DNA Research

Migration Patterns and DNA: How Geography Strengthened My Genetic Case

Case Studies, DNA Research, Research Methods /

When combining DNA evidence with traditional genealogical research, I’ve discovered that migration patterns provide powerful context that can strengthen a case dramatically. In my quest to prove Harrison Johnson’s parentage, understanding the geographical movements of the Johnson family added a crucial dimension to my DNA findings. The Migration Trail: North Carolina to Tennessee to Missouri […]

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DNA Clusters and Coverage: Advanced Techniques for Genealogical Proof

Case Studies, DNA Research, Research Methods /

When I first started using DNA for genealogy, I was overwhelmed by match lists and centimorgans. Fast forward a few years, and I’m now using advanced techniques like network clustering and DNA coverage estimates to solve centuries-old family mysteries. Today, I want to share how these powerful methods helped me prove that Harrison Johnson (born

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How DNA Solved My 200-Year-Old Family Mystery: The Harrison Johnson Case

Case Studies, DNA Research /

Have you ever hit a brick wall where document evidence simply stops, leaving your ancestor’s parentage a mystery? That’s exactly where I found myself with my ancestor Harrison Johnson, born around 1813 in Tennessee. While my previous research had built a compelling case using indirect evidence that Uriah Johnson was likely Harrison’s father, I still

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DNA and Comprehensive Research Plans: Modern Solutions for Historical Mysteries

Case Studies, DNA Research, Research Methods /

By the time I had worked through the documentary evidence in the Harrison Johnson case, I had built a compelling indirect evidence argument for his parentage — but no single record that explicitly named his parents. That is a familiar stopping point for genealogists working in early nineteenth-century records, and it is precisely where a

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