back to DNA - Susan, Well, we joined the familytree Ydna study, as this is a large world-wide Sinclair/St. Clair project going on (you can google it). As I said before, there are 2 or 3 Islay Sinclair descendants who have tested, but there isn't a very close match in their markers, which makes me think that they came from different areas of Argyllshire or Ireland. One of them (Wayne of Australia) had a Colin Sinclair, cartwright in Kilchoman parish around 1840-50. When he died in 1855, his son reported that Colin was born there, but of course, that was before Kilchoman parish records. "Colin" is an uncommon Sinclair forename in the parish, but before 1828/29 almost all of them lived on the farm called Glassence. So, when we were there in the summer, Effie Clark of Port Charlotte showed us where the farm used to be, and we trekked up the hill in the wind and rain for a photo op - Wayne and his cousin Lianne, to walk the ground where their ancestor probably lived. The interesting thing is ! that Wayne did find a very close match on the mainland, I think near Lochgilphead, which is near where Colin's wife came from, so the Islay connection might be for only a few generations. The other Islay Sinclair's ancestor hails from Bowmore parish, as does our's. Not a close dna match. I believe your Donald, the teacher, was a native of Bowmore parish, so it would be interesting to see if he and our Neil were closely related. I think I remember it was your Donald's son, Peter, who turned up in Neil's family home at the time of the 1841 census, which might indicate a relationship. However, these things were fluid as people slept wherever they could get some work, often planting or harvesting. Neil wasn't even in his own house at Neriby for the census. He was at his sister's - Mary Bell, in Gearach, Kilchoman parish, as an agricultural labourer. Probably to earn a bit more money before emigrating in 1842. I don't think it's necessary to join this particular familytree study, as it seems that it's now possible to exchange information with other groups. Don't forget too, that there is the Hebrides study that Linda Heron moderates, and you can include your results there for comparison. I think most of those participants are from Islay or nearby islands. I have to admit that this dna study baffles me, but obviously there are others who understand it better than I. However, I hope the above helps you a bit. Cheers, Toni On the another topic I am finding it difficult to decide which DNAS test to try. We are in UK and many of then are in USA. Any suggestions Susan ------------------------------- Quoting the entire text of a previous message in a reply is poor netiquette. Please don't do it. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SCT-ISLAY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message