Understanding the Benefits of DNA Testing for Genealogy - Part 2: Setting DNA Testing Goals

Steps to Determining a Goal


Without understanding how DNA helps genealogy well, it may be difficult to pick the goal and proper test to help you solve your genealogy problem, so it is very important to read as much as you can on the subject and consult people who do understand it.

There are many books listed on this site and you also have the option of contacting me.

Although the learning curve is steep in the beginning, you can learn enough about testing to benefit from it. It does get easier over time and with repeated doses.


1. Narrow down a question you are trying to answer.

There is a large variety of problems you might solve with DNA testing. Those listed below are only a few possibilities:
..........Which line do you wish to test?
..........Are you interested in results that tell you about your most ancient ancestry or something within genealogical time?
..........Are you looking for a biological father?
..........Do you wish to know which other persons with your surname are related?
..........Do you wish to find cousins to help research the lineage?
..........Are you trying to prove or disprove a connection to a famous or infamous person?
..........What is my ethnic heritage?

Just having a question does not help you choose a test unless you understand what DNA testing can tell you specifically for your question. The above questions can be answered with DNA testing, but perhaps not in the way you might assume. For this reason, if you are anxious to test before you clearly understand and before you finish reading all the messages I will be posting on the subject, do write me directly before you order any test. My email: Aulicino@hevanet.com


2. Finding the person you need for the test.

In genealogy we always start with ourselves and work methodically backwards for each generation, gleaning all we can before proceeding backward to the next set of grandparents.

In Genetic Genealogy we do the opposite. The term is “reverse genealogy.” We start with the person whose DNA we wish to target. For example, your great, great, grandfather. In this case we can only test his all male line so we locate the records we need to bring each male line to the present. Work on all the males at the same time as some may “daughter out.” That is, there are only daughters born in one generation so the surname doesn’t continue with that branch of the family.

Bring as many males to the present on an all male line from the targeted great, great, grandfather. To check this work, put the living male as number one on a pedigree chart and see if the top line of the chart goes back to the targeted person…that great, great, grandfather.

Once you have found a living male on the line you need, then check the online phone books or other resources to find a phone number or address and contact that person.

Of course, if that person will not test or is no longer living you then have the other males you researched. Also, you can ask about sons of your possible tester or nephews or cousins on the all male line.

The same strategy is used for the all female line, the bottom line of a pedigree chart.


3. Select the people to test based on the question.

For example, you may wish to know if the Tennessee Talley families are related to the North Carolina Talley families. To answer this question with DNA testing, you would then need to select several male Talley descendants from each of the lines and compare the results of their DNA tests.

A match would prove that the two lines descend from a common ancestor, though would not be able to determine which ancestor. The common ancestor could be their father, or it could be a male from over a thousand years ago. This common ancestor can be further narrowed down by testing additional people and/or additional markers.


4. Convince the person you need to take a DNA test.

This can some times be very easy to do, but not always. The rule to follow comes from a comment made by a good ISOGG (International Society of Genetic Genealogy) friend, Georgia Kenney Bopp when she said: “Never ask for DNA on the first date.”

This is a good mantra. Much of the public is still very skeptical about their DNA being in the public eye….some times, they seem more concerned about that than their credit card information! I will speak to this in more depth later, but for now, just get to know the person on a genealogical level. Ask if they know whether or not your lines are related and if there is a family genealogist. Although genealogists have a varying degree of comfort on the idea of DNA testing, they may tend to understand more easily than just a man off the street. Take nothing for granted, however. Anyone who doesn’t really understand the difference between testing for genealogy, testing for your medical doctor or testing for the criminal justice system isn’t a person likely to test. You may have to first educate yourself; then educate your tester.

After you know what questions DNA Testing will answer and what answer you seek, the next step is Part 3: Choosing a DNA Test

©Aulicino, 31 Aug 2008

Understanding the Benefits of DNA Testing for Genealogy - Part 1: Why Should You Test Your DNA?

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Understanding the Benefits of DNA Testing for Genealogy is a series of three articles designed to help the genealogist use DNA testing to their benefit.

