DNA test

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Cindy

DNA test

Legg inn av Cindy » 29 aug 2006 00:35:46

Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison

Gjest

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Gjest » 29 aug 2006 03:10:20

A DNA test for what? Paternity? A genetic disease marker?

M.

Chris Shearer Cooper

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Chris Shearer Cooper » 29 aug 2006 03:24:43

IMHO, DNA testing is very powerful, but it only answers a very specific set
of genealogical questions. I've had my DNA tested (and my wife's) and have
never found anything to do with the results. However, there are a couple
situations where the DNA might come in handy for us in the future ...

1) If I can convince one of my 4th or 5th cousins to get a DNA test (one of
the cousins that, like me, have a direct paternal line), that will either
confirm or refute a great deal of standard genealogical research.
2) If we find somebody who we think might be a descendant of my wife's
long-lost grandfather, we can do a DNA test to verify.

Key point to remember - DNA testing is primarily useful when you compare the
results from 2 different people that you already have a reason to believe
are related.

Yes, there are tests to tell you where your ancestors came from 10,000 years
ago ... I think those are really useless. Mine said I was 10% Korean, my
wife is 10% Sub-Saharan African (we're both pasty white Northern Europeans).
If some branch of our ancestors did in fact come through Korea and Africa,
(1) we will never be able to prove or disprove it, and (2) it doesn't help
my research.

I would come at the question of DNA testing the other direction - do your
research the "standard" way, and when you encounter a road block that DNA
testing might help with, then get the testing done.

Chris

p.s. We did DNA testing of my wife's parents shortly before they died ...
that way, if some question comes up in the future that DNA testing could
help with, we've already got the results.

"Cindy" <cschott1@kc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:m5LIg.70625$zg.37909@tornado.rdc-kc.rr.com...
Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison


mickg

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av mickg » 29 aug 2006 03:25:35

I tried one. They told me I was more than 50% human and probably male!

:)

MickG


Mary_Gordon@tvo.org wrote:
A DNA test for what? Paternity? A genetic disease marker?

M.

Robert Lightburn

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Robert Lightburn » 29 aug 2006 04:45:23

"Cindy" <cschott1@kc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:m5LIg.70625$zg.37909@tornado.rdc-kc.rr.com...
Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison


Cindy,


I took the Y-chromosome DNA test (25 marker) a couple of years ago. Another
presumed male relative of mine took the same test. We matched on 12 of 12
markers of the 12-marker test and 24 of 25 of the 25-marker test. The
conclusion was that there is a very good probability that we share a common
male ancestor. Thus, although we haven't proven the relationship (yet)
through traditional genealogical research we believe that this test supports
many of our assumptions.

Bob

Charani

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Charani » 29 aug 2006 11:01:28

On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 23:35:46 GMT, Cindy wrote:

Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?

As far as I'm concerned it's just a gimmick and a fad and a waste of
money that would be better spent on proper research.

It's good for proving paternity or in assisting in eliminating
suspects in crimes, but that's about it.
--
http://home.comcast.net/~webact1/Collingridge/

Pam

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Pam » 29 aug 2006 12:06:19

"Cindy" <cschott1@kc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:m5LIg.70625$zg.37909@tornado.rdc-kc.rr.com...
Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison

Cindy,

I belong to a group for the surname Bartlett. There is a DNA project for
that surname. While we don't have a direct male descendant to test, we have
traced the line back to 3 brothers who lived in TN. Other descendants of
those brothers with direct male lines did have their DNA tested which showed
a relationship between them (already knew that) but the big surprise was
when they also indicated a close relationship with a group from New England
descended from Robert Bartlett. With so many southern records lost in fires,
it has been next to impossible to trace back on these Bartletts. This might
open up the possibility of moving forward from some of the New England
Bartlett and tracing descendants instead of backwards. It also brought in
another family who was in KY during the same time frame as two of our three
brothers. We had not previously known there was a connection there. The
more families you find who connect through DNA, the more the chances are
that one of those researchers might have the key to unlocking your own line.

