MyHeritage May Be Ending RAW DNA Uploads From Other Sites

 

In the last couple of days, there's been a lot of chatter in forums about MyHeritage terminating the ability to upload DNA results from other sites. Up to this point, users had been able to upload their results from other DNA testing services for free, and see matches from the MyHeritage database. From a user perspective, this was a great way for users to connect with additional family members, and potentially break down more brick walls.

From a business standpoint (in my personal opinion), this was always a great boon for MyHeritage as well. I don't know how many users took advantage of this feature, but certainly it helped grow the size of their database more quickly, making them one of the bigger genealogy sites, with in excess of 9 million DNA profiles. The downside of this was many users probably uploaded, took advantage of the matches, and never subscribed. I'm sure they're hoping selling their DNA kits, instead of allowing free upload, will create a more consistent revenue stream. Since the price of their test is often less costly than Ancestry, it may work to their advantage. Will people who test with them be more inclined to subscribe? It's probably a coin toss. Some will, some won't.  

More interestingly, in the last couple of weeks, I've watched a couple news programs (sorry, I can't remember the exact episodes and despite endless Google searches, I can't find the info) where they publicly said DNA had been uploaded to the MyHeritage database to assist in solving law enforcement cases. I was quite surprised given the Terms of Service for MyHeritage state: "MyHeritage prohibits law enforcement use of it's DNA Services." This is the type of information usually associated with GEDmatch, not MyHeritage. Here is an excellent Fox News interview with CeCe Moore delving a bit deeper into this subject.

While it may technically not be illegal to upload, I'd argue every genealogist, law enforcement official and family historian has an ethical obligation to adhere to each site's Terms of Service. Users have every right to expect privacy, unless they specifically opt in to a site allowing law enforcement participation. I personally feel anyone uploading surreptitiously, knowingly violating both Terms of Service and the privacy rights of users, is not a very good ambassador for the genealogical community. This kind of behavior sows the seeds of distrust in the general public, and once people are convinced it's not safe to do DNA testing, it can be almost impossible to convince them otherwise.

From the few search results I can find, several people have inquired of MyHeritage, but I have not seen any official announcement confirming the removal of the free DNA upload feature. I have seen screenshots similar to the one below, and scores of users saying they no longer have the option to upload. My personal MyHeritage account (with a paid Omni subscription) seems to be unaffected, and I still have the option presented to upload. While I can click to start a new upload, I have not tried to complete the process (since my tests are already uploaded to the site).

So, where does this leave us? If you have not previously uploaded, and you have an interest in doing so, I'd recommend trying to do it now, as the future of this feature on MyHeritage is unclear. If you're looking to upload to other sites to get more matches, FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA), LivingDNA and of course, GEDmatch, are still allowing uploads to the best of my knowledge. This could be a strategic change by MyHeritage to increase revenue. It could be an attempt to get ahead of any bad press and reassure users their data will remain private. It could also be selectively rolled out to specific countries or states. We'll just have to wait and see if there's some kind of official statement or blog post by MyHeritage.

I'm a big fan of using DNA as I research my family tree. I hope the increase in use of DNA by law enforcement doesn't end up creating more roadblocks for those of us who embrace DNA as a part of our regular research. While I wholeheartedly support solving cases, including use of DNA uploads on sites who allow it, I do not condone intentionally violating the privacy of millions of people just to get a single conviction. This is simply my opinion, and every person is free to have their own, even if we don't agree. While MyHeritage isn't my number one go to site, I'd hate to see them come under scrutiny for acts they may have been unaware of or didn't condone.

Could Cherokee Be Back On the Table?

I'm still on the hunt for any clues to my 2nd great-grandfather, Abijah LeRoy. He's the reason I started researching...he's also one of my most stubborn brick walls. I've previously shared our family lore, what I know, and how (were it not for the proof of his children) he seemed to never exist. 

For some time, Ancestry's ThruLines has suggested his mother may have been named Dorcas (possibly Cherokee, but last name is totally unproven at this point) and his father John LeCroy (a spelling variation I'm used to trying). In fact, Abijah may have been named John. I'm not sure yet. However, poking through those DNA match trees didn't yield any definitive "Ah ha!" moments. I really thought Dorcas may have been wishful Cherokee thinking. The given name may be totally right, but that doesn't make her Cherokee. Recently, as algorithms update, so too did the information shown in ThruLines. I noticed John LeCroy had only 39 DNA matches, and Dorcas suddenly showed 54. Certainly, since DNA inheritance isn't exact, it's not surprising to see a small difference in matches, but 15? Looking further, it appeared Dorcas may have had another son, named Thomas LeCroy (this is where all those new DNA matches were). I went ahead and tentatively filled John, Dorcas and Thomas in my tree, even though I've yet to document to my satisfaction. That covered potential 3rd great-grandparents (even if they are a work in progress).

