Norm: Sorry for the delay. Colleen and I were in Salt Lake City doing research for the last week. There are two DNA test groups: Morse Society and Morse 2. We started first and went to the Morse Society to determine their goals. They weren't ready to start and we were. The administrator in their group wrote to us saying they weren't certain they would include the southern Morse / Moss / Morris groups. So, you can see why we didn't want to wait. Ken, a member of our e-mail group, recently sent a confusing e-mail suggesting DNA donors sign up with the Morse Society DNA group, but again, that group is clearly focused on the Northern Morse lines. All and all, it is better we are separate. It's more manageable. However, we are working together with the Morse Society of which I am also a member. To put you at ease, I am forwarding a copy of our e-mail exchange via a separate e-mail. At any time we can choose to merge our data. In any case, there are places to check on Familytree DNA to compare DNA to that of others outside the surname group. We have one man named MILES or MILLS who has idential DNA to two of our donors in a different DNA test group. His family is also from Maryland. Could be a case of adultery or adoption somewhere along the way - - we just don't know yet. Fascinating, though, isn't it? In answer to your question about spelling - does it really matter that much? Seems like most surnames have a variant of some sort and those that "do" genealogy understand that. For example, one of our Moss and one of our Morse DNA donors have identical DNA but how could you ever decide how to show the names on any genealogical chart? I think we would more likely identify matching DNA lines by a common number or color. If you will click on http://www.mumma.org/DNA.htm you will see how one family managed their DNA results. Colleen and I would strongly suggest that any MOSS or MORSE DNA from descendents of any of the following lines (or geographical regions if specific line is not known) join our group rather than creating a new group: Ebenezer and Obadiah Moss of Prince George Co MD; Mathew and Sylvester Moss of Prince William Co VA ; Samuel Morse of SC; Moss/Morse Surname of Granville County, NC; Moss/Morse Surname of York County, SC; James Morse of Greenville Co SC; Drury and Garrott Morris of Greenville Co SC; Hammond, Travis, and William Morris of Surry Co SC; Mason Morss of Spartanburg Co SC; Ebenezer and Obadiah Morse of Westmoreland Co., VA. As soon as we have more results compiled, we will be adding those results to our website for all to see. Norm, we thank you for your efforts in recruiting more DNA donors for the Morse-2 study. It becomes more clear every week that many of the Moss/Morse/Morris names from these areas may very well be related. If I have not answered all of your questions, please let me or Colleen know. To obtain more information about joining the Morse-2 DNA group, please visit: http://www.familytreedna.com/surname_det.asp?group=Morse-2 Debbie McArdle & Colleen Norman ----- Original Message ----- From: Norman H. Ricker, Jr. To: Debbie & Jim McArdle Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2003 9:20 AM Subject: Re: FamilyTree DNA Debbie, why are the folks wanting separate DNA Projects; wouldn't it be better to have them all in one group where a match would include ALL individuals? How will we know which group we will find an individual; will we have to search all three Projects? Is there going to be this idea that you can separate Moss from Morse, etc., etc., etc.? All of us who have researched the surnames know that what is found is by and large the spelling of some ancient court clerk. Are they going to use a generic name Moss or Morse and alphabetize? Are they going to simply use Descendant charts and intersperse the Morse and Moss (et al) in one chart (might be a solution). I hope some of these things are thought out for the big picture a year or five years from now; it will be very hard to change anything later, especially if this whole thing explodes shortly (as I expect) and expands so fast it will be all one can do is keep up with the flow. I have generated a flow of E-mails and letters to old researchers over the past 10 days to Moss and others, and a lot of interest has been generated, it will take seed, and many surname projects will get started. I expect there are dozens like me that have kicked off their own marketing program to get people interested. I do hope the organizational concepts for the web sites is thought out, coordinated right away with other surnames, and some standards established, so that what ever happens these surname projects can be interconnected by computer and the parts will be able to be matched. My hat is off to the volunteer Administrators; I am too old to keep up with the pace this is going to be maintaining, so I am just motivating and monitoring and hoping some of my roadblocks can be removed. Keep up the good work!!! Norm At 11:08 PM 9/13/2003 -0500, you wrote: >Norm: Never once have I had to wait for more than 6 hours to get an >answer from