Yep, this is the headline I’m envisioning in 6-8 weeks time.
If you’re wondering what I’m even talking about, I just mailed a tube of my saliva (ugh, gross) to Ancestry.com to get my DNA analyzed.
I figure with my luck, I’ll have a one-in-a-zillion chromosomal matchup with some crazy-ass serial killer who disappeared in 1989—and be mistaken for him when I come along, with my crazy-ass spit.
Here’s the thing: I didn’t even want to do this. I already figured because Dad married and had six kids (with my very white mom) that my heritage would be a mix of Irish, German and whatever else Mom was along with my dad’s Native American warrior blood.
But one sibling (who shall remain nameless) has been wrestling with a couple questions for some time now, and rankling (rankle: cause annoyance that persists) another sibling in the process.
The first sibling has been into this whole genealogy thing for awhile, unfortunately he/she is the only one of us to have submitted their DNA to sites like Ancestry.com. And only one cousin (on our dad’s side) has done the same.
So, in an effort to quell these frustrations I decided to submit my own and hopefully clear up any mysteries afoot.
It cost $110.00. $99 for the Ancestry DNA kit, and $11.00 for the shipping costs—for a box the size of 2 playing cards. It took forever to get here too, because it supposedly got lost in the UPS-USPS transfer.
In the meantime, the greedy good folks at Ancestry are hounding me to sign up for one of their membership services so I can… what? Learn that Darla Stooley from Poughkeepsie, NY and I can trace our lineage back to the same Hiram Morris who worked as a bookkeeper for the King Arthur Flour Company in 1881?
Douglas, check out these memberships!
- U.S. Discovery Membership: For $24.99 per month (or $21.99 if you commit to six months), you get access to all U.S. records.
- World Explorer Membership: For $39.99 per month (or $32.99 if you commit to six months), you get access to global records.
- All Access Membership: For $59.99 per month (or $49.99 if you commit to six months), you get access to all of Ancestry’s records as well as access to Newspapers.com, an extensive online database of newspapers, and Fold3.com, a historical military records website.
NO THANKS ANCESTRY, YOU’VE COST ENOUGH ALREADY. JUST SEND MY RESULTS PLEASE.
Has anyone else done this? If so, are you glad you did? Before sending my DNA sample back, I had to “activate” my kit which included letting them know if I wanted to keep the results private or go public and how much so. I did authorize them to put it in the national database and share it with anyone with any kind of match, so we’ll see.
As much as I admire the science behind it all (and the good it’s done for so many) I can’t help but wonder about the can of worms that stuff like this might open. Oh well—I’m guessing that by early October I’ll know more. To be continued… 
I did. You will need to sign up for a month of whatever. This way you can transfer your results to your sibling as "manager" and they can use or upload them to help figure out what they are looking for. You might get 1 month free.
ReplyDeleteI have five adult children and wrestled with it. I asked them all individually if they were comfortable with me doing it, since it affects them too, and no one had a problem. And they really didn't care if the DNA was used to unmask a serial killer.
Honestly I was shocked to find out that I have the most boring family tree with no immediate family secrets. I am related to everyone I already knew I was related to according to family records and local cemeteries for generations.
The oddest part is that my "closest" relative who tested is someone using a pseudonym. I contacted this person figuring it was someone I knew. The person responded they are adopted and have no interest in finding out anything about their family . . . . I did some detective work and they are a first cousin. I know their immediate family would not want to acknowledge this news either, so I am letting sleeping dogs lie.
Miss Merry, thanks so much for sharing--I appreciate the advice here too. Wow, even when you didn't think there was any surprises with your own tree, you still found a surprising branch with that adopted first cousin. My gosh.
DeleteIf you actually find yourself interested in using Ancestry or doing genealogy research, check with your library first. Most libraries have lots of information on the subject and many libraries offer free access to Ancestry with your library card. Personally, I have zero interest in finding long lost relatives and would prefer to lose some I already know. 😉
ReplyDeleteHaha thanks Bobi! And thanks for the tip about possible free access, I do have a new library card so I'll stop in and ask!
