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Remembering Those Who Have Gone Before Us.

Posted on October 1, 2019October 21, 2019 by BaChag56

Each month I have been publishing a list of relatives who died in each month going back to 1900. I recently was asked who some of these relatives are and how we are related. Starting with September I will give a brief narrative of who these relatives are.

Here is a brief narrative of who they are and how they are related. Those who are related and still living are not mentioned due to privacy.

George Ashline 4/25/925-9/25/1996
George is the son of Frank and Athella V. Chagnon, the husband of Jane (Fluery) Ashline and the father of Michael Ashline.

John H. Bartlette, Jr 10/10/1942-9/17/2008
John is the husband of Nina Marie (Valliere) Bartlette.

Albert Blow 9/4/1935-9/21/2012
Albert is the son of Jasper and Glenna (Ploof) Blow , the husband of Anne Lillian Cameron and the brother of Richard Blow.

Louise Rayta Bosley 12/19/1907-9/11/1997
Louise is the wife of Albert Bosley and the mother of Raymond and Kenneth Bosley.

Irma Carter Bushey 5/17/1924-9/4/1993
Irma is the daughter of Frederick and Irene (Rock) Carter, the wife of David Bushey and the mother of Joan Jones Bushey.

Delina Bouchard Chagnon 3/15/1881-9/13/1944
Delina is the daughter of Louis and Jennie (Plante) Bouchard, wife of Narcisse “ Nelson” Chagnon and the mother of 14 Children from whom we are descended from.

Alexander Chagnon 3/22/1915-9/18/1992
Alexander is the son of “Nelson” and Delina (Bouchard) Chagnon, husband of Lucille Corron and father of 9 children.

Joan Bushey Chagnon 10/3/1940-9/12/2011
Joan is the daughter of David and Irma (Carter) Bushey.

Lynn Taft Chagnon 11/17/1847-9/16/2012
Lynn is the daughter of Fred and Marion(Vezina), wife of Robert Chagnon and mother of 2 children.

Mary L. Sorrell Despaw 1885-9/8/1957
Mary is the wife of Grover Despaw and mother of 7 children. Her son Frank is married to Mae Ashline who is the daughter of Frank and Athella (Chagnon) Ashline.

Sophia Bouchard Dorey 6/2/1889-9/30/1944
Sophia is the daughter of Louis and Louise (Morrow) Bouchard, wife of Joseph Dorey, and mother of 7 children. Sophia is the step sister of Delina Bouchard Chagnon. NOTE: Sophia died 17 days after her sister Delina.

Lori Louis Dusharm 1845-9/2/1931
Lori Louis is the husband of Sophia Coon, the father of Charles Dusharm and husband of Eva Chagnon. Eva is the daughter of Nelson and Delina (Bouchard) Chagnon.

Earl W. Gonyo 7/29/1910-9/9/1987
Earl is the son of Charles and Josephine (Ducharme) Gonyo, the husband of Gladys Bessette and Mary T. Hubbard and his the brother of Herbie Gonyo.

Richard Gonyo 7/14/1920-9/12/1992
Richard is the son of Charles and Josephine (Ducharme) Gonyo, the husband to Norma Bates and the father of 7 children. He is the brother of Herbie and Earl Gonyo.

Dorothy Dusharm Lafond 10/10/1924-9/29/1978
Dorothy is the daughter of Charles and Eva (Chagnon) Dusharm, the wife of Levi Lafond and John Paquette. She is the mother of 2 children.

Joseph G. Lamarche2/19/1915-9/11/1988
Joseph G. is the son of Delphis and Mary (Paquet) Lamarche, the husband of Dorothy S. (Pratt) Lamarche and the father of 7 children.

Alfred J. Lamore 10/21/1907-9/6/1951
Alfred is the husband of Emma (Houle) Lamore and the father of Arthur “Skip” Lamore who is husband of Elizabeth (Dusharm) Lamore.

Orissa Trudeau Langlois 2/9/1905-9/19/1930
Orissa is the wife of Mazip Langlois, mother of Viola (Langlois) Chagnon. Viola is the wife of Alexis Chagnon, Jr. Alexis is the son of Alexander Chagnon who is the brother of Narcisse “Nelson” Chagnon.

Maurice M. Lapierre 1/11/1930-9/19/2008
Maurice is the husband to Betty Bolton and Pauline Marcotte and father 2 children.

Irene Gonyo Maskell 7/9/1925-9/27/2012
Irene is the daughter of Herbie and Edith (Chagnon) Gonyo, the wife of Robert Lefebvre and Ernest Maskell and mother 4 children.

Joseph Poirier 4/14/1884-9/6/1928
Joseph is the son of Adolphe and Rosanna (Desmarais) Poirier, the husband of Clara (Monty) Poirier and the father of 8 children.

Francis Proulx 5/10/1908-9/30/1992
Francis is the son of Philias and Mary Helen (Wheel) Proulx, the husband of Lillian (Chagnon) Proulx and the father of 5 children.

Marie Veronica Barbeau Riley 5/2/1904-9/1/1979
Marie Veronica is the wife of Lawrence Riley.

Randall Shelley 2/5/1930-9/17/2009
Randall is the son of Samuel and Gladys (Hinote) Shelley, the husband of Ruth Gonyo and the father of 4 children.

Emilie Krebser Stapel 7/13/1903-9/1/1974
Emilie is the daughter of Henry and Emilie (Meili) Kresber, the wife of Oskar Stapel.

Frank Thompson, Jr. 2/13/1949-9/30/2013
Frank is the son of Frank and Irene (Barnes) Thompson and the brother of Paul Thompson.

Carline Valyou 8/30/1936-9/26/1940
Carline is the daughter of Moses and Clara (Chagnon) Valyou.

Robert Whitehouse 4/11/1930-9/10/2011
Robert is the son of Lucille Whitehouse, the husband of Pearl Gonyo and the father of 2 children.

If you would like to know more about any of these relatives or you find any errors, please do not hesitant to contact me. I hope that you have found this useful and now know a little more about your relatives.

