How can Maternal DNA be proven if close female relatives unwilling to help?

Started by Tracey Lee Wilson on Saturday, January 20, 2018
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Hi, I am an illegitimate child. I only recently was able to find some of my fathers family through DNA and some public records. My father is deceased but I have 3 (born in marriage) half sisters, one of whom is willing to do a DNA Test. My mother is not willing to do DNA testing nor my half sister I share her with. My father's brother is willing though. My questions, and I know very little about DNA, is it at all possible to use tests from my half sister who I share a father with, and my Uncle, his brother, to determine which DNA came from him, and what might have come from my mother. Otherwise, I'm not sure how much use I can be to this project. I have Cousin Matches through her line, one of whom I saw on here, but they are distant and probably not much use for closer relationship proof. As far as family line goes, on my mother's side, I am the last in my family line to carry the Hartzell name. I was given her maiden name at birth, as was the hospital's custom back then in cases where paternity was unknown or murky. I'm willing to help, I just am uncertain how much help I can be.

MtDNA is passed down from mother to daughter - so your MtDNA will be the same as your mother's MtDNA -- and of your mother's mother, and your mother's mother's mother and etc. -- and the daughters for each, etc.

You say you are "willing to help" -- This does not sound like a search you are doing for yourself. What is this project you referring to / What are you - or someone - trying to discover?

You and your half-sister who share the same father -- would not be expected to share MtDNA (coincidences can happen, but can probably be ignored). Only guys have YDNA, so you do not share YDNA.

Definitely FamilyFinder for both of you at FTDNA would be useful if looking to see which relatives you have in common - which would be on your father's side - and for helping to analyze matches on Chromosome Browser.
And your father's brother -- adding FamilyFinder for him as well, can pin your Father's side down even more.

@Lois Lubin, I was referring to the World Tree Project this website is dedicated to? I admit, I may be very confused as to what I am doing here. I am interested in Family Tree Research and how DNA helps to prove and disprove that. I spent my entire life wondering about the Ancestors on half my family tree. A DNA test from my son started me on this road. I'm learning as I go. I've actually hit a block on other sites, with my father's line. Once it reaches Lithuania, I can't find any further family members. I had thought the trees on this site were cross referenced and proven by DNA corroboration. Not being able to prove more than my own DNA test at this time. I was uncertain how I could help this World Tree Project along but I am interested, a fast learner and willing to help in any way that I can.

re: " I had thought the trees on this site were cross referenced and proven by DNA corroboration." -- Nope, definitely not. Think Curators still have to go thru and periodically disconnect the Fictional from the Real - and once one gets back far enough, there is great debate as to what is real.

Moreover, Geni recognizes adopted and biological parents/children -- so trees definitely do not have to be limited by DNA.

Now that folks can connect their profiles to their DNA at FTDNA, a very small number of profiles have been verified by DNA. But -- The vast majority never will be.

For those that do have relationship verified, Not sure that anyone can see the verification unless they are one of the pair who are related and both have DNA results connected to their profiles.

This is the main thread for discussing DNA on Geni: https://www.geni.com/discussions/157595

But - DNA is totally not necessary to be a major help to this project of creating a World Family Tree!!

The vast majority of profiles do not even have documents, info in the about, or etc.

Adding Documents, adding informative comments in the About Section, adding new Profiles, uploading Photos -- any or all of those are a great help. So - Welcome!! and do not worry that lack of DNA Documentation nor a Brick Wall in one spot means you can not be of help to the project of creating a World Tree.

correction - not "profiles verified" but "relationships verified"

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