In my last post about autosomal DNA coverage, “Find More Ancestors with Autosomal DNA by Increasing Coverage,” I discussed how testing multiple descendants of your research subject can help you find more relevant matches. I shared some examples of applying Paul Woodbury’s coverage formula and the Daniel Arnold project I’ve been working on. Today I have an example of how expanding the coverage of Barsheba Tharp helped solve the identity of her mother. Barsheba Tharp and John Robert Dyer are my husband’s 3rd-great-grandparents. They lived in Hawkins County, Tennessee from at least 1830-1880. Barsheba Tharp was born in Hawkins County...
The final step in a research project is writing a source-cited report. Although that may sound intimidating, after you’ve worked through an entire research project, writing helps to clarify what you discovered and make connections. If you have to leave the research for a time, the report will help you remember what you did and the future research steps provide a starting point for the next project. I’m working to prove a longstanding parent-child link on my Shults ancestral line using DNA evidence based on Ancestry DNA ThruLines and documentary research. In part one of this series I discussed doing...
Have you ever used the MyHeritage chromosome browser to view triangulated segments? It’s a wonderful tool. A member of the Research Like a Pro with DNA study group asked a great question about his experience using it. He said, I’ve compared the DNA of 3 people with my mom: Bob, my mom’s 1st cousin on her dad’s side two DNA cousins I’m researching, Jane and Jill (names changed) Bob triangulates with Jane on chromosome 15. Jane triangulates with Jill on the same segment on chromosome 15. Bob does NOT triangulate with Jill on chromosome 15. Shouldn’t Jill and Bob...
When working with your DNA, how often do you create a working plan to guide the research? We may recognize the need for choosing record collections to search, but how about choosing a DNA tool? With so many available, do we need to try them all or can we focus on just one or two that will work with our objective? I’ll share the research plan for my current research project in this blog post. I’m working to prove a longstanding parent-child link on my Shults ancestral line using DNA evidence based on Ancestry DNA ThruLines and documentary research. In...
Segments of DNA that reportedly match can sometimes be pseudosegments, or false segments. These pseudosegments were not inherited from a common ancestor. In this Research Like a Pro with DNA Q&A video, I discuss pseudosegments and share an example of finding a probable pseudosegment with a match at MyHeritage. When creating triangulated groups with MyHeritage matches following Jim Bartlett’s methodology, you can sort overlapping segments into two groups, one for maternal and one for paternal. If a small segment doesn’t triangulate with either group, it could be a pseudosegment. It’s important to note that you can’t always be certain whether...
DNA Day is celebrated annually on April 25th to commemorate the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 and the discovery of DNA’s double helix in 1953 by James Watson and Francis Crick. To celebrate, I am sharing ten posts / series at Family Locket that feature the use of DNA evidence to help solve genealogical research objectives. Enjoy these research projects! 1 – Colonial Pennsylvania 5th-Great-Grandparent In part nine of our Pennsylvania Germans series, Heidi Mathis shared how autosomal DNA (atDNA), genetic networks, and AncestryDNA Thrulines helped her identify her 5th-great-grandfather in colonial Pennsylvania. 2 – Immigrant Ancestor’s...
X-DNA has a unique inheritance pattern, and knowing about it can sometimes help you figure out the ancestors you share with a DNA match. Men inherit a Y chromosome from their father, and an X chromosome from their mother. It is easy to imagine that an X chromosome remains unchanged just like a Y chromosome does when it is passed from father to son, but this is not the case with X-DNA. Here is a question from someone in the Research Like a Pro with DNA study group: “This is how my X chromosome compares with my brother’s on 23andme....
Today we have the following question from a Research Like a Pro with DNA study group member: If you already know the relationship to a match, is there any other reason to contact that match? Yes, there are many reasons to contact your DNA matches, from verifying their tree, to asking them to share their matches with you. As you establish communication with them, it opens the door for further collaboration. When you need to ask them permission to share their DNA match information and line of descent from the common ancestor, it helps if you have already been in...
Today I am answering a new question for our Research Like a Pro with DNA Q&A series: “Should I sort my 23andMe matches by percent or strength of relationship?” The RLP with DNA study group member asked this question during assignment 1, which includes sorting DNA matches into color clusters using the Leeds Method. The full question is: How does 23&Me determine “Strength of Relationship?” Is this a more valuable sorting mechanism to use for producing a Leeds chart or would percentage of shared DNA work better? Or both? I noticed some individuals with whom I shared up to 100-150...
We are starting a new series called Research Like a Pro with DNA Q&A. Study group and eCourse members ask questions, and we answer them with a short video. Today, the question is: “what is the significance of the first cluster in an AutoCluster or Collins Leeds Method chart?” I answer the question by showing an example of a MyHeritage AutoCluster chart where the clusters are ordered by size (number of matches in the cluster), then reclustered by supercluster (showing links between clusters). I also discuss the settings for setting up a Collins Leeds Method cluster chart so that...
