Learning how to do source citations is one of the most important steps to taking your research to the next level. As I was going through the process of learning about source citations, I had a vision in my mind of the lesson on source citations I wish I would have seen a long time ago. So that's what I've created for you all today, and I hope it becomes a benefit to everyone who sees it!
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
The Disappearance of Alfred Michaels
Finding Alfred Michaels has been for me an exercise in chasing shadows. Every time I think I've got what I need to figure out how he disappeared, he disappears again.
I recently discovered Alfred on eighty U.S. passenger lists coming in and out of Boston from 1933-1937. And needless to say, they've painted a more complete picture of his life.
Alfred worked on the Lady Somers, a cruise ship that traveled between Canada and the Caribbean. It made frequent stops in Boston, but also included stops in Havana, Cuba; Nassau, The Bahamas, and Kingston, Jamaica. As you can imagine, making port in this many countries greatly increases the chance of finding passenger lists. Ancestry.com has the lists as they made port in Boston, and Alfred appears on lists for both the Lady Somers and the Lady Hawkins.
Alfred's career begins aboard the Lady Hawkins between 1929 and 1930, but the records pick up in January 1931, beginning with making port in Boston after setting sail from Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is listed here as a general steward, among the bottom of the cruise line hierarchy. But notice that all of the General Stewards are not listed together on this list. They are organized by what part of the ship they work in--and Alfred is a General Steward somewhere in or around the garden lounge.
These particular rooms on the ship gave Alfred access to the passengers--a responsibility which was only given to those who were well-trained in terms of social etiquette, grooming, and personal refinement. While the stark social separation between blacks and whites would have been felt in these positions, we can also determine that Alfred was not a typical manual laborer. He likely had some education, and previous experience which would have gotten him the job. He also would have been reasonably well-trusted in terms of access to the guests.
The story continues in much the same way throughout 1931 until Alfred begins to change positions in that section of the ship. His first change happens when he becomes a smoke room steward in May, then a lounge steward in August, and eventually as the garden lounge steward in September. The higher up on the passenger list you were, the closer you were to the captain. The separation was not only one of distance on the ship, but of pay and skin color. The social order of the 1930's becomes tangible through this crew list, and we see that Alfred was concerned about getting ahead.
Imagine a roll call in which a man with a ledger passes systematically through the ship. That's the way this list is organized. We see check marks next to the names as the roll was taken. Also notice that the garden lounge room and the library are next to each other. This becomes relevant as Alfred continues moving his way up the passenger list.
Alfred remains a garden room steward for a year, between December 1931 and December 1932. We can also question whether it was a position of authority, whether the general stewards answered to him through a chain of command. If so, this was one of the few positions of its kind available to him because of his race.
The library steward position is one he would have had easy access to observe, if not receive some mentoring from the library steward on the Lady Hawkins. For the duration of the time that Alfred was the garden lounge steward on Lady Hawkins, William Dixon was the library steward. They would have seen a lot of each other throughout this time, and might have been friends. William Dixon was between 5 and 8 years older than Alfred, and had been on the ship between 3 and years. While William Dixon's entries vary widely, it's clear that he had been around longer than Alfred. Assuming he didn't want to take his friend's job, the only way for him to continue his upward momentum was to seek work elsewhere.
In December 1932, Alfred changes ships. Whether this was through reassignment or a voluntary change, we can't say based on these records. But once Alfred begins his service on the Lady Somers, he is working as a library steward.
On these lists from 2-3 January 1935, when some new details emerge. Alfred has also dropped 20 pounds, and now has a tattoo on his left forearm. There's no more mention of the mole on his forehead that was his only defining feature on the lists from the Lady Hawkins. And life, as they say, appears to be smooth sailing from here on out. He makes no more changes in position for the duration of his time aboard the Lady Somers. Whether he could not advance or simply didn't want to, the records don't give any hints as to the reason.
In 1935, Alfred is attempting to enter Halifax, Nova Scotia. He petitioned for entrance into Canada on the grounds of meeting his fiancee, Muriel Ince. The record is dated 31 January 1935, so by that time we can see that they've met and become engaged. But how long they've known each other or how they would have met is still a mystery. We also see that he has been denied entrance, for reasons that the records do not make apparent. They've provided codes that correspond to reasons, but I've yet to find a resource that will explain them.
Here is an interesting story as we read between the lines. Recall the record of his marriage to Muriel Ince. They were married on 1 February 1936, a year and a day after he was not permitted to see her.
