Who’s your daddy – part 2

I have received some interesting and intriguing responses to my correspondence to people who have submitted DNA samples, and who match the people I am researching. There must be a particular kind of person who searches for his or her roots. Most of them are very kind responses and some are very warm and helpful. Some are a little kooky, I will admit. I have gotten pages of genealogies from some people, some have told me stories about their families, some have enfolded me into their families and send me updates on their family tree, even though we don’t know where my family tree and their family tree intersect. It is great.

When investigating one branch of my family, (my mother’s father’s side) we have had only three responses and we know that we are related. We have kept in touch and are trying to find the missing people. It is tantalizing to be so close and yet not know exactly who the connections are.

One responder was so excited to learn that we are connected somehow. She has called me several times and has told me about an intriguing development in her search. She had a cousin do a DNA test, since the male DNA goes from father to son to son etc. The DNA test in her family shows that her cousin is not related to the other males. Then she told me the story. Their grandmother married a much younger man – a boy, really. She discovered that her grandmother was pregnant at the time of the marriage and gave birth a short time later. She has surmised that the grandmother was pregnant by someone else and wanted to give the baby a name. She has also decided not to tell her 65 year old cousin that he really isn’t related to the male side of the family.

Another DNA match is the pretender to the French throne. . . as well as the throne in Israel, if there is one. He lives on an island in the Indian ocean. He has even sent me a link to a video of him being interviewed. I am a little leery of him, especially since when I click on the link to find out if I am related to anyone famous, the program always assures me that I am not although Mmmm’s side of the family is! Imagine possibly being related to:

Oscar Stanton DePriest – the first African American elected to Congress in the 20th century. He served three terms as a Republican – from Chicago! – 5th cousin
Gerald Ford – 8th cousin twice removed
James Matthew Barrie (think Peter Pan) – 4th cousin 11 times removed
Robert Lewis Stevenson – 6th cousin 11 times removed
Walt Disney – 11th cousin
George Ross – signed Declaration of Independence – 8th cousin 6 times removed
L. M. Montgomery – wrote Anne of Green Gables – 6th cousin 11 times removed
Sir Walter Scott – 9th cousin 5 times removed
George Clymer - signed the Declaration of Independence – 11th cousin once removed
Frank Lloyd Wright – 11th cousin once removed
John F. Kennedy – 9th cousin 6 times removed
Bill Clinton – 12th cousin
John F. Kennedy Jr. – 10th cousin 5 times removed
Mae West – 12th cousin once removed
Caesar Rodney – signed the Declaration of Independence - 9th cousin 7 times removed
Jane Austen – 10th cousin five times removed
Edward Jenner – 10th cousin 6 times removed
Button Gwinnett – 11th cousin 6 times removed
Elizabeth Browning – 13th cousin twice removed
Aldous Huxley – 13th cousin twice removed
Wernher von Braun – 14th cousin once removed
Alexandre Dumas – 11th cousin 8 times removed
Even though this list says he is related to Walt Disney, he still won’t get into Disneyland free.

As you can tell, I am researching Mmmm’s father’s side of the family and I was excited to find that out of 1109 matches, only one had the same last name as Mmmm’s biological grandfather. I quickly emailed the match and was really surprised when he responded, “Hello,
I was adopted and Warner was a stepfather’s last name I was forced to take around 5 years of age. Sorry I have no info about my self to help you with.
Best Regards,

I replied to him, “Thank you so much for responding to my inquiry. Isn't it interesting that even though you were adopted by a Warner, there is a connection with the actual Warner family? You were the only Warner name that popped up so I was hoping there was a closer relationship. I am enjoying the search even so. I hope that you will find whatever you are looking for in your search too.
My best to you,

My now new best friend replied, “I think my stepdad was raised in Fargo, North Dakota. Good Luck!
Best Regards,

I was a little troubled by his remark about being forced to take his step-father’s name so I wrote to him, saying, “I am glad to hear from you again. I sort of felt that you were sad over your adoption. I hope not.”

I was so happy to get this response, “I have been so blessed by God that I can have no complaints at all. I am just trying to learn about my past.
Best Regards,

I feel the same way.

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