<http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/1454594.html> http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/1454594.html DNA reveals story of dad's disappearance Genes are genealogy's new frontier John Smithers of Raleigh had spent more than six decades looking for clues about the father who abandoned him, his sister and their mother when he was just a baby. The barrel-chested, brash-talking Smithers had something he wanted to give his old man: a fist in the nose. At 82, he had about given up on ever learning what happened to James William Smithers. He had long suspected his father got in trouble with the law and fled abroad. Decades ago, it was easy enough to disappear, and Smithers' father had seemingly vanished into thin air. On the other side of the world, Lucinda Gray had always wondered what her father's life was like before he moved mysteriously from the United States to Australia. She had spent years just trying to find out his real name. In mid-December, Smithers and Gray learned their elusive fathers were one and the same. After years of poring over records online and in person, across continents and oceans, it took only a DNA sample from a simple cheek scrape to bring the two branches of the family together. "I was skeptical at first," said Smithers, a retired insurance company investigator. "But when I talked to my sister, I knew this is what I'd been hoping for my whole life." The case shows what a "new frontier" DNA has become in genealogical research, said Debbi Blake, a North Carolina state archivist. DNA has been in genealogical use since 2000, according to Thomas Shawker, a radiologist with the National Institutes of Health who has become a nationally renowned expert on the use of the latest science in genealogy. Its use since then among professional genealogists and family historians has mushroomed. "Everywhere I go, I am asked to lecture on DNA," he said, "and everywhere I go, the lectures are packed." But the impact of DNA hasn't been as significant as the Internet, which transformed genealogical research by making records from distant places available at the click of a mouse. Some of the genealogy search sites charge a fee, though many of the raw birth, death, marriage and property records are available free online. DNA testing has a fairly hefty price tag -- from $99 to well over $700, depending on the type of DNA and the level of research. Until recently, its application has been limited, said Terry Moore, a professional genealogist in Raleigh. Typically, it's used to identify which branch of the family tree to climb -- or which region or nation to zero in on. "Usually, DNA helps people who have gone through all the records and traced their ancestors back to the 1400s and are stuck," she said. It is, Moore stressed, simply another tool in the genealogist's box. "This is not CSI," she said. "DNA will not do the work for you. But it can bridge gaps in history." As more people who share a surname start their own registries, DNA's role is expanding into the modern age -- uniting living relatives. The Smithers-Gray case is a perfect example. Real name unknown Like her half-brother John Smithers, Lucinda Gray had been trying to investigate her father's veiled history for many years. Her dad, John Henderson Gray, who died in 1970, had been a fine father to her and her four siblings, and a good husband to their mother. But even their mother didn't know his true identity. He had moved from the United States to Australia in 1926; in 1944, at age 51, he had married their mother, Betty, then 22. It was well known that Gray had changed his name when he moved down under. "Our mother always assumed he'd changed his identity because of some strife," Lucinda Gray said.

FYI, 3 cousins and I went together and have gone the DNA route. Now we sit back and wait for others to do the same and see if we can find a match. We have high hopes of finally finding family for our Henry McCoy who "appeared" in Ga in 1803. I think DNA will break down brick walls for many......we just hope we are one of the many. Elaine Kimberly Carrillo wrote: > <http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/1454594.html> > http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/1454594.html > > > DNA reveals story of dad's disappearance > > > Genes are genealogy's new frontier > > > John Smithers of Raleigh had spent more than six decades looking for clues > about the father who abandoned him, his sister and their mother when he was > just a baby. The barrel-chested, brash-talking Smithers had something he > wanted to give his old man: a fist in the nose. > > At 82, he had about given up on ever learning what happened to James William > Smithers. He had long suspected his father got in trouble with the law and > fled abroad. Decades ago, it was easy enough to disappear, and Smithers' > father had seemingly vanished into thin air. > > On the other side of the world, Lucinda Gray had always wondered what her > father's life was like before he moved mysteriously from the United States > to Australia. She had spent years just trying to find out his real name. > > In mid-December, Smithers and Gray learned their elusive fathers were one > and the same. > > After years of poring over records online and in person, across continents > and oceans, it took only a DNA sample from a simple cheek scrape to bring > the two branches of the family together. > > "I was skeptical at first," said Smithers, a retired insurance company > investigator. "But when I talked to my sister, I knew this is what I'd been > hoping for my whole life." > > The case shows what a "new frontier" DNA has become in genealogical > research, said Debbi Blake, a North Carolina state archivist. > > DNA has been in genealogical use since 2000, according to Thomas Shawker, a > radiologist with the National Institutes of Health who has become a > nationally renowned expert on the use of the latest science in genealogy. > Its use since then among professional genealogists and family historians has > mushroomed. > > "Everywhere I go, I am asked to lecture on DNA," he said, "and everywhere I > go, the lectures are packed." > > But the impact of DNA hasn't been as significant as the Internet, which > transformed genealogical research by making records from distant places > available at the click of a mouse. Some of the genealogy search sites charge > a fee, though many of the raw birth, death, marriage and property records > are available free online. > > DNA testing has a fairly hefty price tag -- from $99 to well over $700, > depending on the type of DNA and the level of research. Until recently, its > application has been limited, said Terry Moore, a professional genealogist > in Raleigh. Typically, it's used to identify which branch of the family tree > to climb -- or which region or nation to zero in on. > > "Usually, DNA helps people who have gone through all the records and traced > their ancestors back to the 1400s and are stuck," she said. > > It is, Moore stressed, simply another tool in the genealogist's box. "This > is not CSI," she said. "DNA will not do the work for you. But it can bridge > gaps in history." > > As more people who share a surname start their own registries, DNA's role is > expanding into the modern age -- uniting living relatives. The Smithers-Gray > case is a perfect example. > > Real name unknown > > Like her half-brother John Smithers, Lucinda Gray had been trying to > investigate her father's veiled history for many years. > > Her dad, John Henderson Gray, who died in 1970, had been a fine father to > her and her four siblings, and a good husband to their mother. But even > their mother didn't know his true identity. > > He had moved from the United States to Australia in 1926; in 1944, at age > 51, he had married their mother, Betty, then 22. It was well known that Gray > had changed his name when he moved down under. "Our mother always assumed > he'd changed his identity because of some strife," Lucinda Gray said. > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > -- I'd rather look for dead people than have them look for me....

