Thank you for articulating what's been on my mind. As an older adoptee, I tested and discovered half-siblings and an uncle still alive, but have been hesitant to contact them because my birth mother took great pains to disguise her identity at the time of my birth. I know the news of my existence will be a great surprise or shock to them; so I'm caught between not wanting to disturb their lives and wanting to find out more about my own beginnings.
The whole entire reason I'm doing my tree is because I have virtually no idea who I am. I'm 42. Both my parents, all 4 grandparents, and most aunts, uncle's and cousins are deceased. My mom told me I'm German, and she thinks Blackfoot and Mohegan. I don't "care" where all I originate from. But I am still curious. I've thought of every possible ethnicity, and I'm ready to accept any verdict. I know for fact, I'm descended from King Henry II. Also William Bradford. And my 9th great grandfather was in Connecticut in 1624. He fought in the Mohegan and Pequot war. He was a settler of Norwich, and he's buried in the founder's cemetery, which was between his property, and John Gager. I'm related to most of the first founders of Norwich. I figured this out through a whirlwind of last names, birth records, census records, death records, family stories, town documents, and more. It is imperative to not go into ancestry research with a solid mindset of where you come from. Sometimes, little white lies become huge black holes.
My own DNA results were disruptive to my paternal grandmother who denied I was her son's child my whole life. The Ancestry DNA proved her wrong when a court ordered blood type paternity test came back inconclusive in 1980.
Great video! I have come across many people who have had results completely change their life and family. LL Cool J's family is a great example of this as it was discovered through DNA when he participated in Finding Your Roots that his mom was adopted.
"In the past there was more time in the process..." Actually, in the past adoptees were told by non-adoptees that they didn't need to know their ancestry and they should just be grateful they were adopted. The end. Adoptees have been thwarted by the courts, by social workers, by genealogists, all of whom knew their ancestry, their heritage, their medical histories. This has happened to millions of people until science thankfully made it irrelevant. For once I would like presenters in these videos to acknowledge the injustice that was done to us as they caution us to be careful about approaching families.
my grandmother was adopted in 1889. Thru DNA testing, I've tracked down her birth-mother, and am closing in on the biological father as well.
I was adopted at 7 months, and found both of my bio parents alive... I just met them this last November. Definitely use your ethics.
Thank you for articulating what's been on my mind. As an older adoptee, I tested and discovered half-siblings and an uncle still alive, but have been hesitant to contact them because my birth mother took great pains to disguise her identity at the time of my birth. I know the news of my existence will be a great surprise or shock to them; so I'm caught between not wanting to disturb their lives and wanting to find out more about my own beginnings.
The whole entire reason I'm doing my tree is because I have virtually no idea who I am. I'm 42. Both my parents, all 4 grandparents, and most aunts, uncle's and cousins are deceased.
My mom told me I'm German, and she thinks Blackfoot and Mohegan. I don't "care" where all I originate from. But I am still curious. I've thought of every possible ethnicity, and I'm ready to accept any verdict.
I know for fact, I'm descended from King Henry II. Also William Bradford. And my 9th great grandfather was in Connecticut in 1624. He fought in the Mohegan and Pequot war. He was a settler of Norwich, and he's buried in the founder's cemetery, which was between his property, and John Gager. I'm related to most of the first founders of Norwich. I figured this out through a whirlwind of last names, birth records, census records, death records, family stories, town documents, and more.
It is imperative to not go into ancestry research with a solid mindset of where you come from. Sometimes, little white lies become huge black holes.
My own DNA results were disruptive to my paternal grandmother who denied I was her son's child my whole life. The Ancestry DNA proved her wrong when a court ordered blood type paternity test came back inconclusive in 1980.
Great video! I have come across many people who have had results completely change their life and family. LL Cool J's family is a great example of this as it was discovered through DNA when he participated in Finding Your Roots that his mom was adopted.
I remember that episode of FYR. There was so much for him and his mom to process.
I have been in an adoption search group for around 30 years. There is a lot involved.
I went into the DNA test hoping for answers for my mother and me, but found them for my father and me instead.
"In the past there was more time in the process..." Actually, in the past adoptees were told by non-adoptees that they didn't need to know their ancestry and they should just be grateful they were adopted. The end. Adoptees have been thwarted by the courts, by social workers, by genealogists, all of whom knew their ancestry, their heritage, their medical histories. This has happened to millions of people until science thankfully made it irrelevant. For once I would like presenters in these videos to acknowledge the injustice that was done to us as they caution us to be careful about approaching families.
AMEN.
Love these videos Amy!
Thanks, Dustin! Glad you're enjoying them!