Begin with 'Craft'

Double-Cousin DNA

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:55:00 +0000

This week I received my double (possibly triple?) cousin's DNA results from 23andMe. It took exactly six weeks to receive these results, which is the longest I've ever had to wait with this company.

Cousin Anne and I are related at least twice on my dad's side of his family, through each of his parents. Anne and I are 1st cousins, 2x removed and 2nd cousins, 1x removed. We might also be related about six generations back, also on my dad's side of the family.

I was extremely curious to see how much DNA we had in common and which matches we would have in common. I also hoped to find more matches on my paternal grandfather's side of the family, which she is genetically closer to. It turns out that Cousin Anne and I share about 4.3% of our DNA in 322 cM. I uploaded the data to Gedmatch so that I could compare it with my dad's ftDNA data. It turns out that they share twice as much data, at 644 cM.

Here's what our data looks like, with my the blue being my dad and the pink being myself:

Trixie, In Memoriam

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:10:00 +0000

In 1997 a friend's dog had puppies. Having gotten our first dog the previous year, we thought we could convinced our parents to let us have one of the puppies. We were successful and, after much debate over which puppy, brought home the one that we'd been referring to as Mud-Face. She was a pale blond except for on her face, which was a light brown. We liked the name (we were 13), but Mom said that it wasn't an acceptable name for a dog. Our brother picked Trixie, as in Speed Racer's girlfriend. She ended up outgrowing her coloring, so the name change worked out.

Trixie was different from our other dog. She was a bit more standoffish and wanted to do what she wanted to do. Sometimes I would say that her personality was more cat-like. If she didn't want to do something, she just ignored you. She looked a little silly too. Upon seeing her for the first time, my grandmama exclaimed "that's a dog?" If we let her fur grow out, she was something of a ball of fluff. I would sometimes call her my dandelion dog. She loved cheese and would run across the house at the sound of the wrapper being removed.

Last week Trixie got sick, so we took her to the vet. We had x-rays done which showed a lump in her lung. At close to 15 years old we decided to give her medication and hope for the best. Unfortunately she declined rapidly and, only 10 days after first showing signs of illness, passed away quietly at home. The last few days have just been heartbreaking, seeing what was coming but not being able to do anything to prevent it.

Loosing our two childhood dogs within just a little more than a year of each other has been difficult. It feels like an ending to something, I'm not sure what. Betsey and Trixie brought a lot of love and happy memories to our family, ones that we will cherish forever.

Changes I'd Like To See at 23andMe

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:26:00 +0000

23andMe' new Ancestry Ambassadors Group, made up of customers, has posted in the community asking "what improvements we would all like to see for Ancestry in 2012." The query was for everyone's top two requests. I thought I'd post my additional thoughts here, where I have more room to expound. My concerns are more about improving the system already in place, rather than introducing brand new features. These are in no particular order, but simply stream of thought.

