FTM2014 and AncestryDNA

I was asked how I used FTM2014 with AncestryDNA. Because of privacy concerns, this will be a typed Blog Post as there in information on several screens that contain information on living people.

I have my working FTM2014 file sync'ed to my Ancestry Member Tree (AMT). That AMT actually had 3 sets of DNA kits linked to it. One is a Y-DNA test that I had done earlier, the Second is my Autosomal DNA Test. I have a cousin, by marriage who is trying to identify her birth Grandmother, so she also has a Autosomal DNA test kit linked to my AMT.

I know that for the best results for DNA "cousin connections" is to have a Public Tree. I had my tree public when I first did the Autosomal DNA test, but I was seeing other users copy photographs and documents from my AMT so I made is Private but Searchable.

Because of the nature, at least my understanding of the Autosomal DNA tests, my entire file is online. I let the Ancestry.com privacy settings, for living people, control who can see what. IF I invite someone to my tree, either by my suggestion or someone with DNA results that match mine, I'll Invite them as a Guest, and would not be able to see information on living people.

So, I have my entire tree, including information from my cousin, in this private tree. I do respond to requests to view my tree.

I have DNA results, but no Circles. Don't know why that is, but I don't. 

I will focus on the ICONs on the Right, and View All DNA Matches. In the upper right, is what I would select my cousin's DNA kit. I can switch the kid that I am looking at.

There are 102 pages of DNA matches. Too many for me, but I can view them all. On the Left is a couple of Sorting options. Relationship and Date. So, I could sort by date to see the Newest Matches. For now, I am going to focus on the Relationship sort. 2nd Cousin (in my case) and further back.

I have selected the first match from my 2nd Cousin. On the right, it indicates that there is a Public Tree, with 2,177 people in it. There is a LEAF to the left of the "View Match" ICON on the right.

At the top LEFT of this next image, are three ways to view these DNA Matches. HINTS, NEW, STARRED. I generally work from the HINTS choice, as I will SEE Matches between my tree and the suggested cousin's tree. (will show that shortly). I can just look at the New DNA Matches, or only those matches that I have Stared.

There is a second, second cousin, but the tree is Private (padlock ICON).

Going back to the first entry, with the public tree with the (HINT) leaf, I clicked on the View Match ICON and see our connection.

My information on the Left, my cousin's on the Right. The person's tree on the right, IS my first cousin, 2 times removed. The father and my grandfather were brothers.

There is an option here, for me to make notes about this tree. I and edit it or delete them, I also use the STAR ICON upper right, to indicate that I have a note there or have been in contact with the owner of that tree.

This next image is for the 2nd person with the Private Tree. I am given the option to Contact the owner of that tree.. I have not done that yet, so no Star and no notes. I do this so it is obvious what I have or have not done with each of these trees / DNA matches.

Below is a note I have on one DNA Match

Here is an example of a (internal Ancestry Messaging service) to one tree owner.

My Cousin, by marriage, is a more difficult problem. Her mother was adopted and we have not been able to find out who her birth parents were. The paper trail has been followed, even the mother had done research 60 years ago. (long story).

The approach here is different. We only know the location of where she was born, and about when she was born. The paper trail has conflicting information, where the medical records tell us that the real birth date is unknown.

Selecting that other DNA Kit, the DNA Matches have to be looked at differently. Now, we have had DNA Matches for her Father and his ancestry, so we are good there. To find her Mother's ancestors I will look at the Map and Locations ICON, not the Pedigree and Surnames ICON.

This tree does show the birth city for the Mother. Selecting that location there is a pop up window with information about who are in this other persons tree, born in that same town.

The three choices are in the right place, but not at the right time. But, it is worth a closer look.

We have the same option to begin a conversation with the owner of that tree to see if there is a connection. I  have looked at that tree, and there are some hints that there might be a connection. Because of the nature of this relationship, I have not made that connection, but have a note on that DNA Match about what I found. I am the only who can see that note. I need to look at that tree much closer, looking for records in the tree for a hint for a connection to the "Mother" whose parents we are looking for. This is the closest match, to date, in answering the question I have. Exhaustive Research on information in this other tree is my next step.

A NOTE from my experience trying to make a DNA Match with other Online Trees. The lack of Standard Place Names, in the tree is a real issue. I am not as concerned about the documentation in that tree, for DNA Matches, but for this Adoptive research, the use of standard Place Names would really help.

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Copyright © 2015 by H R Worthington