The following articles are:
Part 1: Why Should You Test Your DNA?
Part 2: Setting DNA Testing Goals
Part 3: Choosing a DNA Test


Part 1: Why Should You Test Your DNA?

Many genealogists feel that they have excellent documentation for their lineage and no doubt many do and it is possibly very accurate. However, one never knows until you test your lines using DNA. DNA is the most accurate tool a genealogist has and unlike paper sources it does not lead you down the wrong path with inadvertent errors.

I often tell the story of my Ogan line from Frederick County, Virginia in the mid 1700s. My Peter and Euphemia Ogan were the only family by that surname in the county until one day just before moving to Belmont County, Ohio just after the turn of the century there appeared in the tax records a Samuel Ogan. Now, Samuel was Euphemia’s step-father’s name, and it is common knowledge that when a person becomes of age they are listed on the tax rolls…so this was my assumption: Samuel was very possibly a son of Peter and Euphemia. I began tracing his line in Ohio and found that he had grandchildren named Peter and Euphemia, as did my Peter and Euphemia. Descendants of both families landed in Indiana in later years, although not the same county. I hired a good researcher to glean what she could from areas in both Ohio and Indiana. Hundreds of dollars later I had acquired news articles on the family, deeds, and even a digitalized photo album of descendants. I was in the process of writing a book on all my Ogans, bringing their lines down to at least the 1900s. Elizabeth Shown Mill’s book Evidence! assured me that I could be confident in my work, although circumstantial…it was strong circumstantial evidence. BUT, that was before DNA testing.

After DNA testing arrived on the scene a few years later, I found a male candidate for both my line and Samuel’s. The test results were very far from matching. Hundreds of dollars and many, many hours were wasted. Samuel was not related! I have since learned my lesson…DNA test first where possible!

However, I hold out some hope as I am searching for another descendant of Samuel that would be a distant cousin to the first tester. My line has been repeatedly tested so I am confident in the test results for Peter, but it is still possible that the person who tested for Samuel had what is called an NPE (Non-Parental Event) in his line. That is to say, there was a known or unknown adoption or illegitimate son along the line. This would explain the vast difference in the testing result if a new tester matches the results of my Peter. I have several months before my book will be near completion, so there is time to find another tester so I can safely include or exclude this line and distribute my boxes and boxes of data for Samuel to some worthy descendant.

SO, why should every genealogist DNA test their lines? Because…

Paper sources are inaccurate or missing. Living in a census household with the same surname is not proof of a relationship. Letters or deeds calling someone a brother is not proof of a relationship.

Adoptions and illegitimate children are not always recorded in written or oral history and have happened for thousands of years. Since the days of the caveman, families have taken in orphaned children and it is still done in modern times without being recorded.

Name changes are not recorded. Ancestor had to leave the country/state to escape from the law or ancestor wished to distinguish himself and his descendants with a variation of his surname.

Spelling errors become the norm. The following is a list of some of the spellings for my Ogan surname:

Gaelic name: O’h-Ogain.
Wogan, Agen, Agin, Agun, Augan, Ogan, Ogans, Oogan, O’ogan, O’ogain, O’Hogan, Hogan, Ogen, Ogin, Ogun, Ogyn, Ougan, Owgan, Dugan, U’gan (pronounced Oogawn)


I have personal stories and the DNA to back up everyone of these categories.


In summary, DNA tests can be used by genealogists to...

1. Link specific individuals - e.g. test to see whether you and a person you think may be a cousin descend from a common ancestor.

2. Prove or disprove the ancestry of people sharing the same last name - e.g. test to see if males carrying the surname are related to each other.

3. Prove or disprove oral history of descending from a famous or infamous person.

4. Break through genealogical brick walls. (See a previous Blog)

5. Prove or disprove you paper trail.

6. Map the genetic origins of large population groups - e.g. test to see whether you have European or African American ancestry.


Once you understand how genetic testing can help you with your genealogy, you can formulate your goals for testing and determine which test will help you reach that goal. These topics will continue this series with Part 2: Setting DNA Testing Goals.

Questions or Comments? Email: aulicino@hevanet.com

©Aulicino, 31 Aug 2008

Family Tree DNA - NEW Summer Sale - Jump in the Gene Pool !!!

