Unraveling the Identity of Arthur Burton
Sunday, August 23 at 11:10 AM
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After reconnecting with her unknown paternal family, Dawn was told that her father's paternal grandfather, Arthur Burton, was born in Chatham, Ontario, Canada to Arthur and Fannie Burton, and that he had a twin brother named Fred. Family lore further suggested that as a young child, Arthur had been given up for adoption to a Michigan family... allegedly in exchange for a gas stove. Through application of genetic genealogy methods, Dawn was able to separate fact from fiction, ultimately discovering the truth of Arthur's origins. Later, collaborative research with a third cousin twice removed led to the identification of a full sibling, along with evidence the brothers had met each other. Further research revealed their biological father's identity, including a surprise 18th century UK scandal in the process. This case study traces three distinct research threads that together unraveled the true identity of Dawn's great-grandfather.
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Dawn Kosmakos is a self-employed genetic genealogist in the San Francisco Bay Area in CA. She discovered the power of DNA in 2016 after identifying her own unknown biological father. Shortly afterward, she began volunteering as a search angel with DNA Detectives and Search Squad. Since then, she has successfully solved hundreds of unknown parentage cases, specializing in complex unknown father mys…