Family Tree DNA Confirms Two NFL Players are Half-Siblings

Family Tree DNA, the first and larget DNA testing company for genelaogy has just announced that their Family Finder provided "conclusive proof that two NFL players are half-siblings."

The press release continues: 

"Until a few months ago, Xavier Omon, from the San Francisco 49ers and Ogemdi Nwagbuo from the San Diego Chargers did not have a clue that they were related.  Early August, at the request of ESPN, Family Tree DNA performed the Family Finder test on both, and the result was unequivocal:  definaely half-siblings.  More of the story can be found at the ESPN website under the "Brthoer's Tale" story.

"The Family Finder test allows connecting with family members across all ancestral lines.  While the Y-DNA atches men with a specific paternal line and the mtDNA finds potential relatives only along the maternal line, Family Finder can look for close relationships along all ancestral lines.  Anyone, regardless of their gender, may confidently match to male and female cousins from any of their family lines in the past five generations. The science is based on linked blocks of DNA across the 22 autosomal chromosomes that are matched between two people.  Based on this concept, Family Tree DNA bioinformatics team has worked extensively to develop the calculations that would yield the closeness of the relationship.

The possiblities to find matches abound:  grandparents, aunts, and uncles; half-siblings; first, second, third and fourth cousins; and, more tenetatively, fifths cousins."

Order your test from Family Tree DNA, today!

My 23andMe Success Stories #2 & #3

I have successfully found common ancestors for two more of my 23andMe cousins. (See a previous blog for the first cousin found.) I am quite surprised to find my DNA still has enough of my ancestors genes from the 1600s to find matches!

As far as the actual markers are concerned, I share only on the Basic Genome level with my 23andMe cousins as it only tells you on which chromosome(s) we match; the starting and stopping points for the matching results; the length(s) of the segment; and the number of SNPs we share. No health issues are involved. The value of this information lies in the possibility that over time you will be sharing the same (or close to the same) segments with more than one person. If you can find the match with one person, then you know the match with the others is on the same lines. I have several 23andMe cousins matching me on the same segment, but we have yet to determine the common ancestor.

The key to determining a common ancestor really lies in good genealogy work. The more data (names, dates, and locations) you have for your ancestors, their siblings, grand children and great-grandchildren, the easier it is to find your common link. I’ve done genealogy for about forty years and tend to collect a lot of records of my family and ones to whom I think I am related. When others do the same, all of this is really easy.


Success #2: Bruce and Emily

Bruce and I are listed as probable 4th cousins with a cousinship range of 3rd to 7th. We share .21% of your tested genome.

Our paper trail indicates that we are 7th cousins once removed.


Descendants of Adam Hatfield
Adam Hatfield, (son of Jurian Hartsfelder and Margaret Unknown) b.ca 1655; m. Sarah Pauling were the parents of our common ancestor John Hatfield, below.


Bruce’s line:

1. John Hatfield, b: ca 1688 in Ulster Co, NY; m. Elizabeth/Jane Unknown, b: ca 1690
2. John Hatfield, b: ca 1717; m. Catherine Supplee
3. Adam Hatfield, b: 03 Nov 1741 in Montgomery Co, PA; m. Margaret Dilworth, b. ca 1750 in Lancaster, PA
4. Joseph Hatfield, b. 22 Jun 1790 in Westmoreland Co, PA; m. Phoebe Peppard , b. 11 Sep 1791 Ireland
5. Robert Marshall Hatfield, b. 29 Dec 1821 in Wayne Co, OH; m. Stuart, b. 02 Aug 1830 in Wayne Co, OH
6. Samuel Ruitherford Hatfield, b. 19 Feb 1852 in Ossian, Wells Co, IN; m. Durintha McCargar, b. 01 Jul 1857 Walcot Twp, Rice Co, MN
7. Mabel Roxanna Hatfield, b. 02 Jan 1880 in Fairbault, Rice Co, MN; m. John Edward (surname withheld), b. 28 Jan 1863 in Fairbault, Rice Co, MN
8. John Robert (surname withheld), b. 19 Oct 1909 in Fairbault, Rice Co, MN
9. Bruce


Emily’s line:

1. John Hatfield, b. ca 1688 in Ulster Co, NY; m. Elizabeth/Jane Unknown, b: ca 1690
2. Jane Hatfield, b. bet. 1720 - 1721 in Philadelphia Co, PA; m. James Cunrads, b. bet. 1722 - 1726 in Germantown, Philadelphia Co, PA
3. Elizabeth Ann Conard, b. bet. 1758 - 1761 in Montgomery Co, PA; m. Evan Jenkins, b: ca 1762
4. Jane Jenkins; m. Peter Ogan, b. ca 1784 in VA
5. Evan Ogan , b. 20 Nov 1802 in VA; m.Susan Wical, b. 20 Feb 1807 in OH/VA
6. Simon Peter Ogan, b. Aug 1826 OH; m. Emily Jane Studyvin
7. Mary Adeline Ogan, b. 11 Aug 1866 in Bureau Co, IL; m. Lowry Graham Gilmore, b. 14 Jun 1855 in Rochester, Monroe Co, NY
8. Emily Helen Gilmore, b. 14 Dec 1890 in Gray's Harbor, Gray's Harbor Co, WA
9. BJW
10. Emily (ME)

* * * * *

Success #3: Greg and Emily

Greg and I are listed at 23andMe with the probability of being 5th cousins and a range of cousinship being from 3rd to 10th cousin. Although we share only .11% of our genome that was tested, we have been able to find our common ancestor. Due to the detail work of both parties, I actually discovered that common ancestor before we even shared at the Basic Genome level.

Our paper work indicates we are 11th cousins.

Greg’s line:

1. Matthew Williams, b. ca 1606-1623 England; d. Bet. Jul 1659 - Nov 1665 CT; m. aft 1646 Wethersfield, Hartford Co, CT to Susanna Cole, dau of Samuel.
2. Amos Williams, b. 14 Mar 1645/46 Wethersfield, Hartford Co, CT; d. 20 Aug 1683 Wethersfield, Hartford Co, CT; m. 27 Jan 1669/70 to Elizabeth Rogers
3. Capt. Amos Williams, b. 17 Mar 1670/71 Wetherfield, Harford Co, CT; d. 19 Apr 1744 NJ; m. Johannah Wheeler, b. ca 1676; d. 13 Nov 1719
4. Samuel Williams, b. ca 1713 Newark, NJ; d. 01 Apr 1812 West Orange, NJ; m. Hannah Harrison
5. Jonathan Williams, b. ca 1747 West Orange, Essex Co, NJ; d. 15 Nov 1838 West Orange, Essex Co, NJ; m. ca 1771 Mary Squier
6. Nathan Williams, b. 12 Oct 1774 Orange, Essex Co, NJ; d. ca 1861; m. Catherine Wade
7. Jonathan Squier Williams, b. 11 Feb 1801 Mt. Pleasant Place, West Orange, Essex Co, NJ; d. 05 Aug 1875 Mt. Pleasant Place, West Orange, Essex Co, NJ; m. 22 Dec 1822 to Phoebe Perry.
8. Samuel Augustus Williams, b. 3 Sep 1824; d. Aug 1893; m. 30 Sep 1847 to Frances Harrison
9. Herbert Wallace Williams, b. ca 1862; d. ca 1944; m. Antoinetta Unknown
10. Helen Henrietta Williams, b. ca 1886 Orange, NJ; d. 14 Feb 1976 Grenada Hills, CA; m. 19 Jun 1912 Clifford Fowler Williams of Cleveland Ohio.
11. CEW
12. Greg


Emily’s line:

1. Matthew Williams, b. ca 1606-1623 England; d. Bet. Jul 1659 - Nov 1665 CT; m. aft 1646 Wethersfield, Hartford Co, CT to Susanna Cole, dau of Samuel.
2. Samuel Williams, b. 4 Jan 1653/54 Wetherssfield, Harford Co, CT; d. 8 May 1706 Elizabethwon, Essex Co, NJ; m. to Esther Wheeler, b. Milford, New Haven Co, CT
3. Nathaniel Williams, b. ca 1701 pos. Elizabethtown, Essex Co, NJ; d. 1764 Newark, NJ; m. Unknown
4. Esther Williams, m. ca 1730s to James Pierson, b. ca 1700 pos. Wales; d. ca 1761 Hanover Co, NJ
5. Hannah Pearson, b. ca 1736-37 Newark, Essex Co, NJ; d. aft 1785; m. ca 1758 Hanover Twp, Morris Co, NJ or Newark, NJ to Lemuel Bowers, b. ca 1709-12 Newark, NJ or Greenwich, CT; d. bef Apr 1785 Morris Co, NJ
6. Lemuel Bowers, b. ca 1761; d. 20 Sep 1830 Crown Point, Essex Co, NY; m. Oct 1780 Morristown, Morris Co, NJ to Sarah Mills, b. 1761 Hanover Twp, Litton, NJ
7. Hannah Bowers, b. ca 1792 NJ; d. Nov 1868 Jerseyville, Jersey Co, IL; m. Nov 1813 Bridport, Addison Co, VT to Charles Rufus Derby, b. ca 1795 VT; d. Sep ;1853 Jerseyville, Jersey Co, IL
8. Sarah Mills Derby, b. 24 Apr 1814 Bridport, Addison Co, VT; d. 12 Jun 1888 Fort Scott, Bourbon Co, KS; m. 17 Dec 1833 Bridport, Addison Co, VT to Lambson Williams, b. 28 Sept 1804, Bridport, Addison Co, VT, d. 20 Dec 1878 Marion twp, Bourbon Co, KS
9. John Joseph Williams, b. Jul 1851, Jerseyville, Jersey Co, IL; d. Aug 1946 Fort Scott, Bourbon Co, KS; m. Nov 1870 to Urvilla Victoria McCoon, b. Jun 1854 Dane Co, WI, d. Sep 1890 Fort Scott, Bourbon Co, KS
10. Clyde Mills Williams, b. Nov 1887 Fort Scott, Bourbon Co, KS, d. Aug 1957 Fort Scott, Bourbon Co, KS; m. 1921 Olathe, Johnson Co, KS to Emily Helen Gilmore, b. 1890 Gray's Harbor, WA, d. 1942 Fort Scott, Bourbon Co, KS
11. BJW
12. Emily (me)


SO…who will be my next discovery of a common ancestor?

PS: I just received a match on my X Chromosome so that should be an interesting story once that common ancestor is found as there are ways to determine exactly who contributed to the chromosome pairs. Women inherit two X chromosomes, one being received from the father and one from the mother. BUT...not everyone in those ancestries make up the X. Watch this blog for how to know what lines to compare.

Emily
aulicino@hevanet.com

23andMe Success Story

Joan gave permission to have her 23andMe success story posted on my blog. With every success story, interested genealogists can learn the importance of DNA testing and researching your lines in a wide path as you go back in time. Just knowing your direct line is not not very useful in finding cousins whether DNA testing or not.

I advise researchers to track their direct line to at least three generations on either side of it. That is, know the grandchildren of your ancestors as well as the spouses' parents and grandparents. It is a task, but greatly rewarding when you find common ancestors with complete strangers in the matter of hours.


Thank you Joan for sharing your story ... she wrote:

My closest match through the Relative Finder at 23andme is a probable 3rd cousin (no further back than 5th cousins) with whom I share a whopping 1.03% total DNA match. We've compared notes and proven that we are, indeed, 3rd cousins. Our great-grandmothers are sisters. Our match comes through channels that wouldn't have been findable through mtDNA or any other genealogical testing. The match is X and autosomal DNA.

What is really striking is that we share more than 90% of our X chromosomes. Our relationship is through his mother's father's mother and my father's mother's mother. These are lines not traceable through traditional genealogical DNA tests. We also share a segment of chromosome 2. Our match comes through the single X chromosome he inherited from his mother and the X chromosome I obviously inherited from my father.

What is also interesting is that we both have another unidentified (as yet) match with (apparently) the same other person who may turn out to be another match on the same line -- he hasn't come forward yet. This other person shares .78% DNA with me and is identified as a probable 3rd cousin and no further back than 4th cousin. The Relative Finder shows that we share FIVE half-identical segments!

