This presentation chronicles efforts to learn about the family of Joao Inacio da Silva who was a foundling born in 1861 in the Azores, an island group in the Atlantic Ocean west of Portugal. The geographic isolation of the islands has resulted in an endogamous population where relatives share more DNA than expected, reducing the applicability of standard methodologies and calling for the exploration of alternative analytic approaches. This presentation reviews the original research conducted in 2017 that describes how these techniques were applied and what was learned about Joao’s family and the accuracy of a family story about the identity of his parents. This presentation also reviews additional analyses conducted in 2021 that confirm and extend the results from the original research.

This presentation provides step-by-step guidance on how to approach the analysis of DNA testing data and apply the results in your genealogical research. Topics covered include testing strategies, confirming relationships to family members tested, verifying the branches in your tree, identifying “surprise” cousins, and addressing brick walls in your distant ancestry.