The mitochondrial DNA test is not too vague, it just tests for something quite different. I was trained as a molecular biologist and I can assure you that it's the understanding and interpretation of the test that is important and the key to gaining insight. The Y chromosome study looks to see if one man's Y chromosome is the same (a match) with another man's. A man will have the same Y chromosome as his father, his father's father, his father's father's father, all the way back along the male line. It will be the same as his father's, regardless of what surname he or his father had. It is the real McCoy, the actual paternal parentage, regardless of what marriage records or birth certificates say. I was so thrilled to see the $99 sale price that I immediately forwarded it to a man who keeps the database for the surname Motley. There is no DNA study yet on this surname, and there were two Motley men, John and Joseph, who immigrated in the 1600's and left descendants. Family lore says they were brothers, but they immigrated to different states, so how will we know? By having Motley surnamed men from both lines do the Y chromosome characterization and then compare. Are they the same or very close? Then they look to be closely related or descended from the same male Motley back in England. Are they completely different? Then they are not related. There is a lot of information in that alone. In regards to the "female DNA," the mitochondrial DNA, it can indeed, be very useful. Mitochndrial DNA is passed to us from our mothers, in the cytoplasm of the egg. The sperm doesn't pass mitochondrial DNA along to the child. So everyone, man or woman, has the same mitochondrial DNA as his or her mother. It tracks along the maternal line forever. The information about ancestral maternal origins is useful, as is the tracing of paternal origins from the Y chromosome. But using mtDNA can be relevant to recent genealogy as well. Here's an example: I have an ancestor, William Norman, who was a Revolutionary patriot and who married several times, with children by several different wives. There are not any marriage records still extant, so with some there is confusion as to who was the mother. It so happens that one of William Norman's daughters is my mother's mother' mother's, etc., back 7 times, all on the maternal line. My mitochondrial DNA is exactly the same as the wife of William Norman who is the mother of his daughter Elizabeth, this Mrs. Norman being my fifth great grandmother. There are other female-only descendants of other daughters of William Norman, some of whose maternal parentage is known for certain. Through the Norman Family Association, I am in the process of trying to locate them to do mtDNA tests. If we match, we are from the same wife of William Norman. If we don't it's from a different wife. Can you tell me how else we can determine this when there are no remaining written records? This is as relevant as finding written primary sources - maybe more so. Thank you for letting us know about the discounted price for Y testing. --- "pop.west.cox.net" <hsabin@cox.net> wrote: > AGAIN - the male tests may be useful but the female > is TOO VAGUE and > generalized for any worth in genealogy. Don't > believe me - send the testers > YOUR female DNA and see what I mean. > You learn best from life's lessons. Go ahead, I > dare you to waste your time > and money! > HS > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Brenda Stewart-Reeder" <kyseeker@comcast.net> > To: <hill@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 11:39 AM > Subject: Re: [HILL] DNA Research > > > > My husband did the test and he matched a gentleman > who had come to the > > same conclusion as I did. We could not find any > proof of parents except > > this elderly couple would come 40 miles in the > 1700's to be the sponsors > > for the baptisms for this couples children so we > knew they had to be > > related, but now we know we are on the right track > as they matched on a 37 > > marker test. Now my husband's family is really > interested in their family > > history, enough to travel 1500 miles to attend a > family reunion in 2004. > > > > My brother matched 2 men who were from Muhlenberg > Co., KY, and our > > ancestor was born in Muhlenberg Co. but had moved > to Livingston Co. but I > > had figured his father and the 4 older men of > Muhlenberg Co. were probably > > brothers and now we know we are also on the right > track there. I knew one > > further generation they did not have from the 1852 > Livingston Co. Clerk's > > ledger book. We are now looking for descendants > of the other two so they > > can also test. > > > > These tests have brought a lot of people all > interested in genealogy > > together where we might not have ever been if it > was not for the testing. > > I ordered my own mtDNA test last night. > > > > I am so glad we all have freedom of speech and a > keyboard with a delete > > button. > > > > -------------- Original message > ---------------------- > > From: PRSmith <prsmith@houston.rr.com> > >> Your opinions are noted and you are certainly > entitled to > >> them. You also have the right not to participate > in these > >> studies. Your opinions are not shared by those > who > >> participate in these studies, however, and they > have a right > >> to express their opinions and to discuss them > with others. > >> Please feel free to delete any messages that > offend you -- > >> they are, after all, innocuous compared to those > advertising > >> many other products and services we encounter on > a regular > >> basis and they are on-topic since the posters are > searching > >> for their Hill ancestry. > >> > >> Take Care -- Paul > >> CAPEHART Rootsweb Listowner > >> Researching: > >> VA - > >> > WHITE,LIPSCOMB,HILL,JOHNSON,SAUNDERS,TALBOT,TATE,EVANS > >> NC - SMITH, BOSWELL, RHODES, > >> MORRIS,.CAPEHART,MARSHE, BRITT,SHAW > >> http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~prsmith/ > >> > >> > >> > >> On Thursday, September 07, 2006 12:56 PM, > pop.west.cox.net > >> [SMTP:hsabin@cox.net] wrote: > >> > The span of years that are transmitted to > testees is > >> > worthless for genealogy > >> > research. I can go back four generations from > me and to say > >> > my ancestors > >> > are from England tells me you have gone back so > far as to > >> > make any research > >> > worthless. Then to say you cannot tell me > specifically > >> which > >> > country of > >> > origin my ancestors came from - is ridiculous > and makes any > >> > research > >> > worthless. Then to say, I probably shouldn't > contact the > >> ONE > >> > person that > >> > has my same haplo group makes these tests > worthless! All > >> > together - I still > >> > think its a FRAUD!! > >> > ----- Original Message ----- > >> > From: "PRSmith" <prsmith@houston.rr.com> > >> > To: <hill@rootsweb.com> > >> > Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 10:35 AM > >> > Subject: Re: [HILL] $95 DNA SPECIAL! > >> > > >> > > >> > > Please explain why you think DNA testing is a > waste of > >> > > time > >> > > and money. Thousands of people are > participating in these > >> > > studies and many have found connections World > wide. It is > >> > > a > >> > > viable and important tool for genealogical > research. > >> > > > >> > > Also please note that you are a member of a > List. As > >> such, > >> > > > >> > > you do not get to pick and choose which > messages are > >> > > delivered > >> > > to you. > >> > > > >> > > Take Care -- Paul > >> > > CAPEHART Rootsweb Listowner > >> > > Researching: > >> > > VA - > >> > > > WHITE,LIPSCOMB,HILL,JOHNSON,SAUNDERS,TALBOT,TATE,EVANS > >> > > NC - SMITH, BOSWELL, RHODES, > >> > > MORRIS,.CAPEHART,MARSHE, BRITT,SHAW > >> > > > http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~prsmith/ > >> > > > >> > > On Thursday, September 07, 2006 11:27 AM, > helen sabin > >> > > [SMTP:hsabin@cox.net] wrote: > >> > >> These are a waste of time and money!! DO > NOT send me any > >> > >> more announcements > >> > >> of this nature - you are so full of baloney! > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> -----Original Message----- > >> > >> From: hill-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:hill- > >> > >> bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf > >> > >> Of FS Hill > >> > >> Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 10:56 PM > >> > >> To: HILL-L@rootsweb.com > >> > >> Subject: [HILL] $95 DNA SPECIAL! > >> > >> > >> > >> As of August 23, 2006 Sorenson Molecular > Genealogy > >> > > Foundation > >> > >> is offering a > >> > >> coupon for Relative Genetics (a commercial > DNA test lab) > >> > >> for > >> > >> all > >> > >> participants. With the coupon you can > purchase a 26 > >> marker > >> > >> Y > >> > >> chromosome > >> > >> test, or a mitochondrial DNA test for $95 > (typically > >> $180- > >> > >> > >> > >> $220, depending on > >> > >> the lab). Not sure how long this offer is > valid. If you > >> > > have > >> > >> questions or > >> > >> wish to request the discount coupon, contact > >> > >> > >> > >> Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation > >> > >> 2480 S Main Ste 200 > >> > >> Salt Lake City, Utah 84115 > >> > >> Phone: 1-800-344-7643 > === message truncated ===