Not just for ourselves, but for unknowable future generations

The structure of the DNA double helix

The number of current Ancestry.com customers may now approach 15+ million, and perhaps a similar number are inactive or deceased former DNA or Family Tree customers – where their formally active accounts have now lapsed.  But even these inactive public family trees remain available for current and trial customer genealogical research. Ancestry.com management claims over 10 million customers have taken an Ancestry DNA ethnicity test.  These folks have current active profiles in Ancestry's growing DNA database. Test takers are all eligible and invited to create trial Ancestry family trees.  Ancestry.com may be the largest family tree search application, but there are a half dozen or more other firms providing these lineage/DNA services. Other competent DNA firms include FamilyTree DNA, MyHeritage, 23andMe, Living DNA, etc.

Writing for MIT Technology Review, author Antonio Regalado claims “...More people took genetic ancestry [tests] last year [2017] than in all previous years combined.” Perhaps surprising to some, on Facebook alone, there are a significant number of public and closed groups dedicated to the genealogical interests of members, many of these dedicated to the research of specific surnames or geographical locations like Early New England or French Canadian. The aggregate number of people in pursuit of personal lineage data may easily top 25 million. The Internet has provided the means to do quicker genealogical research, but there remains an amazing number who still research the old fashion way by visits to historical societies, churches, public record facilities, cemeteries, and the like. 

A good share of individual genealogical researchers do it not just for themselves, but for others with similar interests and for their unknowable generations perhaps in two or more future centuries.  So I'm not sure what point those folks who fail to comprehend ancestral pursuits are making -- I for one don't understand them. Caring more for deceased ancestors than for the living seems a patently absurd argument the uninterested sometimes make. Take a look at this 1906 poem authored by the professional engineer, family historian, and breeder of trotting and show horses Mr. Walter Butler Palmer (1868-1932). His thoughtful poem provides a clue by correctly illustrating some of the motivation felt by those actively engaged in genealogical research.

Dear Ancestor

"Your tombstone stands among the rest
Neglected and alone
The name and date are chiseled out
On polished marble stone
It reaches out to all who care
It is too late to mourn

You did not know that I exist
You died and I was born
Yet each of us are cells of you
In flesh and blood and bone
Our blood contracts and beats a pulse
Entirely not our own

Dear Ancestor, the place you filled
One hundred years ago
Spreads out among the ones you left
Who would have loved you so
I wonder how you lived and loved
I wonder if you knew
That someday I would find this spot
And come to visit you."

-Walter Butler Palmer

Note:  The image presented at the top of this post is a public domain photo by NASA found by a simple Internet search.

Some Wild Turkey 101 Anyone?

Okay, put away your shot glasses, these guests are not your favorite Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

The images were shot just after sunrise, August 30, 2018, at about 6:15 AM. We've seen small flocks of Wild Turkey passing through in past years, but this rather large flock is interesting to watch and unusually large in these parts. The flock has been visiting us morning and night over the past seven-to-ten-days. Once the entire brood slowly walked out our driveway to cross the road on their travels that day. There are about five full-grown hens watching over perhaps twenty-five+ chicks. Most chicks appear to be about half-grown now, but a few are noticeably smaller. The pint-sized chicks seem to hang very near to a hen, even at times seemingly near under the hen's wing and walking between her legs. By 7:10 AM this morning the flock had moved on... they rarely stay for more than an hour, likely done somewhat for protection and also the quest for better breakfast foraging grounds. The flock has returned on a couple evenings just before sunset, and we have observed them taking flight at sunset to roost for the night in some of our many large trees.  Amazing how strongly the large hens can fly, sometimes high and long flights.  

Note:  The images were shot through a slightly fogged-up one-way window in our walk-out basement door.  Heavy overnight rains unfortunately caused some window condensation. 

"The Anderson Plot" -- Oak Hill Cemetery

Resetting the grave monuments of maternal Great-Great-Grandparents James and Caroline Anderson

Information on completion of monument work at Oak Hill Cemetery, West German Street, Herkimer, Herkimer County, New York, USA. The Anderson Plot is recorded in cemetery record as Section NC0648; whereas, the plot is physically located near centered in the old part of the cemetery. Take the center road northwesterly from the administration building toward the rear of the cemetery, this access road basically runs perpendicular to West German Street, Herkimer, NY. Then take a left side fork in the road about 250 yards from the administration building. Note the reddish-brown gravestone in the photo background -- this is the grave of Peter Anderson and his wives, Peter the son of James and Caroline (Kiernan) Anderson. Peter Anderson's gravestone really stands out as visitors pass the Anderson Plot. Note that Caroline's given name is spelled Carolina, probably misspelled as inscribed on her monument. The cemetery staff refers to this area as the Crandall plot – there are several Crandall graves in this more properly named cemetery Anderson Section (since Caroline and James Anderson are the parents or parents-in-law of most souls interred here).  Daughter Minnie Anderson married Charles Henry Crandall, all Crandall interments descend from this couple. It is the Crandall branch of the family that populates a significant portion of the Anderson Plot, along with the large Gilbert branch and Shore branch that grew from the marriage of other Anderson daughters Selina (and her husband William Gilbert) and Elizabeth (and her husband Herbert Shore).

