I’ve seen several negative posts and comments about Ancestry’s new DNA tool, ThruLines. I haven’t come close to looking at all of my lines, let alone verifying them. However, I am thrilled Ancestry developed this new tool.
With 231 ThruLines, it will take me some time to document them all, let alone verify the other lines. However, I have started the process of ‘archiving’ the various lines using a spreadsheet format suggested by Diahan Southard. (See: DNA Thru Lines Potential Breakthrough)
As I was entering the information from my various BRILES ThruLines into my spreadsheet, I realized that all of these DNA matches are verifying the information I found in two family genealogies: Keith Typescript and Briles Family by Max Briles.
These two genealogies were my starting points for the Briles side of my tree and thus the backbone on which I added other sources. Over the years, I’ve added census records, marriage records, wills, land records, etc to help document the various Briles families. Not only did these genealogies provide a starting point, they also helped separate individuals of the same name. My Briles research was easier because I had these genealogies as the foundation. My realization that my DNA ThruLines are confirming these genealogies was not only reassuring but also freeing.
I believe my realization is freeing because it validates the practice of using family genealogies, biographies in mug books and even online trees as a starting point to search for the additional records to verify the information found in those sources. So to the nay-sayers who reject online trees, mug books, etc. as being inaccurate, I say forget that. I’m going to use any and all sources of information, including online trees and mug books, to see if I can find additional sources to prove/disprove family relationships. Then I will use my DNA ThruLines to see whether DNA supports my research.