Today's DAR
Deoxyribonucleic acid: If you are anything like me, this term and other very scientific-sounding phrases may normally send you running in another direction! Science was not my strongest subject, nor was it my background. However, that didn’t stop me nor hundreds of other women in our organization from diving deep into the world of genetic genealogy. Putting this science into the structure of family trees made sense to me, and hopefully it becomes more approachable for many of our members, too.
Our DNA is a gift from each of our ancestors of the last several generations, and sometimes from many, many generations ago. In the last two decades, new companies, innovations, and research have sprung up to help more people use these traces of our ancestors to build on their traditional genealogy research.
It’s not the easiest of genealogy fields to explore, but it’s far less intimidating as our DAR DNA Network committee and dedicated Daughters around the country work with members in chapters to understand DNA genealogy research as another record source. DNA alone can’t tell us exactly who our 2nd great grandmother’s mother was any more than a land record that doesn’t name relationships can. However, like that land record, additional research and documentation can lead us to an analysis that supports a strong hypothesis for a maternal candidate. And that hypothesis may even lead to previously unknown direct proof!
As our members are often already talented genealogists, that makes approaching DNA research so much easier. Brushing up on understanding what a 2nd cousin 1x removed fits in your family tree can make exploring DNA matches so much easier! We know that Daughters are learning these lessons through programs put on through their state events and with chapters reporting that they have hosted speakers from local genealogical groups that have helped connect them with other genetic genealogy hobbyists.
Connections are the key to success in DNA – both in your own DNA test matches and in working collaboratively with other researchers in key locations and family groups trying to bust brick walls. And connections with DAR are even more fun! You can find your autosomal DNA and mitochondrial DNA matches if you join the NSDAR project at Family Tree DNA.
As a member of the project you can search your matches to see who else has a connection to DAR. You never know who you’ll find! A few years ago, I found a fellow National Chair in my grandmother’s mitochondrial DNA matches! Given our family history backgrounds, this is a connection we never would have found any other way. While we’re distant enough that we’ll never identify by name or date our common ancestor who left her DNA with at least two daughters, we know she clearly left a shining legacy of service in generations of her descendants!
If you have tested at another company, there may be no need to take a brand new test. You can explore FTDNA’s autosomal transfer program that is free for access and to join projects. There is only a small cost for unlocking more advanced matching features you may want to explore as you find new connections.
The most important thing is to reach out to matches to discover more information about ways you may be related. That collaborative research – sharing what you know of ancestors in key places, shared surnames, and other clues about shared matches between you – may unlock the keys to research you never thought to explore before.
And, in honor of rising up to meet the membership challenges of 2021 – your DNA matches who you suspect are related to you through DAR Patriots can be your 202One Challenge recruits! Invite those who aren’t currently members to join the DAR. Offer those tested at other companies such as Ancestry, 23andMe, MyHeritage, Living DNA, or any other companies that might share match information to work with you on membership papers. Many women are likely descended from your Patriot who haven’t been asked to join yet, and this a great opportunity to share with them DAR’s genealogical resources, the skills of our members, and the passion for preserving our community and family histories!