I had my father do a DNA test and we have still yet to connect our gap. My father is the last surviving male in the direct line of our Parker branch. All we can do is pray one day something will turn up and or my research will help others. I encourage everyone to take the test if possible.The story above gives others hope so thanks for the post. On Mon, Mar 23, 2009 at 7:05 PM, Kimberly Carrillo <kimm@leadmarket.com>wrote: > > <http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/1454594.html> > http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/1454594.html > > > DNA reveals story of dad's disappearance > > > Genes are genealogy's new frontier > > > John Smithers of Raleigh had spent more than six decades looking for clues > about the father who abandoned him, his sister and their mother when he was > just a baby. The barrel-chested, brash-talking Smithers had something he > wanted to give his old man: a fist in the nose. > > At 82, he had about given up on ever learning what happened to James > William > Smithers. He had long suspected his father got in trouble with the law and > fled abroad. Decades ago, it was easy enough to disappear, and Smithers' > father had seemingly vanished into thin air. > > On the other side of the world, Lucinda Gray had always wondered what her > father's life was like before he moved mysteriously from the United States > to Australia. She had spent years just trying to find out his real name. > > In mid-December, Smithers and Gray learned their elusive fathers were one > and the same. > > After years of poring over records online and in person, across continents > and oceans, it took only a DNA sample from a simple cheek scrape to bring > the two branches of the family together. > > "I was skeptical at first," said Smithers, a retired insurance company > investigator. "But when I talked to my sister, I knew this is what I'd been > hoping for my whole life." > > The case shows what a "new frontier" DNA has become in genealogical > research, said Debbi Blake, a North Carolina state archivist. > > DNA has been in genealogical use since 2000, according to Thomas Shawker, a > radiologist with the National Institutes of Health who has become a > nationally renowned expert on the use of the latest science in genealogy. > Its use since then among professional genealogists and family historians > has > mushroomed. > > "Everywhere I go, I am asked to lecture on DNA," he said, "and everywhere I > go, the lectures are packed." > > But the impact of DNA hasn't been as significant as the Internet, which > transformed genealogical research by making records from distant places > available at the click of a mouse. Some of the genealogy search sites > charge > a fee, though many of the raw birth, death, marriage and property records > are available free online. > > DNA testing has a fairly hefty price tag -- from $99 to well over $700, > depending on the type of DNA and the level of research. Until recently, its > application has been limited, said Terry Moore, a professional genealogist > in Raleigh. Typically, it's used to identify which branch of the family > tree > to climb -- or which region or nation to zero in on. > > "Usually, DNA helps people who have gone through all the records and traced > their ancestors back to the 1400s and are stuck," she said. > > It is, Moore stressed, simply another tool in the genealogist's box. "This > is not CSI," she said. "DNA will not do the work for you. But it can bridge > gaps in history." > > As more people who share a surname start their own registries, DNA's role > is > expanding into the modern age -- uniting living relatives. The > Smithers-Gray > case is a perfect example. > > Real name unknown > > Like her half-brother John Smithers, Lucinda Gray had been trying to > investigate her father's veiled history for many years. > > Her dad, John Henderson Gray, who died in 1970, had been a fine father to > her and her four siblings, and a good husband to their mother. But even > their mother didn't know his true identity. > > He had moved from the United States to Australia in 1926; in 1944, at age > 51, he had married their mother, Betty, then 22. It was well known that > Gray > had changed his name when he moved down under. "Our mother always assumed > he'd changed his identity because of some strife," Lucinda Gray said. > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > TXGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message >