Help with theory

[Towdlass]

No having looked at the 1881 census I had names and ages plus place of birth. So then I went on to Public Members Trees and put these details in, one at a time. The results for each one I looked at to see if they had had their DNA tested and if so was it matched to mine. As I say I have one match that I'm looking at with the help of the members tree I matched with. Watch this space. 

[Towdlass]

I have been working on the tree of the chap who I suspect might have been my great grandad and have found two more people with whom I share DNA. One has 16 cMs across 1 segment and the other only 6 cMs across 1 segment. Can someone please tell me if this is looking more likely that he is my grandfather or less likely. I do struggle to understand DNA but I would have thought that the figure would be higher??? Unless they are quite distant relatives of the chap in question? Am I understanding this right???

[brigidmac]

Have you tried my tip of going to DNA matches and choosing search option with magnifying glass a symbol

 put his surname in the appropriate box
Then you will see if there are any more DNA matches with.closed trees or unlinked trees

The more matches you have the more chance there is

Is it a common surname .?
I.recommend not ticking the alternative spellings box but.doing a separate search then

Other searches with location only

I'm going to play around with this to see what results come up to compare to your statistics

[brigidmac]

Yes in fact my 19cm was. 3rd.cousin match but only surname.in common was our.mutual great grandfather
She was descended from his daughter's daughter so if we.hadnt traced our own.trees back.so.far we wouldn't have linked .

You could.add.the putative father tentatively to your tree ..with.a tag."hypotheses " this is controversial

Using location search.I come up with.some.20cm 3rd.cousins who I know come from my.grandgathers recomposed family so are actually half second.cousins thru his half siblings

So knowing the fact that the first cousins in your chain only share 1 grandparents you can expect smaller cm.in.future generations

I'm.watching this space .!

[Towdlass]

I have started to add the details of the chap and a few of his closest relatives onto my tree in a tentative way in the hope that it might throw up something from ThruLines. I know I shouldn't really do that but to be honest people shouldn't take things they find on others trees as gospel without checking it for themselves, should they? I do look at other peoples finding for clues but always check their findings for myself.
Anyway, the lady I found first who has the connection of 7cMs says that she has no direct relationship to my chap but that his brother was the 2nd husband of her great aunt. So I think that would explain why the link is so small, don't you think? I don't know what else I can do to try to prove that he is my great grandad, do you? Though I do think that it is quite likely.

[Towdlass]

I have to admit though that I am quite relieved that my original theory is proving to be wrong. 

[brigidmac]

Thru lines only show up if you have their descendants on your tree
+ Spell them the same

Some of my known matches don't show up because they've put their ancestors nicknames or shortened names

Shared matches is a better option

[Towdlass]

Just to update you. I have re-read the email sent to me by my 7cMs match. The connection was via my chaps brother who was the 2nd husband of her 3 x great aunt. So very slender thread, eh?

[brigidmac]

The DNA can't link thru marriage
So you'd have to trace your matches great grandparents and all their descendants .
Do the localities fit ?

Still admiring your persistance