In a message dated 2/23/2004 5:36:47 PM Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > to make this meaningful, don't you need DNA from Downing ancestors? > otherwise all you will prove is that you have a bunch of "cousins " out > there. i think the idea should be to tie some current Downings back to > older lines???? > joe > From what very little I know or understand about the workings of a DNA project, I would say that you are essentially correct; however...there are many of us who cannot connect our branch of Downings with an earlier branch. So....if I would be able to connect my known branch with another who has documentation for their line, I at least would be able to find out that I "belong" to "someone" between their oldest-known ancestor and mine. Then, at some point in the future, maybe one of us would be able to obtain some type of DNA from a very old ancestor, which can be compared to more recent descendants. Maybe someone has an heirloom lock of hair or something else with DNA like an old envelope which may have been licked by someone from 10 generations ago. (or whatever else which can be used for DNA analysis) Anyway, that is my thoughts...have no idea if I am correct about them, but that is what makes sense to me. Science might tell me I am wrong, but that is okay. Just some thoughts to ponder.......... Wee

I think the idea is to see if a persons family like mine which I have back to ca. 1590 in Devon is related to some one elses who may be from a differant part of England. Clyde ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2004 5:48 PM Subject: Re: [DOWNING] DNA > In a message dated 2/23/2004 5:36:47 PM Pacific Standard Time, > [email protected] writes: > > > to make this meaningful, don't you need DNA from Downing ancestors? > > otherwise all you will prove is that you have a bunch of "cousins " out > > there. i think the idea should be to tie some current Downings back to > > older lines???? > > joe > > > > From what very little I know or understand about the workings of a DNA > project, I would say that you are essentially correct; however...there are many of > us who cannot connect our branch of Downings with an earlier branch. > > So....if I would be able to connect my known branch with another who has > documentation for their line, I at least would be able to find out that I "belong" > to "someone" between their oldest-known ancestor and mine. > > Then, at some point in the future, maybe one of us would be able to obtain > some type of DNA from a very old ancestor, which can be compared to more recent > descendants. Maybe someone has an heirloom lock of hair or something else > with DNA like an old envelope which may have been licked by someone from 10 > generations ago. (or whatever else which can be used for DNA analysis) > > Anyway, that is my thoughts...have no idea if I am correct about them, but > that is what makes sense to me. Science might tell me I am wrong, but that is > okay. Just some thoughts to ponder.......... > > Wee > > > ==== DOWNING Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe in list mode send a message with UNSUBSCRIBE as the subject to [email protected] To unsubscribe in digest mode send a message with UNSUBSCRIBE as the subject to [email protected] >