Given the sharp difference in DNA matches, I wondered if perhaps Thomas had a different father. For the time being, I've added an unknown LeCroy as his other parent. A few days after doing this, I noticed even more new potential ThruLines extending further back. The next suggested 4th great-grandparents are a Chulio Tuskingo (Cherokee) and Lucy Daul. This loosely backs up an entry from a book "Ties That Bind: The Story of an Afro-Cherokee Family in Slavery and Freedom" by Tiya Miles. While the story compellingly mentions a John LeCroy, I've not yet found enough documentation to prove the account. I did find one property deed, using FamilySearch's full text search, but it alone is not enough. All my matches to this couple descend through Dorcas, making me wonder if this is a real connection or wishful thinking. And then came the "Cherokee is back on the table" moment...a potential 5th great-grandmother, Nionne Ollie Attakullakulla. Keeping in mind, I'm totally unsure of this trajectory, I've not added any more names to my tree beyond those I mentioned...but I have poked around in my DNA match trees, and my interest is piqued. 

I have 51 DNA matches to Nionne. 10 of those descend from Chulio (obviously still in question). But there are 8 other potential lines with 41 matches! I can easily understand how anyone looking for Abijah or Thomas might perpetuate incorrect information, but now I have 8 more other potential Native American ancestors. While I haven't had time to research any of these in detail, poking through trees shows a couple actually reference Dawes Roll entries. I clearly have a lot more research ahead! I do know for sure, I have some kind of DNA connection to a group of 51 people also looking into Cherokee ancestors, and 41 of them are not through Abijah, Thomas, Dorcas or Chulio. I see a glimmer of possibility!

Could we all be wrong? Certainly! We are talking about the early 1700's for this potential 5th great-grandmother. There will be few if any records. It will not be easy to research. And the Cherokee family story is a common one. But could all these people researching different ancestors be wrong? Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps I dismissed the Cherokee possibility too soon. Maybe my 1st cousins and I who've tested simply didn't inherit the DNA. But unquestionably, we have DNA matches to 51 other people also looking into Native American heritage. I need to begin the search into each of them to see if there's a true trail of records, or if debunking the family story will be my own personal trail of tears.

My First Royal Connection....Sort Of

I've never tested at FamilyTreeDNA, but I've uploaded my Ancestry DNA results there, and I've linked to my MyHeritage profile. After seeing some posts today about the updated haplotree and newly added haplogroup reports, I went to take a peek to see if I could find any new and exciting information on FamilyTreeDNA.

I already know my maternal haplogroup is T2b4 from my 23andMe DNA results. Once I was signed in, I selected "Discover Haplogroup Reports" from my Home page. I selected the drop down for mtDNA and entered T2b4. When I submitted, I got a form asking if I was a FamilyTreeDNA customer or not. At the very bottom of the screen is a link for "Already Registered? Sign In". Clicking to sign in again (slightly annoying since I already signed in to the site) took me to the beta platform page. I had to reselect mtDNA and put my haplogroup in again to fianlly disply the mtDNA Discover page. Given this is beta, it's possible the information displayed may change or some features may become unavailable in the future if you haven't tested at the site. But for now, I was able to view information totally new to me. (Y-DNA is also an option for male testers who may have this data available.)

There's quite a bit of information displayed, but I'm a sucker for "Notable Connections", so I clicked straight away since it was the most interesting to me. While I know from 23andMe I have many historical Viking matches, I was very excited to see I'm related (through a common maternal ancestor) to Virginia Eriksdotter (1559– 1633) a Swedish noble. She was the recognized illegitimate daughter of King Erik XIV of Sweden and his official royal mistress Agda Persdotter. She was born at Kalmar Castle in Sweden. Althought I asked ChatGPT if it was able to find any paintings of Virgnia, it was unable to locate any. But I was able to find the above image of the castle (Image credit: Image By L.G.foto - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link)

I'm not sure how true it is, but this is listed as a "rare connection" at 1 in 146 people. Only 1,841 other FamilyTreeDNA customers are this closely related to her. Given how far back this is, I don't know if I'd call this "closely related", and it's unlikely I'll ever prove the connection on paper, but it's my first known match to anyone remotely royal. I should point out the following notation is given: "Her detailed mitochondrial haplogroup was determined by mtFull Sequence testing of a descendant and reported in the Sweden DNA Project. The lineage is documented at WikiTree. It has not yet been confirmed by a second test result." 

As of now, I'm not inclined to take any more DNA tests. While I'm sure there's far more to reveal in my DNA, I've thousands of matches I'll never get through as it is. For now, I'm happy with this new "sort of" royal connection. For more on the new features visit the FamilyTreeDNA Blog. 

Image By L.G.foto - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

Genealogy Heroes: Volunteers, Angels and Helpers

Image created with DALL-E and ChatGPT

There are so many wonderful and giving genealogists out there who make it their mission to help others. I'm always amazed at how giving and warm most genealogists are. Just researching your own tree could be a full time job for...well, basically forever! It's hard to imagine the time and effort these volunteers give on top of their own research. 