I have a passenger list that states Alfred was aboard the Lady Somers in Boston on 30 January 1936--just two days before he was married in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Muriel must have been a nervous wreck wondering when he'd show up. And we see that a major aspect of their relationship would be his repeated and prolonged absence because of being aboard the ship.
The last record I have of Alfred aboard the Lady Somers is from 11 December 1937. It's also the last record I have of him alive. Beyond this point he disappears, and I've never had any clue as to where he went. But if you look closely at this list, you can see there's a scribbled word next to his name.
Vincent Lambert has the same word and some additional details next to his name. I didn't know what to make of this. His notes almost seemed like legal notes in relation to some sort of case. I don't know why I thought that, or where I got the idea to explore the other images Ancestry.com had in this collection. But I decided to scroll through the other images to see if they didn't say something else about Alfred's desertion.
Maybe it was divine providence, because I finally got an answer:
Alfred Michaels was reported of participating in a robbery. And here's where we need some legal help. In our current English vernacular, theft is theft. We treat robbery and burglary as synonyms for theft. But the actual legal definition of robbery (as provided by Dictionary.com) is, "the felonious taking of the property of another from his or her person or in his or her immediate presence, against his or her will, by violence or intimidation."
These records do not reveal if Alfred is guilty. Perhaps exploring Vincent Lambert's final outcome would reveal more details of the incident. But it certainly explains why Alfred doesn't show up in any aspect of his family's life on paper beyond that point.
But the question of where Alfred went beyond this day in Boston becomes very interesting. Did he return to Jamaica to his family? Did he flee from Boston and remain in the US? Did he return to Halifax to be with his wife? Each possibility carries with it certain risks of discovery.
Sometimes being a genealogist requires us to think like a fugitive-weighing pros and cons we would never imagine in any other way. In the meantime, I have to use what I know. Vincent Lambert is a perfect stranger to me, but finding out more about him may be my only chance of finding Alfred from here.
I recently discovered Alfred on eighty U.S. passenger lists coming in and out of Boston from 1933-1937. And needless to say, they've painted a more complete picture of his life.
 |
| Postcard from the RMS Lady Somers, Canadian ocean liner |
Alfred worked on the Lady Somers, a cruise ship that traveled between Canada and the Caribbean. It made frequent stops in Boston, but also included stops in Havana, Cuba; Nassau, The Bahamas, and Kingston, Jamaica. As you can imagine, making port in this many countries greatly increases the chance of finding passenger lists. Ancestry.com has the lists as they made port in Boston, and Alfred appears on lists for both the Lady Somers and the Lady Hawkins.
Alfred's career begins aboard the Lady Hawkins between 1929 and 1930, but the records pick up in January 1931, beginning with making port in Boston after setting sail from Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is listed here as a general steward, among the bottom of the cruise line hierarchy. But notice that all of the General Stewards are not listed together on this list. They are organized by what part of the ship they work in--and Alfred is a General Steward somewhere in or around the garden lounge.
 |
| "Massachusetts, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963," Ancestry.com (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8745 : accessed 13 November 2014), digital image, "List or Manifest of Aliens Employed on the Vessel as Members of Crew" [Vessel: Lady Hawkins, arriving at Boston, Mass. on January 22, 1931], p. 3; citing NARA T-938, roll 132 |
These particular rooms on the ship gave Alfred access to the passengers--a responsibility which was only given to those who were well-trained in terms of social etiquette, grooming, and personal refinement. While the stark social separation between blacks and whites would have been felt in these positions, we can also determine that Alfred was not a typical manual laborer. He likely had some education, and previous experience which would have gotten him the job. He also would have been reasonably well-trusted in terms of access to the guests.
The story continues in much the same way throughout 1931 until Alfred begins to change positions in that section of the ship. His first change happens when he becomes a smoke room steward in May, then a lounge steward in August, and eventually as the garden lounge steward in September. The higher up on the passenger list you were, the closer you were to the captain. The separation was not only one of distance on the ship, but of pay and skin color. The social order of the 1930's becomes tangible through this crew list, and we see that Alfred was concerned about getting ahead.
Imagine a roll call in which a man with a ledger passes systematically through the ship. That's the way this list is organized. We see check marks next to the names as the roll was taken. Also notice that the garden lounge room and the library are next to each other. This becomes relevant as Alfred continues moving his way up the passenger list.
