Hopefully someone will see our correspondence and respond. Thanks Et -----Original Message----- From: Pam Reid [mailto:pamreid@comcast.net] Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 5:47 PM To: THORN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: Thorns DNA submitted Yes, I am of the Thomas Thorn line. It is quite probable I think that our lines our connected. It is so difficult to sort out those VA years with all of the sons named Martin, Thomas and William <grin>. Thanks for the DNA info. I will look into this. It could certainly help all of us to get more DNA into the bank. Now I just need to get into the same thing for my Foster line. There are SO many suppositions on the Foster line and DNA would really help there. Interesting fact - Thomas Thorn and Richard Foster both arrived on the Safety in 1635. Thomas' desecendent, Durham Lee Thorn married Richard's descendent Annie Caldwell Foster - these were my great-granparents. I doubt that they ever had any idea of that connection!!!! Pam Pam Elmer Thorn wrote: >Pam, That sounds closer to my William Thorn (b abt 1685-90) family >officially showing up in Prince William Co Va in early 1700s. Are you of >the Thomas Thorn family? We have always wondered about Thomas being a >possible connection to our William. I am attaching a website for all to >check out on the DNA. It is supposed to even take us back to where our >ancestors originated from. Two of us in our Thorn line have recently tested >and waiting for our results. Others have shown interest . The more we get >to take the test the more it will define family lines and connections. It >has to be a Thorn male to follow the y-chromosome . > >www.worldfamilies.com >http://www.worldfamilies.net/faqs.htm#How%20can%20DNA%20testing%20help%20ge n >ealogy? > > >How can DNA testing help genealogy? > >For purposes of surname genealogy studies, DNA refers to the 23rd chromosome >pair. Females have two x chromosomes, while males have one x and one y >chromosome. The y chromosome is passed from father to son and is usually >identical from father to son. Occasionally, there is a mutation. Over >1000s of years, these mutations have resulted in distinctive DNA profiles >for different families. These differences are the focus of DNA testing in >genealogy, often called yDNA. > >My ancestors are all long dead. How do I get their DNA? > >Males carry the yDNA of their Surname ancestors, so we test them as >representatives of their ancestors.. DNA tests are taken from the living >and compared among groups of people. We look for male descendants who >share a common surname or surname spelling variant. A single Y-DNA test is >not that useful, but can be very revealing when compared to known or >suspected cousins. In many cases, yDNA matches among individuals indicate a >common male ancestor who may have lived hundreds of years ago, with the >"cousins" being completely unknown to one another. > >How does DNA testing work? > >The DNA test is typically a cheek swab, which collects tissue cells. The >laboratory examines these cells and uses standardized protocols to count the >number of repeats of genetic patterns at standardized locations on the DNA >helix. A DNA result is a set of repeats (numbers) at particular addresses >(markers). By comparing the numbers at the markers, we can determine if a >man shares a common ancestor with a second sample. Typically, this is >recorded as the number of exact matches and the total number of markers, >i.e.: 12/12, 23/25 33/37, etc. Generally, for a greater number of markers, >there is a higher reliability and for a closer the match in numbers, there >is a closer relationship. > >How conclusive is DNA testing? > >The typical researcher is interested in specific individuals in a specific >family tree, while DNA testing evaluates common ancestry. By itself, a DNA >test cannot confirm that a specific individual is the ancestor of the test >participant. > >However, DNA testing can confirm that two test participants share a common >ancestor. When combined with traditional genealogy, DNA results can aid in >reconstructing genealogies and can confirm or refute specific relationships, >including descent from specific ancestors, with a high degree of confidence. >The most useful comparisons are between men who have closely matching yDNA >patterns and who have also established paper trails (genealogies). > >DNA testing can be conclusive in proving that a male from an earlier >generation is NOT an ancestor. The degree of certainty is a function of >genealogies of the participants who document the earlier male. > >Can I use DNA testing in lieu of other research? > >DNA testing should be used as a supplement to traditional research. It has >a limited value when used alone. > >Who should get tested? > >Anyone who is interested in confirming their surname ancestry should >consider DNA testing. A male can represent himself and his surname family, >while a female will need to arrange for a male relative to represent her and >her family. > >Sooner or later, in researching a family tree, we all get to