The Ability to Hide Non-responsive Relative Finder Matches. I have 1,005 matches, which is capped. When I get new matches they have to be closer than my furthest match to show up in my results. This then kicks out my more distant matches. Unfortunately, the vast majority of my matches are "anonymous" and do not reply to invitations. I would love to be able to hide these matches. If you have an ancestry.com family tree, think about how the hints feature works. You can "ignore" a hint, but it doesn't go away entirely. It actually gets moved to another tab, which you can always access later to bring back that hint. So for example, if I have a RF match at 23andMe who has not responded to my sharing invitation, I can "hide" it. If I want to try again later I can view my hidden matches and resend the invite. If they eventually respond I can bring them back to my main page of matches.
No Anonymous Relative Finder Matches. I don't know why anyone would want to participate in Relative Finder and yet keep themselves private. How are new cousins going to find you when they can't see your ancestral information? There's nothing to differentiate between an anonymous match is only there for health or is actually interested in genealogy. If you want to participate in Relative Finder you should be required to fully participate. Why would someone else want to share with someone who can't share anything at all to begin with?
Gedcom import / Family Tree App. This is a feature that's badly needed. 23andMe does have a place to record surnames and another place to record locations where your ancestors lived, but there is a disconnect between the two. You know that your match has Millers, and that they have ancestors from Edgefield County, SC. But I don't know if their Millers are from Edgefield. If this information was in the format of a family tree there would be a clear connection between surnames and locations. They already have a start on this, with the Family Health History tool. This is a tool designed to help trace health risks through your family tree. A version of this could be integrated into profiles, minus the medical data. This tool does need work though: when I "auto sort" my tree I end up with grandparents on different vertical levels and other strange arrangements.
Eliminate 1,000 Match Limit. I have no idea how many Relative Finder matches I have at 23andMe. I have 1,005 matches, my mom has 999, my great-aunt has 998 and my uncle has 994. These numbers do not change. When I get new matches, more distant matches are kicked out unless I am sharing genomes with them. Who am I loosing? They might be a distant relative, but they might also be someone with whom I have an easy to find most recent common ancestor. I have found matches at GedMatch who should show up in my 23andMe matches but who don't, likely because all my spaces are used. This ties into the "hide non-responsive RF matches." If we can hide a non-resposive match, that would open up a space for a new match.
Last Login Date. This is a feature that could be integrated into the Relative Finder view that would tell us if a user has logged in during the last months, six months, year, etc. I can only send five sharing invites a day - why waste one on someone who hasn't logged in in six months? They are more than likely not going to respond.
Lab Status Updates. It would be great to see some sort of feature that would allow users to see that status of tests in the lab. This could be user specific to each customer's own test - which step is our test in? It could also be more broad, showing the date the the latest completed test was received at the lab. Or even just the estimated "turn-around time" that the lab is currently experiencing. This is important because the lab often runs at different speeds. I've had results come back in two weeks, while my current test is about to hit six weeks.
Enhanced "Family Inheritance: Advanced" Viewer. This is a feature that is still in the "labs" section at 23andMe, which I would guess means it still "beta." It allows you to pick one of your matches and compare them with your three of your own accounts. It would be great if this were switched: if you could compare yourself to three or more of your matches. If you don't have multiple family members on your account, this feature is useless.
Projects. Let users create projects or groups in which they can compare their DNA on a larger scale. Allow projects for y-DNA (surname), mtDNA and autosomal DNA. This is a no brainer and I don't understand why this isn't already in place.
Y-DNA and mtDNA Matches. This goes along with the Projects idea - it's a no brainer. Right now you can find RF matches that share your Y-DNA and mtDNA, but you don't see a marker by marker comparison. Without that, sharing a haplogroup doesn't really mean much.
More Population References in Ancestry Painting. Want to know your ethnicity? 23andMe will tell you how much European, Asian and African you are. Ok, but where in Europe? German or French? Where in Asia and Africa? This is currently a neat tool, but it could be so much more helpful.

Ok, so that's what I've come up with. There are a lot more ideas, especially concerning expanded DNA testing and results. You can share your input by answering this survey: here.

Updates from 23andMe, Of Interest to Genealogists

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:36:00 +0000

A recent blog post on the 23andMe blog, The Spittoon, will be of interest to genealogists who subscribe to their service. Here's an excerpt:

Today we’re announcing the creation of the 23andMe Ancestry Ambassadors group, composed of ancestry enthusiasts in the 23andMe Community. 23andMe customer CeCe Moore and Product Manager Mike Macpherson, PhD will lead the new group...

This group will help guide and influence product development, but will not replace other key sources of feedback we consider when developing a product. Building a great product requires us to take into account customer interaction on the site, findings from user research, support request emails, Community posts, social media and traditional media responses. The 23andMe Ancestry Ambassadors add another high-quality source of feedback.

This is a small group, as it must be in order to be fulfill its purpose. It has been a challenge to select this group from among our Community members, because many of you contribute so frequently and thoughtfully. One of the first tasks of the new Ambassadors group will be to explore ways to recognize a larger number of active Community members for their contributions, and to take advantage of this pool of ancestry knowledge.

This is a good sign for customers of 23andMe who are primarily interested in Genealogy. Previously, there has been an overwhelming bias towards the Health related aspects of the company. When there was an uproar last month regarding policy and price changes, it seemed to wake 23andMe up to just how many of their customers where interested only/mainly in genealogy. Having spoken personally to customer support and and product mangers at the company, I was surprised to realize that many of the managers seem to have no genealogy experience at all. They seem to have recognized that they haven't connected with their customers and are reaching out to find out what they can do to make their product better. I see this as a step in the right direction, though I hope the Ancestry Ambassadors are being compensated in some way.

What's Wrong Here?

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:44:00 +0000

I recently saw the following ancestry.com commercial on tv and realized there was a pretty glaring error less than 30 seconds in. I can't believe I didn't notice it before. It lead me to check out the video on youtube (which is longer than the tv commercial) and see what else I could find. Do you see it?

That's not a World War One Draft Card - it's a World War Two Draft Card, specifically from California. Also incorrect? That's not a 1910 census record - I think it might be 1870, when Mr George Littlewood wasn't even alive. And it looks like the family tree is wrong too. A quick search turns up George's death records and his mother's maiden name was Owen, not whatever 'P' name is in the video.
As I said, this is a longer version of the commercial they show on tv, and I'm sure there are more errors. But does this really matter? Yes and No. I would think that Ancestry.com would want to represent themselves accurately. There are probably a ton of people who recognized the draft card error long ago. I know I won't see this ad again without being distracted by it. But for those that don't see it? All they need to know is that these types of records are available.
I don't know, I just kind of feel bad for George Littlewood. He's stuck in a bad family tree which isn't just online, it's on national television (only half joking here).

The FGS Piggy Bank

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:57:00 +0000

I really want to go to the 2012 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference in Birmingham, Alabama this year, but I've been concerned about the price and if I could afford the trip. August 29th is a long way off and it can be difficult to plan so far in advance. However, compared to other national conferences, this is probably the most affordable opportunity. I'm only a three hour drive from Birmingham - I've driven longer on day trips just to visit a library!

I have decided that I'm going to try my hardest to attend. I can afford the registration ($195 if purchased by July 1st), but the hotel rate concerns me. If I attend Wednesday through Saturday, I'll need to pay for four nights. The conference hotel is $138 a night ($552 total), which I don't think I can afford. I'm sure it's an awesome hotel and it would be great to stay with the other attendees, but I'd have to find a cheaper option and save money. My mom and sister are thinking about tagging along and seeing the sights, so that would help with the cost. But their schedules are even more uncertain than mine and they might not be able to go.

But like I said, I'm going to try my hardest to attend FGS this year. I'm starting by saving money. Today I made a piggy bank to save my money in. I plan to put in a certain amount each paycheck and drop in my random change. When I made my piggy bank I wanted to make something that would be eye catching; I wanted a constant reminder of my goal. Here's what I came up with:

The ConnectMyDNA Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:11:00 +0000

On the 10th I ordered my ConnectMyDNA kit with a discounted coupon I bought through living social. Yesterday, the 13th, I received my kit in the mail. Here's what it looked like:

The kit included two cheek swabs and an envelope to send them back in. I swabbed both cheeks and put the swabs into the envelope and had the kit back in the mailbox about 20 minutes after I originally retrieved it from the mailbox. I was a bit concerned about my samples. They went into an envelope, not a plastic tube or anything. I noticed that the envelopes quickly became damp from the swabs - was my DNA soaking into the envelopes?

It seems that once my samples are in the lab, it will only take a week for my test to be processed. This is very fast compared to 23andMe and ftDNA's 6-8 week wait (btw: it's been exactly one month since my two tests were received at those companies). I'm curious about the results I'll get back from this test, which is not intended for genealogical use. But I do wonder if this test would be of interest to adoptees?

In the Kitchen: Apple Cobbler

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:05:00 +0000

This is my Dad's super simple recipe for Apple Cobbler. You can pretty much make any kind of fruit cobbler with this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 can pie filling
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick butter/margarine
sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 375º. Melt a stick a butter or margarine in a casserole dish. Mix flour in sugar into a bowl and then mix in the milk, finally mix in the vanilla extract. Pour the batter into the casserole dish. Spoon the pie filling evenly on top of the batter. Don't spread or compress. Bake for 35 or 40 minutes. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top. Serve and eat with vanilla ice cream.

