The Surprise Relative

I like many other people have done a DNA test with Ancestry. I am fully aware that some people only do the test to see what the ethnicity result is. But even with that in mind, it didn’t stop me messaging my closest matches. Some replied, and quite a few did not. One of the did not replies finally replied and said they now knew how we were connected. I was intrigued!

It turns out that we share the same great grandfather, James Charles STEPHEN (1893-1982). James was married to Jemima MITCHELL (1893-1978) and had four children, when he embarked on a relationship with Evelyn FRASER. This resulted in the birth of a daughter in October 1920.  James knew about the birth of his daughter and was present at the registration of her birth. Unfortunately for Evelyn, James would not leave his wife and children. His daughter with Evelyn ended up being adopted out. I often wonder if Jemima ever knew.

I was so excited about this news, but realized that my excitement might not be reciprocated throughout the family. I messaged my parents and told them that one of them had another Aunt they never knew about. I asked if they wanted to know the details. Once the cat was out of the bag, it can’t be put back in. Like me they wanted to know all the details. My mother was surprised to learn it was her side of the family. She wasn’t shocked and wanted to know more about her new aunt.

The sad part is she died in 2003 and never got to meet her siblings.