The DNA Journey: Assume Nothing
There really is a devil in the details, sometimes
Greetings, fellow genealogy sleuths!
If I have learned anything at all over the past five years of my journey, it’s that occasionally you have to go back over the things you think you know with a fine tooth comb. Accuracy demands it.
It’s not just that the testing and research sites are constantly revising and refining their offerings, but also that sometimes you are too close in to see the clues hidden in plain sight. Walking away, then coming back to your gaps and questions, can lead you straight to some of the answers you’re seeking.
E X T E N D E D FAMILY
I’ve got a new close cousin on my paternal side! I had already decided to give that tree more attention lately, so to have her hit my 4th Cousin grouping on Ancestry (with a bullet) was welcome news! Here’s the thing — she had NO clue that she had any Black ancestry. But, unlike some of the other ignorant folks I’ve encountered, this cousin is excited to figure out her truth and I am totally down to help her get there.
While assisting this cousin with her research, I was led to review the information for known relatives on this same part of the tree. And whew…these folks had some very complicated relationships! I think we sometimes sanctify the memories of…
