Where’s best for tracing American descendants?

[CovidCorvid]

So really getting into thjs family tree tracing.

I’ve found two separate ancestors who went to America in the 1970s. One to Utah. The other went to Carolina where apparently he was one of the founding members of the Methodist church in the area. I’ve found quite a lengthy piece of writing about him on a website. His son was a wealthy slave owner (yuck) and seems to have schools, etc named after him. So I do think that hopefully tracing his descendants might be straight forward? I just don’t know where to start.

Also in 1925 a single female ancestor of mine “departed Liverpool” and six months later reappeared in Liverpool. I assume she went to America for six months and I’d love to find out more information about what ship, where she went when she was in America. Why on Earth did she go? Any ideas?

1770s? 1870s?

Membership of ancestry.com might help you find family trees that connect to yours.

There are databases of ship manifests but very hit & miss how complete.

ps: the Mormons keep vast genealogy datasets. They baptise everyone they find out about.

Their free search engine.

If you do one of the dna kits like 23 and me it will link you with people, I’ve got loads of distant cousins in America

Sorry 1770s.

Found out just one was a Mormon bishop. Loads of wives and kids.

My 23 and me result should be back this week. I’m very excited.

@lljkk

ps: the Mormons keep vast genealogy datasets. They baptise everyone they find out about.

Their free search engine.

Thank you. Off to input some stuff in there.

Ancestry, Familysearch are good starting points.

Thing to remember though is that you might not find the records. 1770s is a long time ago, lots of records haven't survived from the UK for that time and America is no different. If you do have fairly prominent relatives from that period you might be able to dig quite a bit up with a simple google search too.

23andme v AncestryDNA matches - ancestry has biggest database and definitely best for family tree building with dna matches/ancestors in common but 23andme so much more searchable!

Forgot: the ‘melting pots’ of North and South Carolina are my main genetic communities via paternal dna, I found it the easiest and best documented branch of the family tree. Interested to hear how your research goes!

Meanwhile a lot of my hearty NW European maternal ancestors settled the Midwest and persecuted the Mormons for religion, lols and profit before moving SW (California Arizona etc). I haven’t looked into this much yet but please accept my apologies to your ancestors 😅

@Ylfa

23andme v AncestryDNA matches - ancestry has biggest database and definitely best for family tree building with dna matches/ancestors in common but 23andme so much more searchable!

Thanks I did 23andme as I liked the look of all the health reports you could also order. I might do ancestry as well.

And I've already found a lot about my Mormon Utah relatives, found about 100 of them now. Found a lengthy article about him and photos which was exciting! He had 7 wives!

Found names of people who died recently, in my lifetime. Sadly not found anyone who's still alive yet.

I find this fascinating. I lack any obvious DNA connections to one great grandparental line but then have 200 connected 5th or 6th cousins in North Carolina with no one from Britain or any of my lines a common link to that extended family. How can I be the only one in the cluster? Good luck with your search!

@BrambleyHedge

I find this fascinating. I lack any obvious DNA connections to one great grandparental line but then have 200 connected 5th or 6th cousins in North Carolina with no one from Britain or any of my lines a common link to that extended family. How can I be the only one in the cluster? Good luck with your search!

That’s crazy!