Jon, about your first statement. "The possible connection of William #123 to Jacob #126" it is not a "possible connection" it is an absolute connection. DNA does't lie. To have only one mutation between them in all those generations means that the two participants have an ancestor in common. In case of your Jacob's. I, rarely, see one of those old verbal records that doesn't have some errors, but there could have been Jacobs in lines that weren't followed and everyone descended from the line doesn't have to be from the seventh Jacob, but could be from another brother of any upline. If I were you, I would order the DNA test kit and pay a visit to your 80 year old last living French male. Talk to him. Share your genealogy charts and research. Show him the DNA charts. Let him know how important he is to your search and proof. Show him how easy the test is (a simple brushing of the inner cheek) and tell him that it will be identified by a number and not his name. I am sure he will consent to do the test. BTW, the instructions say to do each cheek with 8 hours between samples, but I have done them at the same time and have gotten good results. Sometimes you can't be there 8 hours later. Just be sure they haven't had anything to eat or drink for at least 30 minutes before taking the sample. Good luck. Julia French Wood In a message dated 8/3/2004 9:36:04 AM Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: The possible connection of William FSdna #123 to Jacob French FSdna #126 (which certainly appears as a distinct possibility) intrigues me. I believe my FRENCH link stems from William FRENCH b 18 Jul 1668, Billerica, MA, as follows: William, Jacob, Jacob, Jacob, Asa Mason, Lucina m. Alonzo WHITNEY, Ernest WHITNEY, Kenneth Whitney, Jonathan WHITNEY. In my grandmother's meticulous records, she states, "There is a verbal record that there were seven Jacob Frenchs in a direct and unbroken line (origin unknown) which ended in the Jacob recorded in the obituary of his son on the opposite page." If that statement is true, William does not fit in my line, however, he may have had a brother named Jacob, son of Jacob, son of Jacob FSdna #126, or some other connection. The coincidence of the first name Jacob is not something I can take lightly. My three Jacobs seem to be correct, as does the link to William, but this doesn't account for the family "verbal record" of seven Jacobs in a row. My documentation for Jacob being the son of William came from Henry Hazen's book on the history of Billerica. Of course, this may not be correct, but the three Jacobs down to Asa Mason are pretty well documented through several related families. Do any Listers have any related information or suggestions? As far as I know there is only one male FRENCH living from my last Jacob and he is in his 80s and not in good health and apparently unwilling to take the DNA test. Thanks for any assistance or suggestions. Jon Whitney