What is ConnectMyDNA?

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:31:00 +0000

I saw a tweet about a "DNA Self-Discovery Kit" and was curious enough to click on the link. It took me to a livingsocial deal for a DNA test for $29 (you buy a coupon to redeem elsewhere). I'd never heard of the company before: ConnectMyDNA.

From checking out their website and facebook page, it looks like this is a brand new DNA testing company that gives you a "Gene Ring," a sort of DNA fingerprint. They say:

"Using cutting-edge science, ConnectMyDNA ™ looks at a tiny fragment (the 1%) of your DNA that makes you unique and creates your very own personal DNA signature. We then compare it to a database of over half a million samples of DNA collected from all over the world, revealing the most amazing story and giving you a snap shot of where you fit in this new world."

Normally priced at $90, this test provides you with a visual representation of that 1% of your DNA and "connects" you to the populations reflected in your DNA. You use the website to explore your results. Their references are from "current population groups from over 60 countries and identify which country your DNA profile most closely connects to." This is very different from tests provided from other genealogy minded DNA companies, which usually strive to find historic or ancient populations to test against. As you can guess, this test probably won't be helpful to your genealogy as those other tests are.

But for only $30? I couldn't resist. It looks neat.

If you're worried about your privacy, check out their policy. They don't sell any of your data and they destroy your sample when they're done with the test.

This deal is available for the next six days. If you are interested check it out.

[Please note that the links provided to livingsocial are affiliate links. If three people buy through these links I get my money back. I cannot endorse this test because I haven't tried it before - I'm just willing to spend the money and take a chance.]

The 1940 Census: A Webinar from the Friends of the National Archive Southeast Region

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 01:49:00 +0000

Image used during the webinar

I just finished watching a webinar about the 1940 Census by the Friends of the National Archives Southeast Region and Constance Potter of the National Archives. This is was a great webinar that covered a lot of information. Here's a breakdown of some of what I came away with, much of which I tweeted during the webinar:

There will be a new website/landing page for the 1940 census on the NARA website. I'm not sure, but I got the feeling it could be live very soon. There will be a notification when the website is up.
On top of videos available on YouTube about the 1940 census, NARA will be releasing radio public service announcements called "Uncle Sam Calling." You can already find transcriptions of these at Steve Morse's site [here]. (Not sure if these will be on YouTube or the new 1940 website)
The 1940 census does not (yet!) have a person index, but is indexed by State, County, Civil District and Enumerated District.
Aside from the questions that were asked of the population, a number of questions were proposed but not asked. Ex: Do you dye your hair and if so, what color; who was over 6 feet tall; do you own a waffle iron and a bible.
Those in a jail and penitentiary were not recorded as "inmates," but were recorded by their prison number. This could be very helpful!
The census requires that the person providing the information for each family be marked with an X. Unfortunately, from what archivists have seen, it seems like this was rarely done.
The census asks where each person lived five years ago on 1 Apr 1935. They even note if it's the "same house."
Military veterans are listed with the war they fought in.
If a person is receiving social security benefits this is listed, though social security numbers were not recorded.
Women were asked about the number of marriages they'd had, when they were married and how many children they had. Stillbirths were not supposed to be counted - but like many other questions this rule wasn't always followed.
A census of housing and a census of agriculture were taken, but have since been destroyed. Only statistical data remains.
The Enumeration District Descriptions are available on OPA (Online Public Access: http://www.archives.gov/research/search) and give details about each district, including schools and other institutions included within, as well as streets. You can see the best way to search for these here: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/start-research.html
NARA recommends using the 1940 Census tools by Steve Morse to help plan your research ( http://stevemorse.org/census)

The webinar was apparently extremely popular - more than expected it seems. A lot of attendees had trouble with sound or even getting into the webinar. There will be an archived copy available, but only to members of the Friends of the National Archives Southeast Region. This is a $25 a year fee and you can find more information here: http://friendsnas.org/membership.htm.