Tips on Grave Site Spring Cleaning and Flower Planting

Posted on May 5, 2019May 6, 2019 by BaChag56

With Spring finally here in most parts of the United States, it is time to be thinking about checking up on the last resting places of our loved ones who have gone on before us.

Whether its time for your annual visit or maybe you haven’t been for some time, spring is a great time to plant and do some general maintenance. Most people visit around Memorial Day. Cemeteries usually have caretakers that mow the lawn and pick up litter, but they don’t usually do any individual gravestone management. Before you head out you may want to think about bringing some supplies in case you need to clean the gravestones themselves as well as planting flowers etc.

Over the course of time signs of damage can begin to show on gravestones. Weather and pollution can create many different situations that can cause serious damage.

By following a simple cleaning procedure that is used by professional conservators, you can easily keep your loved ones gravestones clean, readable and prevent any future deterioration.

But before you tackle cleaning a stone you first will need to determine if the gravestone really needs to be cleaned. It can be easy to mistake the natural patina of aging for dirt. The color of marble gravestones can change naturally over the course of time. You need to use care when cleaning, because you can cause more damage to a gravestone that is already flaking or peeling, so these stones may be best left untouched or looked at by a professional conservator. So only clean a gravestone if it really needs it.

Things to look for when a gravestone is in need of cleaning are: plant growth, soiling, and staining which are caused by things like moss, lichen, algae, fungi, mold, and other plant life. These types of things growing on gravestones can be very harmful and if left untreated, these growths can cause gravestones to weaken, crack, and split over time.

When looking for algae, fungi, and lichen, they can be green, gray, black, red, orange, yellow, blue, or even brown in color. All these organisms can damage the gravestone by trapping moisture on the stone and just beneath the surface of the stone and then when there is a temperatures change, this moisture can freeze and thaw causing expansion and contraction within the stone, which leads to weakening or cracking the stone. Plants, like grass, ivy, moss, trees, bushes and ferns that grow on or near gravestones can be damaging also, because their roots can penetrate the stone and cause splitting, or can cause the stone to shift, putting it off balance and possibly falling over and breaking. So when you are doing your plantings do make sure they have room to grow and not interfere with the stone. And when your plantings become too mature, dig them up and plant small young planting again.

Another component of plants that can be damaging is the acid they contain. Marble is composed mainly of calcium carbonate. Lichen secretes an acid that dissolves calcite and can cause serious damage to the surface of marble gravestones to the point that they become unreadable.

Gravestones that are flat on the ground are very easily damaged by dirt, leaves, grass clippings and even mud. The minerals in soil such as iron or copper can stain gravestones and sandy soils can act as sand paper and wear the outer surface of a stone. Upright gravestones can also be damaged from strong winds particularly if they are in a sandy region.

Pollution from city traffic and factories carry pollutants such as acid rain, that can change the appearance of gravestones. Even bird droppings can stain gravestones. Gravestones near trees or bushes are at risk for staining from sap. Overhanging tree branches can drip their sap onto gravestones. The sap contains resins which can cause staining and be difficult to remove. So again, be aware of what you are planting for plants and how large they will grow.

Here is a list of things that are helpful in cleaning your gravestones:

Water
Spray bottle, bucket, or hose
Soft plastic scraper
Soft bristle brushes
Wooden pick
Biological Solution
Safety glasses
Gloves

Weather related suggestion:
When planning a visit to the cemetery, it would be best if it is an overcast day or partly cloudy. This will be more comfortable for you and the cleaning process will not dry as quickly. This is especially important if the gravestones you are cleaning and doing plantings for are in direct sun. Or you possibly go early in the morning or closer to early evening time when the sun is not so hot.

Water is the most important thing to bring if the cemetery does not provide it. If they do provide a water source, then remember to bring a bucket or jug just in case there isn’t one available. Water should be used first to gently wash away dirt, soil, and dried leaves or grass clippings. Stones is very porous and absorbent and if using a cleaner, spraying with water will help keep the cleaner more on the surface.

When you are ready to clean the gravestone, wet the entire surface with water. Use a soft plastic scraper to gently remove plant growth, such as moss or lichen. Scrapers should be softer than the stone.

When using a brush be sure to use a soft bristle brush. The brush should be made of natural fibers or soft nylon. Be sure to use brushes that do not have any metal or rough edges as it could accidentally scratch the stone. You may need to use a variety of brush sizes for different areas of a gravestone. Even an old toothbrush are work pretty well on lettering or engraved designs.

A wooden pick can be useful to remove lichen or moss that may be growing in indentations or engraved lettering.

Be sure that the surface of the stone is wet before you use cleaners and continue re-wetting the stone while you are working on it to avoid allowing the cleaner from to dry on the surface.It is best to start cleaning from the bottom of the stone and work your way up. This will minimize the effects of streaking if you are using a cleaner.

Cleaners used on gravestones should be the gentle possible. D2 Cleaning Solution. D2 is a gentle biocide and very effective for gravestones that are covered in biological growth such as lichen, moss, fungi, algae, and plants. D2 Biological Solution was designed by conservators and is recognized as the official cleaner of the Department of Veteran Affairs National Cemetery Administration for cleaning U.S. military gravestones. There are several kinds of cleaners on the market. Before choosing one be sure to read the label, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and make sure it is biologically safe and suitable for the type of gravestone you are cleaning, marble, granite or metal.

And don’t forget to wear Safety Glasses and Gloves for your own protection.

Work a small area at a time. Spray the cleaner generously on the area and allow the cleaner to sit on the stone for about 3-5 minutes. Then, gently scrub the stone in small circular motions with a soft brush. Work the cleaner into all indentations and lettering. Keep an eye on any damage to the stone and be careful that you are not applying too much pressure that could cause the damage to worsen. If you see flaking, stop and reassess where you should clean the area and think about whether you should consult with a professional.

If needed spray a second round of cleaner on the gravestone. Allow to sit again for about 5 minutes. Remember work in small sections. Keep the gravestone wet as you work by continually spraying it with water and cleaner.

