Dead Giveaway! Part Two

Nearly 4 weeks ago, on June 24, 2016 I sent a letter to my first cousin once removed, Barton Nicholas Stone (Nicky).  In this e-mail I spelled out, very thoroughly and understandably I believe, the DNA evidence and circumstantial evidence that points to Nicky being the biological father of a DNA relative I recently discovered.

After having ample opportunity to respond and exonerate himself, I haven't received a reply.

Incidentally, the next day on June 25, 2016 I e-mailed Nicky's sister, Nelda -- who just a few days earlier, on June 21, 2016, had responded to my request for family history information.  In my e-mail on June 25, 2016 to Nelda, in addition to my request for more family history information, I asked her if she knew anything about her brother Nicky having an illegitimate child who was adopted.  Then I forwarded her the same e-mail that I sent to Nicky the previous day, explaining the DNA and circumstantial evidence.

I never heard from either of them.

So, I decided to follow up.  On July 12, 2016 I sent another e-mail to Nelda.  Once again I asked her if she had any information regarding her brother fathering a child that was put up for adoption.  No response whatsoever.  Which I find a little odd because when she accidentally deleted an e-mail I sent a few weeks ago she immediately e-mailed me requesting that I resend it. So it's not like she's not receiving them in a timely manner.

Then, on July 14, 2016 after no response from Nelda, I decided to follow up with Nicky, and sent him another e-mail.

After receiving no response from four different e-mails to two different people sent over the past month, it's obvious they have something to hide.  Dead giveaway!

I don't take too kindly to people lying and not being forthcoming.  Especially when they have information that could help someone else but are selfishly trying to protect their own reputation.

Since it's been almost a month with no response, I've decided to no longer protect the guilty and I'm going to post the e-mails I sent to Nicky. I will post the follow-up e-mail tomorrow.

I don't know what they're trying to hide.  Perhaps it's been a deep dark family secret for so long that they're trying to keep it that way.  But, DNA doesn't lie.  The secret is out.  Fess up and tell the truth.

Dead giveaway!

Here is my letter to Nicky from June 24, 2016:

Dear Nicky (Bart),

You probably don't know who I am.  I am your first cousin once removed, Tammy Stone.  My dad Mike (Myron H. Stone) is your first cousin.  His dad Newell and your dad are brothers.  I'm not quite sure how to address you because my dad has always called you Nicky but my uncle said you go by Bart now.  I have always known you as Nicky though.

I don't know that we have ever met but I remember meeting your dad-- My great uncle Nelson.  One time in particular I remember I was probably a teenager.  We went to visit your dad in Truckee.  I remember sitting around the living room and your dad had a bulldog and he kept playing catch with the dog.  Anyway the bulldog missed catching the ball and it bounced off the bulldog's mouth and hit your dad in the head.  I remember thinking that was so hilarious at the time.  

I understand that you are into aviation and are a bush pilot or something like that up in Alaska.  That's pretty cool.  You seem to be quite adventurous.  How do you like Alaska?  I've never been but from what I've seen it's beautiful up there.

The reason I'm writing is because there is a family mystery and you can help solve it.  This might get a little long because I want to include all the details I can, that I know.

I found a DNA relative on 23 and me.com that I noticed shares a lot of DNA with the Stone side of my family. So I wanted to see how we were related.  Come to find out he was adopted as a baby.  Born in May 1969 in Oakland California.  And thus the mystery begins.

So just analyzing the DNA information available here's what we know.  By the way the mystery DNA relative's name is Howie.  Howie shares 6.58% of his DNA with my dad and 4.83% with my uncle Ron.  These percentages of shared DNA are consistent with being a first cousin once removed which is expected to be 6.25% +/-.  The average range being 3.3%-8.51%. Howie also shares DNA with myself, my three siblings, and my cousin.  Here are the percentages of shared DNA: 3.73% with me, 2.53% with my sister Lisa, 4.26% with my sister Juliet, 2.45% with my brother Michael, and 2.22% with my cousin Clint. All these percentages are consistent with being second cousins.  You would expect 3.13% with an average range of 2.85%-5.04%.

Therefore it's fairly easy to conclude that Howie is the biological son of my dad's and uncle Ron's 1st cousin. So that narrows it down quite a bit.

Furthermore, Howie also shares 1.45% of his DNA with P. Osborn who is the granddaughter of Marguerite Simmons (Millie V Simmons' sister).  This would make P. Osborne my Dad's and your second cousin.  The percentage of DNA that P. Osborn shares with Howie is consistent with being a second cousin once removed. You would expect 1.5%.  Average range of 0.57%-2.54%.  So this piece of DNA information indicates that Howie is a descendent of Ma (Millie V. Simmons)-- your paternal grandmother.

