An Introduction to Using DNA Testing
I am considering doing an introductory presentation on DNA at our regional family history fair this autumn. I would use the first 29 minutes of Diahan Southard's presentation (below) and then tell about my experiences for 15 minutes and then 15 minutes of me doing Q&A
This is a draft,
Rootstech Diahan Southard You Can DO the DNA #1–Get Started (or Restarted)
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/you-can-do-the-dna-1-get-started-or-restarted
My name is Bill Buchanan. Family history has been a passion of mine for over 60 years. I have filled many roles helping others with their family history. Let me clarify that I am not a geneticist or an expert on DNA, but I have a fair amount of experience in its use.
How can I relate what Diahan has said to my personal life, and my efforts to help other with their family history?
Usually my research has relied on official records, such as birth, marriage, death and census records. The records of the most recent 100 years are often sealed to protect the privacy of living people. Getting that information has required interviewing relatives and family friends, and searching newspaper archives and cemeteries.
Melva's Story
About 20 years ago I had a strange phone call. "Are you Bill Buchanan?"
"Yes, that is my name. Who is calling?"
"My name is Melva Buchanan, Do you know a Bill Buchanan who was a blacksmith at Millet, Alberta in the 1920s?"
"Yes, he was my grandfather/"
:"Do you know a Jack Buchanan?"
"Yes, he was my uncle."
"He was my father."
I was stunned, I knew Uncle Jack really well. To the best of my knowledge he died childless.
She explained that she was adopted as a baby and the adoption records had been sealed. She had just managed to have the records unsealed and discovered the names and information of her birth parents. She offered to send me photocopies of the adoption records, which I gratefully accepted.
There could be no doubt, she was biologically my first cousin.
Dad was deceased by now, but I phoned my mother, and asked if she knew that her brother-in-law had fathered a child when he was a teenager. She had never heard of this. and said "I wonder if Jack even knew,"
We welcomed Melva into our extended family,
How did she find me? She was in the process of phoning every Buchanan in Alberta to ask her questions. I have no idea what number I was on that list, but I admire her determination.
The DNA Story
Sometimes no records seem to exist, which brings the search to a halt. But DNA testing opens a whole new avenue of research . The cells of our bodies contain a partial record of our ancestry in the DNA.
I may use this short video, but probably not, as it explains mechanics that may not need to be covered at this point. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7onjVBsQwQ8
Dangers of DNA Tests
If you choose to take a DNA test, be prepared for possible surprises. Some people's lives have been turned upside down when they find that they are not biologically related to one or the other of their parents, or even both. Sometimes they were never told that they were adopted or that one parent is a step parent. This surprise is unlikely in most situations, but it is best to be prepared,
Keith's Story
About 5 years ago I had a phone call.
"Are you the Bill Buchanan who has a genealogy blog?"
"Yes, I am."
"I wonder if you can help me. I did an Ancestry DNA test, and my family name is Sanderson, but I do not see that name in any of my DNA matches, But I see a bunch of Buchanans. Would you look at my DNA matches and see if you can help me?"
"Yes, I would be glad to do that."
When I looked at his DNA matches, I could see what he was taking about. But I could see something that he could not see, Not only were they Buchanans, but they were my own distant cousins, And many of the other family names I recognized as the married names of my Dad's cousins.
Since we were looking for his father, we could eliminate that matches from his mother's side of the family.
We found that some of his closest matches had the surname Coles, so we looked for a Buchanan married to a Coles and living in the right area. There was only one possibility, Norman Buchanan married Florence Elizabeth Coles. They had 4 sons, all deceased. Now Keith's ongoing quest is to find out which son was his birth father. Two of them had somewhat turbulent lives and seem like the most likely prospects. A DNA match with a half sibling would provide the complete answer,
When I think of Melva setting out to telephone every Buchanan in Alberta, a family finder DNA test seems like a much better idea.
Other DNA Tests
What about a Mitochondial DNA test?
A female cousin in Manitoba is one of my best genealogy buddies. She took a Mt DNA test, hoping it would help her identify her Kennedy line in Ireland. She was very disappointed to discover that she matched 40% of the people in Ireland. This was no help in her quest. She felt that her $441 was wasted, Of course, your results may vary,
And what about YDNA?
This same cousin, is much more enthused by the results of YDNA tests. Our shared Buchanan line goes back to Andrew Buchanan, who left Binnawooda in County Tyrone in 1847 fleeing the great Irish famine with his family. Our paper trail goes back to the christenings of his oldest children in Castlederg, County Tyrone in the 1810s. And it goes no further back.