Finally, rinse the stone when you are done cleaning, making sure not to leave any visible cleaner on the surface.

Cleaners such as D2 Biological Cleaner continues to clean the gravestones on its own for a few weeks after the initial cleaning. As the cleaner seeps into the pores of the stone it will kill more biological growth.

Here are a few reminders of what not to do:

Never use common household cleaners such as bleach.
Never use chemical cleaners that have strong acid or salt bases.
Never use power tools, such as sanders or drills with wire brushes
Never use power washers with pressure over 300 psi
Never rub the gravestone surface with hard-bristled brushes
Never scrape the gravestone surface with any metal

Here are a few reminders as to what you should do:

Always use the gentlest cleaning method possible
Read and follow product manufacturer’s guidelines
Use safety practices such as gloves and eye protection.
Test a small area before cleaning the entire headstone
Keep the stone wet as you work
Always get the approval of other family members before cleaning

If you are planting or digging up bushes or flowers you will need to bring:

Shovel
Hand saw
clippers

By maintaining and caring for the gravestones of your loved ones’ you are not only showing your love and respect and how much they mean to you, but you are helping to preserve their last resting place for future generations.

_________________

My Journey with Genetic DNA and Genealogy Part 3

Posted on January 20, 2019January 21, 2019 by BaChag56

This is part 3 of my journey with genetic DNA and my genealogy. I have been working with my DNA results from both Ancestry.com and MyHeritage.com. There has been a lot to learn about the tools that they offer and what I need to be looking for. I have also uploaded both DNA Raw files to Gedmatch.com and Familytreedna.com. Each of these websites offer different tools and have different ways of showing their results.

Here are some of my thoughts, insights and experiences with each of these companies on what I have learned thus far.

An important note to keep in mind is that people don’t always test with more than one company. Some test at Ancestry, some at MyHeritage, some at familytreedna and some at 23andMe. And not everyone uploads their results to Gedmatch. Plus, there are a lot of people that don’t add a family tree. What this means is you will not find the same results or Matches on all of these websites.

MyHeritage:

Starting with MyHeritage.com, I took an autosomal DNA test. This type of DNA test uses your 23 Chromosomes, which has 50% of your mother’s DNA and 50% your father’s DNA. Currently I have over 5000 Matches. I bought a 1-year Premium Membership, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to see my Match’s family trees. I started a family tree with 7 people, myself, my parents and their parents and now have over 2,000 relatives in this tree. This is due to the smart matches and instant matches that they notify you about. My original family tree I keep on my computer and use MyHeritage tree to help with proofing. I use Rootmagic software which is sync able with MyHeritage and can download information straight to Rootmagic. I can search their database by a person’s name or by a source. There is a very good triangulation tool that shows when you and your Match match up with a third person. They show you total cMs (centiMorgans), the largest cM, how many segments of cMs each Match and the start and end positions of each cM, which is important when looking for triangulation Matches. The Chromosome browser map shows which Chromosome they match you on. I was able to download my Raw data, and upload it to Gedmatch, which is a third party website that has even more tools to help analysis my data. You can also download your entire list of Matches, which goes as low as 7cMs. Anything below this can possibly give you a false reading. The more cMs the closer the relationship the Match will be. You can also download a shared Match list. They do an ethnicity estimate. In your shared Match list you can see any triangulation Matches. I have found several 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th cousins on both my maternal and paternal side with MyHeritage.

AncestryDNA.com

I did AncestryDNA’s autosomal test so I could compare it with MyHeritage. Ancestry gives you a list of Matches. You need to subscribe to one of their Memberships in order to see your Match’s family trees. I signed up for their two-week free trial and then cancelled. Many of my Matches didn’t have trees, so in order to find anything out you need to contact the person. They want you to build a family tree so they can match you with others. I don’t feel that they give you as much information as MyHeritage. They have what they call DNA circles which are other family trees that have common ancestors you. I currently have 7 family circles. You can see how many cMs each Match has and the number of segments, but they don’t give you largest cM or the start and end distance of each cM. Ancestry doesn’t show you what Chromosomes that your Matches have in common with you. You can download your Raw DNA data file. AncestryDNA does give an ethnicity estimate.

Familytreedna:

I uploaded both of my raw autosomal DNA data files from Ancestry and MyHeritage to familytreedna for free. I have over 3,000 Matches. The results were similar to those found on the other two sites. I created a family tee with 15 people on this site, which is 4 generations. You can view other Matches’ family trees if they have one. They have a Chromosome browser and an in common with tool. Familytreedna also gives the total shared cMs and the largest segment. You are able to see which chromosomes match and this is downloadable in an excel file. The Chromosome matches can be viewed in a table format or map layout which will give each Chromosome, the start and end of the distance, the size of the cM and number of matching snps. Familytreedna does offer YDNA & MtDNA testing which both Ancestry and MyHeritage do not. I do have a male relative’s YDNA results that was done with familytreedna and I just sent in my own MtDNA test to them. They are different from the autosomal results. YDNA and MtDNA are direct line ancestry results, meaning YDNA goes from son to father and on back several generations. The same for MtDNA which goes from daughter to mother and on back several generations in a straight line. Familytreedna offers a free downloadable guide book to help you to learn more about their results. This is written by Blaine Bettinger and Matt Dexter. Family Tree is free and gives you access to family trees of those who have put them up on their site.

Gedmatch:

This is a 3^rd party application that doesn’t do testing, but does have all kinds of tools to help you to analyze your results from other companies. They have a One to many matches which will list all of your matches. They allow people to upload a GEDcom/wikiTree. They show both MtDNA & YDNA matches, Autosomal and XDNA results. They show Total cMs and largest cMs. They give the Username and email of each Match. Their Chromosome browser has 2d and 3d viewing, a one to one comparison tool and much more. I have several 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cousins matches. The Tier 1 Utilities includes 7 more tools, which includes a triangulation tool. There is a $10 fee a month for the use of these additional tools. Everything else on this site is free.

