DNA matches

Edward, when he first tested his DNA (yDNA, mtDNA and atDNA) did not have any close matches although gradually as more and more Americans tested his match list became quite enormous because a number of his ancestors came to Ontario after 1820 (land was free) and the fertile valley between the Great Lakes (Huron and Erie) particularly great for growing crops and few people there so the enticement was strong and a number of his family arrived in that time frame (2x great grandparents mostly). His Kipp line (Isaac Kipp and Hannah Mead) arrived in October 1800 and applied for land as settlers. They were accepted immediately and lived in Oxford County. Isaac Kipp was born in 1764 and just a child really when the American Revolution was fought so not part of his past and by then settlers were just desperately needed in Ontario at least the government saw it that way. They had a large family, came with four of their five sons with the other being left with his grandfather Jonathan Mead (the Cooper III) of Northeast town in Dutchess County (this grandson was named Jonathan and did come to Ontario after the death of his grandfather Jonathan Mead the Cooper III) and another three sons (Benjamin, Edward's great grandfather was the second youngest of the children, born in 1811, so long generations in that family as his grandfather William Henry was born in 1864) and three daughters were born in Ontario. Many of the descendants of these lines have tested but they are third cousins as they share his 2x great grandparents Isaac and Hannah. So finally as a surprise I persuaded my eldest daughter to test her atDNA and for Christmas that was his gift that year and he loved that. She of course matched him at 3563 centimorgans and her matches could then be looked at with his helping to exclude any outliers and it was just nice for him to have someone match so close (by then I had four siblings tested and I think he missed not having that closeness). Eventually she also tested at Ancestry which was very helpful as again it helped to understand some large matches that he could not locate. She can only inherit what he passed to her and so it is helpful to always have two matches that are close. It was a gift that just kept on giving for him and those last ten years he spent a lot of time on his DNA matches. His first stop for a new match was to check his daughter's match list. 

I really must do something about his matches (and my own) as I have been busy writing these last two years and I do nip in every once in a while and sort them but I have not been paying them the attention I once did plus I have not updated my phasing of my grandparents since February 2020 and we are approaching February 2024 so a lot to do there. I will be looking at the Siderfin autosomal matches as I have 13 at Ancestry but my siblings all have closer to 35 each. I really haven't looked at the other databases (i.e. 23 and Me, FT DNA, My Heritage, and especially Living DNA as they now have a chromosome browser and most of my Siderfin correspondents still live in England). So that chapter is partially written and it will not be particularly long as I am a great believer in privacy but will point out possible areas to check for large common passages of DNA from one to another. 

Tired after cleaning yesterday and I could barely touch my toes at first this morning when I got up but did make it to ten although hands not quite flat on the floor (close though, haven't lost it yet!). Today is not quite so much of a strain as just the basement and it is 3/4rds washed now and about half dusted. Will finish that after a nice rest and then lunch. Breakfast was about 9:15 this morning instead of the usual 7:45 to 8:00 so not hungry yet. 

Wanted to put these few thoughts on paper before I return to cleaning. I generally take a 30 minute break between one to one and a half hour bouts of cleaning. So still a few minutes to go so will work on the lovely new set of Solitaire cups that can be won (bronze, silver, gold and diamond) on a weekly basis. I have completed silver and in the midst of gold. Great way to train the brain. I have been playing it from the beginning (about 1.5 years now). Along with the daily challenges I play a lot of solitaire it would appear. I think it is also good for my eyes. It is restful but lots of eye motion. Still nothing on my cataract surgery so probably not until spring now since the surgery lists are probably set up at least I used to have them set up a couple of months in advance when I was booking for the physician that I was working for. I think it is even more centralized now although no ideas on that. It is nearly twenty years since I worked in the hospital. I miss the research parts for sure but I am old now and this surname research is tantalizing plus I am learning Latin and that is a lovely new skill to obtain. 

A few games of solitaire and then back to cleaning.