No DNA match, mother to gr grandmother

[Lisa in California]

My mum’s great grandmother, Jane Brown, supposedly was born in 1811 (Belfast, Ireland). Jane had at least one sibling, Esther Hadessah Brown, born 1805.  Esther was the mother of three children; at least two children had children of their own, etc. Both women immigrated to Canada c1830s (or earlier).  Nothing is known about any other siblings, their parents, or any other older relatives.  [Note: we have found (full?) details about the sisters’ lives after 1832.  There are several trees on Ancestry for Esther, and of course for Jane.]

While my mother has several Ancestry DNA matches to descendants of Jane and her husband, William Ellison, I have not found any DNA matches between my mum and any of Esther’s descendants.  Nor have I found any matches for the sisters’ possible siblings or parents.  I’ve searched for details about their lives in Ireland, and posted threads about them; the sisters have remained elusive prior to immigrating to North America.  I am hoping that if I find a match, I could learn more about any siblings or the sisters’ parents/other relatives.

Is it likely that the gap between my mother and the “older” relatives/ancestors is just too great to show any matches - or,
“enough” DNA just wasn’t passed down for non-Jane matches,
Esther’s descendants may not have tested their DNA,
Jane and Esther didn’t share parents?

Thank you very much for reading the above.  Lisa

[Biggles50]

Lisa

At the generational level between your Mum and Esther there is a low probability that DNA shared with Jane and Esther by their parents will not have been inherited but it is still possible that it has not.  So one cannot be confident in this aspect.

About six generations is a limit for reliable DNA inheritance although the further one goes back the probability of finding a match drops off a cliff.

If your Mum does not have her DNA posted on other sites then I suggest you arrange for that to happen, Gedmatch, MyHeritage, ftDNA etc all these will give the chance of additional matches being found.  Gedmatch has the most tools available but there is a steep learning process to fully use, understand and to interpret the results.

You can also use the Chromosome Tools available to map out which DNA segments have been inherited from each of her Grandparents and then expand upon that with the DNA matches who share segments with the Grandparental line in question. 

Initially take a look at My Heritage’s DNA cluster mapping, it is like the Leeds Method (which in itself is a useful process to try) and the cluster can help identify matches within each of the clusters then you can move on the other tools.  There may well be a small fee involved in unlocking elements of My Heritage’s features.

In the USA Ancestry has Pro Tools available which may be useful for you to subscribe to and learn more about it, we do not yet have access to it here in the UK.

It may well be that Esther’s descendants simply have not had their DNA tested or if they have they may well have used another company to test with and as I have written, spreading your Mum’s results may help.

Do keep in mind that Jane and Esther also may not have been full siblings so keeps options open.

Good luck

[Lisa in California]

Biggles50, thank you very much for the excellent suggestions and advice.  A few years ago, I downloaded my test to Gedmatch; I don’t believe I did for my mum’s.  I stopped using Gedmatch as I didn’t have the patience for it but I really would like to learn more about the Browns so I will try again.

Leeds method has been suggested for a different line.  I will look into that for the Browns.

I’ve not looked into Pro Tools.  I have a full Ancestry membership; perhaps it is included in the membership.

The five year gap between the sisters is interesting - perhaps: they were half sisters, a sibling died, their other siblings remained in Ireland, siblings (and parents) were in Canada but have not yet been found, etc.

Thank you again for your continued help (now with this line).  Lisa. 

[Biggles50]

I too have my data on Gedmatch but a success rate of more or less zero.

None of the matches I have are of any substantive help with the area I am interested in, no message response, no trees etc so it is just a waiting game with fingers crossed for a match of interest.

As it is my highest match on Gedmatch (75cM) was already in my Ancestry tree and in that they have been useful by ‘Reverse Engineering’ comparisons I can see which parental side some of them are.

[Lisa in California]

I too have my data on Gedmatch but a success rate of more or less zero.

None of the matches I have are of any substantive help with the area I am interested in, no message response, no trees etc so it is just a waiting game with fingers crossed for a match of interest.

As it is my highest match on Gedmatch (75cM) was already in my Ancestry tree and in that they have been useful by ‘Reverse Engineering’ comparisons I can see which parental side some of them are.

You mentioned trees and Gedmatch - I don’t have a tree on Gedmatch - that is something I really need to consider.

A good number of my Ancestry matches have been somewhat easy to pinpoint the parental sides (due to the regions where my ancestors lived in Ireland and England).  Some have taken a bit of sleuthing to figure out. The rest of my “higher” matches are in the category: are these even my ancestors?  . (Said in jest but because of their localities, it has been impossible to positively determine to which side they belong.)

I stopped using Gedmatch because it was overwhelming and the matches I could figure out were for two lines that have already been explored by (many) others.  I’m more interested in my brickwalls and in my lines that have few descendants researching.

I checked Pro Tools - in order to use it, I have to pay another fee, which I’m not willing to do, even if it helps eventually find brickwall ancestors.  I will keep my eye on it though - maybe in the future it will be offered as part of the package. 

Thank you again, Biggles50.  I hope to poke around Gedmatch today.