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%20gen 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/ > > > > > > >