Alfred remains a garden room steward for a year, between December 1931 and December 1932. We can also question whether it was a position of authority, whether the general stewards answered to him through a chain of command. If so, this was one of the few positions of its kind available to him because of his race.
 |
| "Massachusetts, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963," Ancestry.com (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8745 : accessed 13 November 2014), digital image, "List or Manifest of Aliens Employed on the Vessel as Members of Crew" [Vessel: Lady Hawkins, arriving at Boston, Mass. on September 3, 1931], p. 3; citing NARA T-938, roll 140. |
The library steward position is one he would have had easy access to observe, if not receive some mentoring from the library steward on the Lady Hawkins. For the duration of the time that Alfred was the garden lounge steward on Lady Hawkins, William Dixon was the library steward. They would have seen a lot of each other throughout this time, and might have been friends. William Dixon was between 5 and 8 years older than Alfred, and had been on the ship between 3 and years. While William Dixon's entries vary widely, it's clear that he had been around longer than Alfred. Assuming he didn't want to take his friend's job, the only way for him to continue his upward momentum was to seek work elsewhere.
In December 1932, Alfred changes ships. Whether this was through reassignment or a voluntary change, we can't say based on these records. But once Alfred begins his service on the Lady Somers, he is working as a library steward.
On these lists from 2-3 January 1935, when some new details emerge. Alfred has also dropped 20 pounds, and now has a tattoo on his left forearm. There's no more mention of the mole on his forehead that was his only defining feature on the lists from the Lady Hawkins. And life, as they say, appears to be smooth sailing from here on out. He makes no more changes in position for the duration of his time aboard the Lady Somers. Whether he could not advance or simply didn't want to, the records don't give any hints as to the reason.
 |
| "Massachusetts, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963," Ancestry.com (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8745 : accessed 13 November 2014), digital image, "List or Manifest of Aliens Employed on the Vessel as Members of Crew" [Vessel: Lady Somers, arriving at Boston, Mass. on January 3, 1935], p. 3; citing NARA T-938, roll 180. |
In 1935, Alfred is attempting to enter Halifax, Nova Scotia. He petitioned for entrance into Canada on the grounds of meeting his fiancee, Muriel Ince. The record is dated 31 January 1935, so by that time we can see that they've met and become engaged. But how long they've known each other or how they would have met is still a mystery. We also see that he has been denied entrance, for reasons that the records do not make apparent. They've provided codes that correspond to reasons, but I've yet to find a resource that will explain them.
 |
| "Border Crossings: From U.S. to Canada, 1908-1935," Ancestry.com (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1344 : accessed 13 November 2014), digital image, "Canadian Immigration Service, Report of Admissions and Rejections at the Port of Halifax, N.S., for the Month ending January 31, 1935" , p. 12; citing Library and Archives Canada RG 76-C, roll T-15390. |
Here is an interesting story as we read between the lines. Recall the record of his marriage to Muriel Ince. They were married on 1 February 1936, a year and a day after he was not permitted to see her.
 |
| Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics, digital images, Nova Scotia Archvies, (https://www.novascotiagenealogy.com/ItemView.aspx?ImageFile=80-43&Event=marriage&ID=223308 : 13 November 2014), Entry for marriage of Alfred Michaels and Muriel Ince, citing Halifax County, Nova Scotia, "Registration Year 1936, Book 80," p. 43. |
I have a passenger list that states Alfred was aboard the Lady Somers in Boston on 30 January 1936--just two days before he was married in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Muriel must have been a nervous wreck wondering when he'd show up. And we see that a major aspect of their relationship would be his repeated and prolonged absence because of being aboard the ship.
The last record I have of Alfred aboard the Lady Somers is from 11 December 1937. It's also the last record I have of him alive. Beyond this point he disappears, and I've never had any clue as to where he went. But if you look closely at this list, you can see there's a scribbled word next to his name.
 |
| "Massachusetts, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963," Ancestry.com (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8745 : accessed 13 November 2014), digital image, "List or Manifest of Aliens Employed on the Vessel as Members of Crew" [Vessel: Lady Somers, arriving at Boston, Mass. on December 11, 1937], p. 3; citing NARA T-938, roll 219. |
Deserted.
Vincent Lambert has the same word and some additional details next to his name. I didn't know what to make of this. His notes almost seemed like legal notes in relation to some sort of case. I don't know why I thought that, or where I got the idea to explore the other images Ancestry.com had in this collection. But I decided to scroll through the other images to see if they didn't say something else about Alfred's desertion.