Here are just a few of many great projects I've heard of:

• Search Angels is a non-profit organization assisting with genealogy and DNA test results for those in search of their biological family roots (basic adoptive search is free)
• Family Treasures Found works to reunite lost treasures with their families
• Megan Smolenyak has researched and helped identify 188 soldiers of various US wars. For 25 years, she's assisted the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) with identification of soldiers who gave their lives in war, but had not yet been accounted for
• DNA Doe Project has a mission to identify John and Jane Does using investigative genetic genealogy
• Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK) is a place where volunteers offer to provide research time (without charge) to researchers who need "boots on the ground" genealogy help in a distant location
• 10 Million Names is dedicated to recovering the names of the estimated 10 million men, women, and children of African descent who were enslaved in pre- and post-colonial America
• Project Infant a site dedicated to every victim of the Mother & Baby Homes in Ireland

If you're thinking of giving of your time, in addition to the above projects, here are a couple ideas almost any of us can do:

• Assist with indexing, transcribing and proof-reading: Family Search has a whole page of volunteer opportunities
• Volunteer with a genealogical society such as the National Genealogical Society (NGS) or American Ancestors or ask your local genealogical society how you can volunteer with them
• Take photos or transcribe for BillionGraves or FindAGrave

For more ideas and sites: 

• Check out Cyndi's List for sites working to return reunite old photos with their family and other lost and found projects
• Investigate the numerous volunteer projects on Cyndi's List
• Browse Facebook groups - there are tons of them depending on your area of interest

While we all give in our own way, preserving and telling the stories of our ancestors - volunteers, helpers and angels are the unsung genealogy heroes. From transcribing documents to adding photos, I'd venture every one of us has benefited from the generosity of these amazing people. We may know some of their names, others remain in the shadows. If you're keen to give back to the genealogy community, take a few moments to look through some of these projects and ideas.

I've added a Volunteer Opportunities section on my Genealogy Toolbox page where you can find all of these links easily.

DNA Connections - All Those Cousins

Image created using DALL-E and ChatGPT

I know a lot of people message their DNA matches and then...crickets. No reply. They try again, with the same results. Some people post about reaching out to tens or hundreds with limited results. Reaching out to newfound family is exciting, we hope we'll get a response and forge new friendships, or at least answer the question of where they fall in our family tree. For some, the requests are more pressing, such as trying to track down biological relatives totally unknown to them.

I've been relatively lucky in this respect. I've had a few people reach out to me, and I've always taken time to respond. In a few cases, they were reaching out because of findings in my tree (not because of DNA), and sometimes I believed they were incorrect. Other times, they were DNA matches trying to find the connection or just saying hello and introducing themselves. Some of these interactions have created friendships and lasting communications. Others were simply a brief passing encounter. Once, I even had someone who strives to return old photos to family reach out. While the person was in my tree, they married in and I didn't feel I was the best person to receive the photos.

Recently, a conversation with someone on my ex-husband's line made me realize I had an error in my tree (EEK!). I was so glad to discover this before I'd spent countless hours adding more incorrect people. She was so gentle when she told me how so many folks had the wrong parents attributed to a specific person. I had made the same mistake. Thankfully, it was only set of parents I hadn't added much data to. But, I was clearly incorrect when I looked more closely at the facts I'd found and a date discrepancy I'd failed to notice. The son in question is purported to have been orphaned and grew up with others, and the details on his true parents are scarce right now. I made the same error many others had, but close re-examination proved I needed to remove them from from my tree. Were it not for the DNA match who responded, I might never have realized my error.

I've also reached out to a few of my matches. Some have responded, some have not. I'm not in a position, as those who don't know their biological family may be, where these interactions are somewhat more critical to finding family. I generally have a specific reason to reach out to my matches. And I'm always very thankful when they respond. Unfortunately, most responses haven't provided me with a ton of new clues. But I still enjoyed "meeting" my newfound family members.

But may people never respond. I see lots of posts where people are frustrated and don't understand why they can't get answers. There can be so many reasons someone may not reply. Maybe they took a test at the request of a family member and have no interest on their own in genealogy. Maybe they received results they weren't expecting and haven't had time to process, or don't want to process. Maybe life is in the way and they don't have time to pursue their results. Maybe they started to research and found genealogy wasn't for them. Maybe they've passed away. Or maybe, they prefer to pursue their research in a solitary manner and don't want to talk to others. There are probably hundreds more reasons people might not answer. And really, it doesn't matter the reason. There is no right or wrong here. Only what we want or hope to happen, and what actually happens.

I think it's important to remember, the genealogy community is generally a very welcoming and wonderful group of people. Just because someone doesn't respond to a message, we shouldn't take it personally. Be thankful for the people who do respond. And don't give up! If you're a person who likes to reach out to your DNA matches, keep doing it! You never know when you might receive a response leading to a new friendship, more family or break down a brick wall. 

Finding Where Your DNA Matches Belong Can Be Challenging

Working with DNA can be a challenge. But it can also be very rewarding. It's a puzzle (more times than not). Sure, you might have a few matches you recognize and you plop them right where they belong. But that feeling of glee fades pretty fast when you realize you have 20,000 more matches (give or take another 20,000) and you have no idea who they are or where they fit in the puzzle of your tree.

