I Love My Ancestors
Other Research | Walter Dudley | Harry Mann
I Love My Ancestors
Search Angel
I am a search angel, helping solve other people's mysteries. I also research my own family mysteries. I am available for presentations on the topic of DNA research for genealogy in my local area of Eastern Nebraska.
I help others answer the questions: Where did I come from? What is my medical history? Who do I look like?
I research for others to help them answer those questions and to help unite birth families as they see fit. As a retired Information Technology (computer geek), I am picky about my research and provide a report to the people that I help as we work through the DNA matches.How long does it take? There is no simple answer to this question. Some have taken me a couple of years and others a day.
How do I do it? I put a great deal of time and effort into your family search. I work through the matches that people share after taking their DNA tests. I recommend using ancestry.com first. If you hare in a state where you can get your original adoption papers, apply for them. If you can get your non-identifying information from the adoption agency, get them.
Many of us are searching for our family ancestry, our roots, our history. Finding information on our personal story can be greatly enhanced by many tools that are available in the marketplace today for family history buffs and genealogists.
DNA has been a remarkable tool for the researcher, if you understand the results are not just your ethnicity estimate. In fact, some "experts" will tell you that is great coffee shop conversation and not much else.
The true value of doing a DNA test is achieved when you are able to compare the amount of DNA that you share with another test taker.
Where Do You Test?
- Ancestry.com - it clearly is the market leader in the volume of test takers in their database.
- My Heritage - My Heritage offers both research databases but has added autosomal DNA testing to their toolset. My Heritage offers a limited use, free upload of your raw DNA. You may unlock extra features for a fee.
- FamilyTreeDNA- this is the go to location for the Y-DNA and MtDNA testing. This site also offers a free upload of raw DNA.
- 23 and Me - not only will you find information about yourself but you can also learn about health traits on this site.
While Ancestry.com is my personal top choice, 23 and ME is my 2nd choice for testing. As the experts say, "swim in all the ponds."
Third Party Tools
- Gedmatch - This site allows users to upload their "raw data" and compare matches in various ways not available on any other sites. It is a great way to do chromosome browsing.
- DNA Painter - I highly recommend looking for quality you tube videos for this tool.
Search Angels
I am a search angel. I have solved many cases for adoptees and people who are missing a parent. For some, it comes as a great surprise that one of their parents is not genetically related to them.
There are angels among us! Search angels can be found on a couple of Facebook groups including DNA Detectives and the Search Squad. Typically search angels are folks who help others find their genetic family. This is most effective for adoptees and or misaligned paternal lineage. If you need help, please let me know about your needs.
This Site
This site began as a place to store my research information. I have hunted and documented my family's roots for more than 30 years. I have 2 big giant brick walls to break down and that lead me to take a DNA test. The first wall is related to Jefferson Davis Cook (1860-1916). It seems that the folks who have done DNA tests, don't seem to have that COOK surname in their connections. HUMMM... Then there is the matter of William Edward Martin (b. 1832 and d. ca 1907). Oh grandpa, what secrets are you hiding from us?