Can you believe we're only 83 days away from 1940 census access?

23andMe Resolution

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:06:00 +0000

I've been writing a lot about DNA lately - hopefully I'm not boring people, but there's some great news today out of 23andMe. If you have been reading my latest blog posts, you'll know that 23andMe made some policy changes that upset their customers. In short: they took away and limited features to non-subscribing customers that had been previously promised to them. In response, the genealogy community at 23andMe reacted with emails, tweets, facebook posts and even a petition.

And guess what? It worked!

Today Anne Wojcicki (CEO of 23andMe) wrote on their blog, apologizing and outlining their new and improved policies. The newly announced changes are exactly what the community was asking for. I am very proud of what genealogists accomplished when they stood up for themselves and worked together to protect the investments they made with 23andMe. I'm also happy to see that 23andMe is a company that can admit when they make mistakes and acknowledge the value of their customers.

Census Sunday - The Paternal Great-Great Grandparents in 1910

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:44:00 +0000

This is a breakdown of my Paternal Great-Great Grandparents in the 1910 census. Also seen are my Great-Grandparents, who were young children living with their parents. You can click each image to see a larger size.

In 1910 my Great-Great Grandparents, George Robert Craft and his wife, Effie Verona Powell, were living on Sanders-Ferry Road in Gains, Militia District 199, Elbert County, Georgia. "Bob," as he was called, was a general farmer working rented land on his "own account." The couple had been married for 19 years and had seven children. Both could read and write. My Great Grandfather, Bennie E Craft, was a 14 year old boy living with his parents. He was attending school at this time.

In 1910 my Great-Great Grandparents, John H Evans and his wife, Leila Frances Craft, were living on an unnamed road in Gaines, Militia District 199, Elbert County, Georgia. John was a general farmer working rented land on his "own account." The couple had been married for 12 years and had five living children (and one deceased). Both could read and write. My Great Grandmother, Sallie Ruth Evans, was an eight year old girl living with her parents. She was attending school, but whether or not she could read and write is marked through.

In 1910 my Great-Great Grandmother, Amelia Permelia Parrish, third wife and widow of William Britt, was living on Stillmore Rural Route #1, 55th District, Emanuel County, Georgia. She was living with her daughter, Rosa, and son-in-law, Damascus Hayes. Amelia had given birth to 10 children, seven of which were still living and four of whom still lived with her. Among them was my Great-Grandfather, Nathan Britt, a nine year old boy. He was attending school but they did not record if he could read or write.

In 1910 my Great-Great Grandparents, William L Barfield and his wife, Susan F Boatright, were living in the 59th District of Emanuel County, Georgia. "Bill" was a farmer laborer, hiring out his services to others. The couple had been married for seven years and had three children, including my Great-Grandmother, Ledora Barfield was a three year old girl living with her parents.

Surname Saturday - Evans

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:04:00 +0000

My Evans family line is somewhat short, only tracing back to 1850 and my Great-Great-Great Grandfather. Here's the line:

1. Sally Ruth Evans [Great-Grandmother]
--- born: 17 Aug 1902, Hart County, Georgia
--- died: 20 Jun 1999, Hartwell, Hart County, Georgia
--- married: Bennie E Craft, abt 1918

2. John H Evans [Great-Great Grandfather]
--- born: 28 May 1879, Elbert County, Georgia
--- died: 9 Jul 1911, Gaines, Elbert, Georgia
--- married: Leila Frances Craft, abt 1897

3. William A Evans [Great-Great-Great Grandfather]
--- born: 18 Sep 1850, Hart County, Georgia
--- died: 2 Oct 1917, Ira, Anderson, South Carolina
--- married: Harriett Ann Partain, abt 1872

4. Unknown Evans
--- born: ?
--- died: bef 1860
--- married: Bedie / Beady

Having written that out, I see that not only does this line go back very far, but it has been elusive regarding marriage licenses!