DeleteDuring Covid I did it and I found a lot of old family photo's I would've never seen otherwise. I think it's really interesting. - Danielle
ReplyDeleteThanks Danielle--well, I doubt I'll be so lucky but I am curious what my genetic makeup is. Just hoping for a little NA blood!
DeleteI got interested in my family history during the pandemic and have had an Ancestry, as well as Newspapers.com membership ever since. A SC1R (second cousin, once removed) got me interested when he contacted me for information about my mother's family. There is quite a mystery surrounding our 2X great-grandfather who emigrated to Canada in about 1850. Despite information on his siblings we've yet to be able to confirm his parentage, but we do know his sister's daughter is mentioned in his obituary as family. I did the DNA testing last year with the hope that I might find a relative in Scotland who might provide the key to his history. So far, nothing.
ReplyDeleteAs for an axe-murder, there are no serial murderers in the family. But, sadly, I do have a few who've taken or attempted to take the life of someone close to them. The saddest story, is that of a young fellow who worked in a bank. He spent the evening with friends at the home of a young woman. After everyone else left, he expressed his feelings for her. She apparently didn't feel the same way. He had brought the gun from the bank and shot her in the neck. Thankfully, she survived but he went down to the river and shot himself. His body was recovered from the river three days later.
What the--Maebeme, talk about interesting! Well, I don't know if I'm as ambitious to pursue things like yourself, but if anyone could motivate me, you could. Thanks so much for sharing. Wow.
DeleteI come from a very broken family. Most of us no longer speak anyway. Why on earth would I want to know that there are more people out there who want nothing to do with me?
ReplyDeleteThanks Debby, and I hear ya--well, at the very least it can tell you all the European (or Asian) pieces make up you. I'm very curious about that.
DeleteI got very into genealogy after my husband died; it gave me something to do in the evenings. I enjoyed the research and trying to track down various family lines. I actually did better with my late husband's family (including his adopted mother) than I did with my mom's Italian side. I'm still paying way too much for ancestry, so if you need me to check on anything for you, let me know. I hope you'll share your results! My dad's ethnicity was no surprise, mostly Scottish and English with some Scandinavian thrown in (thanks, Vikings!) but my mom, who thought she was 100% Italian was actually primarily Italian and French.
ReplyDeleteWow--I had no idea, thanks for sharing Margaret. I'm surprised how many people are into this... but thank you for the offer, I'm not sure what I'd be looking up at this point but who knows!
DeleteOh, and I did unearth some family skeletons and solve some mysteries, so that was fun!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for the results!
DeleteOur adult son has done quite a bit of genealogy research for our families and he did this several years ago. He also had the foresight to do it with my parents and my wife's parents (his grandparents) all in their 80s before they died. No known criminals (yet) but we did solve a genealogy mystery regarding my great-grandfather for whom there seemed to be "no trail". The DNA matches connected us to a distant cousin whose elderly mother remembered the story of this mystery ancestor. It was "colorful" and answered a lot of questions. And, as I'm told often happens, there was NO native American DNA in my father's line even though he swore that everyone in his family always said there was. I've read that many families have the belief that some certain previous relative was "Indian" but these tests often disprove that family legend. I think you'll have fun with your results.
ReplyDeleteThank you Don, and thanks for sharing your own family mystery here--wow. Also very interesting about the "no Native American roots", I was very much hoping to prove that on my Dad's side, but I'm prepared to face reality if need be. :^) Thanks again.
DeleteI had mine done and found out I'm mostly Irish and British. Boring. And now I notified when some fifth cousin is discovered. Boring. My husband didn't see the sense in getting his DNA, but he did it because I wanted to see his background, which is almost totally like mine: British and Irish. Ha! More recently, we are descended from hillbillies for the last hundred years, according to what I know.
