DNA continues to be a strong sledgehammer to pre-Civil War brick walls. This case underscores at least 23 research tips. They are in the conclusion below. Since 1993, I have researched the roots of my mother’s paternal grandfather, William “Bill” Reed (1846-1937) of Tate County, Mississippi. He migrated to northern Mississippi shortly after slavery from …
Continue reading There’s History in a Name: Connecting Dots to the 18th Century
Lauren Lake is a lawyer who was the presiding judge over the television show Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court, where people enter the courtroom to verify the paternity of someone or themselves. It ran for 8 seasons until it was cancelled in 2021, but episodes can still be seen on Amazon Prime. When Lake reads the …
Continue reading My “Lauren Lake Moments” with Genetic Genealogy
In 2015, several research buddies and I journeyed to Richmond, Virginia to research at the Library of Virginia. As I often recommend, I devised a research plan of names and records to explore. My focus was the records of Rev. William Parrott and his family. He was the last enslaver of my great-great-grandmother, Jane Parrott …
Continue reading One of my Most Heartbreaking Genealogical Discoveries
Recently, Ancestry.com released a new feature with Pro Tools that shows how much DNA your DNA matches share with each other and the estimated relationship between them. Like many, this caused me to immediately get the Pro Tools. Seeing how much DNA is shared between a DNA match and the shared DNA matches will assist …
Continue reading Leveraging Ancestry’s Pro Tools for More Genetic Intel
When researching enslaved ancestors, unfortunately there will be some enslaved ancestors and family members we won’t be able to identify by name. DNA indicates to us that they existed. But due to America’s inhumane laws regarding chattel slavery, their names, their marriages, and many aspects of their lives were not recorded. For me, even after …
Continue reading Gone Before 1870; Chromosome Mapping Helped to Uncover Her Existence
In the targeted area above, I posit that my enslaved maternal 3X-great-grandmother, named Lucy, was likely taken away from this area during the Second Middle Passage. This area is in the northern part of Pittsylvania County, Virginia. DNA was the “North Star” that led me to this Virginia county. The Deep South experienced a great …
Continue reading From Mississippi to the Upper South: DNA was the “North Star”
“Brick wall” is a metaphor used in genealogical and historical research when one reaches a point in their research where he/she is unable to progress further or “dig deeper.” All researchers encounter it. For those tracing African American ancestors, this proverbial brick wall is commonly encountered at the 1870 U.S. Federal Census, a vitally important census …
When we research our enslaved ancestors, we must consider several different scenarios concerning family relationships. Our ancestors were considered “property,” and many enslaved men were forced to procreate with other women to increase an enslaver’s wealth. Breeding occurred on many farms and plantations. Also, many enslaved women were required to bear as many children as …
Our X chromosomes matter! When I tested with 23andMe, I was surprised to see that my single X chromosome contains a long Native American segment. It is colored in gold below. My X chromosome (23andMe) Males inherit their X chromosome from their mothers, so I awaited my mother’s 23andMe results to see her X chromosome. …
Continue reading From Whom Did This Native American DNA Come From?
2023 Edwards Family Reunion, Oklahoma City, OK, Edwards Park, photo by Oklahoma Reunion Committee Back in 1993, when I began researching my family, my mother’s oldest living first cousin told me that their grandfather, Bill Reed, had a sister named Aunt Hattie Whiting. Another family elder corroborated his claim. My mother even remembered her only …
Roots Revealed 