Maybe it was divine providence, because I finally got an answer:
 |
| "Massachusetts, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963," Ancestry.com (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8745 : accessed 13 November 2014), digital image, "Letter from Patterson, Wylde & Co. Attn: Mr. Ambrose," [dated December 15, 1937], p. 177; citing NARA T-938, roll 219. [Unindexed, Image 249 in Ancestry.com viewer] |
Alfred Michaels was reported of participating in a robbery. And here's where we need some legal help. In our current English vernacular, theft is theft. We treat robbery and burglary as synonyms for theft. But the actual legal definition of robbery (as provided by Dictionary.com) is, "the felonious taking of the property of another from his or her person or in his or her immediate presence, against his or her will, by violence or intimidation."
These records do not reveal if Alfred is guilty. Perhaps exploring Vincent Lambert's final outcome would reveal more details of the incident. But it certainly explains why Alfred doesn't show up in any aspect of his family's life on paper beyond that point.
But the question of where Alfred went beyond this day in Boston becomes very interesting. Did he return to Jamaica to his family? Did he flee from Boston and remain in the US? Did he return to Halifax to be with his wife? Each possibility carries with it certain risks of discovery.
Sometimes being a genealogist requires us to think like a fugitive-weighing pros and cons we would never imagine in any other way. In the meantime, I have to use what I know. Vincent Lambert is a perfect stranger to me, but finding out more about him may be my only chance of finding Alfred from here.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Thrift Shop Genealogy
One of the realities of being a young genealogist is that you are broke most of the time. Our income has a non-negotiable function of keeping us alive--and between paying our own bills, handling student/life-related debt, and the rest of our various expenses, there may not be much left over.
Calculate in the money we've already decided to spend on genealogy for software, record access and subscriptions, books, and research trips there isn't a lot left over. How we make our dime stretch is exactly what makes us so savvy--it's out of pure necessity.
So from one savvy researcher to another, I'm going to let you in on one of my best secrets in how I save money.
The thrift store has saved me thousands of dollars on my genealogy bottom line so far. As I've been unpacking and setting up my office, that much has become blatantly clear to me. Let me break down some of my finds with you by category, and leave any others you can think of in comments!
Calculate in the money we've already decided to spend on genealogy for software, record access and subscriptions, books, and research trips there isn't a lot left over. How we make our dime stretch is exactly what makes us so savvy--it's out of pure necessity.
So from one savvy researcher to another, I'm going to let you in on one of my best secrets in how I save money.
The Thrift Shop
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| I'm gonna pop some tags Only got 20 dollars in my pocket |
The thrift store has saved me thousands of dollars on my genealogy bottom line so far. As I've been unpacking and setting up my office, that much has become blatantly clear to me. Let me break down some of my finds with you by category, and leave any others you can think of in comments!
Office Supplies:
- Binders - All sizes and colors
- Report Covers - Smaller and lighter than binders, excellent for mailing reports or charts to family, genealogical societies, libraries, or clients
- Various office supplies - dividers, hole punches, sheet protectors, organizer bins and trays, file boxes, staplers, etc.
- Computer/ Tech gadgets - Wireless keyboards/mouse, external monitors, power cords, HDMI cables, plugs, cables, adapters of every kind.
- Data storage - external hard drives, CDs, DVDs, flash drives, etc
- Thank you cards - For grandma letting you tear her house apart looking through her stuff
Photos/Photo Restoration
- Printers - also, any missing power cords or cables for yours
- Paper - Standard, Photo, etc.
- Ink cartridges
- Scanners
- Photo Albums
- Frames
- Software
Books/Research
- Computer software - Family Tree Maker, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Photoshop, etc. If you're willing to use outdated programs as workarounds, this can save you hundreds of dollars on software.
- General History - Some of my best Civil War resources were ones I found at the thrift store
- Local Histories - ALWAYS stop by the thrift store on your research trips to where ancestors lived. You never know what you could find there.
- Research References - Even though we don't use Chicago Manual of Style or MLA, principles of good research are universal. They're still worth a read. Same thing with used textbooks.
