My interest in genealogy began when my son was a toddler. Of course, having little time to devote to research, I started my tree and relied heavily upon data obtained from other researchers and trees. After many years of tree construction, my husband and I learned about DNA genealogy and both of us submitted our DNA to a local site. As our matches poured in, our questions grew. How could I be related to these people? Why am I not related to those people? Thus, the beginning of the DNA enthusiast. I began a journey of discovery and learned that our family tree paper trail does not always match our DNA genetic trail.
As I began this journey of discovery, I realized that on both my maternal and paternal sides, the DNA suggested a questionable paper trail. In fact, I suspected some “non-paternal events” on both sides. This is a term used by many genetic genealogists describing circumstances where the father or mother of an individual is not biological. There are many factors which might have contributed to life situations, especially hundreds of years ago. Moving forward required an open mind and acceptance. The knowledge I gained, would have implications for my family, especially my mother and father. In my situation, my parents and sister were as eager to learn as I was. In fact, the stories and research have spurred hours of discussion and deepened our relationships. If you are considering research, be sure you are prepared for what you might not know. Non-paternal events which occurred 100 years ago might trigger less emotion than learning someone more recent is not the child of their perceived parent.
This has become a joint venture for my sister and I. Together, in separate places, we explore our genetic history and our family tree. We have spent countless hours in deep discussion about our findings. Our history now has meaning and depth. The “sad” stories we have discovered have shown us our ancestor’s courage and triumph. For if the circumstances were any different, we might not be here.
This page is dedicated to our family. Our mother, our father, and our many other relatives, past and present. This is our way of paying homage to those who have past on before us. We hope you explore and enjoy our website and blog.