|
11/3/2024 A Heartwarming Reunion Through Genealogy and DNA– Reuniting a Family Across Time and DistanceRead Now A joyful reunion – a father meets his newly discovered sister for the first time, with the help of Genealogy and DNA Sometimes, our journeys into the past uncover more than names and dates; they bring people together in ways that go beyond generations. Recently, I had the privilege of helping a client, Taylor, bring closure to a family mystery that stretched across continents and decades. Her father, George, born in Japan to a Japanese mother and an American serviceman stationed abroad, had been adopted at the age of five and brought to the United States. He spent a lifetime wondering about his biological roots, especially about the father he never knew. The Initial Reach-Out When Taylor first reached out to me over a year ago, her message was filled with hope but frustrated by the challenges they faced. She shared her father’s background—adopted with no father listed on his birth certificate, the only information available was that his biological mother (after finding her) had shared he was the son of a U.S. serviceman from Illinois. Her father had already initiated DNA testing, and had second-cousin matches, but no close relatives. While Taylor and her father had so few pieces of the puzzle, his desire to know his roots drove them to push forward. A Methodical Search and Discovery After assessing Taylor's information, I felt confident there was a path forward. To deepen the search, we explored her father’s AncestryDNA matches. Using a combination of grouping his DNA matches, creating a family tree for a common ancestral couple, and tracing their descendants, I began piecing together connections through military records, locations, dates, and family history. Through a systematic search—one that involved analyzing both historical records and genetic links—I was able to zero in on Taylor’s paternal line and locate the most likely candidate as her father’s biological father, as well as providing her photo comparisons of him and her father. Within a day, we had identified not only a likely father but also a living child of this man—Taylor's father’s biological sister. Yet, DNA results and facts alone don’t guarantee a reunion. Reaching out to this newfound family member required sensitivity and respect for the complex emotions involved. The First Contact and the Waiting Game When I reached out to this newly discovered sister, her response was understandably cautious. With respect and empathy, I explained the background, how I came to contact her, and what this connection could mean for her. She asked for time to process this life-changing news, and I let her know that there was no pressure for a quick response. An Unexpected Reunion and Heartfelt Gratitude Several months later, I received an email from Taylor. It read, "I just wanted to let you know that my dad’s biological sister did end up contacting him. They connected a few months back and speak pretty regularly. I believe one day they will probably meet in person too. I just wanted to say thanks again for your help and finding closure for my dad!" This was fantastic news. Taylor’s father and his sister had formed a connection—one that went beyond genealogy or even the search itself. They were becoming part of each other's lives, bridging the years and miles that had kept them apart. Just days ago, I received an even happier update: "Hi again! I wanted to share this photo with you. We went out to meet my dad’s biological sister Cheryl in Florida. Thank you again for all of your help. You have made such a big impact on my dad’s life and my long-lost aunt’s life by connecting them. I will forever appreciate it!" Reflecting on the Power of Family Connections Every genealogy journey is unique, but stories like Taylor’s are reminders of the profound impact family connections have on our lives. It was an honor to help this family find the answers they sought, and to witness such a happy outcome. Connecting people to their roots isn’t only about tracing family trees. It’s about bringing families together, offering healing, and sometimes changing lives in unexpected, wonderful ways. Taylor’s father now has a sister in his life, and both he and his daughter, Taylor, have more pieces of their family story than they ever imagined possible. This was more than a happy ending—it was a beginning for a family reconnected across time and place. The Client's Review on Google and Yelp"My father is 70 years old and was adopted at a very young age from Japan. For all of this time, it has been a mystery as to who his father was. Me and my siblings are in our 20s and thought it was finally time to hire a professional and see what we could uncover. Within a very short time of emailing her, Diane responded to us almost immediately and was eager to help. Since we had such limited information, we held our breaths in case there wasn't enough to work with. To our surprise (and delight), Diane found my biological grandfather within the same weekend! She was thorough and informative at every step, keeping us updated and explaining what she was doing. She went above and beyond to help us and it has been eye-opening to know our ancestry after all of this time! We highly recommend Diane and will always be grateful for the work she did for us. 10/10! Thanks for all of your efforts!" -Taylor N Interested in Discovering Your Own Family Story?If you have questions about your family history or are searching for long-lost relatives, you don’t have to navigate the journey alone. With professional guidance, uncovering the stories and connections of your family tree can be within reach. Feel free to reach out—each family story is unique, and I’m here to help bring yours to light.
