DNA Matches

 I just had a phone call from Kevin, who is legally blind, and I have been helping him.

He forwarded to me his latest FamilytreeDNA matches. I did not expect anything exciting, but I was wrong. Kevin's (less than optimal) 37-marker YDNA test has a 1-step difference from Edwin Buchanan, As I looked at Edwin's tree, I realized two things.

1. That is Juliette's line (one of my genealogy buddies)

2. John is shown as the father of William Buchanan of Kirlish ca. 1798,

I have suspected that John Buchanan and Mary Caldwell (mentioned in the Tyrone Constitution article) were Andrew's parents. 

When we were researching, I was certain that John was the father of John, William and Samuel, but I was not sure he was the father of my Andrew, because our earliest records of Andrew are in the Castlederg area rather than Drumquin area of County Tyrone. But the name McNeilands (with multiple spellings) is common in that area. 

I think this YDNA test resolves my doubts. Maybe Andrew was born at Drumquin and moved to Castlederg (Learmore) when he married Jane McNeilands.

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I think of DNA tests as having two phases:

1. The immediate matches

2, The delayed matches, as new people take DNA tests, sometimes LONG after you took yours. 

If you have taken a DNA test, check for new matches. And add a family tree so people can see how their line can match with yours.