Conclusion:

I find that all of the above companies have their pros and cons. I think of the four that MyHeritage and Gedmatch seem to offer the most, but familytreedna is a close contender. I’m not totally impressed with AncestryDNA even though they have the largest genealogical family tree database. They seem to have the least to offer as far as tools to help you in your analysis. I have no experience with 23andMe so I’m not able to provide any insight into what their website is like. With the use of my DNA results I have been able to connect to 4 family branches that I was not able to by using just the paper trail. My DNA Matches have connected me so many new relatives. The important thing to remember is that you can’t just use genetic genealogy to find your relatives you also need to use your family tree genealogy with a record source to help prove and verify your findings
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Wishing you all the best in your family search.

My Journey with DNA Genetics and Genealogy! Part 2

Posted on April 22, 2018January 20, 2019 by BaChag56

Using DNA testing in combination with my genealogy research has been very successful and at the same time very intriguing. Last month I explained to you that I have been doing genealogy for decades and had come to a point in genealogy that they call a brick wall on four branches of my family tree. So I decided to take a DNA test to see if it would give me any new insight on any of these branches. I choose to go with MyHeritage.com which is one of the four most popular DNA testing sites. The other three being Ancestry.com, 23andMe.com and FamilytreeDNA.com. Currently MyHeritage.com has over 95 Million users, 2.0 Billion Profiles, 8.9 Billion Historical Records and over 41 Million Family Trees on their website.

Since I have received my results from MyHeritage I have learned how to use my genetic DNA results with my genealogy. I am using some screen shots from their website to help explain some of my DNA results to you and I have blanked out my Matches personal info for privacy reasons. To really get a good understanding of how MyHeritage works you can watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGi4Jb84XAc&t=2855s.

We as humans are more similar to each other than we think. All people share 99.9% of their DNA sequence in common. Only the remaining 0.1% differs from one person to another. Depending on how much DNA I share with my DNA Matches determines if we are close or distant relatives. This will show significant similarities between their DNA and mine within that 0.1%. For every DNA match, it shows the estimated relationship between me and the other person as well, based on the quantity and characteristics of the DNA that I share with that person. In the lower right corner of my login page, it shows that I currently have 4686 DNA Matches. When I first opened my results four weeks earlier I had 3576 DNA Matches, so you can see that as more people test their DNA at MyHeritage the amount of my matches can continue to increase.
My Ethnicity Estimate results shows that my DNA traces back to 8 Ethnicities, 97% from Europe, (43.1% Irish, Scottish, and Welch, 13.2% English, 5.9% Finnish, 4.9% Scandinavian, 21% Sardinian, 9.8% Greek, 2.1% from Northwest Africa. These results come from very early ancestry links.

This map view of my Ethnicity Estimates shows the approximate areas. Usually most companies that offer Autosomal DNA testing will give you an Ethnicity Estimate, but they may be different from company to company due to the formulations that they use. An Autosomal test is on your 22 Chromosomes which contain shared DNA from both your paternal and maternal sides

In the below screen shot is a first cousin once removed (who we will call “John”) currently has the highest amount of DNA to me of all my Matches on MyHeritage.com. We share a total of 537.8cM (CentiMorgans). The higher the total DNA the closer the relationship to the match. Meaning if I had a match that had approximately 3600 cM that would most likely be a parent or a sibling match. There could be other relatives who have had their DNA tested, but they may have tested with another company like Ancestry.com or 23andMe.com so unless I test with those companies I would not know about their DNA Match.

My cousin “John” has a family tree on MyHeritage with 213 people in it. After viewing his family tree I was able to see how we are related on my paternal side. Not everyone that has a Match with you includes family tree information and not everyone is a member of MyHeritage.

The Shared Matches below show the percentage of relationship with myself (on left) and with “John” (on right). In this first Shared Match you can see that there is a person who is more closely related to “John” than me. It is so high that MyHeritage suggest that this Match could be his son and they suggest that that person may also be a 1^st cousin once removed to me.

It turned out that this Shared Match is “John’s” son and is my 1^st cousin twice removed. To have a better understanding of relationships, here is a relationship chart to help you to understand cousin that are removed relationships. Removed basically means each generation above or below me.

MyHeritage gives you a view of all 23 Chromosomes and where my Match’s DNA and mine match. Below is a view of 22 of my 23 Chromosomes and where “John” matches on each of my Chromosomes.

MyHeritage has recently added a really nice tool that they call a Chromosome Browser. This tool helps me to compare my DNA Matches with other DNA Matches and myself. I can compare up to 7 Matches at a time by clicking on the ones I want to check. This has been really helpful in finding out which of my Matches are truly related and on what side of my tree (paternal or maternal).

When I compare them it will show me on which Chromosome they match with me and the others. As you can see these two people are very closely related to each other besides me.

If a DNA Match has a family tree available, I can get more insight about how the two of us may be related. I can also contact my DNA Matches to exchange information and ask questions.

To better learn from which branch we are related I have looked at my family tree and their family tree and found a common ancestor that we both are related to. In the beginning I started out with a small family tree on MyHeritage website by adding three generations, which is a total of 7 people. This helps MyHeritage and my DNA Matches to be able to see our connection.

MyHeritage has been emailing me when they have discovered people that could be related to me which they call Smart Matches or Instant Discoveries. My online family tree with MyHeritage has grown to over 1,200 people from these Matches. I can also use their search screen to possibly find missing people from my tree.

I have been able to break through two of the four brick walls. This has been amazing to finally complete the connection with these two branches on my paternal side. My journey continues to find the other two branches on my maternal side.

I have downloaded my Raw DNA file from MyHeritage and uploaded it to Familytreedna.com and to Gedmatch.com. It is free to upload to these two sites. They both provided DNA Matches with their own databases. From the results I have found a few matches that were the same as on MyHeritage, but there are many that are different. I believe this is because of where people have their had DNA testing done. So not all databases are the same, because not everyone tests at the same or more than one place and so I have been able to find several more matches with these two other sites.

