GREAT NEWS: This book is now available. Click HERE to order. I have exciting news! I am happy to announce that my new book, From Fragments to Foundation: Uncovering a Buried History of Tragedy and Triumph, will be released in late October. Ordering will be available soon. Stay tuned! Please see book details below for a …
Tag: ancestry
Breaking Down that Ugly 1870 Brick Wall: Tracing Your Enslaved Ancestors
You’ve traced your African American ancestry back to the 1870 U.S. Census, only to hit what genealogists often call the "1870 brick wall." You’ve read books and articles about slavery in America and now face the question: How do I research my family’s history beyond emancipation? How do I identify and document my enslaved ancestors? …
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Is Ancestry’s Pro Tools Worth It?
Someone recently asked if Ancestry.com’s Pro Tools is worth the investment. I wanted to share a quick example based on my experience. (Note: I’m not affiliated with Ancestry.com.) For me, it became worthwhile when they introduced the Enhanced Shared Matches feature. This tool shows how much DNA a match shares with your shared matches—those who …
“They Were Born in Africa”: Was This Correct?
An incredible discovery surfaced when I found another genetic group (or genetic network) among my mother's sister's DNA matches. They were discovered when I saw that Cousin A below shares 21 cM over 2 segments with my aunt on her maternal side, per AncestryDNA. Among the shared DNA matches were four others who also had a Lomax …
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Be Cautious with DNA Matches
Genetic groups are very instrumental in discovering family connections that had been either unknown or is a genetic verification to family already found from genealogy research. All my genetic genealogy cases on this blog involve finding or confirming a family member after uncovering genetic groups (i.e. genetic networks) among my parents’ DNA matches. A genetic …
There’s History in a Name: Connecting Dots to the 18th Century
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 …
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My “Lauren Lake Moments” with Genetic Genealogy
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 …
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Roots Revealed 