6 Comments
 DNA Mystery Match: Mapping DNA connections to uncover an unexpected match on Ancestry Genealogy often feels like a puzzle, but sometimes it can resemble a mystery novel with unexpected twists and hidden characters. Recently, I encountered another “mystery match” on Ancestry—a previously unknown relative who shared a significant amount of DNA with my 1c2r, while working on organizing her paternal DNA matches (the side we share), yet didn’t quite fit into the known family tree. Here’s how I approached this genealogical mystery and pieced together the clues. 1. A Surprising Match: The First Clue The journey began with a surprising DNA match categorized as “Close Family” by Ancestry. They shared 426 cM of DNA and Ancestry predicted them as a 1st cousin 2x removed, which these centimorgans suggests a relationship in the range of a 1st cousin 1x removed (1c1r), a half grandnephew, a great-great nephew, or a half first cousin (1/2 1c), among others—each intriguing and requiring a closer look to confirm. 2. Tools for Relationship Estimation Using three key tools, Ancestry’s “Frequency of Relationships”, DNA Painter’s Shared cM Project Tool, and MyHeritage’s cM Explainer tool, I analyzed these possible relationships. Both former tools highly suggested the most likely possibilities were Great-Great-Nephew, Half Great-Nephew, 1C1R, Half 1C, Half Great- Uncle, or possibly a Great-Great-Uncle, and the later tool highly suggested 1C1R. But this was just the start—the tools help narrow the field, but genealogy is about testing hypotheses.  Ancestry’s “Frequency of relationships”- Partial  DNA Painter’s Shared cM Project Tool's "Relationship probabilities"  MyHeritage’s cM Explainer "Possible relationships" 3. Shared Matches: Clues from Family Connections I began comparing their shared matches. By cross-referencing these shared matches, I found some links that connected our DNA mystery to known family members who are descendants of her grandparents’ children, thus her father and his siblings—in which two are known to have had extramarital affairs. This provided an important clue: this new match was likely another result of our family’s history of complex relationships. 4. Analyzing cM Comparisons and Mapping Relationships To further test my hypothesis, I reviewed the cM values of known family members who share connections with this mystery match, using not only the Shared Matches tool, but the Shared Matches Pro Tool as well. Comparing cM values from other relatives on this line, I found patterns that suggested a very close family link. Based on their age (if the match is the only associate of the test manager that I found in public records with a name that fits the screen name initials) and likely generation, the match seemed to fit best as a half great-nephew--but identifying exactly where they fit requires more direct evidence, thus more work needs to be done analyzing cM comparisons and mapping relationships for the other 3 possibilities—1C1R, Great-Great-Nephew, or Half 1C. 5. Reaching Out to Potential Relatives The next step was to contact the mystery match’s test manager, as his screen name was just initials. Although the account had been inactive for over a year, I tried reaching out via Ancestry messages and Facebook (after I checked through public records, so I knew who to look for based off age, location, and associates). This is often a waiting game, and not everyone responds, but sometimes, persistence pays off. Every piece of information can make a difference, and connecting with living relatives can clarify lingering questions. 6. Lessons Learned: Tips for Investigating Mystery Matches This mystery match investigation highlighted several useful techniques for anyone facing a similar DNA puzzle:
By following these steps, I’ve gotten closer to understanding how this mystery match fits into our family story. DNA testing is a powerful genealogical tool, but it’s detective work as well. Each match is another chapter in the family’s story—one just waiting to be told. © 2024 Diane Henriks @ Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family More Genetic Genealogy/DNA ResourcesFind more DNA genealogy resources, tips, and other info under the Genetic Genealogy and DNA category. More Genealogy ResourcesLearn about more family history and genealogy resources under the Genealogy Resources category and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page. More Genealogy Brick Walls and MysteriesFind more genealogy brick wall research, tips, and other info under the Genealogy Brick Wall Research category. More Genealogy Research TipsFind more genealogy research tips under the Genealogy Research Tips category.
