Christmas is almost here (yet again), and as usual I reflect on what progress I have made in my genealogy research over the past year.  This is not always an easy task; I really should keep a better research log!  But I do have a ton of emails to fall back on as well as my digital genealogy trees and my DNA research accounts and notes to review.

At the start of 2018 I resurrected my enthusiasm for blogging, and decided to at least start on another 52 week challenge to write one family history story each week.  It involved gathering information I already knew about individuals or groups of deceased relatives (in both Terry's and my trees), doing further research to fill in some of the gaps, and writing it in a way that is hopefully more interesting for living relative who are not genealogists.  I did pour a lot of effort into this for the first 4 months, producing 17 blog articles (to the exclusion of almost everything else). See these 2018 posts which involve the surnames BOORMAN, HENSON, RICHARDSON, ANDREW, COMPTON, SEELEY, and JOHNSTON. 

The topics covered in this year's blog postings:

• The discovery of the local grave of Terry's Aunt and Uncle Audrey and Don KING, and many other BOORMAN relatives in the Royal Oak Cemetery (2 postings). 
• Terry's grandfather Harry E BOORMAN served in Vancouver BC during WWII as head of the 68th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, which focused on recruitment and training. 
• Used the England Tithe Survey records to explore BOORMAN land usage in Kent in the 1800s.
• Amelia Alice BOORMAN Terry's maiden great-aunt, was an early school teacher in the Victoria BC public school system specializing in needlework for girls.
• Used Vancouver BC Fire Insurance plot maps to learn more about the locations of Terry's JOHNSTON and KERFOOT families (the Irish side), but mysteries remain.
• Explored the life and descendants of Terry's relative Louisa (BOORMAN) Seeley because descendants are DNA matches.
• Reviewed the 1790 will of William BOORMAN.
• Life of Ernest Frederick COMPTON who immigrated to New Zealand and Australia.
• Reviewed the life of Eliza Pring COMPTON, my great-great-grandmother.
• My ANDREW Aunt Eleanor JONES hand-crafted a stain glass sun catcher for my mother 
• Celebrating my ANDREW mother's 100th Valentines birthday with cards and photos (2 postings).
• Explored one branch of my early maternal RICHARDSON roots in Sussex England.
• I finally found my father Claude HENSON in the 1921 Canada census.  Reviewed his life, including photos of family and his WWII kit bag and hat.
• "Strawberry" HENSON had a unique nickname and a huge family in Arkansas.
• My memories and photos of our ANDREW family reunion in 1959.

But it seems it's either feast or famine with my blogging, as the year is now ending with only one additional posting that summarizes my 32 third-great-grandparents. Starting in May I needed to devote more time to my volunteer work with our local Victoria Genealogical Society where I am now a Director, which encompasses my continuing duties as their Webmaster and co-organizer for their DNA Special Interest Group.  There were other VGS projects that needed attention, some still ongoing.  So even my own research took a back burner for a while, except when I got welcome emails for others that drew me back into my research for brief periods.  Thanks to those who contact me or add comments to my blog posts.  Always welcome.

My website is gradually growing, with a new Grigg and Cornish page added this week.  And I added more photos to my Andrew page​.  But the main growth is in the blog (in spite of not doing the full 52 postings this year).  My "tree" reports have not been updated this year (based on the information I am editing all year in my family tree software), so that is something to focus on early in the new year.  

On the DNA research front, I am trying to encourage close relatives to test, as it makes it much easier to identify what the connections are with other matches, and it broadens the number of new relatives you can find.  So I was very happy when my maternal first cousin Mary recently decided to test at AncestryDNA (where I tested a year ago).  Her results are now in, and she is one of my top two matches at that company.  So now I am on a mission to review and contact all our shared matches, most of whom are 4th to distant cousins.  I am currently corresponding with some newly found ANDREW and COMPTON cousins, and this gives me great pleasure:)  My list of contacts is happily growing.  Last year my maternal cousin Lorelei (also a cousin of Mary) tested Family Tree DNA (where I originally tested late in 2015), so this provides a 3rd set of results from the same grandparents on my mother's side.  I also have a first cousin Sherrill on my father's side who has tested.  Thank you all!  Terry' sister has also tested, as well as our older son.  It's fascinating to compare both the variances and similarities between related matches, and through their results get access to even more new cousins.  

Family history is my passion and I consider it my personal treasure hunt.  That's because each of our families is important and very special,  and learning their stories truly does help you better understand your roots.  So here's wishing all of you and your special families a wonderful Christmas, and happy and healthy times in 2019.

DNA testing has added a whole new dimension to my genealogy research this year,  but it’s proving more difficult than expected to achieve results.   Of course there is a learning curve with any new endeavor, but understanding the technology is only part of the roadblocks I’ve been facing.

In my last blog post I talked about the different types of DNA tests and the reasons why I chose to test my autosomal (family finder) DNA through FamilyTree DNA (FTDNA).  I want to find new cousins, and validate what I have already found through traditional research.  The results of this DNA test include a list people who share a varying amount of DNA with you on one or more chromosomes, their contact information, and an estimate of how closely you are related.  The autosomal DNA tests identify matches from both your father and mother’s side, but they’re all mixed together.  It’s up to you to use your traditional genealogy research and other DNA successes to figure out which line and which common ancestors you share.   
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Generally speaking, the more segments and the bigger the segments, the closer you are related to any given match.  The further back you go, the more possible ancestors there are to check or find.  There are tools provided so you can see which chromosomes are involved, and tools that allow you to identify subgroups that are “in common with” each other.  Here’s just one small example clipped from the Chromosome Browser tool at Family Tree DNA.  

The Chromosome Browser displays up to five selected people at a time, each represented by a different color.  It shows the relative lengths and positions of the DNA segment(s) that each share with you on all 22 chromosomes (this example just shows chromosomes 7, 8 and 9 as most of the other chromosomes do not apply in this example).  The smaller segments have not been included as they are not reliable.  The yellow person is actually my new 3rd cousin, who also shares smaller segments with me on chromosomes 1 and 16 (not displayed here).  He is also a match with the pink, green, blue and orange people, although we don’t yet know how any of them connect with us.  Note that the pink does not overlap with green, blue or orange, meaning he is not related to them (at least through this area of chromosome 7). But I am, somehow.  I have used another relationship matrix tool to confirm that these “in common with” deductions are correct.

See the bottom of this posting for an example of another type of chart, created using a powerful analytical tool on the third-party site dnagedcom.com - it's free to use if you already have your autosomal DNA data from other providers such as Family Tree DNA and are willing to upload it to another site.  These reports will help you focus you research, one chromosome and group of common matches at a time, contacting these matches in the hopes of finding common surnames and common ancestors.

One of the biggest hurdles is that many people do not yet know who all their direct line ancestors are back 5 or 6 generations.  They have gaps in their pedigree charts (as do I) where the common ancestors could be “hiding”.  Another problem is that only a small percentage of people have had their DNA  tested - it’s a relatively new technology.  And if they haven’t tested, you can’t find them as a match.  And even if they’ve tested, quite a few don’t answer your emails.  It can get discouraging.  It makes me very grateful for those who do reply.

None of my more immediate family has had their DNA tested yet.  I now understand the benefits of knowing the DNA results for close relatives: it is much easier to determine which common segments on each chromosome came from which line or ancestor.  For example,  you might identify large segments on chromosomes 4, 9 and 11 (for instance) that is inherited from your mother, and other segments on specific chromosomes from your father's mother, etc..  By “mapping” our chromosomes in this fashion, we can then use this knowledge to zero in on the appropriate line and common ancestors for more distant DNA cousins.  

​I hereby encourage my close relatives to take a Family Finder DNA test:)

Since receiving the results of my autosomal DNA test this past January from Family Tree DNA, I have:

• Downloaded my match data into Excel for analysis, then sorted by name and also by chromosome and segment start position, saving several versions of the sorted spreadsheet for quicker access.
• Downloaded my raw data and uploaded it to the free gedmatch.com (available to 23andMe and Ancestry customers as well as FTDNA) to increase the number of matches available and access their powerful analysis tools.
• Uploaded my result to another analysis site at DNAGedcom.com  which makes it easier to understand my match information.
• Joined an email group for “Newbie DNA” folks (I’m now getting inundated with emails!)
• Done a lot of reading to learn more about the theory, matching process, idiosyncrasies and limitations.
• Done more traditional research on my father’s tree to find more ancestors and increase my chances of finding more common ancestors.
• Sent emails to 54 of my matches.  22 of these have not bothered to reply (not a very encouraging ratio) but I'm enjoying continuing conversations with some of the others. 
• Found how I connect to 7 of my matches :
  
  • 1 3rd cousin once removed (3C1R) on my mother’s side who I knew prior to DNA testing (as reported in my last posting: "My DNA Adventure Begins");
    
  • 6 new cousins on my father’s side.
    