- Dictionaries - Look for older references to be able to look up outdated words from old journals and letters
- Atlases - Wish you had maps to mark up, hang on the wall, or use for a craft? Get an old atlas or map book from the thrift store and go to town
- Also, check out paperbackswap.com and other used book sites. I refuse to pay full price for a book anymore. Sure, the publisher and the author don't get any money from me. But they should have thought of that before they charged $50 for book! You want my money? Put that crap on Kindle!
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| I'm not a cloud--I don't make it rain. #SorryNotSorry |
Giving Back/Service Opportunities
- Bibles - Do you check Bibles at the thrift store to see if someone wrote family details in them? If you find one, have you ever tried to return it to the proper family? Did you know you can donate these to archives and they'll preserve/index this information? Even if you only take some shots with your camera phone and post them online, it's better than doing nothing. Be sure to take down the name of the store where you found it.
- Photos - Have you ever found unmarked photos? If they're cheap, purchase them and see if you can't return them to their original owner. If your cash is short, try to take some decent shots with your camera phone, front and back. Post them online and see if you can't find the owners. Good genealogy karma is real, and you never know if someone might be trying to do the same thing for your family right now.
Extras
- Music - I can't work without music in the background, and I always need more. Music is a powerful tool for jogging memories too. Get to know the music your grandparents listened to. Play it when they're around and see what memories come to mind as they hear it.
- Movies
Crafts
- Dry Erase Maps - Get a map, put it in the proper sized frame, make sure the frame uses glass. You can now write on it with dry erase markers. Trace migrations, or even mark permanent locations in permanent marker
- Photo Tree - Ever seen one of these jewelry trees at the thrift store? You can re-purpose it like I did using small picture frames from your local craft store.
- Cross Stitch - Once upon a time, family members would create a cross stitch of their family history. You can do the same thing, and sometimes thrift stores have the thread, needles, patterns, and hoops to get started
- Scrap book - Also find your materials and trinkets here
And as a bonus, here's an anthem for your awesome thrift store finds:
Saturday, July 12, 2014
My AncestryDNA Review: A Cautionary Tale
[UPDATE: Please be advised that this review is almost two years old. In that time, there have been several changes to AncestryDNA's product. Because those features have greatly impacted the AncestryDNA test and its usefulness, I have given a second review of those additional features. Thank you for your continued interest. I wish all of you the best success in your efforts with DNA testing for genealogical pursuits. -Heather, 28 Jan 2016]
As some of you know, I took the AncestryDNA test back in February of this year. I got my results back a long time ago, and even though I posted them on Twitter I never blogged about them. I made a video about my immediate reaction, but never shared it. I wanted to give myself time to see, from start to finish, the impact their DNA test would have on my research. That's what makes a DNA test successful, in my book. What impact did it have on my research?
My Suggestion: If AncestryDNA wants the ethnicity estimates to have greater value and overall impact on someone's research, this needs to play out in the cousin matches. Instead of telling me what the match's genetic breakdown was like, and leaving me wondering which part of their breakdown applies to me--tell me which one applies to me.
I won't pretend to understand what Ancestry's beef is with a chromosome browser, but in terms of privacy this feature I'm suggesting doesn't have to be complicated or threatening in any way. Even if you highlight, italicize, or bold the Region I share with my match, this is better than what this system currently does--which is nothing. Preferably, I would like it if they would at least show me the chromosomes that apply to this match. But if you can't/won't do that, give me something--anything--that I can work with.
Final grade for the AncestryDNA ethnicity estimates: D+
It has potential. They have demonstrated to me that they have the ability to deal with a complicated genetic sample like mine. But this feature is so under-developed, I'm glad it was never my real motivation for taking the test. Because if it were, I'd be even more disappointed.
Which leaves me with pages 1 through 3. And I honestly wish I had better things to say about the experience I'm having there. Because I paid $99 for these three pages of cousin matches, and it was the only money I had to spend on a DNA test. I want in my soul for it to have been worth it because I don't get a do-over with someone else. This is it, at least for the foreseeable future.
It wasn't until I saw what other testing companies could offer me, and I discovered what a chromosome browser is, that I realized how short-changed I was. And apparently, this has been an ongoing battle with Ancestry.com. Customers of genealogical DNA testing from other companies have been asking for better DNA analysis tools. Ancestry.com refuses to supply them, their rational being concerns of "privacy," and the idea that they want their product to be more "simple."
Let's talk about that word for a second. Simple. If something is simple, that means it is without significant barriers to the ends and objectives it was meant to achieve. It also means it should be approachable to all users, of any experience level, who choose to use it. True simplicity means I can achieve results without struggle, and anyone who comes before or after me should be able to do the same thing.
