In search of the family

  DNA I really don't think my father ever needed a DNA test to prove his  father. When my cousin first shared the picture of my Grandfather as a child, I did think it was a photo of my Dad.  It is often muted that heart disease and various cancers can run in families. Not only do the photographs show the resemblance between my Dad and Grandad, but the primary cause of my Dad's death was oesophagial cancer, but similarly his father died from throat cancer too. Is this a genetic factor, or could it have been related environmental or lifestyle choices. So what to write about DNA? It is not really a subject that engages me. Is what makes us who we are, genetic or environmental? My thoughts are such that genetics plays it's part but influence, upbringing and the world around us has at least an equal part in this. But this is looking at the subject of DNA in a broader sense. So having taken a DNA test from one of the genealogical companies does this help with our own research? ...

 The infamous     BRICKWALL I have already written about one of my Brickwalls that came tumbling down several years ago. My Great Grandfather, George Arthur Pye/Perry was my first post in the 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks challenge of 2021. GEORGE ARTHUR PERRY 1851-1934: WHO ARE YOU MR P? (mypynthdev.blogspot.com) Another of my ongoing Brickwalls is Valentine Muller, who I have already written about too. 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 6. Valentine (mypynthdev.blogspot.com) A third brickwall which has also crumbled is that of George Richard Westcott, the first husband of my 3x Great Grandfather's 2nd wife, who appearred to disappear off the face of the earth, but once I found him, I found him associated with a theatre family. His story is written here. George Richard Westcott 1831-1882 & Sarah Hall 1833-1902 (mypynthdev.blogspot.com) As I feel it may be cheating to use any of these people who I have already written about, in blog posts, I will write about my 4x Great G...