Trying to make Sense Of DNA in ANCEStral Research Over the last year I have been trying to understand the whole DNA thing in Ancestor research. Not an easy task, at least for me. Sometimes we are lucky and we already know the people. Could be first and second cousins. They could have a name that rings true with one we have. We may have already shared information with those people. However as we go on to second/third, third/forth etc. the link can be much more challenging. I for one have found that some of these people link up on both sides of the family. What to do with them? So far I am at a loss. I have started to compare these matches and try to classify them as to common ancestor with some success. I have joined groups for DNA matches in all the countries that I know I have heritage. Then I waited. FLORA ? (1781--1856) I have met quite a challenge on my father's side with my 3X great-grandfather William Bell. He and his wife Flora came to Ontario in the early 1800's and settled in Meadowville near Toronto. I have yet to find his wife's last name. I have surmised but the documents from Northern Ireland are non-existent or sketchy at best. It was until just recently I was not aware if Flora ever made it to Canada. Through persistence I was able to find proof of her burial in Ontario. As far as tracing them back to Scotland, I am far from that and may never accomplish the task. DNA Yesterday I had a breakthrough. The best in a long time. I received a FB message from a woman who belongs to the County Fermanagh DNA Group who has DNA that matches with mine. She has only one relative family that comes from Fermanagh that she is aware of by the name of Little. Could this be the connection to my Flora? Her information shows that the relationship is approximately five generations back. I have no one by the name of Little in my family so it is a distinct possibility. First I checked the 1821 census for Fermanagh Ireland to confirm the name Little. Sure enough there are many. More than 150. Of that number there is one family living in the same village as my William, Flora and Hugh Bell. While William Bell and family live in house number 8, William Little (approximately the same age) live in house 41. This gives me proof that the Bells would have known Littles. Next I looked for Thomas Little a farmer who would have been the patriarch in my DNA matches family. He lived in Foglish, a village in close proximity to Derryvullan. At the time of the census he was 80 years of age and had four sons living at home. John 35, William 32, James 30 and Thomas 27, (this would be my DNA connection). Thomas' advanced age suggests he most likely had other family. There are two women in the same village, Jane 60 a widow and her sister in law Margaret also 60. These were most likely a wife or wives of another son of Thomas, or one could have been a daughter. Her 2x-great-grandfather William Little came to Brooklyn, New York around 1848 with Martha Little (dressmaker) 19, father Thomas, and three other Little family members Thomas (farmer) 12, Henry (taylor) 10 and Mary Ann (servant) 22. Thomas could have been a brother to Flora or possibly a cousin. Conclusion Thomas is definitely my DNA connection and with this proof I will assign the name Little to Flora. It also suggests why I found a Thomas as a child of William and Flora. Whether he was her father or an uncle, it is enough to come to this conclusion. Click the link to visit Flora Little
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Stephanie Bell-Boissonneault"When researching Family never leave a stone unturned, not even a pebble." Archives
July 2023
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