Anyone interested in genealogy family trees and DNA?

[Cyd]

A caution… “rabbit holes”…using public sites anyone can post…
When making notes, there is often “a questionable person”, that “might be” related, requiring further research …
While it can be “noted, as possible”…


…Such information being read, repeated, several times…”magically becomes a fact when people do not regard the “guessing, the maybe, as a possibility”… and carry on as it is a Fact.”

Had… a gggFather… knew his place of residence, his burial place… but could not find a “local recorded death certificate”…
Puzzling!!
Found through old letters, he died in another State, while on a brief visit to see his daughter.

Some “cemeteries” will allow, additional information to be stored in their office, along with the records of the deceased buried…
Such as:
News clippings of Obituaries…
List of family members, brief notes, parents, spouses, children, dates, places.

If you are visiting plots for photos, always stop by and ask the office, if there are any additional notes. Or call, the contact, if no office onsite.

I once (years ago) had a dilemma of wanting headstone photos in another State.
Called the cemetery to see if they would take photos… uh no.

Person speaking to…I asked if they lived near by the cemetery…Yes

Asked if I sent them…the plot #, disposable camera, stamped return envelope, $20.00, would they take several photos of designated plot#, and surrounding headstones. They agreed!
All worked out well.

Also have located photos of my relatives, by discovering their “friends”, and friends relatives who had photos of “their relatives”, which had also my relatives in the photo.
Sent them, $$ for copies and postage.
Again, was successful.

Had a guy, (I cold called) tell me he had two children with no family history interest. Sent me, a box of… letters, certificates, photos… even a picture of my mother in her high school grad cap and gown!

My mother gave me, my dads funeral guest book. Two of the guests went to elementary school with my dad. I contacted them, asking if “they” had any “school group photos”… one did, and made copies for me… my dad in K, and one in 3rd grade.

Have gotten relatives “children's home made toys”, “tools” and “ladies home made hats” and “antique dishes, silverware” and hand painted dishes, from a relative visiting Holland (1910) and painting scenery on the China. Some nic-nacks, jewelry, homemade greeting cards, silhouettes, tapestry's (1915)
Interesting, good finds in my opinion. I make notes of the objects history.

Did you ever do an online family tree?

 

[Cyd]

I did the Ancestry DNA test. I'm mostly European (mainly English and Irish), and some indigenous American (they didn't get very specific on that). My great grandfather came from Greece. Oddly, the amount of Mediterranean DNA I have is relatively small.

They have me being European also yet amazing things have happened I did my DNA at ancestry because I preferred their tree software, the DNA helped solve family mysteries we didn't know existed... a ggfather was adopted had married prior had 4 children in first marriage the wife died giving birth to last child. His parents raised those children had their DNA there anyway found out true parents of his.

You can download your ancestry DNA raw file and upload it and pay like 20.00 or so to familytreedna to read it, you might find out some other interesting things ... I did that as Ancestry said no Jewish like my brother showed so uploaded it there and it was same as brothers and there.

 

[Taken]

Did you ever do an online family tree?

No. Mostly communicating (mail/ phone) with elder (some very distance) relatives.

Did trace my moms to This this land…1630… from England…
Dads side This land …1750… prisoner from England, crime stole a sheep, prison / death sentence, commuted to ( colony / 7 year indentured servant/ under GB king…) skipped out, headed westward, a few hundred miles, in war 1812.
A woman was doing this same line, had good reliable records, stopped, put it away, because (she was trying to lead back to royalty (ha ha, I thought, why)… anyway, she was ashamed of the prisoner thing and gave me her research works…!!

Also contacted years ago, with a very elderly relative, in her 80’s sharp memory, widow, no children, and lived half of year in Michigan and other half in DC and regularly went to the National Archives and shared with me oodles of information.

I found a Civil War diary, written by my G+uncle ( by a strange fluke ) located in a library, where none of my relatives lived. (Different State).
This guy wrote about him and his 5 brothers, all in the war… one my G+father.
Had the library copy all 137 pages for me.
Wildly interesting.
Written in pencil, no punctuations!

I am not on Ancestry, nor did their dna offering.
Two of my sisters, separately did the dna thing with Ancestry…
Both came back…
Moms… English
Dads….. English / Scots/ Irish
Which is what my records reflected.

Haven’t done much in the last few years, busy with other time consuming works, Have a large file cabinet full!

If in US… large local public libraries, genealogy societies, often have Old “County” Book info on early settlers. Often a photo or Sketch, of a person, home, and short story about them.

Also something in Libraries, called Polk Directory. I think that continued to the 1950’s / 60’s, not ancient… but listed addresses, name of everyone in the household, occupations, kids, “student”. Kinda cool for a more recent interest.