Since we found each other we've been sharing family photos, and there is a great resemblance. His mother (who would be my 2nd cousin once removed) had no interest in all this when her son was originally tested with 23andme, but since we found each other she is now interested and has been tested -- should be interesting to see if we match even more closely when she gets her results.

We are building quite a little family here since I had already met another cousin (through traditional research) who descends from the same family -- another sister of my great-grandmother.

This was an interesting line to research and it is even more interesting to find proven DNA cousins in this line!

Joan
Dec, 2009

23andMe Success Story

The new rage in DNA testing is with 23andMe. They test autosomal markers for ancestry and health purposes. This means for your genealogy you can now match testers who are not on just your Ydna or your mtDNA lines. You can match people who are anywhere in your pedigree charts.

This last October I ordered their Complete Edition which includes data for my health and for my ancestry. You can order these separately, getting only the Ancestry test, if you wish. This story, however, is about my genealogy.

With 23andMe, at the moment, testers need to "opt in" to communicate with other testers. Under their section Relative Finder, I see that I have 239 people who match me. However, only twenty-one of them have allowed communication with testers. Of those twenty-one, only eleven have actually made contact. I am waiting for the other ten to open their email and reply to my invitation to share, one way or another: Accept or Ignore.

The company lists the Predicted Relationship which can range from very closely related to distant cousin. I happen to have one 3rd cousin who, unfortunately, has not opted to converse with anyone as yet. Most others are 4th and 5th cousins. I have two listed as Distant Cousins. The probable rankings for cousins are given in a Relationship Range from 3rd cousin to 7th, 8th, 10th, etc., depending.

Columns also give you the % of DNA Shared and the # of Shared Segments. Of course, the higher the numbers for these two, the better. 23andMe only deals with matching information within certain parameters, so other people could match you that are not listed. It is understandable that they want to provide matches that are reasonable. Also, remember that this isn't a full genome test. It only covers a bit over a half million markers. More people could match you if all areas were tested, but most of us cannot afford that.

Lynleigh was listed as my 4th cousin with a relationship range from 3rd to 7th cousin. We shared .23% of our DNA. While that does not sound like much, you must consider that it is enough to determine relationships as the comparison is based on having a block of result which matches. We match on one DNA segment, Chromosome 20.

This match can be seen under the link Family Inheritance. Here you compare your genome result with that of another person. A blue section appears where the match is.


Both Lynleigh and I share the same haplogroup: U5a1. However, in this testing, unlike mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA), that is not important. The mtDNA test deals with the all female line (bottom line of a pedigree chart for the person who is number one on the chart). This is not where we match.

On November 12th, I sent her a message stating that 23andMe found we are related. After she accepted my invitation to connect, I sent her a list of surnames for my 4th great-grandparents on both sides of my family also including the states that were relevant for each. I then refined it to add my direct ancestors' full names, a date, and the county for each state, hoping that a county would help narrow the search.

She sent me her list, and I commented on those that were directly or indirectly related:

... Eads is connected to my Simpson line.
... Bowling to the Talley line.
... Roberson could be Robertson.
... Stokes were near Stokers in Southside VA and NC.
... Powell is connected to Talley.
... Rodgers could be Rogers.
... Shelton is connected to Doolin.
... Simms connected to Canterbury.


Then I suggested:

"Maybe we should share more detail on some lines. For example where were your Eads in VA ... and your Jenkins in PA? Although Jenkins is a Welsh name, it does not mean we can connect them even if they are neighborhood due to the naming patterns. Mine were in PA in the late 1600s...some may have stuck around. I think that some of the Watson line (from Albemarle Co, VA) did land in NC or SC, but they are not in my direct line. SO ... some of these may be worth checking, especially if you and I have sibling info. This will surely teach people not to do just their direct lines!"


On November 13th, Lynleigh asked to Genome Share. This can be done on a Basic or Extended level. The Basic level allows you to see which chromosome is matching. The Extended level allows you to share health information. We decided to do the Basic Sharing, and we learned that the matching result is on Chromosome 20.

November 28th, Lynleigh found our common ancestor! Actually, her husband Yasuyuki does the genealogy and found it. Since I had only sent my 4th great-grandparents, her husband had to do my genealogy to be certain. Without a dedicated researcher, we may still be searching. Sending more information would have helped more easily.