It definitely won't tell you that X is the father of Y (at least not in the
type of testing done for genealogy) but it can point you in the proper
direction or keep you from looking at the wrong direction. The more markers
you have tested (25 instead of 12, 48 instead of 25, etc.), the better you
can narrow down the relationships although it still won't say give you that
definite proof. It just shows you where you might have to look. In my case
we know we might have to look into migratory patterns from New England into
the south and search those areas rather than concentrate on just the
southern states.

There's an article on DNA testing in the current issue of Family Tree
Magazine which shows various tests and what they determine. I haven't
finished reading it yet but it might help you understand the limitations and
benefits of the tests.

Pam
http://www.pamsgenealogy.net

Dick Stephens

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Dick Stephens » 29 aug 2006 15:25:32

"Cindy" <cschott1@kc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:m5LIg.70625$zg.37909@tornado.rdc-kc.rr.com...
Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison



I had the 37-marker test and thus far have matched to one other family on
all 37 markers, a very close relationship. We're now looking for that
common ancestor. Several researchers through the years have hit the same
brick wall in my line, and this testing may be the key to answering some
questions.

I believe one of the biggest assets DNA testing has is the elimination of
many families from your research. It's very beneficial to know which
families you do NOT need to research.

One other poster here referred to DNA testing as a fad and gimmick. Don't
believe it.

Dick Stephens

singhals

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av singhals » 29 aug 2006 19:39:44

Cindy wrote:

Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison




How beneficial it was sort of depends on "to whom" and "for what".

Is it beneficial to law-enforcement who use it to rule in/rule out
suspects? Is it beneficial to suspect who has been ruled-out?

Is it beneficial to genealogists wanting something more than an educated
hunch that the Snicklepuss families of Vermont, Texas and Hawaii are
related?

Is it beneficial to the family who discovers that none of three sons
share a Y chromo?

Do the perceived benefits to your research seem to be worth the
potential risk of having your DNA on record somewhere?

I've personally known several people who did family DNA testing; the
outcomes were all over the map; the best-case was a definite yes, these
4 men shared a male ancestor during the last 7 generations.

Still, lots of people do it.


Cheryl

James A. Doemer

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av James A. Doemer » 29 aug 2006 23:03:23

In News m5LIg.70625$zg.37909@tornado.rdc-kc.rr.com,, Cindy at
cschott1@kc.rr.com, typed this:

Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison


Well, it proved that I wasn't the father...

James A. Doemer

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av James A. Doemer » 29 aug 2006 23:04:00

In News zANIg.15843$JO5.12001@tornado.tampabay.rr.com,, mickg at
mickgNoSpam@tampabay.rr.com, typed this:

I tried one. They told me I was more than 50% human and probably male!

:)

MickG

Did they say what the other less than 50% was?

sylak

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av sylak » 30 aug 2006 01:20:54

Umm, were they correct?

Raymond ;-}

I tried one. They told me I was more than 50% human and probably male!

:)

MickG

Henry Brownlee

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Henry Brownlee » 30 aug 2006 03:09:20

"James A. Doemer" <ckdbigtoeNOSPAM@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:LQ2Jg.157$v%4.67@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
In News m5LIg.70625$zg.37909@tornado.rdc-kc.rr.com,, Cindy at
cschott1@kc.rr.com, typed this:

Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison


Well, it proved that I wasn't the father...

Which in such cases is one heckuva lot better than blood typing!


--
Henry Brownlee
Houma, Louisiana

Henry Brownlee

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Henry Brownlee » 30 aug 2006 03:13:35

"singhals" <singhals@erols.com> wrote in message
news:xr-dnYSFoOdyFGnZnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@rcn.net...
Cindy wrote:

Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison




How beneficial it was sort of depends on "to whom" and "for what".

Is it beneficial to law-enforcement who use it to rule in/rule out
suspects? Is it beneficial to suspect who has been ruled-out?