A YDNA test identified our family as "A typical chiefly line of Clan Buchanan in Scotland". Yea! We know the history of these chiefs, they all descend from Anselan O'Kyan, an Irish prince who fled to Scotland in 1016 with a band of supporters to escape Viking reprisals after the Limerick massacre. The Irish Surname Project traces Anselan's genealogy through the annals of the Irish kings, through times of myth and legend to Adam and Eve on one line and to Jupiter the Father of the Gods on another line. How far do we trust this genealogy? Not very far.
But it has some great stories, like Anselan's ancestor King Owen travelling from Donegal to Tyrone to meet St Patrick, and Owen and his whole household converting to the Christian faith.
Our challenge becomes the 100-year gap between our ancestor Andrew Buchanan and the Buchanan chiefs. The solution seems to be finding Buchanan cousins living in Ireland whose documented history goes further back than ours. So further YDNA tests become our best hope.
My genealogy buddy has nerve that I can never match, On a visit to Ireland, she walked up to a total stranger and said "Pardon me, but I am from Canada and I am looking for relatives in Ireland. My ancestor was married in this village. You remind me of a cousin of mine back home. Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your ancestors. ... I have a DNA test kit in my purse that may allow us to see how closely we are related. Would you mind doing a simple test? ... Yes, you swab the inside of your cheek with the pad and then put it into this tube... " This was only part of a much longer conversation, of course. The YDNA match was very close, just one step different than her brother's test. What is the probability of that?
On her next trip to Drumquin, Ireland she did exactly the same thing and found another 1-step match.
I understand that a one-step difference in YDNA indicates a shared ancestor is probably within 8 generations but the specific number is random.
Unfortunately neither of these people had a paper trail that went back further than ours, but my buddy had wonderful experiences getting to know some delightful people.
Recent Success through YDNA
In the past two years I joined forces with others and we have identified the parents of my Andrew Buchanan and 3 other Buchanan men who lived around the village of Drumquin in Country Tyrone at the same time, Their parents appear to be John Buchanan and Mary Caldwell of Coolavanagh townland. This brings us a step closer to our goal of connecting with the clan chiefs.
A further confirmation was a distant match between Andrew's descendants and descendants of one of his newly-found brothers.
Success is not always as simple as looking for "FamilyFinder" DNA matches on the unknown side of the family tree. But it can be.
An additional benefit of DNA tests is that you get periodic updates as additional people are tested,
Making Practical Use of DNA Test Results
In my opinion, the main use of DNA tests is to find your closest matches, These are the people who are most closely related to you, They may be able to answer your questions,
If they can't answer your questions, look for clues that the matching process itself provides.
Can you view the list of matches that you have in common?
Are there shared ancestors listed?
Are there shared surnames?
Is there a public tree attached?
Will they give you permission the view their tree if it is private?
Will they share an email address or phone number? (Email allows the sharing of documents,)
Can you share any old family photos or stories with each other?
And so forth...
Use any new information to expand your family tree.
Frustrations
One of the most frustrating things is when you contact someone who is a good match and they never reply. In one recent instance we were able to answer questions by providing detailed information from published obituaries. Samantha, if you are here, please see me after my presentation.
Another frustration is a lack of matches, if none of your biological relatives have been tested.
And after a few generations of random recombining of DNA there will be some ancestors from whom you have no DNA.
What about Ethnicity Reports from DNA Tests?
These estimates change from time to time, as testing companies expand or refine their reference populations. We hear the chant "The science does not lie." But the biological evidence is subject to re-interpretation over time. Remember that these reports are based on current populations, not based on where your ancestors actually lived during their time period. So a little a caution is justified.
Diahan connected an ethnicity report to the percentage of matched DNA to verify a family story. So ethnicity reports can be useful.
Family is More than Biology
Family relationships are not always biological. Adoption and step parents have always been part of some families. I cringe when someone refers to a sperm donor as "Their REAL father." I think, "What of the man who raised you? Isn't he your real father?" But I keep my peace. The FamilySearch family Tree can list multiple sets of parents for any person, so it is not an EITHER/OR situation..
I wish you success and enjoyment in your search. It is an exciting journey, and DNA can be an important part of it,
QUESTIONS?
DISCLAIMER: FamilySearch does not endorse any particular type of DNA test or any particular testing service.
