DIY DNA

I just ordered my Do It Yourself DNA kit from Ancestry.com

I'm looking forward to swabbing the deck...er...I mean, my cheek to see where exactly I fit in during the whole human migration thing.

Once I get my kit I'll let you all know how it turns out.

UPDATE 25 Sep 2011

I received my DNA Kit on Saturday and swabbed my cheeks tonight. Had to swab the right cheek, left cheek, and behind my lower lip.

Hopefully I'll get to mail the samples off tomorrow and then they said it will take about a month for the results to be ready.

It's going to be a long month. :)

UPDATE 30 Sep 2011

We’ve Received Your DNA Sample
Dear Rick,

Our lab has received your Ancestry.com DNA sample. We’ll send you another email in about 3–4 weeks, when the results are ready.

Thanks for choosing Ancestry.com DNA for the next step in your genealogy journey. We wish you great success in growing your family tree!

UPDATE 6 Oct 2011

Received an email message that said my results were ready.

Apparently I am a member of the R1b Hapogroup. There is also a chart that shows a bunch of numbers that apparently is my DNA. Now I guess I need to figure out what all of this means.

Repairing the Past

Since I have been studying my family for many years now, my information had been spread out across many sites. I have finally found the scans of the actual bible of Anthony Bledsoe HENDERSON and Matilda Jane BANKS. This was a wonderful find that was sent to me by Carolyn GIBSON (TEBEAU) years ago. I am glad I got to get these pages back online.

The second item I have rediscovered and added to the site was my transcription of part of the 1880 United States Census. The interesting part of this record is that there are a lot of glaring mistakes. Since this was taken from an apparent transcript by the LDS Family History Library the transcriber may have misread the original document.

I'll see if I can get a hold of the original census document to determine if this was a transcription error, or if the actual census showed these errors.

Just another interesting mystery in the exploration of the past.

Birth and Death

My main goal for searching my genealogy is not to see how fast I can trace my history back to ancient times, but how detailed I can accurately make my history as I travel back.

One way I am doing this is by gathering all of the documents I can find revolving around my family history. The beginnings of this is being done through Birth and Death certificates.

The only birth certificates I have been able to acquire I am not comfortable in revealing here because they are either currently living, or too close to living people.

I have the Death Certificate for Joseph Henry HENDERSON who was born 22 Oct 1866 and died 13 May 1951. At the time of death the certificate said he was a farmer, and that he was born in Missouri. Joseph died in Compton, California. The death certificate mentioned that he was at this location for the past 12 years. One interesting thing about this death certificate is that the names of his parents appear to be wrong. It shows His father as Anthony A. HENDERSON, and his mother as Elizabeth BANKS. Several other sources show his fathers name is actually Anthony Bledsoe HENDERSON and his mother is Matilda Jane BANKS. Apparently, his wife, Luella DENHAM did not know much about her husbands parents. Either that, or it was such a hard time for her that she may not have really been thinking clearly.

I just sent off for his fathers death certificate, Anthony Bledsoe HENDERSON. He was born 9 Feb 1845 and died 10 Oct 1916. Hopefully it will provide some more clues into the lives of these ancestors.

I could not get the birth certificates for Joseph Henry HENDERSON and Anthony Bledsoe HENDERSON because, apparently, where they were born did not have birth certificates at that time.

UPDATE 27 Oct 11

Just received notification that they cannot find a death certificate for Anthony Bledsoe HENDERSON. Maybe I'll try his wife and see where that gets me. Frustrating because I thought for certain I would at least get this one back...

Digging Deep Into The Past

This blog was started so I could ramble about my current genealogy research.

My hope is that by placing information here I can attract people who are also studying the HENDERSON line of my family through search engine results.

So however you found this blog. Welcome!

My genealogy website can be found at www.Henderson.vg