How Clutching at Straws has given me my biggest ever breakthrough in 20 years

[chiddicks]

This week I made my biggest ever breakthrough on my tree, when I managed to solve a 20 year brickwall, thanks to the powers of DNA. For 20 years I have had one 'missing' great great grandfather.

Of my 16 great great grandparents, one has always been listed as 'unknown father', well not anymore!!!!!

If I said it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, well before, I didn't even know which haystack to even look in!!!!

http://chiddicksfamilytree.com/2020/06/22/my-dna-breakthrough-and-looking-for-a-needle-in-a-haystack/

[brigidmac]

Amazing story
Thanks for sharing

Our needle in haystack was ;

My grandmother s  middle name led us to her birth father but it was an extra bonus when DNA led us to descendants of the unknown grandparents who also had photos so we could share photos and compare family likeness too .
I now have all 16 of my great great grandparents too

[chiddicks]

Oh wow what a similar story but what great bonus that you were also able to trace living descendants that led to the bonus of the photos, priceless!!

[Gadget]

I had a similar breakthrough 2 years ago, having searched (off and on)  for a great grandfather since the 1950s.

I did a DNA test  2 - 3 years ago and after a lot of investigations and grouping of matches and more traditional research, I found him in 3 months.

 

[chiddicks]

I had a similar breakthrough 2 years ago, having searched (off and on)  for a great grandfather since the 1950s.

I did a DNA test  2 - 3 years ago and after a lot of investigations and grouping of matches and more traditional research, I found him in 3 months.

 

Thats amazing! Congratulations to have been searching since the 1950's is incredible, you must feel so elated at having finally made the breakthrough

[Gadget]

Well, I didn't spend all of the intervening years searching - only off and on - as I had a job to do for much of the time 

What was even more interesting  was that he and his parents and siblings had lived in the same  house that my great grandfather from another line had later lived (and died) in.

[chiddicks]

Well, I didn't spend all of the intervening years searching - only off and on - as I had a job to do for much of the time 

What was even more interesting  was that he and his parents and siblings had lived in the same  house that my great grandfather from another line had later lived (and died) in.

How spooky is that, what are the chances of that

[trish1120]

How wonderful, congratulations

[chiddicks]

How wonderful, congratulations

Thanks Trish, much appreciated