Finding Our Way through the DNA Maze

By TCGS Member, Connie Estep

Genetic genealogy uses DNA testing along with traditional genealogy, but it cannot replace

traditional methods. It can add an incredibly useful dimension to traditional genealogy. Margie Beldin and Marianne Orton titled their April meeting program “A Taste of Genealogy.” Their “taste” led us through more science than many of us have seen in years!

The reason for so much science is that there are three kinds of genealogy tests available. To find what we are looking for we need to know what each test can and cannot do. There are also limits to what the tests can find. The more we know about the science behind DNA, the better we can tailor it to our research needs. DNA testing is just one more tool in our genealogy research toolbox.

There is much more to absorb about DNA than can be done in an evening program but Margie and Marianne provided a handout to help that process. It includes sources for written and video formats. If you missed the meeting you will find the handout on the TCGS website (click here to go to the “Meetings and Events” page).

Ethnicity testing is available from all three tests. Autosomal DNA (atDNA) not only suggests your ethnicity but could possibly also find relatives within five generations (for relatives that are also in the database). This test is for both the mother’s and the father’s lines.

Testing of mothers’ lines is done from mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Unlike the autosomal, it doesn’t stop at five generations but goes all the way back to deep ancestry. It is the same for fathers’ lines, done from Y chromosome testing (Y-DNA, or guY-DNA).

Something to remember is that we only get half our DNA from each parent. If it is still possible to have your parents tested that is of prime importance. If that is not an option find a sibling or cousin to test or your mother's sisters or your father's brothers. The more people tested in your family the better the results will be because DNA must be compared with others’ DNA to find the links in our ancestry. Testing of the maternal and paternal lines requires direct descendants. If you are female, you would need yourself for your mother’s line and your brother for your father’s. If no siblings are available then aunts, uncles, cousins are another option. Grandchildren would also work but there would be even less of your parents' DNA.

Testing is available from Ancestry, Family Tree DNA, and 23andMe. See the handout (click here to go to the “Meetings and Events” page) for links to their websites. The meeting was well attended with 61 people.

Filling in the Holes, Beginning Genealogy Classes

By TCGS Member, Connie Estep 

Most of us learned genealogy a little at a time as we pieced together our family histories. I started that way about 2 ½ years ago but found this left holes in my background. Margie Stein Beldin gave us an organized way to begin research in this first Beginning Genealogy class on 9 March 2016.

Identify Known Family Information was the March topic. Margie provided sample forms as a starting place. These are available at the TCGS website (click here to go to the Education page). The computer will be a major tool in our research with genealogy software access and on-line searching capabilities.

TCGS Education Chairperson,
Margie Stein Beldin

The second step is to record what you know about your family; she provided a form to free-flow family details. There is also an LDS booklet for recording the same kind of information. You can order this booklet at the FamilySearch.org website in the 

My Family link.  The third step is to look through your house for family history records. I think many people would be surprised at the records they already have on hand. She also gave us a checklist of documents we might find in our homes.

The nitty-gritty of genealogy is recorded on pedigree charts for multiple generations, and family group records for details of one couple and their children. As you gather information and complete pedigree and family group records you need to think about organization. That was a major hole in my background as I’d gathered a number of documents and it became hard to locate information in the pile. Margie recommended we make a loose-leaf notebook for each of our parents. This can solve the “pile” problem.  I’ve found that a pile will avalanche once it reaches critical mass!

The Beginning Genealogy classes are scheduled through December before monthly TCGS meetings from 6:15-6:45 p.m. This first class was well attended and gave me great ideas for my research.

Sources:

http://www.tricitygenealogicalsociety.org/wiki/doku.php/tcgs:education

(or the Education tab on the TCGS website)

https://familysearch.org/myfamily (My Family tab on the FamilySearch website)

Janis Littlefield Crosses the Pond in Salt Lake City

As the Archived Document Contest came to an end entries submitted in March provided us a lot to appreciate. For an entire year we enjoyed stories of fellow researchers’ successes by finding information to enhance their research in locations that were not on the Internet. It was a little surprising that new sources could be exposed in this last month.