 Adoption or Unknown Parentage Research Tips Using Genealogy + DNA: Searching without Any Information Adoption or Unknown Parentage Research Using Genealogy+DNA: Searching without Any Information Traditional Genealogy + DNA + Descendancy Research + Living People Search + a Whole Lot More
After 7 days of extensive research and DNA mapping on a new case, I was able to narrow my non-legally adopted client's biological father down to 2 brothers, and on day 8, I had found one child (out of many) of the 2 brothers willing to take a DNA test to confirm which of the 2 brothers it is. She excitedly agreed to test to see if she has a newly found brother or 1st cousin! There is a lead on his biological mother (narrowed down to one line) with a possible birth certificate number, but getting that certificate, when you can't show proof it's yours or how you're related, is a whole other story. This recent unknown parentage case, out of many, has brought me to share part of the methodology I use. These are just guidelines and some tips for adoptive research that combine DNA and traditional genealogy with my “Uncovered Roots Method” DNA Research; descendancy research; living people search; and a WHOLE lot more, but this is in no way the full process that I use. 😉 These tips can be used in adoptive research or anyone looking for an unknown biological parent or other relative. 😉 Sometimes you may find your parent or other relative with this method, and sometimes you may just get down to a particular family or family line. 😉 Steps to Adoption or Unknown Parentage Research if No Information:
Other Tips: Have you tried a "no name search" in the areas where you suspect you were born, with just your birthdate? Interactive Questions: Are you adopted or did you grow up with just one known parent and are looking for a biological parent? Have you reached a genealogy brick wall for a particular ancestor or relative? Have you tried these tips to find a parent, ancestor, or any other relative? I’d love to hear your comments below in the comment section! More Genealogy Resources: Learn about more family history and genealogy resources under the Genealogy Resources category and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page! More Genealogy Research Tips: Get more family history and genealogy research tips under the Genealogy Research Tips category and on my dedicated Genealogy Research Tips page! More DNA + Genealogy Tips: Get more DNA + genealogy research tips under the DNA Simplified category! More Genealogy Brick Wall Tips: Get more genealogy Brick Wall research tips under the Genealogy Brick Wall Cases category! Genealogy + DNA Coaching: Are you adopted or have an unknown parent and need help figuring out your DNA match’s or where to start, but want to research on your own? I offer private, one-on-one family history and genealogy coaching services! Genealogy + DNA Research Services: Are you adopted or have an unknown parent and need to hire a genealogist to find a biological parent or birth family? I offer my “Uncovered Roots Method” DNA Research Service for just that! This post is a participant in The Genealogy Blog Party: November! The Best of the Genea-Blogs |
Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family: Family History and Genealogy BlogI hope my family history and genealogy blog on genealogy research tips, resources, events, and more, along with my own genealogy journeys, will help you in your research and in building your family tree to learn more about your ancestors and family history to preserve for future generations to come! Categories
All
Featured
Top Posts
BlogrollEvalogue.Life, Heart of the Family, Molly's Canopy, Climbing My Family Tree, Cami Mayer, Field Genealogist, Ancestor Detective, DNA Breakthroughs, Your DNA Guide, Ancestral Findings, Genealogy Tip of the Day, Family History Daily, Genea-Musings
Come visit me at Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family if you're interested in starting your family history journey, booking me for your next speaking event, or family history and genealogy heirloom products!
          Archives
March 2025
|
RSS Feed
HoursM-Su: 8am - 8pm
|
Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family is dedicated to promoting family history and genealogy, while maintaining commitment to client care and professional service, and adheres to the Code of Ethics and Professional Practices put forth by the Association of Professional Genealogists.
|