Simplicity does NOT mean that you deliver an inferior product, on purpose, at full market price to customers who don't know any better. That is not true simplicity. It's dishonesty. And the ways in which this test is inferior is not allowing people to achieve results, or oftentimes leading them to false conclusions. Not only is this bad for genealogical research, it goes against the Genealogical Proof Standards that professional genealogists know they're supposed to uphold.
And because AncestryDNA delivers such a sub-par product, it doesn't end up being simpler to the users in the end. It ends up being much more difficult for all of us to draw meaningful conclusions from our tests. So they need to come up with a better justification than this. Because that is a royal load of nonsense.
My Suggestions: Make full participation in the cousin matching mandatory. If you're concerned about privacy and not getting your feelings hurt by what you find in a DNA test, then DNA testing is not for you. I shouldn't have to beat down someone else's door asking them to come play. We pay the same amount of money for our tests. They get to see my results, and I don't get to see theirs? This compromises my results, and means that Ancestry.com has to deliver an inferior product to me because of someone else's potluck mentality.
DNA for genealogy HAS to be collaborative, or it does not work. By definition, it CANNOT work. You can't have a service that relies on comparative science, and isolate it down to services provided for a single user. But that's what AncestryDNA tries to do, and that's what users with privacy settings do. Privacy settings eliminate interactions between users. And it's an inappropriate way to approach DNA testing for genealogy.
Also, chromosome browser! Either buy one or build one! Or come up with something even better. Give me the analysis tools I need. I would say, "Or I'm going somewhere else." But that's already a foregone conclusion. I AM going somewhere else, anywhere else, that can do a better job with "cousin matching" than AncestryDNA.
Final grade for the AncestryDNA cousin matches: F
Until I see some momentum on their part in terms of change, I will not purchase another DNA test from them. I will not encourage anyone else to take an AncestryDNA test. In fact, I will join a growing vocal portion of the genealogical community that discourages people from taking AncestryDNA tests.
23andMe is another option, and in terms of what I've seen of their interface via this Google Hangout, it looks pretty awesome. Wish I had $99 for another test.
Your other option is to wait for GedMatch.com to come back online (like I am right now) and upload your AncestryDNA results there for free. They'll provide you with more analysis tools so you can see exactly what is going on with your DNA results. You know, so you can actually USE them for something. Here's to hoping that turns out better, but no word on their site about how long they're going to be MIA.
As some of you know, I took the AncestryDNA test back in February of this year. I got my results back a long time ago, and even though I posted them on Twitter I never blogged about them. I made a video about my immediate reaction, but never shared it. I wanted to give myself time to see, from start to finish, the impact their DNA test would have on my research. That's what makes a DNA test successful, in my book. What impact did it have on my research?
But first, let me share my results:
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| My AncestryDNA results |
As you can see, I'm one of the most diverse people, genetically speaking, that you could ever hope to find. What I have to discover in terms of international research and connections to people across the globe cannot be understated. It has never been more apparent to me than it is now how much I need to make solid DNA connections with other people. It may be the only way I'll ever know some of my heritage.
As a matter of disclosure, both of my grandmothers were illegitimate children. So a significant amount of this genetic material represents people who are unknown to me.
As a matter of disclosure, both of my grandmothers were illegitimate children. So a significant amount of this genetic material represents people who are unknown to me.
What impact has the AncestryDNA ethnicity estimates had on your research?
Absolutely none. These genetic percentages have not had any impact on my research whatsoever. Not in terms of people I know about already, nor those I have yet to discover. How could they? The African heritage was of no surprise to me. I didn't need a test to confirm this to me. The biggest surprise to me were the amounts of Jewish heritage I possess. But again, what am I supposed to do with this information? How am I supposed to use that to find the people to whom I'm related? How is this of any genealogical benefit to me at all?Paying for information I cannot use puts me into the exact same position I was in before I ever knew the information. In fact, I was better off BEFORE I took the AncestryDNA test in this respect because then at least I would still have $99 and could take a test from a different company.
My Suggestion: If AncestryDNA wants the ethnicity estimates to have greater value and overall impact on someone's research, this needs to play out in the cousin matches. Instead of telling me what the match's genetic breakdown was like, and leaving me wondering which part of their breakdown applies to me--tell me which one applies to me.