Another interesting piece of DNA information is that Howie shares the same paternal haplogroup as my dad, my uncle Ron, my brother, and my cousin.  This would indicate that Howie is a descendent of Bert N. Stone and Millie V. Simmons on the paternal line. Meaning the son of the son of a son.

So DNA has narrowed down the possible biological father of Howie to seven people.  But two of my dad's male first cousins (Floyd and Roy) can be eliminated for now because they are the sons of daughters of Bert and Millie.  They would still be a slight possibility as it would be a very rare coincidence that aunt Marjorie or aunt Varien married men with the same paternal haplogroup as their brothers and father.  That's why Floyd and Roy can't be completely ruled out, but they are very unlikely.

That leaves five potential DNA candidates as the biological father of Howie.  Since Bert and Millie had four sons -- we have to look at the sons of all four boys.  My grandpa Newell's boys can all be eliminated because the percentage of shared DNA with Howie is not high enough for any of them to be the biological father or uncle.  So that leaves the sons of Ellwood, Nelson, and Ted as possibilities.

This is where the circumstantial evidence comes in.  Based upon what Howie's biological mother told the social worker at the hospital when she gave birth we have this information about Howie's birth father:   he was 24 years old at the time of Howie's birth. He was born in California of northern European descent. He was of the Methodist faith. He was 6'1" tall and weighed about 180 pounds. He had brown eyes and brown hair and a medium complexion. He completed college where he received "B" grades, and was in the military. The birth mother also indicated that the birth father was in good health and enjoyed skiing.  She described him as being an expert skier. The birth mother stated that she met the birth father while on vacation and they dated for approximately three months. When she returned home from vacation she discovered her pregnancy and sent the birth father several letters informing him of the pregnancy to which she received no response. She subsequently decided that placing Howie for adoption was the best thing to do.

 Based upon this additional information given by the birth mother lets look at each of the five candidates.

Ellwood's two boys: Carroll Elwood Stone (Rocky) And James Stanley Stone (Jim).  They were born in 1932 and 1934.  They would have both been in their mid-30s at the time of Howie's birth.  So their age alone would rule them out as likely candidates. I don't think they fit the other characteristics the birth mother gave either.  Except maybe being born in California and being of northern European descent.  Certainly neither of them were expert skiers.

Nelson's two boys: Nicky (you) and Danny.  We'll come back to you later but let's quickly look at Danny.  According to my records Danny was born 20 August 1955.  He would have been 12 or maybe barely 13 when Howie was conceived around August 1968.  So again, age would rule Danny out as the biological father of Howie.

That leaves two.

Ted's boy: Robert Carlton Stone (Bob).  Bob was born 23 May 1945 according to my records.  Bob was also in the military at the time.  So that would include him in the shortlist of possible candidates to be the biological father of Howie.

And then there's you --Barton Nicholas Stone born 26 January 1943.

So age wise, you and Bob are the only two of my dad's paternal line male first cousins who fit the description.  So it comes down to either you or Bob as being the likely biological father of Howie.  Let's look a little closer.

Bob -- around 6'4" or 6'5" tall.  Blue eyes, sandy hair.  My dad says he was born in New Mexico not California.  And my dad also says that he was not athletic at all.  He certainly was not an expert skier.  I'm not certain but I think my dad told me he was not college-educated either.  So Bob doesn't match the physical description at all.  And none of the other things match up except military service and being of northern European descent.

You (Nicky/Bart) --  brown hair, brown eyes, around 6'1" .  College-educated.  Born in California and of northern European descent.  And the smoking gun -- an expert skier!   My dad says you were in the US Olympic trials for cross-country skiing.  That would certainly qualify you as an expert skier.  I'm not sure of your religious affiliation at the time but the birth mother's description of Howie's biological father fits you to a tee.

Therefore it's fairly easy to conclude that of the five possible DNA candidates of being Howie's biological father, you are the obvious choice. Besides all the DNA and circumstantial evidence, Howie's physical resemblance to you is uncanny.

Unless you can shed some light on another male paternal line first cousin, or additional information about the above listed first cousins -- there really is no other DNA possibility for being Howie's biological father except you.

Now I want to give you some information on Howie's biological mother in hopes that it will spark a memory.  I'm hoping you will be able to give Howie some information on his biological mother.  He would really like to find her or at least find out more about her.  I think everybody deserves to know their biological roots.  And I want to help him if I can.

Howie's biological mother was almost 18 at the time of Howie's birth in May of 1969.  She is of Italian and German descent and was born in California. She was of the Catholic faith.  She was 5'4" tall and around 125 pounds. She had light brown hair, hazel eyes and olive complexion. She listed her health as good but had measles and mumps as a child.  She completed 12th grade.  B grades. She listed her hobbies as tennis, knitting, and swimming.

I really hope you can help Howie find his birth mother.  Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Nicky (Bart)!

Your first cousin once removed,

Tammy