How I Built a Candidate List Before Letting DNA Decide
In the story I just shared, DNA helped narrow the branch of the family. But DNA did not immediately tell us which woman was Michael’s mother. Before I started comparing more centimorgan numbers, I built something very simple — a structured candidate list. And honestly, that list made all the difference. Here’s exactly how I did it.
Step 1: Establish the Time Window
Michael was born in 1954. That immediately gave me a conception window — likely mid to late 1953.
So I asked: Who in this branch of the family would have been of childbearing age during that year? That one question eliminated several women right away. Some were too young.
Some were well past typical childbearing age. Structure begins with a timeline.
Step 2: Evaluate Marital Status and Known Pregnancies
Next, I looked at marriage dates and documented births.
Was the woman married in 1954?
Was she engaged?
Was she already pregnant with a documented child that same year?
Did newspaper notices show anything helpful?
In one case, I eliminated a candidate because her known pregnancy timeline left no physical room for another birth. That’s not DNA. That’s traditional genealogy. And it still matters.
Step 3: Confirm Geographic Location
Location can quietly eliminate possibilities. Was she living in Vermont at the time?
Had she moved out of state? Was she documented elsewhere in city directories or newspapers? If someone was living across the country in 1953, she was unlikely to be the mother of a child born in Vermont in 1954. Again — simple structure.
Step 4: Build the Chart
Once I had filtered by age, marriage, pregnancy, and location, I created a simple comparison chart. Nothing fancy.
Just:
Name
Birth year
Age in 1954
Marital status
Location
Notes
This allowed me to see patterns clearly. And when I could see the pattern, I could see who remained possible — and who did not. Eventually, that list narrowed to five candidates. Then two. And only then did DNA finish the job.
Why This Step Matters
Sometimes people jump straight to centimorgan comparisons and skip this foundational work. But when you build the structure first, DNA becomes confirmation — not confusion. In adoption research especially, discipline matters. Possibility is not proof. Structure creates clarity. And clarity makes ethical decisions easier later.
If you’re working on a biological parent search — or even a brick wall in your tree — try this:
Build the timeline first. List every possible candidate. Eliminate what you can using records.
Then let DNA confirm what remains. That’s how careful research works.
Building a candidate list doesn’t just organize your research—it prepares you for what comes next.
Because sometimes, when the pieces begin to come together, DNA reveals more than just a connection… it reveals a story that may have been hidden for generations.
In the next article, When DNA Reveals a Hidden Family Story, we’ll look at what happens when the evidence comes together—and how to approach those discoveries with care, clarity, and respect. Will be coming soon. Do check all my blog articles, podcasts, and webinars which are available for on my website and Youtube.
