Paul’s Personal Family History Research
Genetic Genealogy and Family History in the Mountain West, Midwest, New England, Scandinavia, the British Isles, France and more
The Life of Fern Laurine Stoddard (1929-2020) Part III: A Pioneer Day Scholarship
On 24 July 1847, Brigham Young and the first group of Latter-day Saint Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley to establish a settlement. In the years that followed, residents of Utah, Idaho, Arizona and other areas of Mormon settlement would celebrate the 24th of July as Pioneer Day – a commemoration of the pioneers whoContinue reading “The Life of Fern Laurine Stoddard (1929-2020) Part III: A Pioneer Day Scholarship”
DNA From a Revolutionary War Ancestor: John Woodbury (1752-1821)
On the Fourth of July we specifically commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but we also celebrate many of the events contributing to the Independence and founding of the United States of America including the Revolutionary War, the Constitutional Convention, the War of 1812, and more. In my own family tree, I haveContinue reading “DNA From a Revolutionary War Ancestor: John Woodbury (1752-1821)”
Life of Fern Laurine Stoddard Woodbury 1929-2020 Part II: Growing Up on the Ranch
“Fern was born and raised on a ranch near Bancroft, Idaho.” Even today, Bancroft is remote. The majority of the community is laid out in a grid of four by eleven streets. As of 2018, the population was 348. It was always said that Grandma was born in Bancroft, but in reality, she was bornContinue reading “Life of Fern Laurine Stoddard Woodbury 1929-2020 Part II: Growing Up on the Ranch”
Spanish! Basque! Where Did That Come From? Tips for Tracing the Origins of Unique Admixture Estimates
Let’s face it. A lot of people take DNA tests for the ethnicity admixture estimate. They may not be as interested in solving a family history mystery as they are in knowing the breakdown of their ethnic percentages. How much Irish, Native American, African or Chinese DNA do they carry? So prevalent is this perspectiveContinue reading “Spanish! Basque! Where Did That Come From? Tips for Tracing the Origins of Unique Admixture Estimates”
The Life of Fern Laurine Stoddard Woodbury 1929-2020 Part I: Introduction
This last weekend was the funeral of my grandmother Fern Laurine Stoddard Woodbury. It was perhaps one of the most unique funerals I have attended given the current circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide protests in relation to the death of George Floyd. As part of the funeral, my sister and I wereContinue reading “The Life of Fern Laurine Stoddard Woodbury 1929-2020 Part I: Introduction”
Where Are the Petersons? Considering Lack of Representation
During my college years, I took as many genetic genealogy tests as I could. Even in the early years of testing, I had a large number of genetic cousins in several of the databases, but something disturbed me. Why was it that I did not have any genetic connections to the family of Andreas PetersonContinue reading “Where Are the Petersons? Considering Lack of Representation”
How Much DNA Did I Inherit from Grandpa?
Last week, I shared a process for calculating the DNA that I inherited from my grandmother Fern Laurine Stoddard (1929-2020). In that case, I was fortunate in that Fern performed DNA testing before her death, but what about cases where one of your grandparents is already deceased? For me, determining how much DNA I inheritedContinue reading “How Much DNA Did I Inherit from Grandpa?”
How Much DNA Did I Inherit from Grandma?
Over the past several weeks, I have written about the three mothers of my grandmother, Fern Laurine Stoddard Woodbury (1929-2020): Opal Gay Coumerilh, Martha Jane Rickman, and Maude Dee Porter. In the midst of working on these articles, Fern passed away on Tuesday 5 May 2020 at the age of 91. I will miss her,Continue reading “How Much DNA Did I Inherit from Grandma?”
Three Mothers: Part 3 – Annie Maude Dee Porter (1875-1964)
Annie Maude Dee Porter disliked Mothers Day. Her sentiments might have been reflected in the thoughts of Sharon Eubank who on Mother’s Day 2019 stated, “as a middle-aged woman with no kids, I have been by turns annoyed, amused, angry, breathless, and resigned on Mother’s Day,”[1] Eubank goes on to share how through an experienceContinue reading “Three Mothers: Part 3 – Annie Maude Dee Porter (1875-1964)”
Three Mothers: Part 2 – Martha Jane “Mattie” Rickman (1894-1979)
In my grandmother Fern’s reminisces, she remembers “When I was about eight years old, Mother left home. A divorce was imminent. For a few months, things were rough. Then Mattie Scott came to keep house. When she came. I had a great feeling of security and I really enjoyed her good cooking.”[1] Martha Jane RickmanContinue reading “Three Mothers: Part 2 – Martha Jane “Mattie” Rickman (1894-1979)”
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