A True DNA Story (A necessary understanding in DNA testing) by Herb Hendricks In 2004 we had a Hendricks Family from old Pendleton District start doing their DNA testing. Our Hendricks DNA Project had taken the advice of the SC Hill and Freeman Family DNA Projects and insisted on all Hendricks DNA participants do a complete 37+ marker test for all Hendricks families. Why was this a necessity? To really prove and separate different family members into groups the Hill and Freeman DNA Groups had found by experience that this was a truth that the Hill and Freeman DNA Project had not implemented in the beginning. When the above Hendricks family had completed their numerous descendants DNA testing they were disappointed as they did not match to any other of the other Hendricks groups. So following up on what is logically suggested in DNA testing, as we are all from a large family of humans that originated commonly back in time, they did a Y-Search. A Y-search is where you can enter your family DNA profile and check to see if you are kin to some other group of people who match to your DNA profile. This was a method to check against someone else being a parent of your family line. Upon doing this the Hendricks family matched 100% to another family line we shall call "Smith" up through his 25 marker test. Some people in life face the fact that this could be a true connection and follow up on the lead. Please note that the "Smith" person was not required to do a 37+ marker test. The person from the "Smith family who had the 100% match to the Hendricks family on the 25 marker test was contacted. He agreed to let the Hendricks family sponsor his 25-37 marker test. A sample was acquired from the "Smith" and sent to the DNA test lab. After waiting in much suspense without knowing the results for over 3 months the tests came back. The 25-37 marker test was quite revealing. The "Smith" person did not match to the Hendricks family as there was a 6 marker distance that showed up in the 25-37 DNA marker test. So what is the consequence? The Hendricks family was put though an ordeal, paid money out of their pocket and was kept in suspense for over 3 months because of the ignorance of the "Smith" Family DNA Group Coordinator. As it turned out this Hendricks group had a unique Hendricks DNA profile but the ignorance of people in the system put them through an unnecessary ordeal. Education on what is necessary to establish truth is often helpful in life. So one who is managing project needs to follow up and do what is right instead of promising people little proof with low marker test. This same story has validity when separating various brother groups within families. So now and then you will see my posts on SC nets where I continue to fight against ignorance in DNA testing. HDH 2/16/2006 God Bless Herb Hendricks Retired NASA Physicist Hendricks DNA Project Group Administrator Secretary Hendricks Family Association Herb_316@MSN.com<mailto:Herb_316@MSN.com> 1210 Long Meadow DR Lynchburg, VA 24502 434 832 7246 Major/Smith/Hendricks http://www.ftdna.com/public/hendricks/<http://www.ftdna.com/public/hendricks/>