MyHeritage website recently introduced a new DNA feature where they linked trees to DNA relatives where possible. The paper trail may be weak and must be tested, but I've recently had stunning success bringing a family line from 1800's to 1700's. However, along the way, I may have discovered a connection to George Washington.
I've been working on my tree for years, across several sites. I've recently worked most on MyHeritage as it has been friendliest to my connecting secure data on paper trails. I had wanted to find my family roots after my father had passed in '09. We were estranged for most of my life and I wanted to know how I fit in, now that my father could no longer help. I'm also a cousin to Jack Ryder, the 'King of Collingwood' and I wanted to find that connection too. But that is for another time.
My last name is Ball and George Washington's mother, Mary Ball might have been a relative, but I had little hope of ever proving that. There had been little to think I would, because my Ball family connections are from Salford in Manchester, UK, whereas Mary's had been near the Potomac in Virginia. I knew relatives had come from Ireland, but things were obscured. The potato famine left lots of obscure records and breakages in links. I was being led back to Ireland, possibly county Cork. There was no need to connect to USA or the old colony of Virginia.
MyHeritage introduced their theory of family relativity function and connected me too a DNA match as a third cousin living in USA. I followed their medium confidence tree links and found the relative, but also extended my tree for our common ancestor, not to Ireland, but to Virginia. My ancestor had been a surveyor who had worked for Washington in his later years and grew up working around the Potomac.
Now, I must test the links to see what is weak and may be disproved. I will also extend to see if there is a direct connection.
After a first check, I have found that my possible ancestor is a member of the Ball family of the Potomac. I must check the connections from successive generations to see if they make sense. Why go to Manchester from the tobacco farms? The Manchester Ball family were metal workers and trades people, not farmers. Did they migrate back to England for work? If the links are strong, and they really are my relatives, then why is my 11th great grandfather brother to Mary Ball when she was an only child? Is he a half brother?
extra work shows a break in the line. I'm not related to George Washington. I am still related to the DNA link. The break is George Ball. My relative George Ball was born in England or Ireland, not in the USA. The USA relative grew up in Tennessee
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