It is a real gift to now be in contact with six new paternal DNA cousins.  My closest match turns out to be my 3rd cousin (3C) Bob, which is within the predicted 2nd to 4th cousin range. Our common ancestors are my great-great-grandparents Jesse HENSON and Phoebe FRALEY (or FRILEY).  I can only assume that the DNA associated with one of these two common ancestors is our largest shared segment on chromosome 7 (as displayed in the above chromosome browser diagram), but I won’t know for sure until I have explored and “mapped” the other three chromosome segments that we also share.

I also have a new 4th cousin Marla who connects through may paternal HUNT and ALLEN ancestors.  We share a DNA segment on chromosome 3.  I have two new 5th cousins, both connected through the OSBURN and LEMASTER line: one match involves chromosome 2 and the other chromosome 11.

​The final two cousins are further back than expected in my HARPER line - they’re my 6th cousins once removed (6C1R) and share DNA on chromosome 4.  This is about as far back as you can reliably go with this autosomal DNA testing.  So I’m celebrating!

I have also been very fortunate to have met up with Donna, a very knowledgeable woman who happens to administer the DNA account for one of my matches, even though she is not related to either of us.  She has graciously shared some of her experiences, tips and links with me, and helped me identify the common ancestors with a new distant cousin.  This particular connection happened to be a couple of generations further back than expected, which (I am told) can be the case when there are intermarriages in the direct lines.  As I do not yet know where and when these potential intermarriages occurred, there is still plenty to investigate in this line.

Location also plays a key role in uncovering common ancestors.  At the right time, ancestors from both matches must have been in the same location.  The main reason that all 6 of my new DNA cousins are on my father’s side is because all his known ancestors lived in the USA, whereas most of my mother’s ancestors lived in England or Canada.  It seems that most of the people who have had their DNA tested through FTDNA (and who are also matches with me) also have ancestors in the USA.  So the supply of matches is heavily weighted in favor of my paternal ancestors.  My father’s ancestors tended to follow the frontier west where historical records are more scarce.  Learning more about the history of migration and settlement through land and military records as well as local histories can sometimes bear fruit.  But I too still have some persistent gaps in my tree which can be clearly seen in my father's HENSON pedigree chart.

So is DNA genealogy research really worth it?  Most definitely!  I'm hooked.   I have heard several good luck stories from other researchers where DNA research has helped knock down a brick wall.  I've also heard stories of mistaken paternity when ancestors had taken on the surname of a step-father. Thanks to DNA research,  their trees can now be enhanced and corrected.  My tree has already grown as a result.  

Although DNA research cannot find all your relatives, it is indeed a powerful new and evolving tool to enhance and assist your traditional research methods.  I'm only getting started!  

What are your experiences with DNA research?
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REFERENCES & FURTHER READING

DNA Explained - http://dna-explained.com/
Autosomal Results Basics: http://dna-explained.com/2012/08/19/autosomal-results-the-basics/
DNA Tutorials - http://www.dnaexplain.com/Publications/Publications.asp
Beginners Guide to Genetic Genealogy (with links to tutorials) - https://sites.google.com/site/wheatonsurname/beginners-guide-to-genetic-genealogy
Face it: DNA cannot find all your relatives - 
https://medium.com/@dl1dl1/face-it-dna-cannot-find-all-your-relatives-f68089b8e1e9#.v13l8jhsq
Chromosome Basics Video - http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/chromosomes/  
Segment-ology -  http://segmentology.org/

Additional tools if you already have your test results:
GEDmatch Tools for DNA and Genealogical Research (free) - https://www.gedmatch.com
GEDmatch Basics Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acGJmLlsWg4&feature=youtu.be

DNAgedcom Tools (free) - http://www.dnagedcom.com/
Their "Autosomal DNA Segment Analyzer" Tool (ADSA) is extremely powerful - it can create a single chart for each chromosome that lists all your matches, details of the segment shared, and a grid of who shares relatives with each other ("in common with" matrix).  Everything you need shown in one place.  In the following example from my matches I have blocked out my match names and email addresses for privacy reasons (click to enlarge further):

Last October I attended a genealogy seminar put on by our local Victoria Genealogical Society (VGS), dedicated to the topic of DNA research.  I learned more about the scientific facts of DNA,  types of tests and suppliers, risks, plus the limitations and benefits of getting your DNA tested for genealogical purposes.    Spurred on by the momentum and enthusiasm of the excellent speakers and the sold out attendees, I decided to get tested through Family Tree DNA (ftDNA). 