I would have to say that I find DNA genetic genealogy very interesting and know that there is still a lot more to learn in order to make the best use of all the information that I have found.

I do recommend that if you are interested in having your DNA test done that you do your homework first. Meaning learn as much as you can about DNA genetics and then decide what you really want to learn about yourself. Is it who your related to or where your ancestry came from?

Next time I will give an overview of my results on Familytreedna.com and Gedmatch.com. Wishing you all the best in your search.

My Journey with DNA Genetics and Genealogy!

Posted on March 22, 2018April 16, 2018 by BaChag56

I have been doing genealogy for over 4 decades, going to libraries, vital records repositories, city clerks, historical societies and surfing the world wide web for genealogy related websites. I have also subscribed to several magazines, societies, and websites. And I have spent countless hours walking through cemeteries, and interviewing relatives, but there was one thing I had not done to help me in my ancestry search and that was DNA testing.

After years of research I have run out of ideas as to where to look for more documentation on a few of my branches that I have had no success finding. These certain individuals just didn’t leave enough of a paper trail for me to find them. I have come to what is known as a genealogy brick wall, so I decided to take a different path and have my DNA tested in hopes that it may give me some new leads on my family tree.

Back in 2000, two companies: FamilyTreeDNA.com based in Houston, Texas and Oxfordancestors.com based in Oxfordshire, England) started out offering the opportunity for genealogists to use DNA to aid in finding the family connections. Oxfordancestors has recently closed, but FamilyTreeDNA continues to grow. In the early days it was quite expensive to have your DNA testing done and the testing was still in its infancy. Now day there are several companies that offer DNA testing services. Testing methods have improved and some companies offer testing of MtDNA and YDNA, along with Autosomal DNA, I’ll explain what these are shortly.These companies have been creating databases of the DNA information from the people that have had their DNA done and some also have family tree information. It has been 18 years since this endeavor began and millions of people have now had their DNA done, which has helped to create huge databases of genetic information. People are not only using the information from DNA matches to help them in their genealogy research, but people who were adopted are using DNA testing to find their biological families. Websites such as Ancestrydna.com, Familytreedna.com, Myheritage.com and 23andme.com, just to name a few are helping people to find these DNA matches. And people are learning where their ancestors may have come from by the ethnicity estimates that are provided when you have your Autosomal DNA tested.

The DNA test itself is very simple, and depending on which company the testing is done with you either have to swab the inside of your check or spit into a small vial and then mail the sample back to the company. It is harder to decide what type of test to have done and with whom to go with for the testing then doing the test itself. There are currently three main types DNA test, which I mentioned early, Mitochondrial DNA (MtDNA), which is the DNA passed down to sons and daughters from their mother, but only daughters can pass it on to their offspring. Y-Chromosome DNA (YDNA), which is the DNA passed down to sons from their fathers, and only sons can pass it on to their sons. The third test is the Autosomal DNA (AtDNA), which is made of 22 pairs of Chromosomes. We receive 50% of our DNA from our father and 50% from our mother. We have a total of 23 pairs of Chromosomes. The 23rd pair are different in that they are sex chromosomes. Our mother has two X X Chromosomes, one from her father and one from her mother and our father contributes a X to his daughters and a Y chromosome to sons.

Each of the companies that provide DNA testing offer a little different take on your results. They have tools on their websites to help you to understand your results and connect with your matches.

In November 2017, on Black Friday several of the DNA testing providers offered discounts on their DNA testing services, so I decided to buy an Autosomal DNA test from MyHeritage.com. It was $49 plus $12 shipping. MyHeritage is an online genealogy platform with web, mobile, and software products and DNA testing services. This website was first developed and popularized by the Israeli company in 2003. I purchased my DNA kit on 11/28/17. I received it 12/10/17. Their test is a swab of the inside of your cheeks. I did the test and put it in the postage paid mailer and mailed it out the next day. Check out this Youtube video on how to take a DNA test with MyHeritage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaxTF5Ev6rw. You have to activate your kit on their website and create a family tree account. This lets them know you received it and that the kit # belongs to you. This number is for you DNA results and will help with your matches.This is a Youtube video link that explains what happens with your DNA sample https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_806nvZF2o . To see your matches’ family tree information on this website you will need to have an annual membership with MyHeritage.com. There are some people who keep their family tree private. There is several perks with each of their membership levels. They offer three different options. Premium, Premium Plus and Complete. I did enter three generations of my family tree (myself and family, my parents, my two sets of grandparents). You can build a family tree on their website or download they tree builder software which is free. Here is a Youtube Video to show you how to use it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmxmladLrTs . They also have a mobile app. The family tree builder software can sync with your online account. All smart matches can be downloaded into your tree. You can build a tree from scratch or import a GEDCOM file. You can build your tree on line only if you want. See this Youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YTcS3VMMKY for building a family tree on line.

Before I received my DNA results I started receiving emails from MyHeritage.com letting me know when they found possible family tree matches for me, but I wasn’t able to view anyone family tree because I hadn’t purchased a membership yet. Then I received a 50% discount off their memberships in February, so I decided to purchase to the Complete membership level. You can join for 1 -3 years. I joined for one year.

While waiting for my results I decided to read and learn as much as I could about DNA genetics and genealogy. One of the best books that I have read is “The Family Tree guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy” by Blaine T. Bettinger. It helped with understanding what DNA is and how it works. He gives a ton of useful information on the different DNA testing providers and 3rd party services to help with interpreting your results. I learned about a few other websites that once I had my DNA results I could upload my raw DNA file and they would also provide their interpretation of DNA matches and information. I also joined a few Facebook groups: DNA Genealogy, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, and DNA genetics. It is interesting to read about other peoples experiences with their DNA results.

I was emailed on 1/27/2018 that my results were ready. I went to my account on their website. Clicked on to the DNA tab and my results came up.