ReplyDeleteDonna, thanks so much and you made me laugh out loud here! Descended from hillbillies, I think that's awesome!! Now you've got me excited... :^)
DeleteGood for you...adding to the national database, I think, is a good thing. I'm too cheap to do anything like this. I'm not that interested in my ancestors, thinking there were horse thieves and bank robbers somewhere in the bunch. Also, there is always the possibility of some ancestor having been a slave owner which would break my heart.
ReplyDeleteMy husband's background search might be interesting, though, as both of his grandfathers disappeared and his grandmothers remarried. He was almost a teenager before he realized his grandfathers were not biological. I think it has a lot to do with the family's severe dysfunctionality.
Thanks for sharing that dkzody, that's so interesting about your husband finding that out about his grandfathers--that would really intrigue me. I'm sure mine will be boring enough, personally I wouldn't mind a bank robber or horse thief, haha. :^)
DeleteI used Ancestry for a while. Then my two sisters-in-law started added stuff to the tree that had never been verified, complete with misspellings, incorrect dates, so I stopped using it. Serious genealogists know every item has to be verified with certificates, land deeds, etc. Good luck with your spitting investigation! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteLinda I didn't know people could do that, add stuff to "the tree" willy-nilly. Well, I wasn't planning on doing all this research, just hoping for some genetic info but I'm finding all these comments pretty intriguing. When I learn more you can bet I'll share it here. :^)
DeleteI had no idea Ancestry.com was such a big business with lots of ($$$) options. Do you see a future trip to NY to meet Darla? You could then pop over to NYC and do the city up big. Every family has a family historian!? My brother is the family historian and he has the family tree. He holds it dear and shares it with nobody. Odd but that's okay...I know about as much as I want to know about my family. You've got to laugh about family dynamics.
ReplyDeleteSusan, Darla Stoolie (and HIram Morris) were just fictional people I made up for purposes of my post, haha--I am clueless when it comes to any relatives beyond my first cousins and grandparents! But very interesting about your brother being the family historian--he sounds like MY brother, who is frustrated with the lack of information. I'm hoping my little bit helps.
DeleteHi Doug, Chuck and I have often thought about doing this. Chuck’s mom was adopted out of Germany in the 1940’s. Her birth mother was Jewish and her birth father was a German soldier. We found the birth mother’s side of the family but not the birth father’s. I imagine Ancestry is probably more expensive here in Canada than in the States. We are rather frugal too so I wouldn’t want to pay too much each month! I will have to look into this.
ReplyDeleteThanks Robin--well, I have zero intention of paying for anything outside the DNA kit, but my jaw dropped reading about Chuck's own parents. My gosh, there's probably a really interesting story there. I'm frugal too, but I do hope you look into it some. That's all I'm doing (for now).
DeleteDoug, if you look up “Chaya Blitzer speaks at Hamden Holocaust Event” on YouTube the story of Chuck’s mom (referred to as Dina, her birth name) is there.
DeleteHoly smokes--okay Robin, I will. Thanks again for sharing.
DeleteDug, I was into Ancestry a while back and did the world membership (which at that time was about $300 if memory serves), but didn't keep it up after the first year (a bit too expensive). But I did do the Ancestry DNA a few years ago. It didn't really tell me anything much that I didn't know... mostly Irish and British. My cousin researched our O'Regan side a bit more - even traveled to Ireland and met some. Did find out that our great great grandfather was from Cork, Ireland. From the DNA ancestry we did learn of my grandfather's family who moved to Canada when grandpa William moved to the US from London. Family word of mouth was that grandpa William was in the British Calvary and fought in the Boer's War... we found some evidence of this . There are more 'interesting stories' but no confirmation. Can't wait to see what you find out!
ReplyDeleteRian, this was an awesome read. Thanks so much for sharing, and wow about your cousin's travels. I really think anything I learn is going to pale in comparison! So cool about your grandpa William..
DeleteWell, crazy-ass serial killer, what did you do with the bodies you chopped up? Was that for a pleasant sautéed dinner (with some fava beans and a nice Chianti), or perhaps an interesting stew?