Existing knowledge of DNA and its application has certainly increased since I learned the fundaments of DNA in high school Biology 11.  But it is still true that almost all our cells contain 23 pairs of chromosomes that define who we are: 1 pair of sex chromosomes, and 22 "autosomal" pairs.  DNA testing could be deemed sexist due to our inherent biology (girls have 2 X chromosomes, whereas guys have 1 X and 1 Y). We are not all created equal.  As I am female and lack a Y chromosome, I am unable to take the Y test.  But there are other options.

There is no specific test for the X chromosome yet, and as males also inherit an X chromosome from their mothers, it would not be an exclusive test.  But there is a lesser amount of DNA in the cell's mitochondria that is inherited only from the mother, regardless of sex.  Therefore mitochondrial (mt) tests can give everyone insight into their direct female line (mother's mother's mother's mother ...).  That's interesting, but not very broad in scope for a single individual.

The remaining test looks at a limited selection of locations on all 22 pairs of the autosomal DNA.  The testing company then use complicated algorithms to compare your results with others who have also taken this same test. They then provide you with a list of "matches": those who are related to you within 5 generations or so.  Each match could be on either your father or mother's side - no way to tell from the DNA alone.  And of course it doesn't tell you exactly how you are connected.  The only clues you have are surnames optionally posted by you and your matches based on your traditional genealogy research. It's then up to you to contact each match and explore how you might be related. More traditional research is often required to discover exactly how you are connected.

These various tests usually include an estimate of your genetic heritage or "ethnicity",  presented in the form of percentages by country or region.   They calculate this based on samplings from a variety of population groups in various locations throughout the world where unique mutations have been identified.  If your DNA includes some of these mutations, it is probable that your ancestors came from that particular location after the mutation date. We're talking long term here!  


For my DNA test, I chose to take the autosomal "Family Finder" test through Family Tree DNA (ftDNA).  I ordered the kit at the end of October.  After in arrived I did the cheek swab and mailed it back in November.  I got word that they had received it in December (it took a while to cross the border and get delivered in the pre-Christmas season). I still didn't have the results by January 14 when I attended another VGS meeting and one of our members talked about her success using the Family Finder DNA test.  She discovered and then visited new 5th cousins in the southern USA. The amazing part is that she is white and they are black and they are all thrilled to learn about each other.  It was truly inspiring, and I hoped that I would also learn a lot from my own DNA results when they arrived.

​The very next day I received an email from ftDNA.  My results were now available online!  Looking first at my ethnicity, it was no surprise to learn that I am 100% European, including 40% British Isles and 31% Scandinavian (perhaps the Viking influence?). And as far as autosomal matches were concerned, I have well over 200 to review.   My top match is a 2nd or 3rd cousin, and from the surnames he listed it seems obvious that we are connected somehow through my father's side.  I have a lot of more distant cousins to investigate too.

In the last couple of weeks I have sent out 14 queries to 14 of my DNA matches.  Six have not yet responded (including my top match), but lively email discussions are ongoing with some of the others.  Generally speaking, it's been harder than I thought it would be to figure out how I'm connected to each of the matches.  But the good news is that I have already found one connection. I was lucky to find it so quickly considering the circumstances.

I had downloaded all the match data into a spreadsheet to make the data easier to view, sort and manipulate.  Then when I was browsing through the user names of the submitters (fortunately close or equal to their real names in most cases), one familiar name happened to catch my eye even though it was farther down the list.  I thought it might belong to a maternal 4th cousin I had contacted a few years ago, but the person in my match list only used a first initial and had a different email address.  And they hadn't listed any ancestral surnames, so it was hard to be sure.  So I decided to contact her using her old address to see if she was also the owner of the DNA.  I quickly learned that yes, she was the one who had created the DNA account but the DNA sample belonged to her elderly father, who I know is my third cousin once removed (3C1R).  The DNA list predicted that the match would be a 4th cousin (3rd to 5th range).  So we all got it right!

Obviously I'm just getting started on this big project, hoping to find lots more distant relatives through this DNA process in the months to come.  Guess what the primary focus of my research and blog postings will be this year?


REFERENCES
 
DNA Explained, blog 
DNA Explained, articles and publications - basic to advanced 
Family Tree DNA - Family Finder Autosomal Test overview
Family Tree DNA - How does the Family Finder test work?
Family Tree DNA - FAQs, Autosomal Genealogy Matching