Skip to main content

Featured

Wrapping Up the Becker Research & Sharing Resources

  I'm concluding my research into the Becker/Baker family and their immigration from New York to Canada, and later from Canada to Cleveland. I have made some amazing discoveries along the way, and feel I have a much better handle on when and why they immigrated from place to place. Here are some highlights and important discoveries I made along the way: I located a fabulous original photo of my great-grandfather Edward in a St. Catharines museum! While creating a timeline, I noticed that Joseph Becker's grandfather Peter Schiltz died in St. Catharines, Ontario, not in Sheldon, Wyoming, New York, where he lived. A Belgian cousin contacted me about our common Schiltz ancestors after reading a blog post. I discovered there were two Joseph Beckers in Sheldon, Wyoming, New York, who each had a son named Joseph. While attempting to separate them in land records, I came across the not-my-ancestor Joseph Becker's will in a Wyoming County deed book.  Though my great-great-grandfathe
4 comments
Read more
Labels

DOUBLE TAKE

I am participating in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, a writing challenge encouraging genealogy researchers to write about their ancestors. The challenge is hosted by genealogist, blogger and podcaster Amy Johnson Crow.

 Here's my post for Amy's Week Fifteen prompt: DNA

By Nancy Gilbride Casey

One of the wonders of this DNA we share with members of our families are the strong resemblances that sometimes occur among different generations. I've done a double take or two looking at family photos, amazed at how much a person can look like one—or even several—ancestors at one time or another throughout their life.

Here are some family photos, where the resemblances, buried deep in the family DNA, are evident.

Daughter Anne and her Dad, Jim Casey share 50% of their DNA in common. And it shows! From the turned up nose to the laughing eyes, even the hair color - an amazing resemblance.
Some family resemblances skip a generation or two. Sharing roughly 12.5% DNA in common, son James, right, shares similar hairline, eye and eyebrows as his great grandfather, Harold Edwin Casey, left.
We're lucky to have located photos of seven generations of Casey men to compare. Above, from left to right, Stephen Casey (photo, collection of T. Crow), Thomas Benton Casey, Stephen Henry Casey & Harold Edwin Casey. 
The Casey line and similarities continue with James Casey, Sr., husband James Casey, Jr. and son James Q. Casey. Although separated by several generations, and sharing only about 6.25% DNA in common, my husband (center), bears a good resemblance to his 2x great grandfather Thomas Benton Casey (above 2nd from left), particularly in the forehead, hairline and cheekbones.

On the other hand, while each person inherits 50% of their DNA from each parent - which 50% may differ among siblings. This accounts for why, while some siblings can look remarkably alike, some siblings can also look strikingly different. It's all part of this fascinating genetic puzzle in which we are all pieces.

Although each child inherits 50% of their DNA from each parent, which 50% can be radically different. In this family photo taken in the late 1980s show me (lower right), with my Dad and three siblings, who range from tall (Joe, over 6 feet) to short (me 5' 3"), and with a range of hair colors (Joe and I are blondes, Tim and Sharon, brunettes) and eye colors (Tim and Sharon - blue, Joe - brown, me - green).

How much DNA do you share with your relatives? View this handy chart from the blog Famlii, to see.

Subscribe to "Leaves on the Tree," to see updates to this and other family history stories, right in your email box. Click the green Subscribe link above.

 Until next time...
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment