Uncovering Daniel Arnold's Parents Through Autosomal DNA, Probate Clues, and Geographic Proximity

Learn how the unknown parentage of Daniel Arnold, born 6 August 1806 in Saratoga County, New York, was solved by combining indirect documentary evidence and DNA evidence. While documentary clues suggested potential family connections, autosomal DNA analysis provided stronger confirmation by revealing genetic matches to descendants of probable siblings, with shared DNA amounts consistent with expected relationships. These findings were corroborated by indirect documentary evidence: a probate record from 1866 for Daniel's potential brother listed the same individuals as heirs, pointing to their common father. Geographic proximity provided crucial context: in 1820, the candidate father was the only Arnold family living in the same small community as Daniel's future wife's family, and his household included males of Daniel's age. This case study of a 19th-century New York family illustrates how modern genetic genealogy succeeds through the convergence of DNA matches and indirect documentary evidence to solve parentage mysteries.