Saturday’s Siblings

Wideman Sibling

Six months ago, I put my DNA test results aside and I hadn’t looked at it since. I was burned out. It was overwhelming working with so many matches, and there seemed to be changes happening very fast, so I took a break. During this break, I have been writing about my ancestors and took another look at second great grandmother Drucilla Carmack. The Carmack lineage has been a bit of a challenge since my parents didn’t share any family information before they died, leaving me to use the minuscule of information I had on the families.

Match on the chromosome browser

I began writing an article about my second great grandmother Drucilla Carmack, and decided to look at my DNA results. After looking at DNA test results from all three testing companies I only have three matches connecting to the Carmack family. The Carmack family apparently isn’t into genealogical research and DNA testing.  I went to my DNA test results on 23andMe put in a search for Carmack and one match came up in the results. The next thing that I did was look at the results and check to see if my match had a family tree and I couldn’t find one. Therefore, my conclusion was the new found relative isn’t a family historian or into genealogical research. After pondering the situation, I decided to contact the person. I explained who I was and the reason for contacting him. I also explained after looking at his results, that he may not be into genealogical research and possibly he DNA tested for the health information. That was fine if he wasn’t and I understand that. I told him that I wouldn’t bother him with more messages. To my surprise, he responded back the next day.

Thinking to myself that I didn’t want to scare this person off, I very carefully composed my wording in my message to him, and I gave him a little more information. Again, he responded and he only had information back to his grandparents, but if I thought that information would be useful he would be happy to share. I am getting excited now.  I responded back to him, again being careful not say anything that would stop him from responding. I gave him more information on my Carmack family, that I would love to have the information for his grandparents, and if I find anything on his family I would let him know. He sent me the names and death dates of his grandparents. When I saw that information my first thought was how is this going to help me?

My go-to place is Ancestry when searching for family, so I put the grandparents’ full names in the search boxes and the death dates, and when the search results came up I was surprised. Censuses from 1920 – 1940, Findagrave memorial information, a city directory with his name and his wife’s name, and a telephone directory came up in the search results.  The information that I received back from my new-found cousin was helpful in researching the Carmack familial lineage. With the tidbit of information provided by my new-found cousin, I found his grandparents, great grandparents and great great grandparents and will be of help in finding our most recent common ancestor. I sent the information that I found about his Carmack family to him and again thanked him for responding to my messages.

While looking for clues to determine our most recent common ancestor there wasn’t a link to my Carmack family; however, the research is ongoing for this information. But I noticed the parents of the wife of my new-found cousin’s second great grandfather, and there is a connection to her. Her parents were Henry Wideman and Penelope “Penny” Teal paternal third great grandparents. If 23andMe’s calculation is correct then my new found Carmack cousin is a fourth cousin. We share .39% DNA on two segments. The research continues to determine if there is a connection to the Carmack linage or the Wideman is the link.

I now have a new-found cousin to add to my family tree. The break has given me the much needed time to refocus. Now I am ready to jump back into looking at my DNA tests results and find new cousins. ■