Hi Walter and all, You raise some very interesting questions and ideas! Walter Lundstein wrote: (snip) > Let's assume an analysis indicates that a Pennsylvania Dutton is related > to an ancient English Dutton. Such proof provides only a genetic link. > A link, it must be considered, that may exist in every Dutton in the > world. Gee, I hope DNA would establish proof that all the Duttons are related genetically! If we exhumed, say a 15 c Dutton (or better, an earlier Dutton) and established his genetic identity, then any Dutton (male, that is) could have their Y-chromosome checked against it to establish genetic relationship. >>>>> Bryan L. Ford (hereafter BLF) wrote: Of particular interest with respect to the new technologies, even as they exist today, would be any such genealogy (known or suspected) in which the earliest point in such an agnate descent that two brothers give rise to agnate lineages, each with living male representatives. All that is needed are the cheek swabs for DNA from living males in each branch of such a commonly rooted agnate descent. Costs? probably no more than $500 to $1000 to run the tests on one individual and $200 to $400 for any number of willing others suspected of being in the same putative agnate [father to son] descent. >>>>> Without exhuming our ancesters, a male PA DUTTON and a male MA DUTTON and a male VA Dutton (for example) could do a swab test and find out if they are related or not. The really scary part would be if they were not related. You would not know where the break occurred. This is interesting because the hypothesis could be tested that the DUTTON males would all carry the same genetic sequences (Y-genotypes) and are related to Eng Duttons as the PA branch of the family has already established a genealogical link with the Eng Duttons, but the MA Duttons are still looking for that paper trail. The VA Duttons are still looking, as well. (snip) >With such "proof," no one would yet have any > further information as to how these contributions came about. Who were > these mysterious links? This is the fun part of genealogy--establishing that paper trail. Finding out as much as one is able about their ancestors. > Does the "proof" validate suspected links? No, > because the genetic link may have come from a different contributor who > married into his or her family. The marriage of cousins was not > uncommon. Even a distant cousin, not even known to be a cousin, could > contribute the genes discovered. I really do not understand your argument. I feel like I must have missed something here. Only females can marry into the Dutton family (and produce children), and they do not have Y chromosomes. If a Dutton female married outside the family, the children would not be called Dutton and she could not give them a Y chromosome--the father would give the male children a Y chromosome. The Y chromosome is handed down from father to son. I'm sure that you know this, thus, I must have missed something in your argument!! > Ultimately, the DNA sequences of the various U.S. and English Dutton > tribes are irrelevant without ties or links made from history of > substance to bind the tomes together. Gee, Walter, I don't think the genetic link would be irrelevant because you would have scientific proof of your descent even if you never, ever could find the papers that linked you historically to your ancesters. Even women would benefit from this because of genetic links that could be established by their living brothers, father, or uncles. > Its most likely that the refined > DNA sequencing necessary to distinguish one genetically linked Dutton > tribe from another and yet from another would take years and cost tens > of thousands. The less analytic tests would serve no purpose. The latter > are virtually as unhelpful as blood types when this question of > intrafamily links is asked. Yes, the less analytic tests would be useless. I don't know how long it would take, but I would think that several weeks for each male who sent in a swab would be a reasonable guess. My son had a paternity test conducted which cost $200 and took 6 to 8 weeks to get the results. We Ohio Duttons know our connections with the PA Duttons from whom we descend and then back to the English. Lawson has the Ohio and PA Duttons connected to the English gentry. I am redocumenting his data and have four generations to go.These lineages can be "...substantially supported by using genetics technologies." BLF (snip) Anyway, I am excited about the new technology!! Bryan L. Ford, Oregon State University, is a person who works with these tests and, thus, I trust his information. It is just plain exciting!! It might be a good idea, though, to wait until 2003 when all the mapping has been completed. That is only a few more years! carole