This document summarizes how autosomal DNA testing can be used to survey ancestry by mapping segments of DNA shared with relatives to different ancestral lines on both the paternal and maternal sides. It discusses how DNA is inherited from parents in segments and is mixed during meiosis. Shared DNA segments between tested individuals like parent-child, siblings, and cousins can help map ancestry to specific grandparents or further back to identify common ancestors. Several examples are provided to illustrate how autosomal DNA has helped solve genealogical brick walls and confirm relationships. The document stresses the importance of testing multiple family members and using both inclusive and exclusive DNA matches to map ancestral lines.
76. Adkins
William Rutherford (brick wall) b.1832
Margaret Cyrus (spouse) b.1838
Joseph Rutherford b. 1730
Elizabeth Adkins b.1745
William Adkins (Elizabeth’s father) b. 1721
Ledca Lydia Owens (Elizabeth’s mother) b. 1724
77. Adkins
William Rutherford (brick wall) b.1832
Margaret Cyrus (spouse) b.1838
Joseph Rutherford b. 1730
Elizabeth Adkins b.1745
William Adkins (Elizabeth’s father) b. 1721
Ledca Lydia Owens (Elizabeth’s mother) b. 1724
80. Custer
George Custer b.1786
Henrietta Perrifield b.1793
Maria Elizabeth Custer b.1782
Adam Gross b.1774
Johannes Custer (Father) b.1741
Katherine Gohn (Mother) b. 1740