I'm not going to lie and say there's some magic formula to make it simple. I consider myself lucky every time I place just one or two folks in my tree. But studying up on DNA in general can help make the process a little less frustrating. You may need to contact you matches or use some tools to figure things out. You may need to do some chromosome mapping, or upload to other sites to find even more matches to help you narrow down where a particular match may fall. And sometimes, you may not be able to figure it out at all. 

Here are just a few posts I've found helpful in the past to expand my understanding DNA:
A Genetic DNA Glossary
17 Best DNA Upload Sites to Upload Raw DNA Data
False positive match small segmentsDNA Testing Advisor - The Independent Guide To DNA Testing

I also find using obituaries helps a lot in the search for where my matches will go. Yes, mining obits for all the people included is time consuming, and it can add a lot of names to your tree at once. Sometimes, figuring out where all the names go is a challenge in and of itself - especially grandkids with no surnames listed. But doing this makes it considerably easier when you're investigating the trees of DNA matches. Some DNA matches don't even start a tree (not helpful). Some stop at only a few direct connections (potentially helpful). Don't discount these small trees if you've been adding all those names from obits because you'll likely be coming close (if not spot on to) the generations of people listed in the documents. You may find names you recognize, even though you're working with limited information in the DNA match's tree.

You may also find you have to work backwards. Sometimes, you may have to start a quick "dirty" tree from the match, and map out the various ancestors of your DNA match. Hopefully you'll find a familiar name. This may mean you'll be identifying people not relevant to you, so you may want to do this in a new private "working" tree just for this purpose. (It's easier to add the correct names to your main tree once identified than it is to go back and find and delete the people who turn out not to be relevant. A working tree removes the need to go "clean up" once you've made the connection.) I'll be honest, I spend enough time on my "known" family members, so I don't typically employ this method. But at some point, when I've run out of clear connections, I may have to start doing this. I've read posts by other researchers who've had very good success, and it's helped them get farther back in their own trees. The paper trail based on our own research alone doesn't always provide us with all the siblings or children of our known ancestors. Working backwards from a DNA match may just be the key to breaking down brick walls.

This past week, I was able to add 3 new matches to my tree. 2 are children (managed by a parent who I recognized as the spouse of a known DNA match) so it was easy to figure out where they go, even though the DNA kits only had initials and gender. The 3rd I was able to work out without too much effort because the surname was known to me, and I was able to work down from the last person in my tree with the same name to the DNA match. But it's not always so simple. I don't spend a lot of time trying to figure out where DNA matches should be placed, but I do hop over every few weeks and see if I can work out anyone new. How much effort you'll expend depends on the purpose for your search. If you're building a tree to find biological family unknown to you, DNA matches will be much more important. For me, they're a "bonus". I enjoy adding them - it gives me a sense of satisfaction, but I find researching those I already know more satisfying. So while I recognize the importance of DNA and DNA matches, they aren't where I spend the bulk of my time.

Image by Elias from Pixabay

Maximizing your DNA Matches

AI created image using DALL-E and ChatGPT 4

If you're just starting out with DNA, you may be interested in maximizing your DNA matches. Even though your testing site may have returned hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of results, finding more matches really isn't a bad thing. Unless you're prepared to spend a lot of time researching living people and reaching out to matches (who may or may not respond), it's unlikely you'll find where every match fits in your tree...not even close. So having more matches is better when trying to trace back to those elusive ancestors. You never know when one match may break down a brick wall to solve a mystery!

Testing your DNA is always an individual decision. Only you can decide if it's the right choice for you. There are concerns over privacy, the discoveries you might make, who might gain access to your data in the future and who else might be influenced by your results and research. These are all very valid concerns and no one can tell you if DNA testing is right for you - you must decide for yourself. I struggled with all the same questions, but decided to test anyway - and I  don't regret my choice one bit. Once you've made the choice to test, the next question is where?

There are 2 of the major sites who notably do not allow uploads from other testing sites, a critical step if you want to maximize your matches. These are 23andMe and Ancestry.com. While 23andMe can be good for those interested in how their DNA results might impact their future health, it's not the easiest site to deal with as far as matches in my experience. While I have tested there (since a friend gifted me the DNA kit), I find working with matches frustrating since so little information is provided, the site isn't geared toward research and I'm not at a point where I feel compelled to reach out to individuals to figure out how we're related.  Their tree builder is simply not up to par as compared to other sites. You can however download your raw DNA to upload elsewhere, so if the health component is important, it may be the right choice for you.

Ancestry does not allow uploads from other sites either, but it's likely your best bet for a first test. They also have the largest database of testers, so in general (but not always), you'll be more likely to find the most matches on their site. Plus, you can download your raw DNA for upload elsewhere. Their DNA tools are very easy to use (although some are now behind a paywall). I strongly suggest waiting for a holiday sale to buy a kit at Ancestry. You can usually find them on sale around major holidays for as low as $59. If you have Amazon Prime, they've always had the sale price and you don't have to pay extra for shipping. If you purchase through Ancestry, they do charge shipping fee.

