5
votes
Finding 1920s Adoption Information in New York State?
Okay, so there's good news and there's bad news.
The bad news first:
At the moment (February 2019) all New York State adoptees' Original Birth Certificates (OBC's), and usually their adoption ...
- 1,860
5
votes
Is there a way to search for 1935 inferred residence from the 1940 census?
Yes, you can search the 1940 census for residence in 1935. Searching only for those who were in different places in 1935 and 1940 is not directly possible (unless you know the 1940 location), although ...
- 8,035
5
votes
Are birth records of US adoptees really sealed?
In many states, yes, original birth certificates (OBCs) are sealed when a child is adopted. An amended birth certificate is then issued with the adoptive parents' names and the child's new name. So, ...
- 981
5
votes
Accepted
Do DNA results support theory of 1860s adoption of illegitimate nephew?
You don't say how many segments your 20 cM match is, but it's significant. A 20 cM single-segment match effectively guarantees a common ancestor, but doesn't indicate along which ancestral line, or ...
- 2,836
4
votes
Strategies for finding biological grandparents using DNA matches?
Using your five known maternal matches to separate out most of your maternal matches from your paternal matches is definitely the correct track.
However, further eliminating those that match with ...
- 981
4
votes
Adopted and making sense of my DNA matches: which are paternal vs maternal?
Unfortunately it's not possible to determine which side of the family all your DNA matches are without phasing. In order to phase your matches completely, you need to have either your mother or father,...
- 18.9k
4
votes
Hungarian sham adoptions?
I don't think the word "sham" applies, and no, it was not a common or widespread practice. Your example has the second and third cases of adult adoption that I have encountered in ten years of ...
- 1,209
4
votes
Accepted
Adoption records in 1871 based on census info
The legal process for adoption wasn't introduced in England & Wales until 1926/7.
The relationship on the census shows exactly what the situation was - that they were children of his wife, not ...
- 1,444
3
votes
Possible Half Sibling
1912 cM is an excellent match; this woman is definitely a close relative.
Let's take a look at the Shared cM Project numbers:
Grandparent fits the cM range but obviously it's impossible, given your ...
- 2,446
3
votes
Accepted
What is this German document from the mid-1950s?
It is a birth registration.
redacted are (in order):
[registration number unredacted]
[registration place unrededacted, Himmelsthür is now part of Hildesheim, Niedersachsen]
registration date [year ...
- 8,035
3
votes
Accepted
Who raised two orphaned children in 1765?
There was no formal system of adoption in England in the eighteenth century. In fact, it was not until the Adoption of Infants Act of 1926 that there was any centralised register for adoptions. Prior ...
- 18.9k
3
votes
Adoption in New York 1927
As far as I'm aware, it was a criminal offence to falsify a birth certificate in New York in 1927.
That is not to say that people didn't do it, as evidenced by the case of the notorious child-...
- 5,229
2
votes
What software can reliably store and manage non-linear (eg non-blood or remarried) relatives?
There are two program which realize features you requested. They are GRAMPS (it was mentioned in a previous answer) to What software can reliably store and manage non-linear (eg non-blood or remarried)...
- 1,075
2
votes
Distinguishing Half Siblings from First Cousins using DNA?
No, this is a 1st cousin, not a half-sibling.
According to the Shared cM Project, half-siblings average 1783 cM, with 99% in the range 1317 - 2312 cM. First cousins average 874 cM, with 99% in the ...
- 2,836
2
votes
Searching for possibly adopted great aunt?
I would start by looking at the 1920 Fayette Co., OH census:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RXB-7TD?mode=g&i=6&wc=QZJR-16M%3A1036474301%2C1037452601%2C1038441001%2C1589332401%...
- 727
2
votes
Is birthmother sharing only 1549 centimorgans possible?
If you know for certain that this is your birth mother, then the results are incorrect.
DNA companies have been known to make mistakes, the data might not have got loaded correctly, etc.
I'd ...
- 16.9k
2
votes
Is birthmother sharing only 1549 centimorgans possible?
Entering your shared 1549 Centimorgans into the Shared cM Project tool at DNA Painter suggests a number of possible relationships.
None of them indicate that this lady is your birthmother, but she is ...
- 11.2k
2
votes
Adopted and making sense of my DNA matches: which are paternal vs maternal?
A single person's DNA alone (yours) cannot tell you who you're related to (other than in a vague, very distant, ethnic sense, maybe). If you have close enough matches with people who know a good deal ...
- 3,877
2
votes
Strategies for finding biological grandparents using DNA matches?
The conclusion in this statement isn't quite right:
On Ancestry there are 5 matches I know to be maternal cousins. I used them to eliminate shared matches leaving what should be paternal matches.
...
- 3,877
2
votes
Strategies for finding biological grandparents using DNA matches?
Yes, you're on the right track and doing a great job so far. The only thing I see wrong in your logic is that people who don't match your half-brother should be on your mother's side, not your ...
- 16.9k
2
votes
Finding German birth father who emigrated to Canada?
Start with whatever is easiest for you to find, take lots of notes, and build a case.
If you have a family tree program on your computer, use that. I recommend recording every single fact you have, ...
- 2,446
2
votes
Placing adoptee in family tree when What Are The Odds cannot help?
I started by eliminating the GWP branch of the tree and finding the best fit to the JHP branch. This is shown here. One hypothesis is 4 generations removed from PJPEH and has a score of 4,923,736,333. ...
- 504
2
votes
DNA implications if my Gr Grandfather is also my Dad's father? (incest)
I'm somewhat reluctant to post this as an answer, because it probably won't be. I'm assuming you're familiar with the shared CM tool. You can form multiple hypotheses as to the relationships between ...
- 2,836
2
votes
Conflicting information about my husband's maternal grandmother's ancestry/DNA
Firstly there's a reason why they are referred to as Ethnicity Estimates. This is a consistent refrain from several commentators. There are plenty of instances of siblings (who must by definition have ...
- 11.8k
1
vote
Accepted
Finding German birth father who emigrated to Canada?
Given the timeframe (circa 1960), a lot of Canadian records will still be closed. And directories and newspapers are just beginning to be digitized. You may need to contact the Waterloo County ...
- 8,035
1
vote
Is birthmother sharing only 1549 centimorgans possible?
My 2 cents: she is your half sister or your aunt i.e. one of her siblings is your biological parent. Only 22 years older -- unlikely to be your grandma.
My own half sister shares a little over 1800 ...
- 51
1
vote
Is birthmother sharing only 1549 centimorgans possible?
Looks like she is your aunt or half-sister. Perhaps she is protecting someone. Does she have a younger sister?
Did you see her take the test? Could her child or sister have provided the sample ...
- 3,614
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible