I do not know who my grandmother's parents are and am hoping that through DNA I am able to gather some possible leads. I have sent emails to my top matches and have not received replies. One I am particularly interested in is a Jon Spong with 149cM. We have a number of shared matches and I am not able to work out connections with any of them.
I am a little bit annoyed as my husband who does not really share my interest in family history was recently asked to do a DNA test through Ancestry. He agreed and as a result discovered a half-brother. His half-brother (Rob) had been trying to find out for 40+ years who his father was. He was given a DNA kit and eventually sent this away. A second cousin of my husband was also given a kit as a birthday present and when his results came through he was a match for Rob. He contacted Rob as he did not know how they were related and after discovering that Rob did not know who his father was he agreed to help him. This eventually led to Rob contacting my husband and asking him to complete a DNA test. cMs came back as 1,754. My husband received further emails from a person who had a DNA test several years ago and was hoping to find out who her great great grandfather was. She had managed to find out who her great great grandmother was through DNA but was waiting for someone like my husband to pop up and she would be able to work out who her gggrandfather was through shared matches and his family background and movements. Her gggrandfather was a brother to my husband's gggrandmother. They both came to South Australia in the 1860's from Germany. My husband's gggrandmother stayed in SA but her brother moved to Queensland where he had a relationship and fathered a child.
I am hoping that down the track I have some luck. I have recently asked a cousin in the UK if she would be willing to send away a DNA sample so I can used shared matches to further my research.