Re-evaluating Crawford Connections to My Mystery Match
Have you ever considered that searching for common surnames in a match’s family tree might not always help identify how you are related to a “mystery match“? While my yDNA results confirm a relationship to my mystery match through my paternal CRAWFORD line, the Time Tree estimates this connection around 1632 CE.
Given this distant timeline, it is unlikely that my shared autosomal DNA with this individual is via our paternal CRAWFORD lines. My mystery match also has a maternal CRAWFORD line that traces through Alexander and Mary McPheeters, but my own paper trail research has not revealed any link to this particular Crawford line.
Crawford Connections in My Mystery Match’s Tree
- Maternal Line: Connection to CRAWFORD via Alexander and Mary McPheeters.
- Paternal Line: yDNA confirms connection to my paternal CRAWFORD line (estimated connection ~1632 CE).
In addition, several of the matches I share with this mystery match also have ties to CRAWFORD through Sarah Crawford, the wife of William Sellers.
Since my mystery match has a brother who has also tested, I reviewed the brother’s shared matches. One of his shared matches also has a CRAWFORD line.
One notable Crawford connection is Celia Crawford, who married Albert Biggs in Warren County, Indiana. While I do have Celia Crawford in my genealogy file, I have not connected her to either of the two James Crawford lines in Warren County. This connection adds yet another layer of “mystery” to this already puzzling match.
Current Strategy
To better understand which branch of my tree connects me to this mystery match, I am using the dot system. Here’s how I’m approaching it:
- Shared Matches with Mystery Match: Applied dots to track these shared matches.
- Best Known Matches (Paternal Grandfather’s Side – CRAWFORD/HAMMOND): Applied dots for these shared matches.
- Best Known Matches (Maternal Line – RICKETTS/REED): Applied dots for these shared matches.
So far, I have not identified any clear connections between my best-known matches and this mystery match.
Next Steps
- Research Celia Crawford BIGGS: Investigate her CRAWFORD ancestry to see if there is a link to one of the established Crawford lines in Warren County, Indiana.
- Expand Use of Dot System: Apply dots for best-known matches on my paternal grandmother’s side of the tree.
- Contact the Mystery Match: Reach out to see if they have made any progress or discovered new clues about our shared connection.
- Continue DNA Education: Work through the Your DNA Guide course to apply new techniques and strategies to solve this mystery.
By continuing to analyze shared matches, track patterns, and fill gaps in the paper trail, I hope to make progress in identifying the connection to this mystery match. If anyone has suggestions on how to approach this, I welcome your insights!