FamilyTree DNA. They even responded on the Saturday over >Labor Day weekend. You will get your money's worth from whatever DNA test >you participate in with these people. Colleen and I have 3 separate >groups going right now, all successful and they have hardly started! I >hope Bev will join our group with her Gilbert Moss. I think we are going >to put the Morse/Moss families of VA, NC and SC into nice little packages >that will make all of our research a lot easier! > >Debbie McArdle >----- Original Message ----- >From: <mailto:[email protected]>Norman H. Ricker, Jr. >To: <mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] ; ><mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] ; ><mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] ; ><mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] ; ><mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] ; ><mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] ; ><mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] ; ><mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] ; ><mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] ; ><mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] ; ><mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] >Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2003 10:49 PM >Subject: Fwd: RE: Rebecca can do it! > >Mr. Greenspan is so very supportive to those trying to get started in DNA >Genealogy. I have never had such support before!!! > >Norm Ricker > > >Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2003 18:12:26 -0500 > >From: Bennett Greenspan > <<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]> > >Subject: RE: Rebecca can do it! > >To: "'Norman H. Ricker, Jr.'" > <<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]> > >X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.2616 > >Importance: Normal > >X-Virus-Scanned: Symantec AntiVirus Scan Engine > >Original-recipient: rfc822;[email protected] > > > >Hi Norm > > > >The Mexican cousins are laughing because I by passed the siesta in lieu > >of email writing. They just called me the crazy gringo. > > > >I see that the order is placed. Any help needed, just let us know. > > > > > >E-mail any time. > > > >Best Regards, > > > >Bennett Greenspan > >President > >Family Tree DNA > >www.FamilyTreeDNA.com > > > >"History Unearthed Daily" > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: Norman H. Ricker, Jr. [mailto:[email protected]] > >Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2003 7:22 AM > >To: Bennett Greenspan > >Cc: <mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] > >Subject: RE: Rebecca can do it! > > > > > >She is all taken care of Mr. Greenspan; it is a done deal!! Norm. > > > >Bev, can you believe this man!!! He is so very supportive and here he is > >in Mexico responding to me on my problems!! He will be there for you on > >the Gilbert Moss DNA Project when you get it up and going; ask and you > >shall receive. > > > >Norm > > > >At 12:39 AM 9/13/2003 -0500, you wrote: > > >Hi Norm > > > > > >You may place the order for your sister, choose invoice, and the kit > > >will go to her and the invoice will not her, too, but she, as a female, > > > > >can't offer Cheek family DNA. As long as that is understood. > > > > > >I'm at a wedding in Mexico so I will not have easy internet until > > >Tuesday. > > > > > >E-mail any time. > > > > > >Best Regards, > > > > > >Bennett Greenspan > > >President > > >Family Tree DNA > > >www.FamilyTreeDNA.com > > > > > >"History Unearthed Daily" > > > > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > > >From: Norman H. Ricker, Jr. [mailto:[email protected]] > > >Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2003 10:58 PM > > >To: <mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] > > >Cc: <mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] > > >Subject: Rebecca can do it! > > > > > > > > >Rebecca, my sister sent me the following message: > > > > > > >Dear Norman: I do not know who Rebecca is but I would be grateful if > > > >she could do it all.You said some things have to be done from this > > >computer. I > > > >loved the 99.00 price but I can handle the higher one. > > > >Love, > > > >Florence > > > > > >Florence is scared of the computer, if I can fill out the enrollment > > >for > > > > > >her to join the Cheek Project, using my computer, I will do it. Does > > >the > > > > > >"Confirm" button send this enrollment to you? The only problem I see is > > > > >that my computer E-mail address is going to be there somewhere, and > > >Florence's E-mail address is an entry on the form; will the computer > > >kick it back for that reason? She is not going to provide her credit > > >card information, so I will enter "Invoice" for payment method. > > > > > >An alternative would be for me to furnish to you the entry information > > >and you complete the form from your computer. > > > > > >If the form goes directly to Mr. Greenspan, he can tell us what he > > >wants us to do. He is a copy addressee on this message. > > > > > >Norm Ricker > > > > > > > > > > > >