For those interested in genetic genealogy, DNA genealogy, and those interested in discovering family origins resulting from adoption or unknown parentage. You can become a DNA Detective.
It is not unusual for there to be cousins listed as relatives on a genetic family tree website. Make sure you have your direct descendants completed in your tree for five generations or so. Look at the distance of the relationship. If a person is listed as a second cousin, they generally great-grandparents. That will help you know which generation to look at. A fourth cousin would share third great-grandparents. Another consideration is a non-paternal event. It might not be on your side, it might be on the side of the person you match. Take a close look at your matches and look for commonalities. If you see someone you don’t recognize, see who else they match and look for common names.
In my situation, my father’s paternal grandparents were Nellie Hadley & William McCurdy Cubbison. We had matches on the Hadley side, but not the Cubbison side. I noticed several 2nd and 3rd cousins with the surname Jordan. I began building a separate family tree based on our cousins with the surname Jordan. As I was researching, the surname Harmon appeared frequently. I started adding cousins with the Harmon surname to the Jordan tree. The two trees eventually connected with Elizabeth Harmon who married Garret Jordan in 1814. Bingo! My father had DNA cousins relating to both sides. Elizabeth and Garret were my direct ancestors.
When you have matches to the paternal and maternal line of a couple, they are direct ancestors. Grandparent, Great-Grandparent etc.The Cubbison family moved from Wells County Indiana to Jay County Indiana between 1896 and 1870.
At this point, I knew the problem was on the Cubbison side of the tree. My father had cousins who were Hadley’s so my father’s, father was not a question. My father’s grandfather, William McCurdy Cubbison was not questionable because my father had DNA matches to cousins who descended from him. The non-paternal event must have happened before William McCurdy Cubbison was born. Elizabeth Harmon was born in 1798 and Garrett Jordan was born in 1793. The non-paternal event (NPE) must have occurred with the children of Garrett and Elizabeth. I began looking at the location of the Cubbison Family and the Jordan family in the 1800’s.
Jordan’s moved from Ohio to Jay Co. Indiana between 1850 & 1860.
The common denominator; Jay County, Indiana. I went to the 1870 Census and looked for each family. Much to my dismay, I found something that had been there the entire time. I hadn’t looked close enough. My 3rd great-grandparents (Adam and Louisa) were living right next door to my Jordan family. William’s father was not Adam. It was one of these brothers.
Isaac Jordan and Jacob Jordan were living on each side of my Cubbison ancestors. William McCurdy Cubbison was born in 1870. His parents were Adam and Louisa Minerva Cubbison.
In conclusion, my surname should have been Jordan and before that, we were O’Byrne’s. The Jordan lineage goes back to Leinster, Ireland, so the name changed sometime before our Jordan family reached the U.S.
In time, I will be able to say with certainty, which Jordan was the father of my great-grandfather. With DNA testing, each relationship is measured in centimorgans. My next step is to look at the centimorgans so I can determine the exact person I descend from. Right now, I am content knowing it was one of the brothers.
