by Judy G. Russell | Jan 10, 2021 | DNA |
Big changes in the wind at FTDNA, GEDmatch There have been two major developments in the DNA world this week — a change in ownership at Family Tree DNA and a change in direction at GEDmatch. And exactly what either change will mean for the typical DNA...
by Judy G. Russell | Jan 3, 2021 | DNA, My family |
With a bit of luck, it’s time to shine a light So… it’s been more than a year since the last progress report — or, more accurately, the last lack of progress report — on the hunt for the identity of the mother of Margaret Battles Shew. It...
by Judy G. Russell | Dec 27, 2020 | DNA, My family |
Thanks to the testers It is the last Sunday of 2020. The last day of this year when The Legal Genealogist looks to the pros, cons, and complications of using DNA as part and parcel of genealogical evidence. And a perfect day to say thank you to all those who’ve...
by Judy G. Russell | Dec 6, 2020 | DNA |
A basic test primer So the fall DNA sales are over. The Thanksgiving holiday sales have just wrapped up. And — any day now — we can expect the winter holiday sales to launch if they haven’t already.1 And, before they do, The Legal Genealogist owes...
by Judy G. Russell | Nov 27, 2020 | DNA |
Act fast for these deals There’s a whole host of Black Friday DNA sales going on today and — in some cases –for the next few days. So if you’re even thinking about diving in or adding onto your cousin pool this year, consider these — and...
by Judy G. Russell | Nov 22, 2020 | DNA |
Everybody has a deal Once again, the DNA testing companies are giving us — and our cousins — a reason to go ahead and get that DNA test done. Yes, it’s sale time again, with sales for the American Thanksgiving holiday offered by all the major DNA...
by Judy G. Russell | Oct 25, 2020 | DNA |
Consent is still consent There seems to be a wee bit of confusion about a line in an announcement by the Board for Certification of Genealogists about a key change in its DNA standards adopted at the Board’s October 2020 meeting. And, of course, since The Legal...
by Judy G. Russell | Oct 18, 2020 | DNA |
Standard 57 & ethics code amended One of the big issues genealogists have faced in recent years is applying ethical considerations to using DNA in family history. It’s not that ethical issues are anything new: doing family history research has always posed...
by Judy G. Russell | Sep 27, 2020 | DNA |
FamilyTreeDNA starts rolling out MyOrigins v.3 It’s admixture estimate update time again. And The Legal Genealogist is so relieved. Not because the results are any better than we’ve gotten any other time from any other company. But rather because...
by Judy G. Russell | Sep 13, 2020 | DNA |
Estimates! They’re only estimates! Yes, The Legal Genealogist got the same update in the admixture estimates at Ancestry as everyone else this week. Yes, my estimates changed. No, I’m not going to lose my mind over the fact that I now have no Swedish,...