The initial problem with this line is that I can't find the family in the 1850 census. William's parents should have been married, perhaps just starting out together. I also haven't found a marriage record for a Mr Evans to a Bedie / Beady in Georgia. It's likely they were both from South Carolina, which doesn't have as many available records. I don't see this line a brick wall, so much as a temporary road block. I need to spend (a lot of) time going through records to find GGGG Grandpa Evans. I'm sure there's some record of him somewhere. There are a few online trees, that do not give sources, that say he was Powell Evans from Cherokee County, South Carolina. But without sources, I have no idea where this idea comes from and have yet to come across any substantiating evidence myself.

Interestingly, this is a family line that I have confirmed via DNA. My dad and I match two sisters, who are descendants of Mr Evans and Bedie's son James L Evans. You can see where they show up on my dad's DNA on chromosome 6.

Handwriting Help - What's the Maiden Name?

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:59:00 +0000

Can anyone help with the maiden name of the groom's mother on this document? I've uploaded the entire document for hand writing comparison. You can see a larger version by clicking on the image.

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:08:00 +0000

Petitioning 23andMe

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:14:00 +0000

It's been at least 12 days since 23andMe changed their Frequently Asked Questions without notice, taking away previously promised data access to non-subscribing customers. Despite almost two weeks of complaints and questions from customers on message boards, Twitter, Facebook and via email, 23andMe has yet to respond or even notify the rest of their customers of the changes.

As a whole, we want them to reverse the changes. Personally, I want some customer service from a company that I've spent hundreds of dollars with.

To put more pressure on 23andMe, genealogist Larry Vick (who has been featured on 23andMe's blog, The Spittoon) has started a petition. It's short and to the point:

"23andMe Don't Take Away Our Relative Finder Matches -- I am asking 23andMe to stick to its previous commitment to let customers who discontinue its Personal Genome Service (PGS) to retain their existing Relative Finder matches as long as the customers fulfilled their PGS commitment."

I have signed, as have 225 others. Please take a moment and sign it too.

Caution Regarding 23andMe

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:44:00 +0000

Over the past few days there have been important changes in the Frequently Asked Questions and Terms of Service at 23andMe. I can't tell you when the changes were made because there was no announcement. They didn't bother to tell their paying customers that there were changes in the services we've been paying for - or should I say what we aren't paying for?

When I purchased my five DNA kits from 23andMe it was with understanding that I would be paying $9 a month for a year for updates to my Relative Finder and Health Reports. If I choose not to continue my subscription after 12 months, I would maintain the reports I had already received, but would not receive further updates. For many months now there has been discussion on the 23andMe message boards on whether folks plan to renew or not.

The other day, someone noticed that the FAQs had changed and a new thread was started to discuss these changes. Apparently it has been decided that anyone opting not to renew/continue their subscription, would no longer be able to access their Relative Finder and Health Reports - at all. We're being cut off from all of the reports that we've been paying for the past year. They will no longer be accessible. Not just new results - the old ones as well.

Based on conversations on the message boards, 23andMe has angered a lot of their customers with the changes. I'm not very happy myself. When I purchased this test it was with the understanding that I was getting and keeping a certain level of test results after fulfilling my obligations. I never planned to continue to pay after my 12 months. Unless I change my mind (I won't), all I will have is my raw data. I don't feel that it is ethical of 23andMe to change their policies on pre-existing customers this way.

23andMe has created a feedback form for customers to respond directly regarding these recent changes. This is one of very few ways to contact 23andMe. If you send them an email, it will take about two weeks to hear back. There is no one you can call - there is no customer service phone number. This has already been a source of irritation for me with this company.

Unless they act on our feedback and reverse these new policies, I will not be purchasing any more DNA tests from 23andMe. I won't be recommending their services, though I will leave it up to individuals to decide for themselves if they feel the service is worth the money.

And finally: soon, Family Tree DNA will allow 23andMe customers to import their data for $50. I'll be taking them up on this offer.

DNA: The Wait Is On, Again

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:44:00 +0000

First off, I've decided that I've spent more than enough money on DNA tests this year (over $900!). Even having gotten every single test on sale and having not paid for one test personally, that's a whole lot of money... which I could have put to more practical use... Oh well! The good thing is, I got a lot of relatives tested. Also, not all the results are in yet so I still have more info forthcoming.