Once your DNA results are back, if you've decided to maximize your matches, head over and download you raw DNA file (instructions for Ancestry are here). Now, I want to tell you where you can upload your raw DNA results once you have them in hand and how to get many more matches for free. Keep in mind, if your relatives have tested or uploaded their results at multiple sites, you may find some overlap, but you'll also find lots of matches who haven't tested at Ancestry.

The followings sites allow a free upload of raw DNA files (from both Ancestry and 23andMe). While there are plenty of other sites allowing upload of raw DNA, these are all well known, reputable sites. If you choose to use another site, be sure to check their privacy policies as well as who they allow to access your DNA. Each site offers slightly different features and/or DNA tools with your free upload, but as of now, they all include matching for free. 

• MyHeritage.com
• LivingDNA.com
• FamilyTreeDNA.com**
• GEDmatch.com**

**Both FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA) and GEDmatch work with law enforcement. When uploading to either of these sites, be sure to review your opt-in or opt-out settings to ensure they're set the way you prefer. Also be aware, while sites do their best to protect your DNA results to the extent they are legally allowed to do so, they may still be compelled to provide access by court order. And no site is immune to hackers, as we saw with the 23andMe breach. Sites are doing their best to beef up security in the wake of the breach, including limiting viewable information and downloads (including match lists) until sufficient security is in place. Over time, I fully expect we'll see the ability to download more data and match lists come back, but for now, using your matches may take some patience. 

After uploading to any, or all, of the sites above, sit back, relax and allow a few days for matching to occur. It's not instantaneous. After a few days (or when you receive an email your matches are ready) go ahead and login and start exploring all your new found relatives! If you choose to communicate with your matches, you may make new lifelong bonds. With others, you may communicate just long enough to figure out how you're related. And some may never respond to your requests. I've uploaded my Ancestry DNA results to all 4 of the additional sites for free. I've communicated with several matches using Ancestry, MyHeritage, GEDmatch and LivingDNA. I'm thankful for every single match I'm able to place in my tree. They help me confirm my research and in some cases, open the door to generations I have yet to explore.

Review: DNA Academy: Genetic Genealogy for Beginner's and Intermediate

Over the weekend, I completed the DNA Academy: Genetic Genealogy for Beginner's and Intermediate course at learn.trace.com, My goal was simple: learn more about DNA and how to better utilize it in my own research. This course did not disappoint!

I prefer to learn in an organized format. While there are certainly plenty of free online resources about DNA and working with it, I wanted something a little more structured. The self-paced course included 29 modules and covered everything I needed. From the basics necessary to understand DNA and how it's inherited, to ethnicity, endogamy and ethics, and how to best use DNA matches to further your research (including special situations) - all the major concepts were addressed. You also learn about phasing, clustering, and triangulation (both pedigree and segment). They highlight potential limitations and suggest where various additional types of DNA testing may (or may not) prove useful. There are also modules on using specific sites, tools and resources for working with DNA results and matches. Some modules also include case studies. Many handouts and forms are provided for download to assist with future research. For the most utilized research forms, video tutorials are presented on how to use them properly and efficiently. At completion, you'll retain access to review the course whenever you need to brush up on your skills, or to review any newly added content to the course.

While they estimated 5 weeks to complete the program, it took me about 8 (oh the convenience of self-paced!) According to the tracker on the site, I spent about 15 hours of dedicated time on the course (not including the time I scurried off to practice the skills as I learned, and fell down the occasional research rabbit hole along the way). Given the price tag of $250 for the course, it's a fairly cost efficient option. It's certainly far more economical than hiring a professional to assist. And if using your DNA results (or the results of those you're helping) more effectively can save you countless hours of spinning your wheels, it's a win in my book.

There are skills assessments in many of the modules to ensure you're understanding the material as you're working through the course. At completion, there's a final (slightly longer) skills assessment and if you get a passing score, you'll receive a certificate of completion. I finished with 90% and I'm eagerly awaiting an email with my certificate attached. Does the certificate actually get you anything? No, not really... just the satisfaction of knowing you passed the course. I suppose you could list it as a continuing education course, but I personally don't have a genealogy "resume", so for me it's strictly personal gratification.

Was there anything missing from the course? Not really. Though it's a genetic genealogy course, I'd still have liked to see a module addressing using DNA for forensic genealogy, including ethics and practices. I know I have family and friends who won't take a DNA test because they're worried about their DNA being used nefariously by law enforcement or forensic genealogy companies. I readily admit, forensic genealogy is a totally separate branch of the genealogy tree, but some basic knowledge as a part of this program might help course takers spread more accurate information as they converse with others. This is just my opinion - the course is very well rounded as far as genetic genealogy goes. Not having this topic in no way diminishes the value of the course.

