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Birth father was Kenneth E. Hicks (1925 - 2001) from Ann Arbor, MI. He worked for American Airlines.
He was married to Phyllis Jean (Strohl) (1932 - 1997) in 1958 in Ann Arbor, MI.
About 1972, my mother told me that my father had another daughter, and that her last name was "Milky" -- I'm spelling this name the way that I heard it: the actual spelling could be anything from Milkey, Melkey, Mellke, Mielke (and so on).
I asked for further details but wasn't given any.
I also talked this over with my father in his last days, but he wouldn't discuss it.
About 2002, I was told by a friend of my father that my father had a daughter living in Torrance, CA in the 1980s. Her name may have been Jane or Jeanne, but the friend wasn't sure: my mother went by Jean, so I pressed the friend on this point, but this was all that she knew.
- For reasons I don't want to go into on a public forum, I originally thought my father had gotten a single French woman pregnant during WW II and then brought the woman and child back to the US and established them at 510 Esplanade, Redondo Beach, ca. 1947-50. However, this detail might be a red herring -OR- the woman might not have been from France. The address might also be associated with something else.
- My father did make several solo trips to Redondo Beach/Torrance while I was growing up.
- My father was also a notorious liar! It's entirely possible that my half-sister knows nothing about me, so I'm treading very carefully! It was only been after years of my own searches that I've decided to make this public.
- I had my DNA done at Ancestry. No hits so far. I check in regularly.
It's now 2019, and there's more and more online, so perhaps the veil will finally be lifted on this mystery.
Added: I believe that my mother told me everything she knew. What I still don't know is how she knew.
Also, I have chatted with various relatives on both sides throughout the years about this question. No one knows anything, and I believe they are telling the truth.
My father had several secrets, which I uncovered when he passed, but this one is still a mystery.
Birth father was Kenneth E. Hicks (1925 - 2001) from Ann Arbor, MI. He worked for American Airlines.
He was married to Phyllis Jean (Strohl) (1932 - 1997) in 1958 in Ann Arbor, MI.
About 1972, my mother told me that my father had another daughter, and that her last name was "Milky" -- I'm spelling this name the way that I heard it: the actual spelling could be anything from Milkey, Melkey, Mellke, Mielke (and so on).
I asked for further details but wasn't given any.
I also talked this over with my father in his last days, but he wouldn't discuss it.
About 2002, I was told by a friend of my father that my father had a daughter living in Torrance, CA in the 1980s. Her name may have been Jane or Jeanne, but the friend wasn't sure: my mother went by Jean, so I pressed the friend on this point, but this was all that she knew.
- For reasons I don't want to go into on a public forum, I originally thought my father had gotten a single French woman pregnant during WW II and then brought the woman and child back to the US and established them at 510 Esplanade, Redondo Beach, ca. 1947-50. However, this detail might be a red herring -OR- the woman might not have been from France. The address might also be associated with something else.
- My father did make several solo trips to Redondo Beach/Torrance while I was growing up.
- My father was also a notorious liar! It's entirely possible that my half-sister knows nothing about me, so I'm treading very carefully! It was only been after years of my own searches that I've decided to make this public.
- I had my DNA done at Ancestry. No hits so far. I check in regularly.
It's now 2019, and there's more and more online, so perhaps the veil will finally be lifted on this mystery.
Any help is appreciated!
I looked at your 1st thread, //www.city-data.com/forum/genea...-romania.html; you had done Ancestry. I also told you to upload to the free databases, My Heritage, FTDNA and GEDmatch. Did you do those uploads?
You also should do 23 and me. It's about $100 for the family tree test. DNA for health is more expensive. You really have to be in all of the databases to fish in all of the ponds when looking for family. Right now, Ancestry has the largest database followed by 23 and me; My Heritage is creeping up there. They've grown a lot due to them offering a free upload for family matching since they 1st started. Since My Heritage, FTDNA and GEDmatch are free, you have nothing to lose.
FTDNA and GEDmatch both allow law enforcement to upload. With FTDNA, LE matching is on by default when you upload. You have to go into settings to turn it off. With GEDmatch, LE matching is off by default; you have to click the cop icon to turn it on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roselvr
Have you done your DNA yet? If not you should. It's helped me find cousins in the US that I didn't know I had. Both of my parents were Hungarian immigrants in the late 50's. If you do DNA consider uploading to the free databases I have a thread //www.city-data.com/forum/genea...l#post49250127 for info and directions. My Heritage gives free ethnicity, chromosome browser and family matching, GEDmatch and GEDmatch Genesis have a lot of cool tools that will break your DNA ethnicity down and FTDNA gives free family matching. They also have other tools for under $20. If you decide to do your DNA consider doing it on Ancestry. Right now 23 and me uses a new chip, you can only upload to GEDmatch Genesis; so to get the most out of your money, Ancestry would be my pick. They're also decent for family trees.