It showed me that I had DNA traces from 8 Ethnicities, 97% from Europe, (43.1% Irish, Scottish, and Welch, 13.2% English, 5.9% Finnish, 4.9% Scandinavian, 21% Sardinian, 9.8% Greek, 2.1% from Northwest Africa. Well I was surprised that there wasn’t anything listed from Canada or North America. Most of my ancestors through the mid1600s came from Canada. So it tells me these ethnicities estimates go back to a lot early ancestry links. Next it showed me that I have 3576 DNA matches. The list started with highest total of DNA which was a 1st cousin once removed. We shared a total of 521.9 cM (CentiMorgans). The higher the total DNA the closer the relationship to the match. Meaning if I had a match that had approximately 3900 cM that would most likely be a parent or a sibling match. I don’t know of anyone in my immediate family that has had their DNA tested. Also if they have they may have tested with another company like AncestryDNA or 23andMe. Because I didn’t have a MyHeritage membership when I first received my results, I was not able to view my matches family trees if they had one. You can see how much DNA a match has and you can contact the person to ask questions without having a membership. Not everyone that has a match with you includes family tree information and not everyone is a member. MyHeritage has a few really nice tools you can use such as their Chromosome browser to compare the match with your DNA. I talk about this in a future blog.

I have been going through the closest matches and have found connections on both my mother’s and father’s sides. It’s too early in my research to determine if I have any matches to the branches in my tree that I have not been able to connect.

I have downloaded my Raw DNA file and uploaded it to Familytreedna.com website and to Gedmatch.com. It was free to upload to these two sites. They both provided DNA matches with their own databases. From the results I have found a few matches that are the same as on MyHeritage, but many that are different. I believe this is because of where people have their DNA testing done. So not all databases are the same, because not everyone tests at all or with more than one company. I have been able to find several matches, but my closest match thus far has been a 1st cousin once removed on my mother’s side

There is one DNA testing provider that has the largest database and seems to be the most popular from what I have learned since I started this DNA journey and that is AncestryDNA.com. One reason may be because they advertise their DNA testing on TV. They started out as a genealogy website and have billions of family trees that you can match up with. They do have an annual membership to access the family tree information, but your DNA information is accessible without a membership. They only offer Autosomal DNA testing at this time. I decided to test with them also, but instead of buying my DNA test kit from them directly I went on eBay and bought a new sealed test kit for half of the cost of what AncestryDNA charges. I paid $38.00 with free shipping. The kit arrived within a week and I activated it on AncestryDNA and then mailed it to them in the postage prepaid mailer after I did the test. They have your spit in two small vials. So besides the kit being cheaper I didn’t have to pay for the shipping cost that AncestryDNA charges. I have gotten confirmation that my DNA test sample has arrived to their lab, but they have not started to process it as of yet. From what I have read on AncestryDNA Facebook group it can take 6-8 weeks from when they receive it before you get your results. This must be due to the high volume of samples that they receive. They will email me the results when they have processed it. I do plan to download the raw data file and upload it to familytreedna and gedmatch to see if there is any difference between the two samples that I have done.

I would have to say that I find all this DNA stuff very intriguing and know that there is still a lot more to learn in order to make the best use of all the information that it has been revealed to me. Next month I will get into more details of what I have learned from my results. Wishing you all the best in your search.

You Are Related How?

Posted on March 14, 2018March 14, 2018 by BaChag56

Understanding How You Are Related To Everyone In Your Family Tree

Have you ever had a conversation with someone where you were trying to explain to them how you were distantly related to someone? I’m talking about someone other than your mother, father, sister or brother. When talking about our relatives we commonly use the titles of cousin, aunt, uncle, grandparents, great grandparents, but when talking about someone who is very distantly related it can get a little tricky, so we try to explain using as much detail as possible. We may say “he is my father’s brother, my uncle Tom’s daughter, Karen’s grandson Michael”, which is quite lengthy and can be somewhat confusing. It would be easier to say Michael is my first cousin twice removed on my father’s side, which has the same information, but less confusing.

The level or the degree of a cousin’s relationship is based on the most recent direct ancestor that the two of you have in common. So let’s start with our closest and most direct cousin and work our way back.

Who is Your First Cousin?

Your First Cousin is a child of your aunt or uncle, also known as your parent’s niece or nephew. This person is considered to be your first cousin. You share one set of grandparents with this cousin, but you do not share the same parents. Look at the chart below and find yourself (You) and then find your first cousin. That is pretty straight forward relationship.

What makes them a Second Cousin?

Your second cousin is the grandchild of your grand-aunt or grand-uncle, also known as the child of your parents’ first cousin and you share the same set of great-grandparents with your second cousin. You do not have the same grandparents though. Their grandparents are your grandaunt and granduncle. More commonly, many people use great aunt or great uncle, but technically they are grandaunt and granduncle. They are the siblings of your grandparents. Look at the chart below and find yourself and then find your second cousin.

How about those Third Cousins?

Your Third Cousin are fairly distantly related, but you both share the same set of great-great-grandparents. Your third cousin is the child of your parents’ second cousin. They are the great-grandchild of your great-grand-aunt or great-grand-uncle. You share a set of great-great-grandparents with your third cousin. As for your Fourth cousin, they share a set of great-great-great-grandparents with you. Look at the chart below and find yourself and then find your third cousin.

Do You have any Double First Cousins?

Just to complicate matters let’s talk about Double First Cousins. If two siblings let’s say brothers in one family marry two siblings, sisters from another family and each couple has a child, these two children are called double first cousins. The word double in addition to the first cousin term is because they share the same four grandparents. In typical, first cousins share only one set of common grandparents, while double first cousins share both sets of grandparents.

What does the term “Once Removed” mean?

The term “once removed” is used to explain the relationships of cousins of different generations. A cousin who is “once removed” means one generation before or after you. Your first cousin’s child is your first cousin once removed, and your mother’s first cousin is also your first cousin once removed. One was born from the generation after you and the other was born in the generation before. Removed cousin relationships are measured by the generation difference, not age.