If you're not ready to invest in a course to learn more about working with DNA, below are some great free resources**:

• AncestryDNA® Learning Hub
• MyHeritage Knowledge Base - DNA 
• GEDmatch Education 
• DNAeXplained 
• The DNA Geek
• segment-ology

So, did I break down any brick walls? No, not yet. For my biggest brick wall, I may need to wait for more DNA test takers to appear and/or investigate matches more thoroughly on some of the other sites where I've uploaded my DNA. Do I feel more confident about using my DNA matches? Yes, 100% I do! Do I recommend the course? If you have a desire to know more about DNA and working with results and matches (and you don't mind paying for a course)  then yes, I absolutely recommend it wholeheartedly! 

**Links to useful resources and sites mentioned in my posts can always be found on my Toolbox and Blogs To Follow pages.

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

Back to School: DNA Academy

This past week was a bit challenging for me. It's been harder than usual to focus, but I'm trying hard to stay on track. I started the course DNA Academy: Genetic Genealogy for Beginner's and Intermediate at learn.trace.com last weekend. I want to learn more about using DNA for my research. Being OCD, I prefer structure. There are tons of free resources out there on the web for learning about DNA, but for me, a reasonably priced ($250) organized course works much better. I spent some time reviewing options, and based on the course outline, decided this was the program for me.

The self-paced online course is estimated to take 5 weeks. I'm about 25% of the way through. Thus far, it's been predominantly learning/reviewing terminology and concepts. I have a feeling the hard work is yet to come. I've been trying to spend a little time every evening, or at least every other evening, working thru the modules. I'll post a more detailed review when I'm done with the course, but so far, I'm pleased with my choice and I believe it will be a help in learning how to more effectively review and use my DNA matches to enhance my research (and hopefully assist in breaking down my brick walls!)

DNA isn't going away. It will solidly be a part of genealogy in the future. Learning to work with it effectively will be key for all genealogists (casual and professional). Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all the rage right now too. While many companies have been using it in some capacity for quite some time (from simply "reading" records to creating photo enhancing apps) it's likely to take off by leaps and bounds now. The combination of AI and DNA will likely make DNA much easier for amateur genealogists to work with in the future. But, I'm a big proponent of knowing how to do my own research and analysis. AI isn't foolproof. It's machine based learning...key word learning. It is not infallible. If I don't learn how to analyze for myself, I won't be able to spot potential pitfalls in the data I'll likely be presented with in the future.

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

Distracted by DNA Part 2

I've completed my current project of adding all the names from my James-Gilmore Family History book. I now have 2089 names in my tree. I'm about to start figuring out where more of my DNA matches can be placed in my tree. There is some small overlap in matches amongst the various sites where I've tested or uploaded my DNA, but for the most part, each site offers me many matches I can't find elsewhere. I have a large pool of DNA matches to work with at this point. Most of the names are completely unfamiliar to me. 

I've been interested in learning about DNA Painter, so I signed up for a free account. I was concerned it would be hard to use, and I'd been putting off learning more about it. Using their help pages, I was able to easily map 3 of my DNA matches from MyHeritage.com. (It's important to note, Ancestry.com does not provide the information necessary to use DNA Painter). 2 of the matches are on my maternal side, one on my paternal. A sample of 3 certainly didn't paint much of my chromosomes, but it's a start and it was a great experience! The best surprise was finding out it was much easier than I had anticipated and I'm looking forward to doing more with it. Hence the reason I wanted to finish adding as many verified names as possible to my tree. I'm in a very good position to start working with paternal matches now (at least on my father's father's side). 

It also made me realize, while I really prefer Ancestry.com for most of my work, they really are lacking when it comes to some of the DNA features other sites make readily available. It's clear Ancestry.com  wants to keep users on their site as much as possible and they've done a great job at working towards the goal. I personally have dozens of DNA matches I've identified and placed in my tree from my Ancestry matches and I'd really like to be able to quickly map them on DNA Painter. The lack of segment data makes it virtually impossible, unless the same users have tested at one of the sites providing this information. Ancestry.com feels more like DNA 101. I find it fairly easy to work with my matches there, but I'm simply limited in what I can do with them right now. 

Learning more about working with DNA will be an ongoing "front-burner" project. I hope to mix my "normal" research routine with adding a few matches each week. If the matches are from a site other than Ancestry.com, I'll map them on DNA Painter. Since I have DNA at 6 different sites, I'll just hop and skip between them and try to keep the momentum going. I want to learn more about the various tools at GEDmatch and triangulation is high on my list of topics to read up on. It's exciting to be learning something new and I'm really hoping over time, it will help me break down the brick wall I've had since day one. Once I'm more comfortable using DNA and the various tools, I'll go back to the adoptee tree I'm working on and apply my newfound knowledge to try and identify the unknown birth mother of the adoptee. I'll post more about this part of my journey in the coming weeks.

Image by 652234 from Pixabay

Distracted by DNA Part 1

It's been a particularly difficult week for me, in terms of motivation. Maybe I plowed through too much while I was on staycation....but I still want to keep moving ahead on my tree. I've picked back up my project of adding people from a well established family history book on my paternal side. It doesn't require a lot of mental energy, just time. The family history is typically very accurate and it's the fastest way to get to a point where I can figure out where to place more of my DNA matches in my tree. Why does this suddenly matter so much? Read on!