Mary Kircher Roddy submitted a Last Will and Testament that was over 200 years old and was filed in Lunenburg County, Virginia. Mary didn’t find this document online, but she didn’t have to travel to Virginia to obtain a copy of it either. She located it on a microfilm at the Family History Center in Salt Lake City.

Linda Stephens shared a story of heirloom napkin rings that had been turned into Sterling Silver bracelets. The pre-1890 napkin rings had been engraved with the names of family members, and this information led to additional curiosity. The curiosity led to a telephone call to a cemetery, who provided scanned images of 8 documents of family information.

Janis Littlefield won the contest for March with her submittal of a Wurttemberg Emigration document. In the late 1800s individuals that wanted to emigrate (or leave) Germany, often did so through Wurttemberg. In order to be given permission to emigrate they were required to file an application. Many did sneak out of the country, but later found it necessary to send documents back to Germany to complete immigration requirements into another country. Documents collected included family history information often complete with copies of records. This collection contains over 60,000 names and fills 8 volumes. Janis found her family in this collection while researching at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. She was able to identify three generations in one record. She declares it the best document for “crossing the pond”.

Janis wins an annual subscription to Fold3 for her winning entry. Fold3 is one of genealogist’s beloved websites. It focuses on military history and claims to have more than 482 million original documents available to browse and download.

The Archived Document Contest is officially closed. In the next month the judges have some important work to do. The twelve winning entries from each of the year’s monthly contests will be reviewed to determine two winners. The judges will be reviewing everything from 20^th century vital records to Civil War era letters. They will examine documents that tied researchers to various generations of ancestry. They will once again be exposed to records written not only in English, but also in French and German. The two final prizes are a subscription to Ancestry.com and findmypast.com. Winners will be announced in May 2016 and announcements will be made in this blog and on the TriCity Genealogical Society Facebook page.

Why Do You Do Genealogy?

Submitted by Margie STEIN Beldin, TCGS Education Chair:

When I returned home from having lunch with some friends today, I took the time to carefully read a message Renée Tomlinson Petersen had printed for us. The message was written in the early 1900s by Della M. Cummings Wright:

No sooner had I finished, when I looked at my emails and read Legacy News from Legacy Family Tree. Guest blogger Lorine McGinnis Schulze of Olive Tree Genealogy website asked "Why Do We Do Genealogy"? I had never really answered that question myself, but it did give me a reason to pause and think.

After reading Renée's handout and the above blog, can you answer why you do genealogy?

I like that the blog writer's reason for researching her family evolved from what she wanted as a beginning reasearcher to why she continues to research today. I think that may happen to a lot of us.

It's kind of like, we marry for love but over the years that love becomes a bond of security, comfort and contentment which wasn't really present at the beginning.

Doing genealogy makes me content. I don't find watching TV interesting but learning about my family and their life and times does make me pause and ponder. I imagine myself in their place. I have no family stories and just a couple of photos but when I read about someone who lived when my ancestor lived or who lived where my ancestor lived, I can envision my ancestor being there too and what his or her life might have been like.

So, why do you do genealogy?

Photos Make it Real!

by TCGS Member, Connie Estep

It’s hard to imagine a time without photographs. On March 9^th Rick Reil (rhymes with smile) beguiled the audience of the TriCity Genealogical Society for an hour in the world of photographs, using humorous examples and stories. He stressed the need to label our photos with people’s names, dates, and places now while we can remember this information, recommending we use a #2 pencil, not a pen.

1853 Ambrotype of Sally Slate's 
grandfather

Photographs are a relatively recent invention and went through quite a few distinctive formats. Knowing some of this history can provide date ranges for photographs in the early formats. TCGS member Sally Slate attended the meeting bringing several examples. She is extremely knowledgeable about these formats. This photo of two boys in a gold framed oval, an ambrotype, shows her grandfather, Charles Warren Spaulding (age 10) and his brother in 1853. Check out the Photo Tree website link below for other examples.