Is it beneficial to genealogists wanting something more than an
educated
hunch that the Snicklepuss families of Vermont, Texas and Hawaii are
related?

Is it beneficial to the family who discovers that none of three sons
share a Y chromo?

Do the perceived benefits to your research seem to be worth the
potential risk of having your DNA on record somewhere?

I've personally known several people who did family DNA testing; the
outcomes were all over the map; the best-case was a definite yes,
these
4 men shared a male ancestor during the last 7 generations.

Still, lots of people do it.


Cheryl

Cher,


What I would like to know is if it will give me the name of my Great
Great Grandfather BROWNLEE (If, in fact he WAS my Great Great
Grandfather and GGGM, whoever she was, wasn't roving!) If it doesn't
do that, then it is not beneficial to me. 8^)

GGF John BROWNLEE, a native of Belfast, NIR, sure would have done his
descendants a big favor had he bothered to write down SOMEWHERE the
names of his parents! And he was a Judge! Just wait til I meet up with
him!

--
Henry Brownlee
Houma, Louisiana

Johnny

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Johnny » 30 aug 2006 04:42:31

"Cindy" <cschott1@kc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:m5LIg.70625$zg.37909@tornado.rdc-kc.rr.com...
Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison


It proved the man I thought to be my father, actually was! That was

beneficial!

Charani

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Charani » 30 aug 2006 13:49:54

On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 07:25:32 -0700, Dick Stephens wrote:

One other poster here referred to DNA testing as a fad and gimmick.

It is a fad and a gimmick that firms are trading on as an effortless,
miracle solution to an instant family tree. It can't prove anything,
only what might be. Only proper research will give the answers by
following back step by step. Proper research doesn't involve
attaching everyone with the same surname into a tree on that basis
alone so you should know which families not to research.

Now if it were possible for DNA testing to that Josephine Wildmare
(born 1955) is definitely related to a man called Ethelbert Doormat
who was born in 1013 and who married Agnes Nagnarrow by whom he had 16
children between 1034 and 1050, then I might concede it could have
some use; but since it can't and it can only give a *suggestion* of
what *might* be, it's better, IMO, to spend the money on real research
and not look for short cuts.
--
http://home.comcast.net/~webact1/Collingridge/

Dennis K.

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Dennis K. » 30 aug 2006 14:46:25

On Wed, 30 Aug 2006 13:49:54 +0100, Charani
<charani@mailtonowhere.invalid> wrote:

It is a fad and a gimmick that firms are trading on as an effortless,
miracle solution to an instant family tree.

I don't know anyone who has this expectation. [Except for one person who
started a DNA bashing thread here last April.]

it's better, IMO, to spend the money on real research
and not look for short cuts.

That's your opinion. If spending $200 on a DNA test can save you more
than that on wasted research, isn't it worth it? DNA testing is just one
tool. It allows you to focus your research.

--

Dennis K.

singhals

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av singhals » 30 aug 2006 14:52:43

Charani wrote:

On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 07:25:32 -0700, Dick Stephens wrote:


One other poster here referred to DNA testing as a fad and gimmick.


It is a fad and a gimmick that firms are trading on as an effortless,
miracle solution to an instant family tree. It can't prove anything,
only what might be. Only proper research will give the answers by
following back step by step. Proper research doesn't involve
attaching everyone with the same surname into a tree on that basis
alone so you should know which families not to research.

Now if it were possible for DNA testing to that Josephine Wildmare
(born 1955) is definitely related to a man called Ethelbert Doormat
who was born in 1013 and who married Agnes Nagnarrow by whom he had 16
children between 1034 and 1050, then I might concede it could have
some use; but since it can't and it can only give a *suggestion* of
what *might* be, it's better, IMO, to spend the money on real research
and not look for short cuts.


Yes, LORD! When you're looking for the father of a female with no male
siblings Y-DNA isn't gonna get you anything but poor. And when none of
the female siblings have a living female descendant, you're up the mtDNA
creek too.

