This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: tunnelm1 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.davidson/4854.3.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Mary...the Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) order screen/form allows you to pay for the DNA test yourself (either immediately by credit card or by having an invoice mailed directly to your home), while having the testing kit mailed directly to the donor's home. This "technique" is used quite often. You have been looking for your "connection" for so long now that I would think that DNA is probably the ONLY way that you will EVER determine the lineage of your Daniel Davidson. You should join via going to the Davidson/Davison/Davisson DNA website at: www.davidsongenes.org and clicking on: Join Now and Order DNA Test. This will take you to the FTDNA website "order screen," and a little way done that first page/screen, you will come to an area where you can start to fill-in the required information. Note: By joining through the above Davidson/Davison/Davisson DNA website, versus going directly to the FTDNA website, you will be given the less expensive "group rate." Just follow the instructions on the order screen/form. I highly recommend the 37 marker test, since fewer markers can lead to "false positives." You will need the name and mailing address of your donor in order to complete everything. The donor will receive the kit in two-three days, and once he has his samples ready to return to FTDNA (using the postage-paid envelope that he will receive with the testing kit), he will also need to sign and include the provided "release form" (this allows his results to be shared with others). After your donor has mailed everything back to FTDNA, we should obtain the results in about 5-8 weeks. DNA testing has proven to be "worth its weight in gold," relative to my family research on BOTH my paternal AND maternal lines. I could have researched for another 1,000 years and not learned what the DNA results have provided me. Comments or questions? Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.