FamilySearch Labs

The following is from an email I received from a friend about the new Labs tool at FamilySearch. We should all check it out. ==>

I will definitely check out the latest on Pro Tools at Ancestry. Just as soon as I tear myself away from FamilySearch labs. OMG, I’m having so much fun!

I learned about this from Randy Seaver down at the Chula Vista Genealogical Society, in whose monthly sessions I participate. Anyway, check it out.

See the attachment below. At the moment, they mostly have full-text searching for land and probate records only, but I’ve already found a number of additional land transactions from some of my ancestors in early Ohio. Yes, the AI comes up with some very creative spellings, but I’ve not found that to be a gross impediment. Can I just say that it’s way, WAY faster than trying to browse all this stuff.

If you like this new tool at FamilySearch, be sure to give them positive feedback. We want this tool to remain, and to be expanded.

https://www.familysearch.org/labs/

23andMe is Opening Up Again

Wouldn’t it be nice if their stock rebounds too!

Here’s how to download your raw DNA data from 23andMe:



Here’s how to download your raw DNA data from 23andMe:

1. Sign in to your 23andMe account on the website.
2. Click on the down arrow next to your name in the top right corner.
3. Select “Settings” from the menu.
4. Scan all the way down to “23andMe Data” near the bottom and click “View” on the right side.
5. For added security, enter birthdate of individual.
6. Scan to type of data wanted (Raw Data), and click “Download Raw Data”
7. Carefully review the disclaimers and warnings provided by 23andMe.
8. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, click the box and click the “Submit request” button.

23andMe will then process your request and send you an email notification when your raw data is ready to download. This typically takes within an hour. The email will contain a link to download your data file.

Save the data file in “long term” storage. The file is compressed (zip extension). If you send this to another site, like Family Tree DNA or MyHeritage or Gedmatch, you can send it as-is. If you want to view the data, you will need to uncompress the file first, then use a text viewer or editor.

23andMe Data Download is Available Again

If you took a test at 23andme and have not yet downloaded your raw dna data, get thee to it soon. If you don’t know how, Google it. Or ask us at the DNA Discussion group. It isn’t hard, but you do need a computer. If you don’t have a computer, bring a thumb drive to the FamilySearch Center in Seaside and someone will help you.

I will add detailed how-to instructions later…. (after i google it :-))

FamilySearch Can Find Relatives in Cemeteries

When driving by a cemetery in a strange town, go to the above URL or scan the QR Code and check to see if you have relatives there.

Using Wild Cards in Searches at Ancestry . com

Wild card symbols

Ancestry® uses the asterisk (*) and the question mark (?) as wild cards.

An asterisk (*) represents 0 to 5 characters. If you wanted to search for different spellings of the name Matthew (like Mathewand Matthiu), you could do a wild card search that would find each different ending: Mat*.

A question mark (?) represents 1 character. If you didn’t know whether a name were spelled Nielson or Nielsen, you could do a search for the name using a wild card where the unknown letter goes: Niels?n.

Wild card rules

1. All searches containing wild cards must contain at least 3 non-wild card letters. For example, *ill would work, but *ll would not.
2. The first and last character in a search can’t both be wild cards. Searching *ohnson and Johnso* would work, but *ohnso* would not.
3. Wild cards don’t work with Soundex matches.

Thrulines is Quick

If you have an Ancestry . com account with DNA, then you have had a chance to use Thrulines. Jim Bartlett of the Segmentology blog really likes it, if it is used properly. He wrote up a nice post about it which you can read here:

https://segmentology.org/2024/02/29/thrulines-is-quick-really-quick/

The First 25 Years of Genetic Genealogy

Free PDF: Genetic Genealogy: The First 25 Years – 82 pages – the reflections of 34 Contributors – compiled and edited by Diahan Southard. This is a fascinating read from cover to cover. And it’s free to download here: https://diy.yourdnaguide.com/so-far

I found a cousin at Rootstech 2024 !

Today is the first day of Rootstech 2024.  Hopefully some of you are able to participate.

I am writing this little post because I have just made a discovery about one of the folks who is a regular attendee of our DNA Discussion Group! 

Both Terry Jackson and myself have taken the Big-Y DNA test at Family Tree DNA. We are both members of the “I” haplogroup.  The mutation rates of various SNPs suggest that our Y-DNA lines split apart about 4,100 years ago, which is about 2079 BC.  The inner circle of Stonehenge was being built about then! 

Fast forward to now.  The Connect system at Rootstech has shown that Terry and I are ALSO 9^th cousins, once removed (9C1R) in the 1-world tree at FamilySearch.  The paper trail shows that our MRCA were born in 1589 CE. 

This is exciting indeed.  There are a few teachable items here.  For example, the relationship charts shows women – obviously we are not closely related by Y-DNA. 

If you want to see the details, join us at the next DNA Discussion group where we will try to explain these fun “facts”.  Next Wednesday March 6^th.

At Rootstech I am known as James Robeson. See if you are related too.

Relatives at Rootstech is back again!

Relatives at Rootstech is here again! See your cousins who are signed up at this years Rootstech.
CLICK HERE

As of 2/7/2024, 11: am PST, There are 2,395 of my relatives signed up, out of 62,098 total participants.

As of 2/26/2024, 02: pm PST, there are 7,994 of my relatives signed up, out of 184,019 total participants.

As of 2/29/2024, 9:33 PST, there are 11,159 of my relatives signed up, out of 274,775 total participants.

As of 3/2/2024, 4:51 pm PST, there were 12,596 of my relatives signed up, out of 304,308 total participants.  I was the only person with my surname in all of the USA.  My closest cousin was a 3rd cousin.

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