ReplyDeleteGreedy is right. You shouldn’t have crossed it out.
I imagine we’re all interested in what your background throws up (oops, poor choice of words).
Haha, thanks very much Peter! Compared to what others have shared here, I'm sure mine will be pretty boring..👽👽👽
DeleteI became interested in genealogy to learn why my paternal grandfather married my paternal grandmother. An Irish Protestant man married an Irish Catholic girl twenty years his junior, and a teenager, herself. I waited too long to ask the question; much of his generation had died by then. Asking among them was my best home. Worse, I actually got no information about my father because DNA is through the maternal line. My brothers were dead, and I doubt they would have participated anyway.
ReplyDeleteSo, I asked my nephews if they would participate. One said No, the other Yes. Only now I must get access to his records, and since I don't much care for him, haven't, even though I also paid for his test. The End.
Gosh Joanne, I am sorry to read this but I appreciate you sharing, it sounds both interesting and frustrating. I'm just hoping my results will help my own sibling out, I should've done this the first time I was asked. Maybe you should just take a swallow and ask that nephew, and get it over with. I hope you do.
DeleteI got the same "sign up for..." messages when I did my DNA test. I was hoping to find out more about my dad's side of the family, but apparently there is nothing to be found. I guess no one from his side ever did any DNA testing and as far as I know there is no one else surviving anyway. I was interested to find my own DNA includes a little English and Irish. Those old time Vikings really got around didn't they? I'm mostly Swedish at 40%.
ReplyDeleteRiver, I'm sorry you didn't find more from your dad's side. I was speaking to my brother last night and he was reading his results to me, he said his DNA also included english, Irish and German. The 40% Swedish though, that's very interesting!
DeleteMy mother's ancestry is all Swedish.
DeleteAlso, when my brother had his DNA done, they listed him as a cousin because we have different fathers so the DNA didn't match enough for siblings.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading up on this a bit the last few days and I saw that half siblings can be seen as cousins sometimes. Well as long as you knew in advance!
DeleteWell, good for you! I think it's good to research your ethnicity and perhaps find some relatives you might like to meet online. Keep us apprised as to the results.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gigi, I was thinkiing of you when I signed up for this... I thought Maria did this recently. Well, I'm not really looking for any long lost family members but you never know who will show up so we'll see.. :^)
DeleteMy brother and I both had our dna tested. We were searching for an unknown grandparent, but with the gazillions of “ cousins” I never could figure out where they came from. I live far away from my birth state and have third to fifth cousins in the next town over, crazy! I do like doing my family tree though, I’ve learned so many interesting things. My family went west, with all the hardships of covered wagons etc and lots of them led long lives. Joyce
ReplyDeleteJoyce that's cool you & your brother both did it. I'd love to get another sibling in on this. And too funny about the third to fifth cousins, that's exactly what I don't want, haha! But loved the "going west" stuff you were able to dig up. I hope I can find something similar. Thanks for sharing. ::^)
DeleteDon’t be surprised if no Native American ties show up in your results. My great grandfather was full blooded American Indian. My results showed 0 % Native American. I was stunned. So I started investigating and found several articles regarding why it may not show up. You should Google it. I had a few very low percentages of some surprising ancestry. I don’t have the patience to dig into the research to fully understand my lineage. My Mother’s family actually has a published book of her family tree. Lots of surprises there. My father’s side is where the Indian blood is.
ReplyDeleteAnon, thanks very much for sharing. A couple people wrote me and said that lineage and DNA were two different things. I'll have to google this as you suggested. And wow about your mom's family tree being published, did it contain several noteworthy people?
DeleteI haven't been around lately, but it's good to see you're still going strong. I did my ancestry awhile ago -- I forget which one -- and the results were as expected, except they reported that my DNA was something like 3% Neanderthal. That was a surprise!
ReplyDeleteHi Tom, it's good to hear from you, I was wondering about you--ok forgive me but you made me laugh out loud here--I hope I have Neanderthal in my DNA results too!!
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