Texas wrap-up, for now

The results of the second targeted DNA test that I sent to a female relative on my brother’s maternal family came in a few days later on Ancestry at 104 cM (centiMorgans). I already knew from the results of the first targeted test to his male relative, that this female relative had turned out to be a second cousin once removed (2C1R) to my brother. 104 shared centiMorgans was in range to support that relationship.

Her mom Freda was my brother’s second cousin. Her maternal grandma Nora Levita “Honey” was my brother’s birth mom’s 1st cousin. Her great-grandma Kate was a sister to Owen, my brother’s birth mom’s father. They all had the couple William Jenkins and Nora Culley as mutual ancestors.

Freda & Levita “Honey” – tester’s mother & grandmother
Mckell’s brother’s birth mom 1933-1996

If I had sent her a DNA test without also testing my brother’s male maternal relative, the results of her test alone would only have told me I wasn’t looking on the right branch of the family. My brother already had matches of 282 cM and 265 cM to two of the female tester’s first cousins once removed (1C1R) on that branch. So her test alone would have only told me that her grandmother could not be my brother’s birth mom’s mother. The higher the centiMorgan match, the closer the relationship. 104 cM is not high enough for a first cousin once removed match, although it could be on the low end for a half first cousin once removed match. I would have focused on the other children of George Jenkins and Nora Culley after getting these results without another reference point.

As it was, this mystery had already been solved! Someday, I hope my brother can go to Texas and meet some of his birth mother’s family, especially the ones who were so willing to test to help him and his birth sisters figure out their direct maternal line. The Dallas Cowboys have always been one of my brother’s favorite football teams. I think there was a reason for that, even though he didn’t know until DNA that he had generations of Dallas area roots.

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