I won't pretend to understand what Ancestry's beef is with a chromosome browser, but in terms of privacy this feature I'm suggesting doesn't have to be complicated or threatening in any way. Even if you highlight, italicize, or bold the Region I share with my match, this is better than what this system currently does--which is nothing. Preferably, I would like it if they would at least show me the chromosomes that apply to this match. But if you can't/won't do that, give me something--anything--that I can work with.
Final grade for the AncestryDNA ethnicity estimates: D+
It has potential. They have demonstrated to me that they have the ability to deal with a complicated genetic sample like mine. But this feature is so under-developed, I'm glad it was never my real motivation for taking the test. Because if it were, I'd be even more disappointed.
What impact has the AncestryDNA cousin matching had on your research?
None. Worse than none. If I could give a negative score for this, I would.
This feature was the reason I took the AncestryDNA test. Believe it or not, I did my research on this test before I took it. I already knew the ethnicity results weren't going to impress me much. But I figured I would more than make up for that via the cousin matches. And to be honest, this didn't happen.
When I open my cousin matches, I have 188 pages of matches. At 50 matches per page, that may seem like a lot of people. But everything after page 3 are what they called "Distant Cousins." That means that they're 5th cousins or even more distant than that. The ancestor we share is so far removed from both of us that our chances of tracing them accurately on paper will be difficult. So in AncestryDNA's best interest, they don't count. Since AncestryDNA hasn't given me the tools I need to analyze these cousins more carefully, they've really given me no choice but to decide these distant cousins don't count.
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| How can two little strands cause so much drama? |
Which leaves me with pages 1 through 3. And I honestly wish I had better things to say about the experience I'm having there. Because I paid $99 for these three pages of cousin matches, and it was the only money I had to spend on a DNA test. I want in my soul for it to have been worth it because I don't get a do-over with someone else. This is it, at least for the foreseeable future.
They've matched me with 2 second cousins, 6 third cousins, and 96 fourth cousins. Let me break down my real results for you by group:
- One second cousin I already know. We have all of the same information. The other has a private tree and hasn't responded to my messages to find out who she is.
- Of my third cousin matches: 2 have private trees, 2 have public trees with no matches to anyone in my tree, and 2 have no tree. None of them have responded to my messages to collaborate
- Of the 4th cousin matches: 17 have private trees. One of them has allowed me to see hers so far. Our connection could not be determined. 24 of my matches either had trees unavailable or no trees at all. That leaves me with 55 matches I can explore right now, none of which match anyone in my tree.
(Three people have responded to my messages, but only to ask me for help. I was very grateful for their cooperation, please don't misunderstand. But when no relationship between us could be determined, how was that experience supposed to be anything but disappointing for all of us involved?) - The only matches I have where Ancestry could determine our shared ancestor--based on our matching trees and NOT DNA--were from the Distant Cousins category. And one of them I know for a fact is wrong because we both descend from step-children of the same ancestor. We have him in our trees as a father to his non-biological step children, but at least in mine I have marked him as a non-biological parent to Laura Griffin Clark. Not that this translates over to AncestryDNA at all, which is a stupid error on their part. (I'm sorry. I've tried to refrain from using the word "stupid" in this review because it's terribly non-constructive. But that's what that is. Not implementing the biological/adoption information from the Ancestry trees is stupid!)
It wasn't until I saw what other testing companies could offer me, and I discovered what a chromosome browser is, that I realized how short-changed I was. And apparently, this has been an ongoing battle with Ancestry.com. Customers of genealogical DNA testing from other companies have been asking for better DNA analysis tools. Ancestry.com refuses to supply them, their rational being concerns of "privacy," and the idea that they want their product to be more "simple."
Let's talk about that word for a second. Simple. If something is simple, that means it is without significant barriers to the ends and objectives it was meant to achieve. It also means it should be approachable to all users, of any experience level, who choose to use it. True simplicity means I can achieve results without struggle, and anyone who comes before or after me should be able to do the same thing.
Simplicity does NOT mean that you deliver an inferior product, on purpose, at full market price to customers who don't know any better. That is not true simplicity. It's dishonesty. And the ways in which this test is inferior is not allowing people to achieve results, or oftentimes leading them to false conclusions. Not only is this bad for genealogical research, it goes against the Genealogical Proof Standards that professional genealogists know they're supposed to uphold.