Project specifics:

BEFORE

This image by Great-Great-Grandson DJ Paul, dated from about 2011, clearly shows both monuments listing about twenty degrees left; whereas, both monuments are slowly further slipping on their pedestal a couple inches to the left.  A gravestone foundation exists under each pedestal, perhaps sinking 20-to-24 inches into the graves.  No attempt was made to level the original foundations. Monuments had each listed another couple inches left before this restoration work began in early June 2018.    

AFTER

This image by DJ Paul, dated 20 Jun 2018, shows the Anderson gravesite finished product.  The monument pedestals were first leveled using a pea gravel bedding, placing the gravel base between the sunken original foundation and the pedestal.  A form was configured to engage each pedestal and 1/2 inch rebar reinforcements were added front, back, sides, and center.  The concrete collar is four-to-six inches thick and clearly engages both monument pedestals.  The monuments were each persuaded an inch+ to the right to be more centered on their respective pedestals.  Monuments were cleaned using water and a soft brush only.

    

Look Who Is Coming To Dinner

We suspected there was a pup or two...

https://geeksbwe.blogspot.com/2018/07/uninvited-guests-show-up-for-dinner.html

Remembering the above post of 20 July 2018... well the little one traveled with mom and pop last evening, Sunday, 12 August 2018.

We usually toss out some bird food for our resident American Crows... and I guess some might wonder why.  We've had a half-dozen of these black winged beauties since owning our lands for over a dozen years -- the current crop is likely the grandchildren+ of our original bunch.  What can be said, there is some pleasure watching our Crows patroling this property they seem to own.  

But it now seems some at a higher rung on the food chain ladder have joined the food-fest, the young Grey Fox now traveling with parents to find some food and perhaps learn to hunt rodents.  They seem to enjoy the Crow's food. 

Now perhaps aged four and a half months, the youngster in center enjoys some crow food.   

Note:  Image of the young Grey Fox Family was shot through the mirrored one-way window in our walkout basement door.

"Red Sky In The Morning, Sailor Take Warning..."

Beautiful early morning fog rises over the Mohawk River as Ma Nature displays her red-sky warning of the coming storms... and we really need the rains.  Area maps dated in the 1770s list the river as Mohawk's River... a historical fact to remember... our current lands belonged to the Iroquois Nation "Guardians of the East" -- the Mohawk Indian people.  

And Here The Words Evidently From An Early Meteorologist:  “When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: For the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather today; for the sky is red and lowering.” -- Jesus (Matthew XVI: 2-3).      

  

Image shot: 0510, 20 July 2018, from the west deck of our home, one mile south of Fort Herkimer, German Flatts, Herkimer County, NY, USA. 

Uninvited Guests Show Up For Dinner...

Tossed out some old bread yesterday for our Great American Crows to enjoy... but these guests showed up and "wolfed-down" those old scraps.  The presumed Grey Fox couple lives somewhere near our home... we see them afar from time-to-time... along with a good variety of several local wild animals.  The image of these "doggies" -- an apparent couple perhaps with a young family -- was shot through the mirrored one-way window in our walkout basement door.  Interesting animals to watch for sure -- the smaller presumed female (vixen) seems to be in charge of this late afternoon dinner, where the larger presumed male (dog) seemingly knows his place and eventually takes a mouthful of old bread and runs off to the woods to take pleasure in eating his prize untethered by permission from his dominant female better half.  We hope to see the pups if she chooses someday to let her family follow.

 

Multiple DNA Ethnicity Analysis

The directly below image was prepared for sharing on July 15, 2018, by AncestryDNA at www.Ancestry.com.  Not much has changed since their original estimate was calculated in 2012/2013.  DNA doesn't change, but AncestryDNA claims their analysis techniques frequently change and update as DNA technology and science advances.  These updates seem to have little impact in our original case. 

Note: the above ethnicity estimate tracks fairly close to our paper genealogical research.  We are as close to 100% European as statistically probable -- and must say -- very proud to be among the largest American minority group -- a true European-American! 

18 September 2018

UPDATE... Newer Ethnicity Estimates, where percentage change by AncestryDNA alleged due to better DNA scientific analysis. 

23andMe DNA results on left, new AncestryDNA on right:

Establishes again that my likely ethnicity remains close -- very close -- to 100% European origin, a true "European American."

26 September 2018

The Latest and Last Update:  Received a marketing email from MyHeritage DNA a couple of days ago announcing the firm's improved ability to accept uploaded 23andMe-DNA raw data (genotyping chip--version 5) for ethnicity evaluation under MyHeritage analysis methodology.

Presented here are the MyHeritage DNA Ethnicity Estimates:

       

An individual's DNA clearly does not change. 😏But raw data evaluation methods seem significantly variable.  The 26 Sep 2018 analysis of my 23andMe raw DNA data done by MyHeritage shows some strong variation relative to other DNA analysis firms, in particular with my estimated personal French and UK ancestry previously suggested under both AncestryDNA and 23andMe-DNA methodologies.