*** WE ARE 6TH COUSINS ONCE REMOVED! ***

23andMe predicted we are 3rd to 7th cousins, so they are pretty accurate.


Lynleigh's lineage:

1. William Simpson, b. 1750 Edgecombe Co, NC; d. 1813 Caldwell Co, KY
...+Mary UNKNOWN
2. Nancy Simpson, b. 1775 Caldwell/Livingston Co, KY; d. 1838 Gasconade Co, MO
...+John Eads, m. 1795 Caldwell Co, KY
3. William Eads, b. 1797 Christian Co, KY; d. 1846 Des Moines, IA
...+Rebecca A. Roberson, m. 1818 KY
4. Cyrene Eads, b. 1823 Gasconade Co, MO; d. 1906 Macoupin, IL
...+James E. Andrew, m. 1840 Des Moines, IA
5. Martha Leviscus Andrew, b. 1858 Macoupin Co, IL; d. 1940 Champaign Co, IL
...+Wililam Jackson Shelton, m. 1881 Macoupin Co, IL
6. Earnest Andrew Shelton, b. 1882 Macoupin Co, IL; d. 1955 Jersy Co, IL
...+Edna Alice Galloway, m. 1904 Macoupin Co, IL
7. James Glenn Shelton, b. 1917 Macoupin Co, IL; d. 1979 Champaign Co, IL
...+Marguerite Ann (surname withheld)
8. Lynleigh's parents
9. Lynleigh


My lineage:

1. William Simpson, b. 1750 Edgecombe Co, NC; d. 1813 Caldwell Co, KY
...+Mary UNKNOWN
2. Benjamin D. Simpson, b. 1777 Caldwell/Livingston Co, KY; d. 1853 Osage Co, MO
...+Mary (Polly) G. Roberson, m. 1808 KY
3. James Simpson, b. 1818 KY; d. 1849 en route to CA
...+Rebecca Syrene Miller, m. 1842 MO
4. Syrena Simpson, b. 1844
...+Henry Jefferson Williams, m. 1861 Osage Co, MO
5. Benjamin Franklin Williams, b. 1874 MO; d. 1952 MO
...+Tina Mae Simpson
6. Georgia Fay Williams, b. 1898 Pulaski Co, MO; d. 1980 Wyandotte Co, KS
...+Guy Franklin Doolin, m. 1918 Pulaski Co, MO
7. Emily's parents
8. Emily


Not only do I have a new cousin, I have a research partner!


In 23andMe results, you should consider all aspects of your genealogy. You must realize that any connection may be (and is more likely to be) through a line that crosses gender and/or from lines that branch off from any of your ancestor's siblings. As you can see from my connection with Lynleigh, each of us crosses gender in almost every generation.


From this experience I have learned a great deal. The following suggestions may assist you in finding your common ancestor more quickly:

1. If you have not done so, choose to correspond with those who match you on 23andMe. If you cannot find the link to "opt in" for corresponding, email the company at:
help(at sign)23andme.com

It is VERY important that everyone decides to correspond even if you are a novice at genealogy or DNA.

2. Research all aspects of your lineage, including the siblings of your direct ancestors and some of their descendants. I have always had the general rule of researching three generations either side of my direct line. You could connect anywhere along the lines and more likely along lines that branch off of your ancestor's siblings. All those descendants are important to finding the connection.

3. Set up a simple website with your lineage details or put them in a Word Document, including at least:

... a. Names, dates, and locations of all your direct ancestors and all their spouses.
... b. Surnames of all the children's spouses.
... c. If any of your lines have tested for DNA with other companies, refer to that project link.
... d. If you have found connections on lines through 23andMe, mention where those are in your lineage.

4. Write some details of your lineage in the Invitation. If you have set up a website, include the link.

5. Share as much detail as possible about your family either through your website or in a Word Document that you can copy and paste to the 23andMe messages you write to your cousins. At some point, everyone will be comfortable sharing personal emails.

6. Start searching and researching. DO NOT give up. The common ancestor is there!

Success is SWEET!

If you have any DNA success stories, email me so I can post them here. Perhaps another cousin is reading this blog!

Emily
29 Nov 2009
aulicino(at sign)hevanet.com