Solving another family story

"Delia's mother was holding her by the train tracks when a train came along, caught her mother's skirts, and dragged her to her death.  As she was being swept away, she managed to throw the baby at a crowd on the platform, and a man safely caught the baby."  This story was told to us for years, with slight variations.  I always wondered how I could find a record of it.

Delia Joyce married Patrick ODonnell around 1887.  They are buried together at Holy Name Cemetery in Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey.  Her dates are listed as 1862-1929 on her gravestone.  She first appears with Patrick in the 1900 census in Bayonne, Hudson County, New Jersey, born in New York to Irish parents.  There are not many Joyce families in New York in the 1870 and 1880 census, but several had a girl named Delia, making it impossible to decide which was the correct family.

I had the opportunity to show some old photos to an older relative.  I had this photograph of a woman suspected to be Delia Joyce ODonnell.

The older relative confirmed that the woman in the center was Delia.  "She was the baby that her mother threw as she was being dragged by the train."  And she was able to recall the location:  Pawling.  Delia was not looking at the camera because she was blind.


Armed with a location, I found the Joyce family living in Pawling, Dutchess County, New York in the 1870 census.

1870 census for Pawling, Dutchess County, New York

The eight year old Adelia was Delia, the "baby" thrown by her mother to escape death.  The problem with this finding is that Delia could not have been a baby when her mother died because there are two more children born after Delia.  By Irish luck, Delia's mother died during the census year, so she turns up in the mortality schedule for us to easily find 140 years later.

1870 US Mortality Schedule, 1870 New York

The first number, 21, matches the families.  Mary Joyce, age 35, of Ireland, died in May of 1870, "Run over by cars Railroad."  This confirms that I have the correct family.  The remaining issue is that Delia was not a baby when her mother died, so either the story should have been "Mother throws small child to safety" or the rescued baby was not Delia, but rather a younger sibling, perhaps John or James.

Able to make the match to Dutchess County, I found a descendant of Patrick Joyce by his second wife.  Patrick remarried and had more children.  They too had heard the same baby and train story.

Still searching for relatives at 23andme.com

Since last week, when my DNA results became available at 23andme.com, I have been connecting with distant (very distant?) relatives and trying to figure out the common ancestor.  I am up to 990 matches in the database.  So far, I have not figured out anyone's relation to me.  The website allows you to request contact of only five people per day.  I started with my closest relation- one third cousin- and am working my way outwards.  Only twelve people have responded to my inquiries.  A fourth cousin hails from Latvia- and I have no clue how this happened.

Apparently many people took advantage of the $99 sale in December, creating a lot more matches, as well as a lot of people who are clueless like me.  A group formed on facebook to share advice and opinions.

At this point in the DNA search, I think it is best to have my parents submit their specimens.  This will probably turn up a lot more matches, as each provided me with only half of their DNA.  When I have the matches of each parent, I will at least know which tree holds the common ancestor.



My closest matches at 23andme.com.
Only the circled icons represent people who have responded to my request for sharing information.



DNA results: Relative Finder at 23andme

My DNA results for finding relatives appeared late last night at 23andme, days ahead of the predicted time frame.  I have 986 possible relatives.  (None of this is definite, hence the fuzzy words.)  The closest relation could be a third cousin.  The next closest are nine fourth cousins, ten fifth cousins, three sixth cousins, two seventh cousins, and more and more cousins with increasing degrees.  The distance of the relation is not fully accurate, but demonstrates the amount of DNA that is the same in both people.  My "third cousin" and I match 0.63% of our DNA, while my "fourth cousins" match anywhere from 0.41% to 0.51%.

The profiles are anonymous, unless the participant has chosen a public profile.  You can contact only five anonymous people per day.  I contacted my allotted five and look forward to hearing from them.

This will be very interesting to see if the common ancestor can be identified for any of these matches.  I am expecting surprises.  Third cousins have the same great great grandparents.  Everyone has sixteen great great grandparents.  I can identify twelve of mine.  Of my 32 great great great grandparents, twelve are unknown, and two have unknown last names.

Relative finder results at 23andme.com

DNA results for health traits

In December I submitted my DNA sample for analysis by 23andme.  The results for my health became available yesterday.  I am most interested in establishing genealogical connections, not my risk of diseases.  The website allows you to opt out of seeing the results.  I was curious and decided to view the results anyway.

The site posts disclaimers that the results do not mean that you have any disease, condition, or trait.  If you feel that you do have a particular health problem, you need to see a doctor for evaluation.

The results revealed slightly elevated or slightly decreased risks of several cancers, autoimmune disorders, and other diseases such as restless leg syndrome.  Nothing to worry about, or even run to a doctor.

For traits, I supposedly carry sprinter genes- meaning that I can run fast.  I cannot.  I do run, but my goal is a mile under ten minutes.

23andme.com

The genealogical results should be available next week.

Winter Wonderland

The first snowfall for this region was December 26th.  Several inches to over a foot blanketed the area.  We were hit again a few more times.  I have not seen the ground since the first snowfall.

This stymies research.  Travel is difficult.  In the cemeteries, only the tallest of stones are visible, and paths are non-negotiable.  Feeling devoid of a good cemetery visit, I visited Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County, New York today.  Eight years ago today, my grandmother was buried there.

Corner marker at the Sewell grave.  I don't see too many butterflies.

Sewell grave with butterfly cornerstones.

Rendall and Fisher graves.  Newcomers to this gravesite may have to wait until spring to see what lies beneath.

Someone visited the Brewer family plot before I did.

One of the main attractions for tourists- the grave of Washington Irving.