You think you know everything about your family tree. Then, a DNA match comes along and a new story unravels. It was through a DNA match that I discovered my 4th great grandfather, Jose Pacheco, had two families. After 30 years of research, I still have discoveries to make. My DNA Match Reveals A Second…
Category: About My Ancestors
Antonio Pacheco Really Is My Great Great Uncle
Antonio Pacheco has confounded me for a long time. Of the eight children of Jacintho Pacheco and Anna Jacinta de Mello, he is the only one I could not find a baptismal record for. Records may be missing, but DNA doesn’t lie. Antonio is my great great uncle. Questions About His Birth I’ve checked multiple…
The Braga and Braga Serra of Maia are the Same Family
Since the first day I opened the records for the village of Maia on Sao Miguel Island, Azores, I was aware that there were two Braga families. One was mine. The other family went by Braga Serra. They seemed to be two completely different families. So, I followed mine and ignored the others. That turned…
They Didn’t Come Home: Remembering Our War Fallen
On Memorial Day, we reflect on those who went to war, but did not come home. They gave their lives to protect our freedoms. They families mourn their loses every day. We take this one day to reflect on what that sacrifice means. Today, I’d like to recall some of the people in my family…
Women in the US Signal Corp During WWI: Was My Great Aunt a Hello Girl?
My Dad’s maternal aunt is an intriguing figure in my family tree. She was a French immigrant coming to America in the early 1900s. She never married and never had children. She may have played a small role aiding the US in World War I. The Woman Known as Tante Marie Marie Alexine Lassalle was…