#52Ancestors ‘Middle’ and How to Clutch at Straws

Welcome to week 26 of my Genealogy challenge, from the wonderful Amy Johnson Crow, of writing something about your Ancestors for a whole year, #52Ancestors in 52 weeks.

This weeks prompt is ‘Middle’ and my first thought was the most unusual middle name on my tree, that of my great-grandmother Marguerite ‘Longland’ Lukes. Now you have already read in my easrlier blogs her life story, which can be read Here and how frustratingly for me, she is the only one of my 8 x great-grandparents who has an ‘Unknown’ Father. I have long since thought that with such an unusual middle name, that the likelihood is, that ‘Longland’ is the Father’s surname.

Now there are a number of ‘possibles’ residing in Gravesend in Kent at the time Marguerite was born, I accept that he could of course come from anywhere! I have tried to narrow it down a bit, but it’s almost impossible.

Then whilst thinking about this prompt it suddenly hit me like a speeding train! Why hadn’t I thought of it before????

Why not search for the surname Longland in my DNA matches? Now I appreciate that this is the smallest of straws to clutch at, but sometimes a hunch, an instinct, a flash of inspiration is all that we need.

Well all I can say is that I am close, very close! Will I have the answer by the time this blog is due?? I hope so, but I am closer than I have ever been to solving an unknown father that I have been in the last 15 years! This lightbulb moment would never have dawned on me if I had not been taking up the #52Ancestors challenge!

I have only done it, smashed down the brick wall and of all the days to do it, I solved it on Father’s Day!!! So I now have 16 out of 16 Great Grandparents on my tree!!!! To say I am pleased is the under statement of the year!

Further details on my exciting DNA breakthrough can be found Here

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