Sally Slate showing Margaret
Dunn her daguerreotype locket 

Other things Rick used to help date photos include women’s clothing fashion (men’s didn’t change as much) and items in the photos. Vehicles especially are helpful but other things can also offer clues. Rick provided a handout with details on these clues including types of women’s fashions that covered the 1850s to the 1920s. His handout also described six different formats of photographs through the 1920s. A copy of his handout is available at the TCGS Meetings & Events website. The Richland Family History Center has several books on dating photos, including a very good one on fashions from 1850 through 1920s. See Resources below for details.

Rick Reil helping Art
Kelly with picture dating

At the conclusion of his talk Rick looked at undated photos brought by audience members. There was quite a line of people for this but he spoke with everyone individually, telling them the approximate date and pointing out the date clues in the photos, referring them to his handout.

Resources:

• PhotoTree.com article titled Identifying 19th Century Photography Types at http://www.phototree.com/identify.htm
• Wonderful World of Ladies Fashions 1850-1920s; edited by Joseph J. Shroeder, Jr., c. 1971 This is a terrific book with illustrations from period clothing catalogs and fashion magazines. Richland Family History Center catalog # BK57.609; other photo dating books are shelved with this one.
• Meetings and Events calendar at the TriCity Genealogical Society website at http://www.tricitygenealogicalsociety.org

Susan Davis Faulkner to Purchase “History Magazine” Subscription

February’s Archived Document Contest only had two entries but they were packed with points to consider when researching. Susan Davis Faulkner submitted a copy of a birth register that she obtained from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Her great-grandmother was listed but without a first name and with a variant spelling of her surname. If Susan had relied strictly on one surname spelling she would have overlooked this important document.

Loren Schmid shared a wonderful success story that began with a DNA test. This test connected him with a researcher of two second cousins who had many documents to share. In return Loren shared a family reunion. The emphasis of Loren’s success came from collaborating with not only another researcher but also by reminiscing with living family members. He asked questions which validated the claims made by documents that were discovered.

Loren is the winner of the February contest, and he has won a subscription to History Magazine. History Magazine is a consumer magazine covering social history, in particular the day to day life of ordinary people. Loren probably has some interesting stories that he can submit to this magazine. Susan, on the other hand, plans on purchasing her subscription.

There is still time to enter the contest. March is the last month of this one-year Archived Document Contest. The winning entry for March will get a one year subscription to Fold3. Fold3 provides convenient access to US military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served. Once the winner for March’s contest is announced all winning entries will be entered into a final contest. There are two Grand Prizes. They are subscriptions to Ancestry.com and Findmypast.

To enter the contest upload a copy of a document that you obtained in any method other than downloading from the Internet to the TriCity Genealogical Society Facebook page. Include how you obtained the document and how it ties into your family history research. Entries can also be sent to Susan Davis Faulkner at denmother4@hotmail.com

Who Visits Cemeteries?

by TCGS Member, Connie Estep

Tom Sawyer & Huck Finn aren’t the only ones. Stacia Gunderson plans her vacations around them visiting not at midnight, but during daylight to read the gravestones. She shared her passion for cemetery history and the symbolism found on older gravestones with us at the February 10^th TCGS meeting.

Older gravestones have a language all their own; the various pictures and symbols tell about the

people buried there. The significance of a flower or plant varies widely: daisies for innocence, ivy for immortality and fidelity, roses for beauty, a wheat sheaf for old age, and dogwood for resurrection to name a few. There are many web sites that show the symbols and their significance. I’ve listed a couple below.

Sometimes very old gravestones are extremely difficult to read. Stacia brought rubbings she made that clearly showed details from older gravestones. Rubbings must be done without damaging gravestones; she uses rubbing wax, essentially a three inch hockey puck crayon. Crayons themselves should not be used as their sharp points can cause damage. A kit is available with a book (including the necessary information), rubbing wax, paper, and other helpful items. (See the listing below)

A local cemetery she mentioned with particularly interesting gravestones is Riverview Heights in Kennewick (more than a hundred years old). Examples of white bronze gravestones may be found here.

           

Resources:

http://www.graveaddiction.com/symbol.html

http://msghn.org/usghn/symbols.html (U.S. Genealogy & History Network)

"The Old Stone Rubbing Kit: Preserving Epitaphs and Artwork from Historical Gravestones & Monuments" is available from Amazon.com