I agree too that it's a fad in that it is the newest trick in the
genealogists' book of tricks, and that it's a gimmick in the marketing
arena.

The Science is real enough but the genealogical applications are much
more narrow than the advertising would suggest.

Cheryl

Dick Stephens

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Dick Stephens » 30 aug 2006 17:17:23

"Charani" <charani@mailtonowhere.invalid> wrote in message
news:44f5892d$0$97235$892e7fe2@authen.yellow.readfreenews.net...
On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 07:25:32 -0700, Dick Stephens wrote:

One other poster here referred to DNA testing as a fad and gimmick.

It is a fad and a gimmick that firms are trading on as an effortless,
miracle solution to an instant family tree. It can't prove anything,
only what might be. Only proper research will give the answers by
following back step by step. Proper research doesn't involve
attaching everyone with the same surname into a tree on that basis
alone so you should know which families not to research.

Now if it were possible for DNA testing to that Josephine Wildmare
(born 1955) is definitely related to a man called Ethelbert Doormat
who was born in 1013 and who married Agnes Nagnarrow by whom he had 16
children between 1034 and 1050, then I might concede it could have
some use; but since it can't and it can only give a *suggestion* of
what *might* be, it's better, IMO, to spend the money on real research
and not look for short cuts.
--
http://home.comcast.net/~webact1/Collingridge/

Gee, what a novel concept. If I had only done "proper research" it would be
so easy. I'm surprised I never thought of that.

With a relatively common surname, from states which saw destruction of
courthouses and other property through the years, with ancestors who did not
read or write and most certainly did not leave detailed records of their
existence, several researchers have been stumped for many years.

My DNA testing has provided a huge lead for all of us researching this line.
I now have a much better focus on where to search and who is not related to
me.

I really don't care one bit about your personal opinions on the subject.
But to call this a fad or gimmick belittles those of us who have chosen this
tool as an aid in breaking through some walls. And that's what it is, a
tool. I apparently missed the part where the marketing of DNA testing
promised me all the answers to everything that ever happened in my family.

Dick Stephens

Gordon

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Gordon » 30 aug 2006 17:54:36

On Wed, 30 Aug 2006 09:17:23 -0700, "Dick Stephens"
<Hootman2@unspammedcomcast.net> wrote:

"Charani" <charani@mailtonowhere.invalid> wrote in message
news:44f5892d$0$97235$892e7fe2@authen.yellow.readfreenews.net...
On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 07:25:32 -0700, Dick Stephens wrote:

One other poster here referred to DNA testing as a fad and gimmick.

It is a fad and a gimmick that firms are trading on as an effortless,
miracle solution to an instant family tree. It can't prove anything,
only what might be. Only proper research will give the answers by
following back step by step. Proper research doesn't involve
attaching everyone with the same surname into a tree on that basis
alone so you should know which families not to research.

Now if it were possible for DNA testing to that Josephine Wildmare
(born 1955) is definitely related to a man called Ethelbert Doormat
who was born in 1013 and who married Agnes Nagnarrow by whom he had 16
children between 1034 and 1050, then I might concede it could have
some use; but since it can't and it can only give a *suggestion* of
what *might* be, it's better, IMO, to spend the money on real research
and not look for short cuts.
--
http://home.comcast.net/~webact1/Collingridge/

Gee, what a novel concept. If I had only done "proper research" it would be
so easy. I'm surprised I never thought of that.

With a relatively common surname, from states which saw destruction of
courthouses and other property through the years, with ancestors who did not
read or write and most certainly did not leave detailed records of their
existence, several researchers have been stumped for many years.

My DNA testing has provided a huge lead for all of us researching this line.
I now have a much better focus on where to search and who is not related to
me.

I really don't care one bit about your personal opinions on the subject.
But to call this a fad or gimmick belittles those of us who have chosen this
tool as an aid in breaking through some walls. And that's what it is, a
tool. I apparently missed the part where the marketing of DNA testing
promised me all the answers to everything that ever happened in my family.

Dick Stephens

I agree with you entirely, Dick. I had a big skip in the recorded

history of my westward moving ancestors, and could trace them
back to the eastern US only vaguely. There were multiple families
with my surname in the same region that my people supposedly came
from, but no one knew which, if any were somehow linked to my
line. We agreed to get some Y-Line DNA testing done to try to
break through this brick wall. It worked very well and now my
branch knows with reasonable certainty where we came from.

One complicating factor in my tree was that my
g-g-g-g-grandfather changed his surname from Reichert to Richard.
We were able to confirm this change by means of his land
ownership records and other such documents, once we got onto this
track, after our DNA tests firmed up the family tie.

Gordon L. Richard, Oklahoma City

Gordon

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Gordon » 30 aug 2006 18:07:16

On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 21:13:35 -0500, "Henry Brownlee"
<hfbrownl@bellsouth.net> wrote:

"singhals" <singhals@erols.com> wrote in message
news:xr-dnYSFoOdyFGnZnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@rcn.net...
Cindy wrote:

Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison




How beneficial it was sort of depends on "to whom" and "for what".

Is it beneficial to law-enforcement who use it to rule in/rule out
suspects? Is it beneficial to suspect who has been ruled-out?

Is it beneficial to genealogists wanting something more than an
educated
hunch that the Snicklepuss families of Vermont, Texas and Hawaii are
related?

Is it beneficial to the family who discovers that none of three sons
share a Y chromo?

Do the perceived benefits to your research seem to be worth the
potential risk of having your DNA on record somewhere?

I've personally known several people who did family DNA testing; the
outcomes were all over the map; the best-case was a definite yes,
these
4 men shared a male ancestor during the last 7 generations.

Still, lots of people do it.


Cheryl

Cher,

What I would like to know is if it will give me the name of my Great
Great Grandfather BROWNLEE (If, in fact he WAS my Great Great
Grandfather and GGGM, whoever she was, wasn't roving!) If it doesn't
do that, then it is not beneficial to me. 8^)

GGF John BROWNLEE, a native of Belfast, NIR, sure would have done his
descendants a big favor had he bothered to write down SOMEWHERE the
names of his parents! And he was a Judge! Just wait til I meet up with
him!

No, Henry, DNA test results won't identify any "missing"

ancestors, but it can save you a lot of time and wasted effort
trying to trace your family through the wrong people. DNA
information will let you X off those who definitely are not a
part of your tree, and concentrate on those who are, if you can
locate any persons who have the same DNA haplotype numbers you
have.

What I'm saying is, you may not have more than a very vague idea
as to where your ancestors came from, or what their names were,
but there may be another distant branch of your family that has
some very solid information on these people. If your DNA
haplotype numbers links you to this family then it is reasonable
to conclude that their ancestors may be the very ones you are
looking for but can't find any information on.

Then, you can get on down to the nitty-gritty work of finding
documentation to confirm this DNA indicated family tie. At least
you won't be wasting your time and money chasing down information
on other families that are in no way related to yours, but just
happen to have the same surname.

Another BIG argument in support of DNA testing is that one
doesn't always know if an ancestor went through a surname change
for some reason or other. There is one branch of my family with a
different surname that seems to be the result of an orphaned
child having been raised by its mother's brother and wife. This
child seems to have taken on its mother's brother's surname.

Gordon L. Richard, Oklahoma City, OK

Gordon

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Gordon » 30 aug 2006 18:13:10

On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 23:35:46 GMT, "Cindy" <cschott1@kc.rr.com>
wrote:

Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison

My DNA testing showed that my ancestors came from the Oslo Norway

area, but to date I have never gotten this narrowed down to any
specific individual. It seems that my line migrated through
Germany on the way to Colonial USA. My DNA haplotype numbers
match with a very large number of people in or around Oslo, but
none have the same surname that my family uses. I look like a
Norski, and my DNA seems to confirm that I am indeed a Norski,
but that is probably as far as I'll be able to go with this set
of questions.

Gordon L. Richard, Oklahoma City, OK

CWatters

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av CWatters » 30 aug 2006 20:44:23

"Cindy" <cschott1@kc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:m5LIg.70625$zg.37909@tornado.rdc-kc.rr.com...
Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison

I did the National Genographic test..

https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/

It was interesting but obviously it's not designed/intended to help with
family history research.

Dick Stephens

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Dick Stephens » 30 aug 2006 22:16:45

"Gordon" <gordonlr@DELETEswbell.net> wrote in message
news:fagbf2don8gou84b4f444s3ilhecqt4ki2@4ax.com...
On Wed, 30 Aug 2006 09:17:23 -0700, "Dick Stephens"
Hootman2@unspammedcomcast.net> wrote:


"Charani" <charani@mailtonowhere.invalid> wrote in message
news:44f5892d$0$97235$892e7fe2@authen.yellow.readfreenews.net...
On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 07:25:32 -0700, Dick Stephens wrote:

One other poster here referred to DNA testing as a fad and gimmick.


snip

Gee, what a novel concept. If I had only done "proper research" it would
be
so easy. I'm surprised I never thought of that.

With a relatively common surname, from states which saw destruction of
courthouses and other property through the years, with ancestors who did
not
read or write and most certainly did not leave detailed records of their
existence, several researchers have been stumped for many years.

My DNA testing has provided a huge lead for all of us researching this
line.
I now have a much better focus on where to search and who is not related
to
me.

I really don't care one bit about your personal opinions on the subject.
But to call this a fad or gimmick belittles those of us who have chosen
this
tool as an aid in breaking through some walls. And that's what it is, a
tool. I apparently missed the part where the marketing of DNA testing
promised me all the answers to everything that ever happened in my family.

Dick Stephens

I agree with you entirely, Dick. I had a big skip in the recorded
history of my westward moving ancestors, and could trace them
back to the eastern US only vaguely. There were multiple families
with my surname in the same region that my people supposedly came
from, but no one knew which, if any were somehow linked to my
line. We agreed to get some Y-Line DNA testing done to try to
break through this brick wall. It worked very well and now my
branch knows with reasonable certainty where we came from.

One complicating factor in my tree was that my
g-g-g-g-grandfather changed his surname from Reichert to Richard.
We were able to confirm this change by means of his land
ownership records and other such documents, once we got onto this
track, after our DNA tests firmed up the family tie.

Gordon L. Richard, Oklahoma City


Hello Gordon, thanks for your positive message. I'm very glad that you also
have had some success with DNA testing.

You raise an excellent point on surname spelling. In the US there are many
Stephens whose names in the European countries from which their ancestors
came here were "originally" Stephan, Steffen, Steffey, etc. etc. The other
individual to whom I matched 37 of 37 markers is also a Stephens, and his
ancestry, which has been traced probably two generations earlier than my
brick wall, shows a consistent spelling of Stephens. That has been a
benefit to me in narrowing down the number of families to research.

Dick Stephens

James A. Doemer

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av James A. Doemer » 30 aug 2006 23:15:46

In News Yv6Jg.6214$9v5.99@bignews8.bellsouth.net,, Henry Brownlee at
hfbrownl@bellsouth.net, typed this:

"James A. Doemer" <ckdbigtoeNOSPAM@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:LQ2Jg.157$v%4.67@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
In News m5LIg.70625$zg.37909@tornado.rdc-kc.rr.com,, Cindy at
cschott1@kc.rr.com, typed this:

Has anyone had a DNA test and if so, how beneficial was it?
Cindy Hutchison


Well, it proved that I wasn't the father...

Which in such cases is one heckuva lot better than blood typing!

I know of a guy that was declared the father by the courts years before DNA
testing just through blood typing and paid 17 years of child support only to
discover through DNA testing that he couldn't possibly be the father. The
courts told him tough noogies and he had to pony up the last year of child
support anyway.