Twice removed means that there is a two-generation difference. As in example above Michael is first cousin twice removed. Your grandmother’s first cousin would be your first cousin, twice removed because again you are separated by two generations. The person was born two generations after or before you.

Cousin relationships can be any combination of first, second, third etc, and also be once, or twice removed, and so on. Look at the chart below and find yourself and then find a first cousin once removed and a first cousin twice removed.

How is one a Grand or a Great?

Grandparents and great-grandparents are very commonly used titles for the parents and grandparents of our parents. Aunts and uncles become grand when they are the siblings of grandparents, though we rarely call them grandaunts or uncles, we usually call them great aunts and uncles, but technically, your parents’ aunts and uncles are your grand aunts and uncles. The aunts and uncles of your great grandparents would be your great-grand aunts and uncles.

Also, if your niece had a child, it is common for you to say “my niece’s child Amber”, but the child can also be referred to as your grandniece. Your grandniece’s child would be your great-grandniece, this is identical to that of grandchild and great grandchild.

The chart below is an example of the levels/degrees of family relationships This chart serves as a visual to help determine the correct titles of your relatives. ItIt It represents the relationships for either your mother’s or your father’s side of the family.

Here is a pdf copy of the above family relationship chart. I hope that you now have a clearer understanding of how you are related to the members of your family tree and have an easier way of describing your connection to those relatives. For more helpful genealogy articles: Ancestryseeking.com

Was He a Builder? a Principal? a Fundraiser? or a Priest?

Posted on October 4, 2017October 4, 2017 by BaChag56

Who is This and How are We Related?

Francis X. Chagnon, was born February 18, 1842 in Vercheres, a suburb of Montreal, Qc. He is the son of Moise & Emelie (Provost) Chagnon.

Francis Chagnon studied to become a priest at Joliette and grand seminaries of Montreal and on Jan 30, 1870, at the age of 28, he was ordained a Catholic priest. He was the Vicar at St Lin, St. Jacques de l’Achigan, St. Philomene de Chateauguay, St. Isidore de Laprairie, St Michel de Napierville, St Jean in Iberville and St. Brigide of Montreal from 1870-1877.

Father Chagnon immigrated to the United States in 1877; when he was appointed as pastor of St. Mary Church in Champlain, NY, on January 6, 1877. He continued to serve at St. Mary’s Church and its community for nearly 35 years.

St. Mary’s parish was financially poor and had a modest antiquated wooden churc chagnon family tree

h. However, the congregation was rich in spirit and determination. Father Chagnon soon led the way in raising money for the construction of a new church which still stands in the village of Champlain, NY today. Though it was a struggle to raise the money for the church’s construction, the project was completed before the turn of the century. The new church not only gave the congregation a formidable place to worship, but it also earned Father Chagnon great admiration and respect.

St. Mary’s Church was built with Father Chagnon’s strong emphasis on sustaining and promoting the Franco-American culture of the area. Many French came down from Quebec at that time to work in the factories after the Civil War. They were not always very well-treated and often were looked down upon as foreigners.

In 1906, through Father Chagnon’s efforts, a Catholic school was opened. The Daughters of the Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who were a group of nuns that came to America from France came to teach the students.

What became Father Chagnon’s most notable accomplishment, was the construction of the monument dedicated to French explorer Samuel de Champlain, which is the namesake for the village, town and lake, that divides the states of New York and Vermont.

The town fathers in Champlain wanted to put up a statue in honor of Samuel de Champlain, but couldn’t come up with the money, so they turned to Father Chagnon. He went all over New England and New York to the French communities, meeting with Franco-American societies, and was able to get them to donate to this statue. The statue was erected on church property and dedication on July 4, 1907. This was the first statue in the nation to honor Samuel de Champlain.

Sadly, Father Chagnon died four years later at the age of 69, on Oct. 10, 1911. He is laid to rest in a tomb on the church grounds behind the statue of Samuel de Champlain, which is across the street from the former Catholic school that he had helped establish.

It is said that Father Chagnon was a very influential man in the North Country during his time. And that his strong vision shaped what the village of Champlain, and particularly St. Mary’s Church, is today. In 2011, the congregation of St. Mary’s Church honored the 100th anniversary of the death of the Rev. Francis X. Chagnon. The local Knights of Columbus Council bears the name, the Francis X. Chagnon Council 3525. As you can see Father Chagnon was all of the above, a builder, a principal, a fundraiser, a priest and more.

So, how are we related? Francis X. Chagnon’s grandfather Michel Chagnon is the brother of Joseph Chagnon, making Moise Chagnon and Hypolite Chagnon cousins. Joseph Chagnon is the father to Hypolite. Hypolite is the father of Nazareth (Nazaire) Chagnon. Nazareth is the father of Narcisse (Nelson) Chagnon. Side Note: Nazareth immigrated to the United States in the 1860s and lived Champlain, NY.

(You can see from the chart below how Michel and Joseph were brothers, which makes Fr. Francis X. and Nazareth cousins).

Jean Baptist Chagnon/Marie Francoise Pineau

Michel Chagnon/ Veronique Fontaine-Bienvenue	Joseph Chagnon / Margaret Lavallee-Paquet
Moise Chagnon/	Hypolite Chagnon/ M. Louise Lamontague-Lalue
Rev. Francis X. Chagnon	Nazareth Chagnon/Euphemia Cusson
	Narcisse (Nelson) Chagnon /Delina Bouchard

Is This Our DNA Link To Indian Descendants?

Posted on September 26, 2017March 17, 2024 by BaChag56

chagnonfamilytree The genealogy research took a huge leap forward when the world wide web came into our lives. It has given us the opportunity to connect to resources, places, and people and discover more about our family trees than ever. Now we have even more information since DNA (Deoxyribonulceic acid) came along. DNA is a molecule that contains the instructions an organism needs to develop, live and reproduce. These instructions are found inside every cell, and are passed down from parent to their children. So how is this information important to linking us to Indian descendants? Can science be more accurate than written documentation? Well, in this particular genealogy research case there are two thoughts (opinions) on this and a lot of information to back both sides. So lets look at some of this information and then you decide “Are we linked to an Indian descendant?”

