52 Ancestors #52 Resolution: Resolved to move on to DNA Testing

Amy Johnson Crow “no story too small”   suggested we write about Resolution.   A resolution can be something that you resolve to do. It can also be the end or conclusion of something. What ancestor do you resolve to find more about in 2016? What ancestor have you resolved conflicting evidence about?

Many of the ancestral and collateral line stories I composed for 52 ancestors in 52 week challenge by Amy Crow, resulted from my enthusiastic research on my relatives I either met or heard stories from the elders.

I am deeply grateful to “All Ah You” who Read, Liked, Text or took the time to comment on the blog. Your encouragement continues to inspire me.  I thank you Janet, for being a guest blogger, contributing the tragic story of the “Fancy Me”.   (see Stormy Weather n Tortola BVI) It has been a great year, but for now, for Ancestry purposes, I have taken up the challenge of discovering the ethnicity of my ancestral lineage, sorting out the DNA Matches hoping to connect and meet new cousins.

In an effort to trace back beyond my 2^nd GG on my paternal lineage, I decided to ask my Dad if he would submit to DNA Testing.  My father is very interested in genealogy.  His willingness heightened my curiosity, for this I was grateful.    We chose autosomal DNA Testing.  The autosomal DNA Test is half of the DNA inherited from both parents.   Besides being confused by the results, 59% African, 40% European, and 1% West Asia; my dad ethnicity and where his ancestors lived were so different from the family tree I created.

This past Christmas, Ancestry DNA was offering Autosomal DNA testing at a discounted rate.  Something I hesitated to do and now eager to get involved in.  So, I decided to take what is known as the “Big Spit” into a tube and sent it off to Ancestry.com.

My ethnicity estimate revealed  77% African, 22% European, and 1% Native American.   Surprisingly, the 1 % Native American is from my maternal Caribbean lineage.  With this knowledge, I’m hoping to have my mother tested to discover further the Native American DNA aspect.

One of the most fascinating things that have happened is that I met new cousins.  Patricia introduces herself as my 5^th cousin from the Netherlands Amsterdam.  That explains why there are so many cultures in Holland and that it’s quite OK to eat rice, chicken, masala and roti.  Patricia says is not Dutch food.  Another particular match is from a DNA cousin who respectfully shared the bill of sale of his ancestor who  entered into Tybee Island , Savannah Georgia  from  either Africa or the Caribbean .  Of course some DNA matches are intimidated. However, for most, it has been cordial reception.

Certainly, the autosomal testing is difficult to match up with genealogy records.  With over 100 DNA matches for my Dad and my 61 matches attempting to identify the common ancestor, that is extremely important, challenging and somehow complicated.  The issue of identify is clear, but seeing the ethnicity break-downs in the African –American family: whether through television series “FYR”, or “WDYTYA” all suggest there was a lot of mixing going on.

Although I haven’t found any celebrities or significant prominent genetic connections, nor do I have the time to climb every tree, I find the results very interesting.  I hope that more people from the Caribbean region will utilize this new and exciting tool with their family history research and get DNA tested.  It is exciting, to connect with family around the world you never knew you had.