MtDNA

I ordered a new DNA test yesterday for myself.

I am K2b1 haplogroup on my MtDNA. It is fairly rare. I have not tested it because it is unlikely to be of much use in genealogy. However, I am hoping, that because of its rarity, I might find a breakthrough for Mary Matilda Robinson and Catherine Brown. (They are both my mtDNA anscestors).

In looking at GEDMATCH I did discover a mtDNA match (they listed K as their Haplogroup) and was surprised to find, besides the Brown surname, Catherine, Arvella and Matilda all mentioned in the appropriate generation.  These names of course all being part of the family line I am researching. The inconsistency is the Kentucky heritage, but that is not too troubling.

I have created a landing pad for researching other possible matches here at wikitree.

More DNA research Lively/Swafford

What I had suspected but have tried to ignore, is that my Lively line and Swafford line have intermarried. My Lively line is pretty well researched and easy to follow. It is also a paternal line for me that has roots in the American Revolution (on both sides) and the American Civil War.  The Livley's established residence in South Carolina and spread west all the way to California.  My Miller line, which is a maternal line, gets caught up in Tennessee with the Swaffords/Lees and Tolletts.  I have so many Swafford cousins, related from so many different branches it has proven impossible to figure out how I relate to them. 

Recently I have uncovered a few telling connections. There are some  Lively 4th cousins of mine, who I am not seeing are also connected to the Swafford families which I am connected to. The problem with DNA of course is that unless you have the parents or grandparents DNA it is very difficult to decide who's is who's.

The project ahead seems very daunting. I will need to isolate Swafford DNA segments and see if I can find places where I have segments of another close proven family which I can rule them out. Perhaps I can focus on finding a Swafford match on a segment I share with my maternal first cousin. 

If I share a segment with her, then it is from my mother, the Swafford portion then must be from my father.