Family Tree Update Oct. 10, 2019

I’ve been working with DNA matches more than adding people to the family tree. I’m starting to notice patterns within family lines.

It has been some time since I last provided an update on the family tree. I have been working on it, but connectivity with Ancestry has been poor over the past few days.

Ancestry.com not loading
Family Tree Maker 2019 not connecting
RootsMagic 7 not connecting

I have been attempting to determine my relationship with my DNA matches in order to ensure the accuracy of the family tree. By examining the notes on DNA matches, I have been able to identify patterns. For example, some DNA matches with European Jewish ethnicity estimates share a common ancestor with me, while others with Germanic European ethnicity estimates likely trace their ancestry back to Germany.

Currently, I have 515 DNA matches that I am unsure how we are related. These individuals match each other in clusters, but do not match anyone I have DNA-confirmed as a relative. Once I clarify the connections to Germany, that number should decrease.

I need to set aside some time to tidy up my family tree, which currently includes around 6,900 people. There are a number of sources on my computer that are not yet connected to the tree, and I intend to add these. Additionally, I plan to revisit some areas of research, as my researching skills have improved and more records are now available online.

I would like to merge RootsMagic and Family Tree Maker, as both have features I appreciate. I am considering changing some source links from Ancestry to FamilySearch, which is free. When I make the tree public, I want people to be able to view the sources and learn about their family, and Ancestry has most of its sources behind a paywall. Changing the sources will also give me the opportunity to review how each individual was researched. One feature I like in RootsMagic is the timestamp that shows when a record was last modified or created. I would love to have this feature in Family Tree Maker, particularly if I could run a report by date to see which ancestors I have not looked at in a while.

For the next couple of weeks, I will be focusing on Germany, DNA matches, and cleaning up the tree. I don’t see the point in adding people to the tree based on census records unless I have DNA-confirmed the family line. I hope to figure out how I am related to these 515 cousins.

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