Hello Everyone! As much as I would like to tell everyone that DNA testing is a miracle for genealogy, I can not do that. Since I have had my DNA test I have been running around in even more circles trying to figure out why/how these other people are related to me genetically. For example: I have had several individuals email me that have shown a genetic match to me from Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina and even Canada. The problem is that I have found not one individual in my family lines that have had any kind of connection with these areas. In fact, I have only ventured outside of KY to TN and VA that's it. To complicate things more...the individuals say their family lines have never had any connection to KY and that they can trace them in the above mentioned areas for years and years. Weird huh? Surnames such as Raper, Ketcher, Petitt, etc are "foreign" to me and are not seen in the areas where my families are from. I am not sure what to make of that. Did this test help? NO Did you know that haplogroup N* has many subclades including the supposed Native American haplogroup B. N* is considered a European lineage. To make matters worse a gentelman that I showed a genetic match to tested haplogroup T1 with one company, tested with another and was haplogroup B. Which is correct? Beats me and I would bet they don't even know. Incidentally, haplogroup T1 is also a subclade of N*. I don't even want to get started on Brent Kennedy. The poor fellow tanned well and he has a problem with that? Sorry, he really gets under my skin. All in all after having my DNA test I am essentially back where I started, looking at every census, piece of paper recorded and running from county to county sometimes to see what I can find. I am not saying that everyone has had such luck with DNA testing but the majority of individuals that have emailed me back can not make the connection either. Maternal DNA testing is suppose to find genetic matches within 52 generations, well, at least 50 percent of the time it is less than 52 generations which means that the other 50 percent of the time it is even greater. Flip a coin! Now, if you had the money and lots of volunteers for DNA testing sure over time it may tell you exactly who you are related to and come together quite nicely. However, it isn't practical to think that way. I intend on having two more DNA tests done. One on my son's father because I recently found out that his Green line came from the same area as mine and when I looked at census records his Greens! lived next door to my ancestors. We have a son together so naturally I would like to know if a relationship exists between my Greens and his Greens. Other than that...DNA testing is not very useful to me. I apologize if this seems a little blunt. I am not impressed with DNA testing and I do not think it can tell you if you are Indian or anthing else for that matter. The Jewish are saying the same thing. DNA testing can not suppsedly tell you if you are "Jewish" so if it can not do that then it can not tell you if you are Indian either. To dead ends and complete circles, Sherry ----- Original Message ----- From: Justicetrailrdr@aol.com To: sheree606@alltel.net Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2005 1:21 PM Subject: Re: DNA Testing hey, Didn't bother me at all to receive your message I have often wondered about those test myself and how accurate they are in the connecting to Native American sides of familys. Not to mention can it even help establish ones position inside the cultural stands of Native Tribes known today. If you haven't gotten a chance I want to suggest an article that just appeared in the Time Magazine, TIME.com: Can DNA Reveal Your Roots? -- Jul. 11, 2005. I know this isn't probably what a lot of searchers for Indian heritage want to see or hear about ancestry but, the article is very informative for those of us who are still hitting brick walls when we get to the part of "oh she was part Indian you know" in our family history. And thank you for the post regardless of what some might say I too wonder exactly the same as you and would welcome any feed back that you might receive from your post. I would post myself but I haven't quite figured that out nor have I figured out a lot on this journey of who's who in my family tree. Many Blessings, TT Wolf Justice