While waiting for the DNA results from the sample I mailed to Ancestry.com on August 12 (I wrote about here), I thought I’d go on the free portion of their website and get my family tree started. Just my siblings and parents, maybe include my paternal grandmother.
I should’ve known better; after just a few entries on my part, Ancestry began throwing so many suggestions at me that it grew into this in one night. Some of these names I haven’t heard or seen in many years, like my Grandma Morris’ dad, Justus Temple. He died in 1970, but I can still remember meeting him in the late 1960s and the way my grandma looked at him. She adored him.
And I didn’t know my great GREAT grandfather’s name was Benjamin Franklin.. Temple!
I discovered a sad, eerie coincidence with my maternal great grandfather, John “Hoot” Clark (who I never met); he died from burns he suffered after falling against a stove. His wife Phoebe’s maiden name? Burns.
I think what struck me more than anything was seeing a copy of the April 1950 census. It shows my dad being age 12, living with his parents and five brothers & sisters. That same census shows my mom as being only 9, living with her mom & stepdad, and younger sister.
In just 8 years time, the summer of 1958, those two would be marrying, and the birth of their first son (my older brother Duke) in May 1959.
Here’s another coincidence; it’s around 9pm as I type this, I was going to end this brief post with a lament that Ancestry has yet to get back to me with an acknowledgement they received my sample. It’s been 10-11 days, how long does it take?
But just moments after closing this post, an email popped up from them; my sample has been received. Yes! Now the waiting game can really begin. I swear, it’s like being a kid again and waiting for my birthday to get here.
Once your sample is entered, you will see a lot more! It's very interesting. I hope you find some pictures you've never seen before. I also hope you find out you're related to trump. Danielle
ReplyDeleteThank you, my lovely disturbed friend! š
DeleteWarning, you're about to fall down the rabbit hole. :p
ReplyDeleteI've been using Ancestry for nearly two years now, and it can be quite addicting and frustrating in turn. The hints do come fast and furious at first and you'll find some trees where they've been accepted without due consideration. I had to remove several generations from my maternal tree because I was able to find information that refuted the inclusion of certain individuals. But it is fun to learn about the lives of those who came before us. Have fun with it!
I think my test results came back in about 8 weeks from the date I sent the sample in. Suddenly you'll get a barrage of possible relatives. I've done very little with it, though just found a 2nd or 3rd cousin who I plan to try to contact as she may have more information that I do on our 2X great-grandfather.
Maebeme, thanks very much for sharing and honestly, that's what I hope doesn't happen (it becoming that time-consuming). My younger brother is into it, called me last night with 4th and 5th cousin information, I told him I barely know our second cousins and have no interest, sorry! Anyway, I was told it would take 5-8 weeks for my DNA results. I hope I don't have that long to wait.
DeleteI think that's wonderful, Doug, so interesting. Maybe, I should try it myself.
ReplyDeleteThank you Gigi, I think you should--I think this would be right up your alley. :^)
DeleteI'm impressed! That is lots of data. It must be fun to recall relatives you met long ago and recall the experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan! I'm sure others trees are a lot more than this, but it's a good start. As for my recall, it isn't that great except when it comes to my one grandma :^)
DeleteI enjoy mysteries and there are always a few (and interesting stories) in our family trees. I'm excited for you to get your results and flesh out your lineage. Some of those names are interesting. Burns, kind of a disturbing coincidence!
ReplyDeleteThank you Margaret (and yes that was a disturbing coincidence). My younger brother has been into this a couple years, so I'm interested to see how much our results jibe!
DeleteDug, I think you will find the DNA results interesting... and something else you will find is that they "update' them on a regular basis. I think it depends on how many people actually give them a sample... so as more people use them, more info is collected. Not sure how it works, but the % change with each update. I haven't contacted anyone from my results... but do find them interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rian, that's all I'm really looking for--the DNA results and any updates to other relatives (no contact on my end either). I don't plan on spending all my free time doing genealogical research!
DeleteI did all this stuff a few years ago, and with five siblings, some of whom were really into all of it, I didn't have to do anything and got lots of ancestry information.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing DJan--well, like you I have 5 siblings, but only one of mine has done any of this. So I'm hoping 2 DNAs are better than 1. :^)
DeleteMy daughter got caught up in that stuff for a while. What she discovered was that my maternal great grandfather was the preacher who married my paternal grandparents, back in the day before there was ever an inkling that the families would be linked.
ReplyDeleteWow Debby, now something like that would be interesting to know--when you think about how many things have been lost to history...
DeleteMy younger daughter was very involved for a while. She unravelled the mystery of my grandfather being an only child. There were two brothers, but the older one died and the next son had his first and second names, reversed. Back at the turn of the 20th century, census records could be very confused.
ReplyDeleteI was fascinated by pictures of gravestones of ancestors. I knew my great grandfather survived a couple of battles of the Civil War, but seeing a GAR marker with his grave was awesome.
Joanne thanks for sharing that about your great grandfather, that WAS awesome--I sure am hoping to learn a gem like that! And cool what your daughter figured out too. These stories are amazing.
DeleteUnlike your first response, I hope you're NOT related to Trump! I think you should delve into the relative who died due to the stove burn...it just sounds questionable with that wife's maiden name. I've heard of women hitting their husbands with pans and iron skillets! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda! Well, my maternal great-grandfather who died from burns, his wife died 10 years before him, he was living alone. But getting bonked in the head with an iron skillet... haha yep, that's deadly too! š
DeleteI started a family tree too using my father's surname to name it. Most of the entries are from my mother's side, my siblings, my children and grandchildren. I haven't looked at it in a couple of years, but I should get on there and add the twins and my great grandson. What I didn't like was all the "possible" cousins, 8th cousins, 16th cousins and so on, even a 24th possible cousin, so many emails asking if I'd like to check them out for only a small sum of $$$. No thanks.
ReplyDeleteUnreal! Thanks River, and that's exactly what I DON’T want. My younger brother called me last night with notifications of fifth cousins who had just joined Ancestry. Anything after second cousin, not interested!
DeleteHi Doug, I laughed at Danielle comment.!š This is very exciting. Back in 8th (I think) we had to do a family tree. We were to give it to our parents to fill out. I found out a few things I never knew. Have a good Thursday Doug.❤️
ReplyDeleteHi Robin--yes, Danielle's a laugh-riot! ;^) That's interesting about your 8th grade family tree... my sister Shawn did this years back for her daughter and spent a ton of time researching. Now with Ancestry's 25 million people database, and DNA too.. someone just sent me a photo of my mom's older sister from high school, I was shocked. We have no childhood photos of her, now we do. :^)
DeleteI haven’t checked Ancestry.com or had my DNA perused.
ReplyDeleteHowever, about 10 years ago I happened upon a gentleman in England whose grandfather and my grandfather were brothers.
We fell into (email) conversation and he was seriously into genealogy and had done quite a bit on my father’s side of the family (he was English). He sent me a copy of Family Tree Maker containing all the information. I updated him on the Australian side of the family.
On my mother’s side (Australian) someone had kept detailed records in a family bible in the early years of last century. A relative sent a photocopy of this and I can go back about 6 generations of the Oz side of things.
That’s about as far back as I find interesting.
Wow Peter, your grandfather's brother, what a real find. That's wonderful he was able to provide you with his own research, cool about your mother's side too. I'm honestly surprised how little I actually know about my own family--I can't imagine going back 6 generations. Well, I'm anxious to see what "hidden relatives" my own DNA pulls from the woodwork. :^)
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