Do We Descend from All of Our Ancestors? Apparently, Not!

One of my favorite YouTubers is Jarret Ross, the GeneaVlogger. In his series "Professional Genealogist Reacts," he reviews videos on genealogy, often focusing on DNA-related topics.

In a recent episode, he discusses Marcus Gallo's video "You Don't Descend from All of Your Ancestors." The key point is that we are not genetically related to most of our ancestors, especially those many generations back. Although we inherit a limited number of unique genes, we have an exponentially vast number of ancestors. For example, if you go back 15 generations, you have 32,768 ancestors, but only 1,112 DNA segments to distribute among them. This means that only about 3% of those ancestors contribute to your DNA at that generation. As Gallo explains, with each generation, the number of DNA segments increases arithmetically, while the number of ancestors increases exponentially.

(Side note: My rule of thumb is that with every 10 generations, the number of ancestors multiplies by over 1,000. For instance, the 10th generation has over 1,000 ancestors, the 20th generation has over a million, the 30th generation has over a billion, and by the 40th generation, you have over a trillion ancestors! To put this in perspective, my potential ancestor Charlemagne, born in A.D. 748, is about 40 generations back. He would be one of about a trillion ancestors in that generation. Of course, there weren't actually a trillion people living back then, so pedigree collapse definitely played a role.)

In the video, Jarret Ross not only highlights Gallo's insights but also adds his own analysis. Both vloggers explore essential concepts like Y-DNA, mt-DNA, and pedigree collapse. Jarret also recommends several websites and tools for conducting in-depth DNA research.

It's an excellent video. You should check it out!

Socorro Land Grant Presentation, May 16, 2015 in Socorro, New Mexico

From Immediate Release

Genealogist to Speak about Socorro Grant

Family historian Robert J. C. Baca will speak on “The History and People of the Socorro Land Grant”, on May 16, 2015, at 10 A.M., at the Cottonwood Valley Charter School in Socorro. This program is being presented by the New Mexico Office of the State Historian, the New Mexico Genealogical Society and the Socorro County Historical Society.

Baca has been researching Socorro genealogy and local history for over 15 years. Recently, his research has focused on the Socorro Land Grant. Baca has identified over 60 families who appear to be those who re-settled Socorro in 1815. This year marks the 200^th anniversary of the land grant. 

Baca’s presentation will focus on the controversies regarding the land grant. He will also do a case study on a few of the founding families.

Baca has deep roots in Socorro, going back its founding. He grew up in the community and is a 1986 graduate of Socorro High School. He has a bachelor’s degree in social studies education from the University of New Mexico. He presently teaches history at Foothill High School in Albuquerque.

This presentation is in fulfillment of a scholarship presented to Baca by the New Mexico Office of the State Historian.

Support Genealogy Center when Purchasing Books at Amazon.com

A message from the Genealogy Center at the Albuquerque/ Bernalillo County Libraries:

"A special thanks to those of you who have been placing your Amazon.com orders using the buttons on the New Mexico Genealogical Society and Albuquerque Genealogical Society web-sites. Thanks to you we have been able to order over $720 of new books for the Genealogy Center this year through Amazon.com. We really appreciate your support! Access your Amazon account using the Amazon Books button on the NMGS web-site or the AGS web-site and the Genealogy Center will receive a gift certificate based on a percentage of your purchases. www.nmgs.org or http://abqgen.swnet.com/spl-lib.html What a practical way to support genealogy research in New Mexico without any additional cost to you."

Cousin writes about genealogy ... and her iPhone

My cousin Maurine Pool, a reporter for the Orange County Register, wrote a short article about using her iPhone at a recent reunion - the Torres Family Reunion, to be specific. She was showing all of us her new genealogy program and photographs ... well, why don't I let her explain it herself. Click on this link to read her article.

By the way, check out the photos that go along with her iPhone. One photo includes a picture of my 2nd great grandparents Crespin Torres and Andreita Trujillo.

Maybe that's why I get a farmer's tan during the Summer....

When I received the preliminary results of my genetic test from Family Tree DNA, I was wondering whether I should post them online. After all, they are private information. But then I discovered that I have some sexy DNA.

According to the BBC, my haplogroup is fairly common in Europe, especially in Ireland, Wales and Spain, where it reaches frequencies of 90% or more. My lineage is R1b1b2, which, according to the British broadcaster, originates from sexy Near East farmers. Okay, maybe the article didn't exactly say that. However, Dr. Patricia Balaresque, the scientist who did the study that produced these findings, did say that the new technology of farming thousands of years ago helped my ancestors win out over hunter-gatherers. She also said that "maybe, back then, it was just sexier to be a farmer." Honest, she did!

All kidding aside, knowing my family history, it appears that my patrilineal pedigree (father's, father's, father's, father ... ad infinitum) came directly from Spain. What accounts for the same DNA showing up in Ireland and Wales, is probably due to the Celtic migration into Spain 2,500 years ago.

According to Wikipedia, Celts migrated to Spain somewhere around the sixth and fifth centuries B.C. They mated with the local Iberian people, and created a culture that is known historically as Celtiberian. These people were the most influential culture in Iberia during the pre-Roman era, and had their largest historical impact during the 2nd Punic War when they sided with Carthage against Rome.

So the next time you meet a man from Ireland, Wales or Spain, know that they may be my distant cousins. And if you are attracted to them, it could be because of their ancestry.

Baca cousin writes article about his roots

Edward Baca, one of my dad's cousins, wrote an article in the Dallas Morning News about his family. Coincidentally, he is also related to me through my mom's side. His mother was my maternal grandmother's first cousin.

In the article, he talks about his three great-grandfathers who were posted at Ft. Craig: Philip Bourguignon, Samuel Zimmerly, and Richard Stackpole. Bourguignon and Zimmerly are my 2nd great grandfathers; Stackpole is not related to me.

He also writes about other ancestors, including Cristobal Baca and Cristobal de Torres. It's a really good article. Read it by clicking on the link below.

Edward Baca of East Dallas: My roots help me better appreciate how different cultures can mix News for Dallas, Texas Dallas Morning News Opinion: Viewpoints

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Several Graves Vandalized at San Miguel Cemetery

From the 12 September 2009 El Defensor Chieftain:

A family going to pay respects to one of their deceased relatives made a grim discovery - several gravesites at the San Miguel Church Cemetery had been vandalized.

The family members quickly reported news of the desecration to San Miguel's Father Andy Pavlak, who alerted city officials.

Among those first notified was Socorro City Councilor Peter Romero.

Romero, who serves on the city's Cemetery Committee, said a midweek tour of the damage revealed nearly a dozen broken or toppled tombstones and grave markers. In all, Romero said he counted 11 vandalized gravesites within the cemetery....

To read the entire article, click on this link.

Genetic disease found in descendants of NM settlers

In the Albuquerque Journal today, there is an article titled "Genetic Curse: Deadly brain disease may be traced back to early N.M. settlers". It is estimated that 10,000 New Mexicans - who are descended from a certain old New Mexican family - carry the gene that causes cerebral cavenous malformation, or CCM. The disease can potentially cause brain damage in carriers. New Mexico has the largest concentration of cases in the world.

Certain carriers have researched their genealogy and have discovered common ancestors: Antonio Baca and Monica Duran y Chaves, who were married in Albuquerque in 1726. Personally, this couple are my 6th great-grandparents on my father's side.

To read more about this disease, click on this link. If you do not have a subscription to the Albuquerque Journal, click on "Trial Premium Pass". This will direct you to an advertisement that you will have to watch before you are able to access the article.