A Mysterious Cousin Popped up on My Ancestry.com Account
One of my uncles was a busy guy, but which one was it?
I’ve been working on my family history for forty years. I have so many questions now, and of course, there is no one left to ask. So, I keep referring to my notes, and of course, I have Ancestry.com.
A couple of years ago, I noticed a name that I didn’t recognize in the cousin section of my Ancestry DNA files. There was a long list of first and second cousins. I know exactly who everyone is and how they are related to me except for one person.
I played detective, and I looked her up on Facebook. I found her! I immediately messaged her but got no response. So I messaged her through Ancestry. Once again, I didn’t get a response.
She probably thinks I will take a hint and go away, but I’m not good at taking hints.
I checked out her family tree, and according to Ancestry.com, we have no relatives in common.
But I know better.
We are cousins whether she likes it or not. I’m pretty sure that we are first cousins, and I know ALL of my first cousins. But I don’t know her!
I’m relieved to know that we are not sisters. I’ve always wondered about that. My dad was quite the man around town. My aunt would have referred to him as a “rounder.”
But, as far as I know, my daddy only fathered the four kids that he admitted to fathering.
Meanwhile, this mysterious cousin stays on my mind. I showed the documentation to my oldest sister, and she had no ideas.
This makes me more curious than ever. My oldest sister knows everything. If SHE doesn’t know who this person is, then I’ve got to figure it out.
My father had two brothers and two sisters. Unfortunately, the family of one brother chooses not to have a relationship with us, and we only see the other brother’s family at funerals.
I don’t believe this woman belongs to one of my aunts. They married young and had kids young. Stranger things have happened, though.
I saw one of my first cousins at a family visitation. He, too, has his DNA on Ancestry. I asked him to please check his account and see how this woman is related to him.
I was a little nervous to ask him because there was a good chance that she could be his sister.
The next day, I saw him at the funeral. He told me that he had looked up his account and solemnly said he now has a new sister.
He looked at the shock on my face and then started laughing.
He punked me!
My new cousin was his new cousin too.
So, I guess she belongs to the estranged uncle. I’ve got more work to do. I can’t get that branch of the family to warm up to me even though I go to their funerals.
I have a mystery to solve. Wish me luck.