You also should consider joining the Hungarian Genealogy FB group. There's also a Hungarian DNA group that uses GEDmatch (a free DNA database) to match members to their GEDmatch results. There are also 2 Hungarian DNA groups at FTDNA. Family search also has a Hungarian group
I haven't really dug in with the FB group because I'm going to need a few days where I have nothing going on. IT can be very confusing trying to research relatives in this part of the world due to countries borders changing.
Hit me up on DM if you want links to the groups.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roselvr
Since you have DNA already, go to my thread and scroll to now to the DNA to grab your raw data from ancestry to upload to the other sites. See what kind of matches you have then take it from there.
Was your sister adopted out? I found my brother in 2004 in one of the adoption registries. These days DNA makes finding family a lot easier if they're in one of the databases already. You have nothing to lose since they're all free for family matching; you just never know where they will test. I have matches on My Heritage that I don't have on ancestry
you had done Ancestry. I also told you to upload to the free databases, My Heritage, FTDNA and GEDmatch. Did you do those uploads?
You also should do 23 and me. It's about $100 for the family tree test.
I will do that! I'm not sure why I didn't do My Heritage, etc., but I'll do that now and 23 and me. Thanks!
I did find several of my Romanian relatives in Brasov! One speaks English and we have swapped some email and photos. Unfortunately, none of them knew my grandfather (and many members of that family) personally -- but they were able to share some stories. Apparently that side of the family relocated to the UK and the US earlier than I had thought.
I'll bet my half-sister doesn't know she has Romanian blood! (-:
I will do that! I'm not sure why I didn't do My Heritage, etc., but I'll do that now and 23 and me. Thanks!
I did find several of my Romanian relatives in Brasov! One speaks English and we have swapped some email and photos. Unfortunately, none of them knew my grandfather (and many members of that family) personally -- but they were able to share some stories. Apparently that side of the family relocated to the UK and the US earlier than I had thought.
I'll bet my half-sister doesn't know she has Romanian blood! (-:
It's a shame you didn't upload to My Heritage back then because everything was free until the end of December 2018. Now they give family matching free along with a few other things. I went to their site to get the list of what's free and what is included in the $29 one time fee. They show matching by country which is cool to see when you still have family in Europe like I do but I'm not seeing it on the list. Even if the 2 historyfan found are right, you should still upload your DNA there; especially if you're interested in doing genealogy and finding family ties. My Heritage has a great site with how they show the matches trees. They also do something called AutoClusters which is really neat. You can read about it here. They seemed to have changed the parameters. We have a thread for it in the other section. Here is the link //www.city-data.com/forum/genea...l#post54568142
users can upload their raw DNA data from other testing services for free, and they will still receive all DNA Matches for free, but unlocking extra features for uploaded DNA data will cost an extra fee.
Still free
Receiving DNA Matches
Exporting DNA Matches
Contacting DNA Matches
Shared ancestral surnames
$29 fee
Ethnicity Estimate
Chromosome Browser
Trees of DNA Matches
Shared DNA Matches
Shared Ethnicities
Shared ancestral places
Quote:
Originally Posted by historyfan
Ancestry has these two in California birth index for Los Angeles County.
Ancestry has these two in California birth index for Los Angeles County.
Jana C Mielke 26 Apr 1973
mother maiden-Altman
Jeanne M Mielke 5 Apr 1974
mother maiden Gregoire
Thanks! I'll follow up, including looking at yearbooks. That could be a little later of a birth than the person I'm seeking but I'm not ruling anything out at this point! Gregorie is certainly French. Wow!
It's a shame you didn't upload to My Heritage back then because everything was free until the end of December 2018.
It's the cost of waiting. I think I started my second job in that time period I was seaching for Romanian relatives, so that's why I didn't follow up on My Heritage, but I will now.
Between now and December, I want to make some progress on the family stuff. I'm not getting any younger! I want to make sure the old (1930s - 40s) photos are scanned in and online where they can be accessed in the various trees, and if I can't find my half-sister, at least I'll have a record of where I searched and with what surnames.
Quick update: I uploaded my DNA to the free sites & ordered a 23 & Me kit (I'm doing the health stuff).
The GEDmatch is totally cool! I'm in the process of watching the youtubes about how to use the different tools.
I've ruled out Jana C. Mielke.
Thanks again for your help!
My Heritage is even cooler when you have all of the tools. It's worth it to pay the $29 to make the most of their site.
GEDmatch has tools that you have to pay $10 a month for. I haven't done it. I don't go there much. I mainly work on ancestry and my heritage.
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