – it was all fun.
What a great, wonderfully exhausting time we all had at RootsTech2017. Thanks to Chris Whitten, Eowyn Langholf, Abby Glann and Julie Ricketts (WikiTree Team) and Fellow WikiTree Leaders, Michael Stills, Karen Tobo, Kitty Cooper Smith and Peter Roberts for making this years WikiTree Booth the brightest Booth (both visually and intellectually) in the Hall.
Mags is a part of the OGS Conference 2017 Social Media Team!
She will be roaming around the 2017 OGS conference 2017 tweeting and blogging and FaceBooking and Pinteresting…all about what is going on at the conference, throughout the weekend. She may even do a Grrandma’s Genes LiveCast from the Conference on Saturday at 3:00PM. Exciting Stuff!
Follow the Conference on Twitter @ #OGSConf2017
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 27th, 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 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;
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.
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.
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.
I have roots in Upstate South Carolina. Deep roots. Not as deep as the bottom of Lake Jocassee in Oconee County, but deep none the less.
Yesterday a good friend posted an article by Robin Jarvis, Most People Have No Idea There’s An Underwater Graveyard, about the underwater Cemetery of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church on Facebook. I know about the Cemetery and I know about other building(s) and things burried under the 7,500-acre (30 km2), 300-foot (91 m) deep reservoir. Wikipedia
Another blog post states,”The Cherokee name Jocassee means “Place of the Lost One,” and what a fitting description that is for the South Carolina lake that bears its name…” -Appalachian History, Stories, quotes and anecdotes. Duke Power Flood the Uplands of SC, Posted by Dave Tabler, February 5, 2015
So here are some of the things that were lost to the need for power…
The Confluence and portions of the Keowee River.
Chapman’s Covered Bridge.
“One of the most popular covered bridges in South Carolina linked Pickens and Oconee Counties. Chapman’s bridge over the Keowee River was moved to the site of the Oconee Nuclear Power Plant to make way for Lake Keowee. Several young boys built a fire on its floor one evening and burned it up.” Histoic Oconee County, South Carolina, Prather’s covered Bridge, Paul M. Kankula, 12-Jan-2003, SC GenWeb
The Attakulla Lodge
“The hotel’s owner fought the Lake Jocassee development and was able to keep the Duke Power Company from demolishing his structure. It was the only structure still intact when the water poured in back in 1973. The Inquisitr A former resident has done a dive to the Lodge and brought back a light fixture as a keepsake.
I had a sail boat I had left for a friend in my driveway when left to I move to Canada – it was stolen in the few hours it took my friend to come pick it up. She told me later of a sail boat floundering on Jocassee and sinking in a storm. The description of the Sailboat in the incident matched my Sail Boat perfectly. It would be there on the bottom too.
The FAG post also states that there are 23 interments. The Post includes burials in the old location, “Church and cemetery was originally in a different location – now covered by water. When Lake Jocassee was built, the church and most of the cemetery graves were moved to their present location.” SC GenWeb Mount Carmel Baptist #1 ChurchCemetery, Oconee County, SC , aka Devil’s Fork State Park, Version 1.0, 1-Jul-2007 and burials in the new location.
The Movie Deleiverence, released in 1972, has a scene which is supposed to be “shot at the Mount Carmel Baptist Church cemetery” WikiPedia – You Tube Video of the Scene. This may or not be true as quite a few posts I found said that this scene was actually shot at a location overlooking the valley – possibly where heavy equipment was stored for the Dam Construction.
We are into Genes and Genealogy – now get your grandma some blueberry pie!
