A little update...

Our ancestry all boils down to DNA.

Well, I know that at least one person reads my blog, my old man was complaining because it had been a while since he had seen anything new. Yes, it has been a month or so. But folks are usually busy with the holidays and have no time for such minor matters, including me.

For the new year I am putting forth a challenge to my readers, of which I am sure there are 1's - post any future comments on my blog, even if it is to say this post sucks, or 'hey'. I dare you.

I will no longer be informing folks of a new post on Facebook. Become a subscriber to my blog and you will get emails telling you there is a new post. Or visit it once a week to check it out.  I double dare you.

I decided for my first post for the new year that I would mention a few updates to my research and miscellany.


WEBSITES:
jensgenealogy updated 1/24/2015, with changes happening much more often in the future; now being hosted through my dropbox account, so delete those old website links of mine, they are outdated and useless. (By the way if you click on the little tree image by a name it will bring up a small tree chart.) Right now the surnames link isn't working, I will work on that.

Flickr - a few new images have been added, some video, comments. I am still waiting for family to add their comments to images they see on the site, like who's who, what's what. Come on, I triple dare you.

It's all there folks, pictures, family trees, etc. all you have to do is 'click' or 'tap.'


DNA:
No big news on that front. I have now added my mother to the pool, familyfinder results have come in. Here is her ethnic breakdown map:

I am intrigued by the Norwegian and Middle Eastern results in both my Grandfather and Mother. Research, so far, shows no such ancestors in our tree.

My grandfather William Shepard and cousin Robert Cain have both passed away, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that nothing happens to their samples.


CONTACTS:
My forays into communications with distant cousins over the last year or two have resulted in 'nada'. No one wants to talk to me and it appears that the thought of DNA testing has them shaking in their boots in fear. Not really sure what that is all about. But, it's hard to move on with one's research when others don't want to share or talk to you. All that aside, I will continue with my efforts, you never know what the future holds.


CORRECTIONS; ADDENDUMS:
Samuel Johnson who married Elizabeth Fox and was living with Almyra Johnson Brooks in Burlington, Vermont, was the son of John Johnson and Margaret Fing. So not a brother of Almyra, possibly a cousin.

The death record for Christina Johnson Warren of Albany, New York indicates that her parents are Thomas Johnson and Catherine Dunlap. So, not a sister to Almira Johnson Brooks as I was hoping.

The William Buchanan who was in the Civil War was not our William, further research and, finally, a pension record proved initial conclusions incorrect.

Other than that, the year will be interesting, for me anyway. I have several new surnames to pursue and another trip to Salt Lake City coming up in July. I have many leads but can't really flesh stories out without more research, so I can't blog about much of any of it yet. A little frustrating to say the least.

Here are some hints regarding future posts: Quakers, slavery, Loyalists, beheadings, incest, royalty...

Be seeing you on the interwebs, jen