Gordon

Re: DNA test

Legg inn av Gordon » 30 aug 2006 23:31:56

On Wed, 30 Aug 2006 14:16:45 -0700, "Dick Stephens"
<Hootman2@unspammedcomcast.net> wrote:

"Gordon" <gordonlr@DELETEswbell.net> wrote in message
news:fagbf2don8gou84b4f444s3ilhecqt4ki2@4ax.com...
On Wed, 30 Aug 2006 09:17:23 -0700, "Dick Stephens"
Hootman2@unspammedcomcast.net> wrote:


"Charani" <charani@mailtonowhere.invalid> wrote in message
news:44f5892d$0$97235$892e7fe2@authen.yellow.readfreenews.net...
On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 07:25:32 -0700, Dick Stephens wrote:

One other poster here referred to DNA testing as a fad and gimmick.


snip


Gee, what a novel concept. If I had only done "proper research" it would
be
so easy. I'm surprised I never thought of that.

With a relatively common surname, from states which saw destruction of
courthouses and other property through the years, with ancestors who did
not
read or write and most certainly did not leave detailed records of their
existence, several researchers have been stumped for many years.

My DNA testing has provided a huge lead for all of us researching this
line.
I now have a much better focus on where to search and who is not related
to
me.

I really don't care one bit about your personal opinions on the subject.
But to call this a fad or gimmick belittles those of us who have chosen
this
tool as an aid in breaking through some walls. And that's what it is, a
tool. I apparently missed the part where the marketing of DNA testing
promised me all the answers to everything that ever happened in my family.

Dick Stephens

I agree with you entirely, Dick. I had a big skip in the recorded
history of my westward moving ancestors, and could trace them
back to the eastern US only vaguely. There were multiple families
with my surname in the same region that my people supposedly came
from, but no one knew which, if any were somehow linked to my
line. We agreed to get some Y-Line DNA testing done to try to
break through this brick wall. It worked very well and now my
branch knows with reasonable certainty where we came from.

One complicating factor in my tree was that my
g-g-g-g-grandfather changed his surname from Reichert to Richard.
We were able to confirm this change by means of his land
ownership records and other such documents, once we got onto this
track, after our DNA tests firmed up the family tie.

Gordon L. Richard, Oklahoma City


Hello Gordon, thanks for your positive message. I'm very glad that you also
have had some success with DNA testing.

You raise an excellent point on surname spelling. In the US there are many
Stephens whose names in the European countries from which their ancestors
came here were "originally" Stephan, Steffen, Steffey, etc. etc. The other
individual to whom I matched 37 of 37 markers is also a Stephens, and his
ancestry, which has been traced probably two generations earlier than my
brick wall, shows a consistent spelling of Stephens. That has been a
benefit to me in narrowing down the number of families to research.

Dick Stephens

Dick, I too have found a large number o DNA matches with people

whose surnames are different than mine. I suspect that most of
these would show a common ancestor back before the use of
surnames had become a common practice. That is, there were
probably a number of Norwegian men who drifted down into Europe
and stayed there, marrying and raising their family there. Those
Norwegian males with my family's DNA, who migrated into Europe
may have been very numerous. There sure are a lot of them in and
around Oslo. Whomever the original was, he surely was a prolific
old fellow.

It seems that my ancestors were originally Reichert but for some
reason chose to "Americanize" that into Richard. We suspect that
this ancestor was a German conscript soldier who fought with the
British during the Revolutionary War. This is entirely
speculative, since we have not yet found any documentation to
confirm it, but everything seems to fit, otherwise. This ancestor
first showed up near Winchester, VA, shortly after the
Revolutionary War. He could have been one of those who were held
as prisoners of war in a military prison near there, then
released after the war was over.

If he were a son of a Norwegian man and a German woman, he may
have been a family outcast from his mother's family. If that were
the case, he would have had little incentive to get back to
Germany after being released, and there were abundant
opportunities here.

I doubt we will ever get this whole set of questions answered,
but it is a fun thing to occupy my mind with.

Gordon

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