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A Montreal Mystery: How DNA Helped Reveal a Hidden Finnish Heritage
When Marjorie set out to learn more about her family history, she thought she already knew who her grandfather was. Her mother’s birth certificate, baptism record, and even the 1931 Canadian census all pointed to the same man: Harold Benson, an electrician living in Montreal. Although Harold was not married to Marjorie’s maternal grandmother, he…
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Leases, Legacies, and Litigation: A Chancery Case from Restoration-Era London
In April 1665, Richard Sainsbury, a carpenter of London, made his last will and testament. In it, he bequeathed several leasehold properties in Southwark, Surrey, to his wife Rebecca for the duration of her life. He specified that upon her death, the lease of his residence and an adjoining tenement on the east side were…
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Breaking Down a Brick Wall: New Research Investigates the Patriline of Daniel Sansbury of Darlington County, SC
For many descendants, Daniel Sansbury (c.1740s/50s?-1816) of Darlington County, South Carolina, has been a “brick wall” ancestor. Identifying his paternal line and his immigrant ancestor has been a long-standing challenge. But recent research combining Y-DNA analysis and archival records may shed new light on Daniel Sansbury’s origins. Full Report The Sainsbury-Sansbury group project on FamilyTreeDNA…
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How I Use DNA to Identify an Unknown Ancestor
What does a genetic genealogist do? Well, after you’ve submitted your DNA to multiple databases and shared those results with me, here’s what I do — depending on your unique situation — to achieve or advance your research goal. As you’ll see, this is a time-intensive process that requires patience and persistence! It also requires…