This starts with a person who we will call Catherine P. From documentation it was believed that Catherine’s parents were Pierre Pilet-Pillat Pilliar and Marguerite Morelinet. But after intense research and using the Mitochondrial DNA (MtDNA) from 8 of Catherine’s descendants, it has shown that Catherine may very well not be from French descendant, but from haplo type A, which is only found in the Indian populations. There is documentation that Catherine P (daughter of Pierre Pilet-Pillat Pilliar and Marguerite Morelinet) was baptised March 30, 1646 in Larochelle, France. It is also known that there was a Catherine du Plat, who was previously called Ouenta (daughter of Atsena, Chief of Huron Bear Nation) before she was renamed by her godmother at her christening on November 25, 1651 and was baptized by Claude Pijart. Her godmother, Catherine de La Vaux, was the wife of Gilbert Barbier. She was born about June 1651.

So how does this have any connection to the Chagnon Family Tree? It is said that a Catherine P? married Pierre Charron dit Ducharme in the parish of Notre-Dame de Montréal on October 19, 1665 in Montreal, Canada. She and Pierre had 12 children. Their first born was a daughter that they named, Catherine after her mother’s Christian baptized name. Catherine Charron – Ducharme, the daughter of Pierre and Catherine P? or Catherine du Plat?, the daughter of Chief Atsena, married Francis Chagnon dit Larose in 1679 in Contrecoeur, Quebec. Francis was the first known Chagnon in our family tree who came to North America in the mid 1660s as a Carignan Soldier. So now you know how we are related.

From the DNA and research it is believed by some that Catherine Chagnon dit Larose’s mother was “Ouenta du Plat” the daughter of Atsena, Chief of the Huron Bear Nation, but others believe she is the daughter of Pierre Pilet-Pillat Pilliar and Marguerite Morelinet. As we can see this is where thoughts (opinions) have created a split in the road of genealogy research. So the question is: “who are the true parents of Catherine? Do we believe DNA or the documentation written by several different people over the centuries?

If you are still undecided, you can read more and then decide who you think we are related to, the Charrron-Ducharme branch or Atsena, Chief of the Huron Bear Nation branch.

If you are interested in learning more about DNA, go to read my blog on: https://ancestryseeking.com/2017/09/19/how-can-dna-technology-help-find-the-missing-link-in-your-family-tree

Who Is This? And How Is He Related To Us?

Posted on September 10, 2017March 15, 2018 by BaChag56

chagnonfamilytree Who is this? This is Louis Bouchard. He was born September 18, 1850 in St. Paul’s Bay, Quebec. The son of Thomas Bouchard and Luce Sauliner. He immigrated to the US in 1870. Louis was in business for himself, selling wood and coal from the back yard of his home at 200 N. Champlain Street in Burlington, VT.

Louis met and married Delia Jennie Plant on September 5, 1871 in Richmond, Vt., Jennie was born in 1850 in Bolton, VT. , she was the daughter of Peter Plant and Anna Brown .

Louis and Jennie had 7 children, 2 daughters and 5 sons. Of the 7 children, they had a set of twins Willie and Willard who died shortly after their births in 1879. On October 20, 1883 Jennie died from consumption at the age of 31.
At the time of Jennie’s death, Delina Bouchard who was the 7th child born was 2-1/2 years old.

Louis met and married Louise Morrow in Winooski, VT on August 18, 1884. Louise was born July 1860 in Lewiston, NY., the daughter of John Morrow and Florence Plant.

Louis and Louise had 14 children, they had 7 daughters and 7 sons. They also had a set of twins, Gilbert and Edward in 1892. Louise died April 15, 1907 at the age of 47. Their daughter Matilda was born and died in September of 1906. At the time of Louise death, Ernest was 2-1/2years old.

Louis remarried for a 3rd time, August 22, 1909, to Josephine Pollander in Montreal, Canada. Josephine was born August 1, 1864 in Salem, NY., the daughter of Narcisse Pollander and Josephine Bonville. Louis was also Josephine’s 3rd husband.

Louis died at the age of 87 at the Degoesbriand Hospital, Burlington, VT following a lingering illness. He is buried with his 2nd wife Louise in the Mt Calvary Cemetery in Burlington, VT

His 3rd wife, Josephine remarried for a 4th time in 1941, three years after Louis’ death.

Out of 21 children, 14 children were living at the time of his death. Those children were: Mrs. Marie Ryan, Edward D., Leonard & Clara Bouchard, all who were living in Rochester, NY. Mrs. Roy (Mary) Tremblay, Paul & Thomas Bouchard, all were living in Tampa, Fla., Mrs. James (Flora) Steele of Bellows Falls, VT. Mrs. Edward (Sophie) Dorey, Mrs. Nelson (Delina) Chagnon and Leo Bouchard, were all living in Burlington. Ernest Bouchard was living in Boston, MA and Gilbert Bouchard was living in Los Angeles, CA. There was several grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

So how are we related? Well you may have figured it out, through Delina Bouchard. Delina married Naricisse (Nelson) Chagnon at the age of 18, in 1881. They had 14 children, 7 daughters and 7 sons. They had a set of twins, Henry & Nelson, which were their 13th & 14th children to be born. Only one died at the age of 3-1/2 years old, Raymond Joseph Chagnon. (Photos courtesy of Jerry Levalley, grandson of Louis & Louise).

Taking a Step back to 1943

Posted on September 4, 2017January 24, 2018 by BaChag56

chagnonfamilytree

Taking a step back in time with this old Burlington Free Press clipping. Diane Chagnon had submitted a photo of Henry and Nelson Chagnon who are twin brothers, 1943 when they were both along with Clarence, Chester and Roy serving their country in various branches of the armed forces. Their mother Delina (Bouchard) Chagnon had receive a a Gold Star for having 5 sons all serving at the same time. It is said that she use to have it displayed in her window.