52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 15 (DNA)
All the names this week have been changed for privacy sake since they deal with living folks. The only name that is real is mine. I decided alias names would allow for my story to flow nicely while still protecting the privacy of my new found cousins.
I first began searching because I descend from at least 3 black sheep which resulted in my having no idea where my family came from. I waited patiently for Ancestry DNA to become available in Canada so I could finally figure it all out. The announcement was made that it would be available in Canada a few months after my birthday. My husband gave me a homemade gift certificate for Ancestry DNA in my birthday card that year. I waited patiently until I could order it. Waited patiently for the kit to arrive. Waited impatiently for the test to be processed. Was surprised when the email arrived saying the results were available about a week before expected.
I quickly signed in to see my results feeling super excited that all would be revealed. I was sad to see that I had a long list of extended relatives in the distant cousin range with no way of figuring out how they were related to me. I did have one closer 2nd cousin match, but I was already collaborating with him so his match didn't provide any more information.
About a year later I convinced my dad to do his Ancestry DNA, and then later still my mom's mom and sister did theirs for me. With all of these DNA matches I was able to figure out how I was related to many of the matches, and my tree began to expand in ways that traditional paper researching may not have done for me.
Sometime last summer I signed on to Ancestry to find that I had some new DNA matches to explore. I found that I had two that the only in commons were the three of us. I sent a message to them both. 6 Months went by, and I never heard anything from either of them. Finally one of them replied saying that they were adopted so didn't have much info for me besides the name of their natural father's mother, Iris Fletcher. This person said that they didn't know anything besides the name. I immediately replied that I had grown up listening to my grandmother's Iris Tales, and had quite a bit on that side of the family in my tree. I sent an invite to my tree. I now had a little more information to send to the other match we had in common. I sent a more detailed email outlining what I knew about our connection, and asked if they were related to Iris' sister Holly. This time I also mentioned where I lived, and added my last name.
In mere minutes I received a response asking if I was married to Carson Buchanan. My immediate thought was 'really, what does he have to do with my dad's side of the tree'. I asked Carson to come look at my computer monitor. He looked over my shoulder, and says "Oh yah, it's Rob". I'm sitting there surprised, and ask him "How do you know Robert Chapman?". Carson says "You know him too. I worked with him here before he moved back to his home community." He then casually mentioned that Robert's mom Jenny lives across town.
I had been searching far & wide for folks on all branches of my tree, and all this time some of the answers were just across town.
The story becomes even more shocking when I realized that Jenny had been attending a genealogy group at my work's other location. The same location I had worked at previously, and very likely helped Jenny a time or two. At no time did Jenny's research produce the fact that I was living locally.
Then I discovered my husband sat at Jenny's table with clear view to a family photo that I have. It didn't look familiar to him because hers is large, in colour and framed. Mine is this small black & white photocopy.
The initial email exchange with Robert Chapman took place shortly before Thanksgiving 2018. That Thanksgiving we had had cousin Jenny join us. A while later Jenny's sister came to visit, and I met another new cousin. At Christmas Robert came over, and cooked us an amazing prime rib meal. Throughout all three visits the conversations revolved around how folks were related, what they were doing now, and many photos were shared.
Since that time I was able to use Ancestry DNA matches along with MyHeritage to confirm the research in my tree. I have gotten a couple of generations further up the tree. I now have more cousins who know a whole lot more about my family tree than my side of the family ever knew.
I first began searching because I descend from at least 3 black sheep which resulted in my having no idea where my family came from. I waited patiently for Ancestry DNA to become available in Canada so I could finally figure it all out. The announcement was made that it would be available in Canada a few months after my birthday. My husband gave me a homemade gift certificate for Ancestry DNA in my birthday card that year. I waited patiently until I could order it. Waited patiently for the kit to arrive. Waited impatiently for the test to be processed. Was surprised when the email arrived saying the results were available about a week before expected.
I quickly signed in to see my results feeling super excited that all would be revealed. I was sad to see that I had a long list of extended relatives in the distant cousin range with no way of figuring out how they were related to me. I did have one closer 2nd cousin match, but I was already collaborating with him so his match didn't provide any more information.
About a year later I convinced my dad to do his Ancestry DNA, and then later still my mom's mom and sister did theirs for me. With all of these DNA matches I was able to figure out how I was related to many of the matches, and my tree began to expand in ways that traditional paper researching may not have done for me.
Sometime last summer I signed on to Ancestry to find that I had some new DNA matches to explore. I found that I had two that the only in commons were the three of us. I sent a message to them both. 6 Months went by, and I never heard anything from either of them. Finally one of them replied saying that they were adopted so didn't have much info for me besides the name of their natural father's mother, Iris Fletcher. This person said that they didn't know anything besides the name. I immediately replied that I had grown up listening to my grandmother's Iris Tales, and had quite a bit on that side of the family in my tree. I sent an invite to my tree. I now had a little more information to send to the other match we had in common. I sent a more detailed email outlining what I knew about our connection, and asked if they were related to Iris' sister Holly. This time I also mentioned where I lived, and added my last name.
In mere minutes I received a response asking if I was married to Carson Buchanan. My immediate thought was 'really, what does he have to do with my dad's side of the tree'. I asked Carson to come look at my computer monitor. He looked over my shoulder, and says "Oh yah, it's Rob". I'm sitting there surprised, and ask him "How do you know Robert Chapman?". Carson says "You know him too. I worked with him here before he moved back to his home community." He then casually mentioned that Robert's mom Jenny lives across town.
I had been searching far & wide for folks on all branches of my tree, and all this time some of the answers were just across town.
The story becomes even more shocking when I realized that Jenny had been attending a genealogy group at my work's other location. The same location I had worked at previously, and very likely helped Jenny a time or two. At no time did Jenny's research produce the fact that I was living locally.
Then I discovered my husband sat at Jenny's table with clear view to a family photo that I have. It didn't look familiar to him because hers is large, in colour and framed. Mine is this small black & white photocopy.
 |
| Slicer Family Back: Jane, Peter, Dave, Lizzie (my great grandmother) Front: Eva, Father (Peter), Jimmy, Adam, Mother (Marion nee Jack), Mary (as recorded with the photo by the cousin who provided the photo) |
The initial email exchange with Robert Chapman took place shortly before Thanksgiving 2018. That Thanksgiving we had had cousin Jenny join us. A while later Jenny's sister came to visit, and I met another new cousin. At Christmas Robert came over, and cooked us an amazing prime rib meal. Throughout all three visits the conversations revolved around how folks were related, what they were doing now, and many photos were shared.
Since that time I was able to use Ancestry DNA matches along with MyHeritage to confirm the research in my tree. I have gotten a couple of generations further up the tree. I now have more cousins who know a whole lot more about my family tree than my side of the family ever knew.
When searching far & wide don't forget to look in your very own neighbourhood.
This is why I search -
Cause ...
You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
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