And because AncestryDNA delivers such a sub-par product, it doesn't end up being simpler to the users in the end. It ends up being much more difficult for all of us to draw meaningful conclusions from our tests. So they need to come up with a better justification than this. Because that is a royal load of nonsense.
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| Potluck Mentality: Let me show up but not bring anything! |
DNA for genealogy HAS to be collaborative, or it does not work. By definition, it CANNOT work. You can't have a service that relies on comparative science, and isolate it down to services provided for a single user. But that's what AncestryDNA tries to do, and that's what users with privacy settings do. Privacy settings eliminate interactions between users. And it's an inappropriate way to approach DNA testing for genealogy.
Also, chromosome browser! Either buy one or build one! Or come up with something even better. Give me the analysis tools I need. I would say, "Or I'm going somewhere else." But that's already a foregone conclusion. I AM going somewhere else, anywhere else, that can do a better job with "cousin matching" than AncestryDNA.
Final grade for the AncestryDNA cousin matches: F
My disappointment with the service I have received is so complete, I have nothing good to say.
Final grade for the AncestryDNA test as a whole: D-
I trust Ancestry.com as a company, they've always given me the best results in terms of genealogy related products. I am exactly the type of customer they should be trying to make happy. I'm not only fiercely loyal to their products, but I have consistently recommended them as the only place for my friends to go when they are serious about their genealogy research. Not only that, but I'm 24--I am their future. I am the market they most need to worry about reaching. They have a very real vested interest in keeping me happy for a long time.
While I still feel that in terms of record access, database quality, and mobile platforms they have no real rival in my eyes, I expected the same caliber of service from my DNA test. And I didn't get what I paid for.
While I still feel that in terms of record access, database quality, and mobile platforms they have no real rival in my eyes, I expected the same caliber of service from my DNA test. And I didn't get what I paid for.
I took this particular DNA test because I truly believed that Ancestry.com had ambitions to be the market leader of DNA research--as they are in every other facet of what they do. I trust them to be around a long time with my information. I felt secure in that guarantee.
But seeing as they've decided to discontinue their Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA services, I don't see how they could ever be top-dog in the market now. Especially not after destroying irreplaceable DNA samples and removing access to the results from their website.
But seeing as they've decided to discontinue their Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA services, I don't see how they could ever be top-dog in the market now. Especially not after destroying irreplaceable DNA samples and removing access to the results from their website.
Until I see some momentum on their part in terms of change, I will not purchase another DNA test from them. I will not encourage anyone else to take an AncestryDNA test. In fact, I will join a growing vocal portion of the genealogical community that discourages people from taking AncestryDNA tests.
I feel ya! Same thing happened to me. What should I do now?
I wish I had a better answer. You can export your DNA results from AncestryDNA for free, but what to do with them at that point is a mystery to me. If you have $69 you can upload them to Family Tree DNA. They have way more analysis tools and they come highly recommended from a lot of people I've been listening to so far. You can buy a test from them too, but honestly they seem a little expensive to me.
23andMe is another option, and in terms of what I've seen of their interface via this Google Hangout, it looks pretty awesome. Wish I had $99 for another test.
Your other option is to wait for GedMatch.com to come back online (like I am right now) and upload your AncestryDNA results there for free. They'll provide you with more analysis tools so you can see exactly what is going on with your DNA results. You know, so you can actually USE them for something. Here's to hoping that turns out better, but no word on their site about how long they're going to be MIA.
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| Maybe you'll get lucky and find some money in the street somewhere... |
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Charles Henry Pinheiro and the Royal Navy
Available at the British National Archives in Kew
The thought occurred to me today that Charles Pinheiro likely never saw his parents again after he joined the Royal Navy. And I'm sure that must have weighed on his heart beyond description. To know that you will begin again on the other side of the globe, and never again see your mother's face... what it took to make that sacrifice I may never understand.
But I do know that the only reason I know as much as I do about my Barbados lines is precisely because he moved away. I may not have been so lucky to know this much had the story been different, and I were speaking of Barbados instead of Canada. But then again, if this had been Barbados instead of Canada I undoubtedly wouldn't be here.
Charles' marriage certificate names his parents--Henry and Caroline Pinheiro. What were they like? Did they ever write to their son? Did he have brothers and sisters? What did he leave behind in Barbados? Can I ever know more about his family?
If I could talk to any group of people from my family history, I'd reach out to Charles and his family. I might never know them otherwise.
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