On December 14th I received emails from both Family Tree DNA and 23andMe that my kits had been received. At ftDNA I'm testing the Y-DNA my first cousin twice removed, Lewis Waters. At 23andMe I'm testing the autosomal DNA of my double cousin, Anne Barfield Brown. On my dad's side, Anne is both my 1st cousin twice removed and my 2nd cousin once removed.

So, which test results will come in first? They are different types of tests, so it's not a true comparison on which company will be fastest. Regardless, I'm curious about how fast each company completes the test given the multiple upcoming holidays.

Albea DNA Update

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:57:00 +0000

A little while back I was contacted via email by a family researching the Albey family of Vermont. They were interested in finding out more about my Albea/Alby DNA Project and how it could help them trace their Albey line. Although our families didn't connect on paper and didn't live in the same areas, they both spelled their name "Alby" at some point in time. It's an uncommon name that isn't spelled the way is sounds, which leads to many variations (Albea is pronounced ALL-bee). Surely we were related? Or could the name have multiple origins?

We recently got our results back and they weren't what I was expecting.

What was I expecting? A clear cut result where we either matched through the 37 markers that we tested or no relationship at all.

What were the results? A twelve marker match with a distance of One. According to Family Tree DNA, this relationship indicates that we have a "Possible Relationship"

"You share the same surname (or a variant) with another male and you mismatch by only one 'point' on only one marker. For most closely related or same surnamed individuals, the mismatch markers are either DYS 439 or DYS 385 A, 385 B,389-1 and 389-2. To ensure that the match is authentic you should utilize additional markers.

As you can see here, our mismatch is at DYS385 B. My Uncle has a 15 and they have a 14.

At the 25 marker level, we have 8 mismatches. These are at DYS markers such as "458, 459a, 459b, 449, 464 a-d, which have shown themselves to move most rapidly".

At the same time, the Tip Report gives a 75% chance that we are related within 28 generations. I could be wrong about this, but from what I understand, that is 28 generations between the two testors, not from them to the common ancestor. So there's about a 75% chance that we are related about 14 generations back.

So from all this, I believe that our two Albea/Alby/Albey families are related - but at such a distance that we will be unlikely to find our common ancestor (both lines are currently stuck in the 1700s). We're both looking for other folks to test who have paper trails on our specific family lines.

Are there any DNA savvy folks who would like to comment?

A Young Man's Draft Card - A Deceptive Title, An Unexpected Find

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:21:00 +0000

Today, Ancestry.com added a database called "U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1898-1929." Well color me excited!

I quickly began a search for my Grandfather, Thomas Craft, in Georgia. No results. What do you mean no results? Ok, just give me anyone named Craft in Elbert County, Georgia. One result. What?! That can't be right. Well, the ancestry.com searches have been acting up, let me start over. I went back to the landing page for the new database and that's when I saw it: despite the title of the database, this is a limited collection. The only records in this "U.S" collection are from North Carolina.

Well, now I'm disappointed. I assume that the database will be expanded to include other states over time, but for now the title is misleading.

I was about to say "the heck with it" when I paused. My Great-Grandfather Mack Huyler eventually ended up in High Point, North Carolina in later years. He traveled a lot in his youth - I wonder if he might have been there for the draft?

Yep, he was.

He was the only Huyler in the state and registered under his birth name, Vary. He's living in Charlotte, NC in 1942. His "Person Who Will Always Know Your Address" is a Mrs Charlotte Bristo[w] in High Point. It would appear that his connection to High Point, NC does go back further than his retirement years. Mack might have been able to hide from his family in the 1930s and 1940s, but he can't hide from me!

One thing to note: if you do find your relatives in this database, make sure to scroll to the next page. There's no indication of it, but these records are two pages long.

DNA Sale from GeneTree

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:36:00 +0000

I got an email today from GeneTree.com announcing their holiday sale. From now through December 30th, they are offering a discounted price on their Enhanced Paternal and Maternal DNA tests. This is a 46 marker Y-DNA test for $119 and a HVR 1, 2, 3 test for $129.