I was contacted by an Ancestry.com user who viewed the adoptee tree I'm working on for a friend. Let's call this person Sally (not her real name.) Sally was adamant there was no adoption in their family. She was sure of it!  Her husband John (not his real name) is a descendant of who we believe is the 2nd great grandfather of my friend. Based on information Sally provided, John is his 3rd cousin. Her initial contact was a little terse and I was concerned she was both put off and upset at the potential revelation.

Turned out, she was looking at a more distant relative in the tree (a 2nd cousin 1x removed), not the direct line I'm hoping to prove. There really was no adoption in the family she was familiar with. Still, I took the time to write back, and since her Ancestry.com profile shows she has many years of family history experience herself, I gently appealed to her to keep an open mind, since not all adoptions were talked about, and asked her to review what we think we've found and what we're hoping to use DNA to prove. Turns out, after reviewing what we know, she and her husband were very willing to help us try to find out more...incredibly eager actually! It was a very pleasant surprise. We've had several additional communications and she shared John's GEDmatch test kit number with me so I could do some comparisons. She also provided some additional contacts within the family we're exploring, and links to more information. As I learn more I'm looking forward to talking with Sally again! I believe there is value in communicating with any person willing to share. Maybe they have something to add to the tree...maybe not. But if I dismiss any potential research lead, I'd be doing a disservice.

With permission from my friend, I uploaded his Ancestry.com DNA results to GEDmatch. I used the one to one autosomal DNA comparison to John. This was the first time I'd actually looked at a comparison on the site, and to be honest, it was more than a little overwhelming. I'd run a few of their tools on my own DNA kit and there were lots of pretty colors, numbers, lines and charts, but it made virtually no sense to me. The results from John were no less daunting and I realized it's time for me to learn more about working with DNA details. What I think I saw was my friend matches John in several chromosome locations, and the total cM is within what would be expected for a 3rd cousin, but there was nothing spectacular. The good news is we now have many new GEDmatch DNA matches to research, using more detailed DNA information than is found on Ancestry.com.

Since it's easier for me to work with known DNA as I learn, I decided to jump over to my own tree and set out to learn more about working with DNA. I wanted to fill out as much of my paternal branch as quickly as I can to add new DNA matches, but I still like to have some documentation to support who I'm adding. Enter the family history book. I've been slowly using it to add to my tree over the last couple of years, but with no real sense of urgency. It seemed like a perfect time to hunker down and finish the project. (On my maternal line, where my biggest brick wall is, I don't have the luxury of a verified family history, only the research done by one family member. I'd prefer to continue to do my own research on the maternal line. Adding DNA matches there takes significantly more time).

I will definitely spend more time checking out GEDmatch (both for myself and my friend) but I decided maybe it's time for me to dig a little deeper and do some reading on working with DNA, so I can be more effective in my research. There are many wonderful free tutorials and I'm starting to dive in. It was an unexpected and wonderful surprise to be contacted by Sally. It just goes to show how open and kind some people in the genealogy community are. Even on social media, genealogy fans are some of the most wonderful people I've met and I value them all, whether they're related to me or not! In my next post, I'll update on what I'm learning using my own DNA matches.

Image by 652234 from Pixabay

More Resources at Ancestry.com

 

Ancestry.com is far more than just a site to build a tree, research records, and do a DNA test to find matches. I happened to click on the Ancestry Site Map (scroll to the footer at the bottom of any page on the site) and discovered a wealth of information I had no idea existed. From links to pages on family history resources including the Ancestry Academy™, to all kinds of information about DNA in the AncestryDNA® Learning Hub or AncestryDNA® Traits Learning Hub, and links to social media accounts and other Ancestry.com family owned sites, there's so much information here it's incredible! If you want to expand your genealogy knowledge, this is a fantastic place to start!

Here is a small sampling of the additional resources on the site:
Ancestry Search - Main search page, some records are free, others require subscriptions

Ancestry Card Catalog - Search additional records, including unindexed

Vital Records- Birth, Marriage, Death - Several free record collections, other require subscriptions

Recently Added and Updated Collections on Ancestry - check regularly to stay up to date on record collection changes

Ancestry Wiki - Check out the "Explore the Wiki" links

Ancestry Live Chat  - Results interacting with agents seems to be hit or miss, but if you have a need, feel free to try it

Provide Feedback to Ancestry - Provide your feedback and comments about the site. No responses are provided, but your voice can be heard

Ancestry Site Map - Links to an amazing number of pages on the site you may not know exist (see below)

Ancestry Genealogy Toolkit - Links to Ancestry and other resources

No matter how long you've been researching, there's am amazing wealth of information and resources available to you with both free or paid subscriptions to Ancestry.com. It's important to get well rounded information, and no one site will be a full one stop shop, but the amazing resources on this site further my belief if you could only subscribe to one site, this is the one you want!

