Jim, Thanks so much for your reply. I am confident you are right, and am reassured especially because you tried comparing the small matches too. I plan to work to get a better list of my 7th generation ancestors with places and share with my matches as you suggested. I really appreciate your explanations and will review as I grasp more. Mary Lou > Message: 2 > Date: Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:34:28 -0500 > From: Jim Bartlett <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [AUTOSOMAL-DNA] my Family Finder matches and where to > focus > To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > Mary Lou > > I, too, originally looked at all of the smaller segments. Then, as I began > to confirm Common Ancestors with my atDNA matches, I soon found that the > same small segments were in different lines. In other words they could not > have come from a Common Ancestor. And do I realized the small segments > could not help me with genealogy. I now only focus on the large (over > 7.7cM) segments. Every one of your FF matches has at least one of these. > > I've had the best results (confirming paper trails to Common Ancestors > with over 30 FF matches) by developing an exhaustive, alphabetical list of > my ancestral surnames, and then adding the Patriarch's given name and some > dates and places (use the Matriarch's info if necessary). Each of your FF > matches will have only one of your ancestors in common (the one who gave > both of you the large atDNA segment) The list is designed to let your atDNA > match easily pick out his/her ancestor (usually a husband/wife couple) - so > email this list to each and every match. And encourage them to do the same. > If neither of you spots a Common Ancestor, then look through the other's > list for matching place/times - you may well have an > other-side-of-the-brick-wall ancestor there/then. > > Your Common Ancestor could be back 7-10 or more generations. Your Y-DNA > and mtDNA lines are less than one percent of your ancestry, so don't focus > on them. Be prepared to match on any ancestor. > > My 2 cents... > > Jim - Sent from my iPhone - FaceTime! > > On Dec 8, 2011, at 11:08 AM, Mary Lou Ramsey <[email protected]> > wrote: >

Dear Mary Lou and Jim, I agree that it makes the most sense to focus on large segments. However, I don't think that people necessarily need to ignore matching smaller segments (those between say 4 and 8 cMs in length). Some of those smaller matching segments will be helpful if they are properly cataloged. In some cases the matching segment can be tied to a specific country or region even if the ancestor can't be identified. For instance, my dad recently had a match at 23andMe who is Afrikaans and whose ancestry is primarily Dutch. This would suggest that this particular segment came from one of my dad's Mennonite ancestors who had Dutch ancestry. A certain percentage of those with matching smaller segments (those between say 4 and 8 cMs in length) will be able to be connected to you genealogically. I thus pursue all of the matches I get at 23andMe in the chance that I will be able to find a genealogical connection, but I agree with Jim that the chances of finding a genealogical connection with someone who has a 20-30 cM matching segment are much higher than the chances of finding a genealogical connection with someone who has a 4-8 cM matching segment. Another point I would like to mention is that the more first, second, and third cousins you test the better your odds will be of properly determining how a particular DNA segment was passed down to you. You can use matching segments with these cousins to determine if a DNA segment that you share with a match at 23andMe or Family Finder actually comes down through an ancestor you find in common or whether it comes down through an unknown ancestor on another line (or is possibly is identical by state). Sincerely, Tim Janzen -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mary Lou Ramsey Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2011 10:43 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AUTOSOMAL-DNA] AUTOSOMAL-DNA Digest, Vol 1, Issue 103 Jim, Thanks so much for your reply. I am confident you are right, and am reassured especially because you tried comparing the small matches too. I plan to work to get a better list of my 7th generation ancestors with places and share with my matches as you suggested. I really appreciate your explanations and will review as I grasp more. Mary Lou