Jim Arner spent his working life studying formulas and learning how things work. With a degree in chemistry, the resident of Mississauga, Ontario, worked as a technical specialist in the petroleum industry throughout his working life. As he puts it, he discovered “how to put the right oil in a squeaky wheel.”
It makes sense that Arner, retired and now in his sixties, would spend time researching genealogy, expanding his family tree and helping his friends discover more about theirs. Learning about his ancestry and what is in his DNA is his own form of chemistry.
In an interview with CTVNews.ca, Arner says his interest in genealogy arose long before the introduction of computers and the Internet, when his father was reviewing the records of the local Mormon church.
“When we were kids, we always had these family gatherings,” Arner said. “One of (his father’s) relatives got him into genealogy. There were things my father knew, or thought he knew, so he did some research, but he didn’t get very far. I started where he stopped.”
What started as a part-time hobby became a passion after Arner’s daughter bought him a saliva test for Christmas, opening a treasure chest full of genealogical tidbits.
“Suddenly I have more relatives. Third cousins, fourth cousins, fifth cousins, some from Europe, some from Canada,” he said. “I found out that my great-grandfather had two wives and I am descended from the second wife.”
Arner said he initially did not have any information about the first wife, considering there was no blood relationship with her. However, a little research led him to find relatives of the first wife, some of whom were around Arner’s age.
That’s when he saw a familiar face.
“I know that person, that was my coworker!”
The colleague was Lorne Brock, whose office was two doors down from Arner’s between 1987 and 1992. When Arner took another job, the two stayed in touch and volunteered at a nonprofit organization called the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, which we are still involved in.
Ema Brown, seen here, was Lorne Brock’s great-grandmother. Her ex-husband married Isabelle Tinline, Jim Arner’s great-grandmother. (Photo provided by Lorne Brock)
The couple realized they were fifth cousins once separated, meaning they share great-great-grandparents. It’s been just under two years since the two made the discovery, and that only strengthened the duo’s friendship.
“Similar education, similar career, similar interest in genealogy,” Arner said. “I guess you could say we had some things in common.”
‘It’s a hobby’
Since the discovery, Arner has continued his genealogical research, uncovering every granular detail and filling in every blank in his family tree.
He learned the origins of his last name, how Arner originally came from the ancient Germanic word “Aner”, meaning “Son of Anna”. He discovered 18th-century relatives scattered throughout Europe, one who came to North America and fought on the American side of the Revolutionary War, and another who helped the British and was granted land near Windsor, Ontario.
All of this led Arner to reach out to his newfound relatives, arrange a meeting with relatives in the United States, and even fly abroad to visit cousins in the United Kingdom. Now they exchange Christmas cards and share notes from their own DNA research.
It is not limited to your own family. Always a meticulous researcher, Arner has helped friends and family discover his own genealogy.
“I was able to find all 64 of my wife’s great-great-grandparents, dating back to the 1800s,” Arner said. “It’s a hobby”.
‘Justice is done to surnames’
When asked if these genealogical searches have given him a sense of identity or a stronger connection to his roots, Arner says no, but what it does accomplish is more important.
“Justice is done to the surnames, so that the families are not forgotten,” he said. “Before computers, you might know your grandparents, and that’s it. But with all these documents and converting them to digital, it’s just amazing what you can come up with.
“A wedding certificate from 150 years ago and seeing a signature on it, in her handwriting. You can look at it and think, ‘That’s my great-great-grandmother,'” he continued.
Arner says anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the knowledge of their ancestry shouldn’t hesitate.
“Don’t wait until tomorrow to ask questions about your family,” he said. “Ask your parents about their parents, aunts, uncles, etc. Many I’ve talked to said they never asked questions, and now that their loved ones are gone, that family history will never be shared.”
As for when he will reach the end of his quest, Arner says there is always a little more to learn and his journey has no end.
“I’ll never finish. I’ll always keep working on it.”
CTV News asked readers to share their discoveries after using 23andMe, Ancestry, MyHeritage and other genealogy websites. These websites published stories about uncovering family secrets, locating long-lost relatives, and exploring family trees. More than 100 people responded to our call.
Visit CTVNews.ca on Monday mornings to read the latest in our DNA Diaries series.