In reality, although I took 43 courses in genealogy over a four to five year period, I do not really have a lot of interest in name collecting although I do like the tree to be accurate. My interest lies solely in the DNA and I do not even need to know the people as I can see who they are by their DNA if they have decided, as I did, to reveal it. They probably would not want a lot of emails either really as they probably did it for a similar reason depending on where they tested. There are only so many people that I can answer in one day so generally I seldom answer anyone. It depends entirely on the question actually. I do answer all of my Guild mail as that is one requirement of being a member but that is not huge even with the surname Blake as one of my studies. Mostly I refer them to someone else or give them ideas on where to look depends on the Blake line. My research is principally in England although I have done work on the Irish Blake lines (they are the usual Blake in Canada (and they are the Galway Blake family)). I had my grandfather telling me we were not related to the Irish Blake family but my older brother who did the DNA with me initially said he had said we were. It was sort of funny as not long after that lovely meeting over breakfast and then dinner (my treat at the restaurant) I had a dream. Grandpa was telling me once again about this book in the library about the Irish Blake family but said we are not related to the Irish Blake family which was cute. Imagine my surprise when the best match on the Blake yDNA test site at FT DNA was someone living in Dublin. He never expanded his test although the first markers were significant for this line taking us back to the ancient British Isles and this group has the name Deer-Hunters. But the only Irish Blake that I have found that added somewhat to that mystery was a Richard Blake from Ireland in the Calendar of Patent Rolls arriving at Salisbury in the 1440s (I would need to look that up and will do and try to remember to correct this to the exact year plus he could have been English returning to England as the rolls do not show any information beyond the basic). The Robert Blake who left the first will of record in Andover in 1521 (known to me thus far) as a very elderly person named his eldest son Richard. But I have also found records of Blake at Andover prior to this date and that certainly introduced an interesting scenario into the subject that remains somewhat to this day although I am, given the results of the Chromo 2 test with 14 matches, I am inclined to think this Blake line was in England for a long time prior to the 1440s. I continue to work on the records and that was the object of the book and the parts of it that deal with subject matter that does need academic scrutiny I will only donate to the Guild Library.
I was a sort of history buff in my elementary and high school years so coming back to history with genealogy certainly I had a good start looking at all the data that was available and the courses taught me the record sets, where to find them and how they could fit into one's family history at any level of association. So I highly recommend doing courses in genealogy. But does that mean that I am in this as a typical genealogist. Probably not, I am pursuing the DNA of my grandparents, great grandparents and we will see where that takes me. Along the way I will write the books that my grandfather wanted and my mother although she never stated that I would write a book on the Pincombe family but her strong interest in the history of her family does lead one to that thought. The only thing she asked me to do was the Family DNA but she was mostly just touching on the surface of what that would mean and the necessity of buy-in by my siblings which they did. I am only missing two siblings but wouldn't want them to think (one is deceased but has a daughter) that I wanted them to test - I have so much data that their contribution, although wonderful if that was something they decided to do, would just fit neatly into what I already have. I believe the thought is that three siblings results are enough along with the matches. Myself I think the more you have the better as you end up with no holes in the lines but on the other hand the vast amount of data is overwhelming so no rush if anyone is thinking time to test. Incorporating it at this stage would be huge for sure.
What happens to all of this? I will burn it all to archival CDs and will also likely put in the Guild Library where it has a lot of supervisory protection permitting academics to pursue this information as that is really where this entire field will ultimately end up and once again arts and science will join hands together working on people and data. The combination is huge as we stretch forward into the future which holds lots of exciting happenings. I do not see anyone jumping up to grab this work in the family at this time. One never knows the future really. It is hidden behind a veil held by God Himself.
Had to take a break from the matches. I am three quarters of the way through the Chromosome 2 matches and must do some exercise or my arthritis will kick in in my knees (each knee has a spur which one must be sure to exercise around every day so as not to be bothered by them. One can not sit for too long and I do miss my swing as the rocking motion does help the knees!
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