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 Scottish and Northern Irish Origins
In “Identifying John Wilson’s Irish Origins,” Rick Wilson, a Research Like a Pro study group graduate, shared how Y-DNA and atDNA helped him identify his 6th-great grandfather’s Scottish and Northern Irish roots. This is a three-part series.
3 – Possible Brother Identified for Georgia Woman in early 1800s
Diana’s eight-part series detailing her Research Like a Pro with DNA Study group project from last year shows how she chipped away at her Cynthia (Dillard) Royston brick wall by finding a cluster of Royston DNA matches in a Gephi network graph. One of the common ancestors of that cluster is a possible brother to Cynthia named Elijah Dillard, born about 1814 in Georgia. Cynthia is Diana’s 3rd-great-grandmother.
4 – Proof of 3rd-Great-Grandmother’s Parents in Tennessee
I shared about proving my husband’s third-great-grandmother’s parents using DNA evidence in two podcast episodes with an attached proof argument. See RLP 154: Barsheba Tharp DNA Case Study Part 1 and Part 2.
5 – Family Story of 2nd-Great Grandmother Confirmed
In her nine-part series about her Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse project, Allison Kotter confirmed a family story that her mother-in-law’s great-grandmother, Mary Ella Parker, was not the daughter of the man who raised her. Mary Ella had adopted the Parker surname, but was actually a Barnes.
6 – Auto-Segment Tool Helped Confirm 5th-Great-Grandparents
Robin used the Hybrid Auto-Segment tool at Genetic Affairs with her great-aunt’s DNA results to help confirm her biological connection to her 5th-great grandparents, John Killian and Lydia Ann Hopper.
7 – Network Graph Provided Clue for Mother of Tennessee Ancestor
In ConnectedDNA: The Power of Network Graphs, I shared how a network graph helped me find a cluster of matches that provided a big clue to the mother of John Robert Dyer, my husband’s 3rd-great-grandfather.
8 – Identification of Adopted Grandmother’s Father
Hazel Scullin identified her grandmother’s father using DNA evidence in her five-part series, Finding Jeanie’s Father. Jeanie was adopted. Hazel had a breakthrough when she tested at 23andMe.
9 – DNA Evidence Confirms Documentary Research for Migrating Ancestor
Diana shared how she found DNA evidence to confirm her research that Rachel Cox, her 3rd-great-grandmother, was the daughter of Benjamin Cox. Her seven-part series details each step she followed in the Research Like a Pro with DNA process.
10 – Father of Adoptee Located
Diana wrote about how she found her adopted sister’s father using DNA evidence in “Using DNA to Find Biological Parents: 3 Tips to Get Started and a Case Study,” and follow-up article, “Solving an Adoptee Case with DNA Networks and Mind Mapping.”
Leave a Reply
Thanks for the note!