the point where >the paper records become scarce to non-existent. Perhaps we have several >possibilities or much circumstantial evidence as to whom the next ancestor >in a line may be, but no way to determine which is which. DNA testing may >be just the thing to help to break down some of those "brick walls," which >sooner or later, we all face. > >Why should I get tested? > >You should get tested if it will aid in defining the DNA profile of your >surname ancestors. When your DNA profile is combined with another >descendant of a common ancestor, it can define the DNA profile of that >earlier ancestor. When combined with your brother's result, your test will >define the common ancestor (your father). When combined with a 5th cousin's >DNA, your result will define the result of your gggg-grandfather. > >For a man who has already had a close relative tested, there may be little >value in his additional testing unless there are specific questions to be >answered. > >Of particular concern are the sole surviving male representatives of a >family line. Once they are gone, their family cannot be directly >represented. These men are particularly important to their family study and >should be strongly considered for testing. Many families already have >stories of DNA testing a family member who has since died, or of not getting >a test on a family member before they passed on. > >How useful will DNA testing be for me? > >The answer will vary for each individual. For a man with a distinctive DNA >profile who matches into a family whose profile has already been >established, the result can be quite useful, as it can confirm his family >and leave only the question of which members are his actual direct >ancestors. For the man whose result matches multiple distinct families of >the same surname, the result can be ambiguous. For the man who fails to >match any other participant, the result can be quite frustrating. Over >time, as additional markers and participants are added, we can hope that >results for the latter two become as useful as they are for the first case. > >How much does it cost? > >Testing cost varies. Generally, cost increases as the number of markers >increases. The lowest cost is about $100 for a 12-marker test, while a >37-marker test can be obtained for about $220. The 25-marker test is about >$170. > >Where should I go to get tested? > >The best way to be tested is as part of a Surname DNA Project. As there are >some differences in the markers tested by the various testing companies, it >is quite helpful to obtain a test from the same testing company as other men >with your surname. When a Surname Project has not already been started, >consideration should be given to starting one. > > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Pam Reid [mailto:pamreid@comcast.net] >Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 2:00 PM >To: THORN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: Thorns DNA submitted > >This DNA thing is very intriguing. We know with as much certainty as is >possible that our first Thorn ancestor in America arrived in Gloucester, >VA on the Safety in 1635. The Safety sailed from England, but of >course, that doesn't mean that this ancestor was a native of England. >Please, whoever has all of the info on the DNA Project, please fill the >rest of us in. > >Thanks so much! >Pam > >Elmer Thorn wrote: > > > >>Ann-Kathrin, >>I just viewed your fathers DNA result this morning. So far, it makes no >>sense to me as I don't know what to compare it to or know what each marker >>means. I guess I will when I get my results back. I have a cousin Jake >>Thorn that I am trying to get to accept the Thorn Project Manager. If all >>else fails I would do it. I am just a little leery since I don't >> >> >understand > > >>the whole thing myself. >>Et >> >>-----Original Message----- >>From: Ann Kathrin [mailto:try_me_alekseev@hotmail.com] >>Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 1:25 PM >>To: THORN-L@rootsweb.com >>Subject: RE: Thorns DNA submitted >> >>Elmer, >>I joined the DNA project via my personal page at FTDNA some days ago, and >> >> >my > > >>father's results showed up in the project's results section the same day. >> >> >He > > >>had taken the test a while ago, that's why it took no time. However, his >>pedigree (which I posted in the pedigree forum as requested) doesn't show >> >> >up > > >>on the patriarch page yet, only yours is listed there. I've read your >>pedigree, so I'm looking forward to February when your results are in. And >>even to be able to rule out certain connection is progress, isn't it? >> >>You wouldn't be interested in becoming the project's administrator, would >>you? I know that Terry Barton is keen to get the job out of his own hands, >>and I guess it would speed things up a bit if someone with a personal >>interest was in charge. >> >>Ann-Kathrin >> >>_________________________________________________________________ >>Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! >>http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > > > > > >