Heaps of Clues: Navigating DNA to Uncover Your Mystery Match

In a small town in southern Utah, a high school girl took a DNA test. Meanwhile, across the country, an adoptee sought to learn more about her biological roots through a similar test. This class will explore how their shared journey of DNA exploration uncovered a surprising story, reshaping their family histories in the process.

[@sharontabor7718]

Any small rural community with residents whose families have lived in the same area for 100+ years will have intertwining trees. My mother's two sisters married distant cousins to my father. My mother and brother-in-law are 5th cousins. My dad's first cousin married a woman who is related to him 2 ways via ancestor T, and a shared common ancestor W and C. That means their children are related to themselves 5 different ways. My mother's tree shows 9 ancestral couples in her tree more than once. My father's tree shows 4 ancestral couples in his tree more than once. This is a common occurrence anywhere in the US, especially in rural and small towns.

[@sl5311]

I have this in Utah from polygamy on both sides but also before the Mormon Church was founded when I am trying to find which segments belong to whom at the 4th and 5th great grandparent range.

[@flaviaindg]

Hey, just a great video! Could you please share with us the links mentioned that were posted on the zoom chat?

[@MrDannyDetail]

I'm less than 10 minutes in at this point, so maybe it's answered later in the video, but why, if the possible candidates for MRCA were based soley on that shared match, were Alvah's parents considered but not Devin's parents?

[@hazelmeldrum5860]

It was assumed that Devin was not the father as he was out of the USA for the relevant period ,they may have checked his parents but for the presentation missed this out

[@TheDebbieDodge]

How do I find my half-sister?

[@familysearch]

Hi Tania, Thank you for your research question! The FamilySearch Library offers free online research consultations that will help you. Check out the link below. www.familysearch.org/en/library/online-consultations