For a Friend Adoptee Search

 

The father (now deceased) of a friend of mine was adopted. My friend desperately wanted to know more about his ancestors. He was able to get minimal information about his paternal grandfather and grandmother through a court order to view the adoption records. Even then, they contained little useful information. There was a name for his grandparents, but they both had the same surname. They were listed as living in Ohio (but no information on where). His father was born in West Virginia. Not a lot to work with!

My friend tested at 23andMe, and while he reached out to many DNA matches, few responded. I suggested he take a test at Ancestry.com since they have the largest database of testers (and working with the DNA matches is much friendlier on Ancestry.com ) and I offered to help him with the results. I wanted to see if all the learning I've been doing could help him solve his mystery. I'm the first to admit, I'm a novice when it comes to DNA, but I was up to the task.

After using the Leeds method with Ancestry.com's colored dots, and knowing just one maternal cousin, I was able to develop a list of paternal matches. From there, I created several quick and dirty trees for some of his matches. In just a few days, I was able to work back to his 2nd great grandfather (with a high level of certainty, since there are 10 DNA matches to him). Then, working forward again, I was able to find a match for his grandfather's name as shown in the adoption records! I was thrilled (and so was my friend)! 

It's very important to note, there are no DNA matches from his potential grandfather or great grandfather, so there is room for error. Unfortunately, this grandfather and all his children, except one, have already passed. The one living son is 87 years old, and if he is indeed the correct person, may not know he had another brother, and definitely wouldn't know about his potential nephew.

His grandmother has been more of a challenge. It would appear, from census records, his grandfather was married with several children (2 of whom , twins, were born about 15 months before his father - one of them is the uncle I mentioned above.). The mother listed in the 1930 and 1940 census did not have the same given name as the mother in the adoption records. It's certainly possible the name was recorded incorrectly (or intentionally given wrong). There is a possibility the family just couldn't support another child (they had 7 known children)...but it could just as easily have been a dalliance on his grandfather's part...there's just no way to know for sure. At this point, she remains unconfirmed. 

I've actually just determined the one lone uncle appears to still be living. It's a tricky situation! First off, I could always have made a mistake in my research, or perhaps the records just don't paint a complete picture of all the ancestors. How do you reach out to tell an 87 year old man he may have had a brother he never knew...and how to ask if he'll take a DNA test to confirm? Using a website based on public records, I've been able to come up with a potential phone number and email address for his uncle. 

As a researcher, my job is to find information, not to decide what to do with it. This may be the last chance for my friend to get any firsthand information (if indeed the match turns out to be correct and truly is still living). It could just as easily be a false lead. I plan on talking to my friend to explain just how life changing, or life shattering, this could be if it turns out to be true. He will need to proceed with caution and compassion and hope he can initiate contact. If he's lucky, perhaps the gentleman will be willing to talk, and perhaps even do a DNA test. If luck isn't on his side, he may get no response, or the person may shut down communication. On my end, passing on the information is oddly and decidedly disconcerting. I didn't expect it to weigh so heavily on me. So much of my research is on those no longer with us. When it comes to potentially impacting the life of a living person, it adds a completely different and complex dimension - one I'm not entirely comfortable with yet.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Myth of the Cherokee Ancestor

 

My journey began with the myth (now almost 100% disproven) of a Cherokee ancestor. (For the elaborate story, my family's supposed secret, read How My Journey Began).  As I came to find out, many families have the same (or a similar) story about having Native American roots. Perhaps it's simply the twists and turns oral histories take, maybe it's embellishment for intrigue, or perhaps it's simply wishful thinking...but for some, it's reality.

Looking back on my research experience and the brick wall I just couldn't break down (for good reason), I should have done DNA testing sooner. For me, DNA disproved my family myth. I don't have a speck of Native American DNA in my Ancestry.com ethnicity results. OK sure, is it possible the DNA ancestor was so far removed I just don't have any of the DNA passed down to me? Sure, yes, it's theoretically possible. Is it possible not enough Native American DNA samples have been obtained? Yes, again, it's theoretically possible. But based on the story and the approximate number of generations, it's highly unlikely. I trust the science and I've accepted my myth was false. For some, DNA may prove a Native American family story or may even show an unexpected Native American result. If I were starting my journey with the full benefit of hindsight, I'd make DNA testing the first step in my journey. 

Either way, searching for Native American ancestors can be challenging. One of the great sites I came across as I tried to find my non-existent Native American ancestor was Cherokee By Blood. This TNGenWeb special project page contains helpful information for those searching for their Cherokee roots. As they aptly note, it may not be an easy journey. Even if oral histories are accurate, paper trails may not be so easy to find...or follow. It may take considerable work to verify.

Cherokee By Blood offers up many resources to help the family historian in search of Cherokee roots. From rolls, to maps, to migration information, articles and tips to help you fit the puzzle pieces together - this site is a must for those looking for their Cherokee heritage. Even if you're just interested in knowing more about Cherokee history in general, this site has plenty of information to keep you intrigued. Maybe one day, my ethnicity results will change as more people do DNA testing, but at this point, I have high confidence my family story was just that - a story.

Image by Orange Fox from Pixabay