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:45:00 +0000

Why You Read the Back of a Tombstone

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:38:00 +0000

My Great-Great-Grandmother's sister is buried in Duluth City Cemetery (Gwinnett County, GA), just a few miles down the road. Her headstone is shown on FindAGrave.com, but since it was so close, I thought I'd check it out for myself. And when I did, I realized that not all of the information from the tombstone had been put online.

You can see here, the stone of Mary J Smith Hollis Herrington and her husband, Newton Herrington.

I snapped photos of other Herrington graves and thought, "let me check the back to make sure there's nothing there." Sure enough, there was something carved into the back of Newton Herrington's side of the stone:

From what I can tell, it says:

S. L. E. No 34

L. O. O. F.

A. L. No. 14

I. O. O. F.

G. T. No. G

I. O. OF R. M.

I'm not sure, I think they could have been a little more vague....

With the help of 'Tombstone Symbols and Fraternal Abbreviations,' I've figured out that I. O. O. F. is Independent Order of Odd Fellows and I. O. OF R. M. is The Improved Order of Red Men.

I can't figure out the rest. I thought that AL might be American Legion, but that was founded after Newton died. I figure the SLE might be Southern or Sons, but I'm not sure what else. Anyone have any guesses for the rest?

Since this is a collateral line, I'm only curious. If this were my direct line however, I'd be very interested in researching any organization that this man belonged to. It would tell me a lot about his religious and political beliefs and point me in the direction of further genealogical sources.

Here are some photos of the cemetery itself:

I'm Not a Patient Person

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:42:00 +0000

I'm really not a patient person. Right now I'm waiting.... waiting.... waiting. I'm waiting on a number of things, from multiple DNA test results, to email responses, to specific new databases to go online.... It's making me grumpy.

That is all.

Census Sunday - The Great-Grandparents in 1920

noreply@blogger.com (Valerie Craft) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 22:54:00 +0000

Here's a breakdown of my Great-Grandparents in the 1920 census. You can click each image to view a larger size.

My paternal grandfather's parents, Bennie E Craft and S Ruth Evans were married and living on River Road in Gaines, Elbert, Georgia in 1920. This is the only time I've seen Bennie, or BE as he was called, recorded as Benjamin. He is a farmer, but there is no listing to show if he rents or owns (I'd guess rents). Both BE and Ruth know how to read and write. They are living next door to Ruth's mother and stepfather, Leila Craft Evans Brown & Jim Brown. Yes, Ruth's mother's maiden name was Craft and Ruth married a Craft - her third cousin to be exact.

My paternal grandmother's father, Nathan Britt, was living Militia District 1429 of Emanuel County, Georgia in 1920. He was working as a farmer and boarding with the Alford family, though he was listed as working on his "own account." The census states that he could not read or write.

My paternal grandmother's mother, Ledora Barfield, was living with her parents and siblings in a rented home in Militia District 1560 of Emanuel County, Georgia in 1920. At age 13 Ledora was attending school as her parents worked a farm, and could both read and write.

My maternal grandfather's father, C Vernon Albea, was living with his parents and siblings in a rented home at 845 Ritson Ave in Greenwood Township, Greenwood, South Carolina in 1930. At age 16 he was attending school as his father worked in a cotton mill. Vernon could both read and write.

My maternal grandfather's mother, Mamie Auline Witt, lived with her parents and siblings in a rented home at 712 Carley Street in Greenwood Township, Greenwood, South Carolina in 1920. Her father worked at a cotton mill and 16 year old Auline attended school. She could both read and write.

My maternal grandmother's father, Vary "Mack" Huyler, lived with his parents and siblings in a rented home at 422 Edmonds Road in Lexington Township, Lexington, South Carolina in 1920. He was 17 years old and working as a section hand on the rail road. According to family, Vary would soon leave his family and strike out on his own. He cannot be found on the 1930 census.

My maternal grandmother's mother, Ruby Lee Waters, was living with her parents and siblings in a rented home at 51 River Road in Milstead, Rockdale, Georgia in 1920. Her father was working as a weaver in the cotton mill and she was attending school, but at 8 years old was not yet reading and writing.