DNA Monday: 23andMe and GEDmatch, an Update

23andMe and GEDmatch are now like my left and right hand: I have the data from 23andMe and the power of the match from GEDmatch. So here's what's happened lately and all I can say is that it's been lots of fun!

Are you my cousin?
That seems to be the question that's in the subject line of a lot of emails going back and forth. The best one, or at least my favorite so far, is from GEDmatch user who just went and email as a bulk mailing all the people whose kit numbers matched each other in a specific way. He listed everyones kit number and email and it looked to be about 30 people. Quite a flurry of conversations started over it mostly based on British Isles ancestors, especially those from Ireland.
I didn't find a cousin match but had a lovely email exchange with a woman who is engaged to an Irish guy and he answered some general questions and provided feedback on a few points. Then amazingly she took a look at Mom's Big Tree on Ancestry and spotted one Honora O'Flynn and William Logston, who are my 8th great grandparents! Honora was quite the woman, her father an Irish king of the O'Flynn Clan, and her story very dramatic! Here's two links to their story: Jessa's blog at Gracefully Landing reports on her love of Ireland and the romantic notion of having an actual Irish Princess as an ancestor in the brave Honora O'Flynn, and a RootsWeb mash-up of all the random versions of this story/legend of Honora O'Flynn and her husband William Logsdon.
Wow! That was fun:) Hey, I am descended from an Irish princess! Do I get a tiara or something? A nice slice of Irish soda bread, maybe?

You are my cousin!
Meanwhile over in 23andMe land, things are perking up. One thing I really must remember in using these services is to check back often for new "players" who might match. Last Friday I looked once again at my 23andMe matches and noticed a new match that predicted to be a 3rd or 4th cousin. I immediately sent a message through their message system and he replied right away with saying that he'd looked at my profile and locations/names and thought he saw something worth looking at. He gave some names and sent an obituary link that solved the puzzle in one mouse click! His grandfather married Mom's first cousin!! Lois was Uncle Tom William's daughter and my GGF's granddaughter.
Wow! When this DNA stuff works, it really works!

These photos are from Aunt Betty's Archive. Can't wait to see if my new-to-me Cousin Andrew has them!!

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