Becoming Sherlock Holmes of DNA Matching

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As family historians, we become a modern day Sherlock Holmes. Always ready for the next case, the more convoluted the better.  For me, putting on my Holmes Hat means discovering DNA matches. Like our favorite detective, I am obsessed with the tools of the trade.

I am one of those people with a relatively small number of DNA matches. Compared to my husband, with family in the United States on every line since the beginning of time. My ancestors are fairly recent immigrants. This makes finding connections a little harder. I've become creative working with my DNA matches.

Being a visual person, my dream genealogy office would have a white board wrapped around the room. Since that probably won't happen, and I don't have a "mind palace" like another Sherlock, needed another way to harness data.

AncestryDNA updated tools have been extremely helpful. Using color coding, I created clusters for each family line. Using MyTreeTags to indicate family surnames and locations. These were very helpful with some of my connections. But, on many lines, I don't have surnames beyond great-grandparents.

After identifying known matches, began looking at the unknowns. That is when I started using floating trees (link below to create trees). These are unattached trees inside your Ancestry tree. They are not connected, sort of hovering out there. Until we determine how the matches are related. 

Creating colored dot clusters for the unknowns, I found shared matches. Worked the tree. Discovered where each match connected. Up to their known ancestral couple. 

This is the first floating tree I completed. Each + sign indicates DNA match line. These I used on the direct line down to DNA connection. This way I can easily follow the path. Used the # sign to indicate the ancestral couple. These symbols are placed in the "suffix" field next to surname.

We have shared matches with three of William Lewin and Nancy Ann Cook's children. This visual evidence is immensely helpful! So far there are a total of 6 DNA matches.

Here we have one of the DNA matches for this floating tree. I placed the amount of DNA we share in the suffix box. Added MyTreeTags. Having DNA matches from many sites, created a tag for each company. Tag with ancestral couple name. I used the comment field for DNA matches with unusual usernames.

One of the most helpful parts of this exercise? Placing these DNA matches in my tree (via floating trees) has allowed connecting to my DNA match list. I created a dot called "floating tree" for these connections. Now when researching other matches, and a surname seems familiar, can locate them immediately. And, when sorting matches into "shared with" these 'floating tree" matches will be identified.

for example eliminated living DNA match names

Why create custom tag for ancestral couple? Why enter DNA amounts? When viewing ancestral couple tag, we see a list of tree matches. Beside the name, amount of DNA shared. This number is pulling from the suffix field where we entered the data.

With this information, I created a spreadsheet. Username, company tested and the amount of DNA shared. Sorting highest to least. Then, using DNA Painter's "Shared cM Tool" for predicting "possible relationship". Added this information to the spreadsheet. Data will show best possible matches. These, I will research further. Hopefully discovering the family connection.

For me, the visuals have created order out of chaos. Feeling like a true detective! Putting as many pieces in place as possible. 

Several researchers believe we are related to a Cook line in Baltimore. This could be the evidence. Once the Maryland State Archives is fully operational, headed there to investigate this family.

Thanks to Ancestry, for all their great tools. Also, Connie Knox of Genealogy TV, for sharing how to create floating trees. Someday we just might knock down several stubborn walls.

Resource to help with color coding on AncestryDNA and creating floating trees.

   

Using the new Ancestry DNA match features by Kitty Cooper's Blog

Color Code Ancestry DNA Matches Using Surname Table by Family History Fanatics

The Leeds Method with Ancetry.com's Colored Dots by Dana Leeds    

How to Create a Floating Tree on Ancestry by Genealogy TV