ThruLines Simply Explained

I had a plan for today but enjoying my morning hot chocolate I found on YouTube, Ancestry’s ThruLines Explained, Episode 141 Genealogy TV. I have gone to ThruLines many times but never found it useful. I read about it but must have had an “off day” every time did because I felt like I read, “ThruLines can yada, yada, yada…” if you get my meaning.

But after viewing this YouTube episode, I cast aside my self-assigned chores of the day and found that I GOT IT! Really, clean house vs playing with ThruLines on my tree? You’ve got to be kidding.

The video has three parts:
Chapter One – What is ThruLines? 3:02
Chapter Two – Where ThruLines Gets its Data? 17:29
Chapter Three – How it Works for You? 20:48

I encourage you not to fast-forward through the first three minutes. Afterall, if you don’t understand what ThruLines is, how can you you use it? There are little tidbits, like those new little icons that now appear on our trees … what they show, how to use.

And via ThruLines, I elimated one brickwall. It was a small one because I had one chipped at it versus others that have existed for 20 years. I found verified proof of Elizabeth TAYLOR. Oh, not that Elizabeth Taylor. Elizabeth Taylor (1774-1856) my fourth great-grandmother — husband, William Severs(Sevier). [These are Livingston ancestors.]

Simply put, ThruLines shows you DNA matches in your tree(s) to those who have done an Ancestry DNA test. The DNA is “fact” — true. You can view those that have matches to your DNA and see their tree and compare it with yours. BUT remember, Ancestry family trees are only what that ‘match’ person has put on the tree. It does NOT mean that it is accurate. Shoot, even parts of my tree are inaccurate. If I haven’t marked the person Verified, then it could be inaccurate.

How did the Ancestry’s ThruLines Explained help?
Re my Elizabeth TAYLOR ThruLines experience today, I found a match with several “documented” records that gave her mother’s name. Oddly enough, the tree did not display her fathers name, just the mothers. But the *record* did. And that matched the only thing I knew about her parentage, the father’s name. The location was correct. The dates fit. Another record on that same ‘match’ tree, confirmed what I had found. Once I put it in my tree, little leaves popped out for the new names.

I highly recommend YouTube, Ancestry’s ThruLines Explained, Episode 141. In less than 45 minutes, you’ll want to shove aside whatever it was you were going to do and work with the ThruLines in your tree.