Folks, this is a whopper of a sale!

Recently FTDNA ran a Sizzling Summer Sale and reduced the prices of some very popular tests, but this sale ends Aug 31. TODAY, however, they extended that sale to September 30th and even threw in some FREE tests! YES! FREE, FREE, FREE!!!

To order a test, click on the FTDNA link at the lower right of this Blog. IF you cannot see the icon, email me at: aulicino@hevanet.com

It's time to jump into the GENE Pool!

The following letter to project administrators arrived just minutes go:

Dear Group Administrator,
Due to popular demand Family Tree DNA is extending its Sizzling Summer Sale until September 30th! This promotion is geared toward bringing new members to your projects by offering the following big incentives:

Product..............................Promotion.........Original.......Sale
Y-DNA12............................Free mtDNA.........$189..........$99
Y-DNA25............................Free mtDNA........$238........$148
Y-DNA37............................Reduced................$189 .......$119
Y-DNA37+mtDNA............Reduced................$339........$189
Y-DNA67............................Reduced................$269........$218
Y-DNA67+mtDNAplus....Reduced................$409........$288 mtDNAplus........................Reduced...............$189........$149

The purpose of this sale is to grow our database and at the same time help our Group Administrators encourage those "fence sitters" to climb off the fence and join your project. To date, the reaction has been very strong and we feel the benefit to the database and to your projects justifies the extension of this promotion. We would also like to thank all of our Group Administrators who have sent details of this promotion out by email or by postings to blogs and lists. It is clearly working, and we ask that you continue your efforts to make this promotion a growth vehicle for your projects.

IMPORTANT: This promotion requires that payment is either made by credit card or received by the conclusion of the sale on September 30th, 2008.


As always, thank you for your continued support!
Bennett Greenspan President

Finding Ancestors through DNA

All genealogists find their lineage stops at some point…the proverbial brick wall. As records have been lost, burned or never existed to help us tunnel through that brick, a new tool in the genealogist’s toolbox, just may be the answer. That new tool is DNA testing.

DNA testing for genealogists began in 2000 and has rapidly grown ever since. That year, Bennett Greenspan, founder of Family Tree DNA, started the first company to sell DNA test kits to and for genealogists. Today his company handles the testing for the National Geographic Genographic Project and has the largest database for genealogists. Bennett is a genealogist. DNA testing continues reaching various milestones and has helped genealogists in many ways.

Through DNA testing, you may find a match between your surname and that of another tester who has a documented family tree that could add to your information. By finding other researchers with whom you have a common ancestor (a DNA match), you could focus on the missing generations between your families. ALSO, DNA testing rules out persons with the same surnames who are not a genetic match, thus allowing you to focus on lines that are definitely related to you.

The DNA results will not tell you the name, place, or time the common ancestor lived, but will tell you there is a common male ancestor between two or more testers. This is called the Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) by geneticists.

Depending upon the number of markers tested and the quality of the match, DNA results can provide a time frame in which the common ancestor has a high probability of existing. Basically, the following list indicates the highest probability.

If there is a match for a…
…12 marker test, the MRCA is prior to 600 years ago.
…25 marker test, there is a 95% probability of an MRCA being within the last 600 years.
…37 marker test, there is a 95% probability of an MRCA being within the last 300 years.
…67 maker test, there is a 95% probability of an MRCA being within the last 150-200 years.

NOTE: A match is considered to be an exact numerical copy up to a genetic difference of four.

Genetic Difference is the numerical differences between two person’s markers. This is calculated in two different ways depending upon the particular marker. Most generally you can just subtract the two numbers in each marker (allele) to get the difference. When you have differences in fast mutating markers which have various parts to them (indicated by red on the Family Tree DNA websites (http://www.familytreedna.com/) and having a small alphabetic number after the name of the marker. EX: 464a or CDYb), these are often (not always) considered a difference of one although the various parts of the one marker could have differences in all parts. For example: 464 has several parts….a to g. If someone has the results below, they would still have a genetic difference of one.

..................464a....464b....464c....464d
Tester 1: .....16..........17........17.........16
Tester 2: .....16..........16........16.........16

After finding a good match, it is very important to check your paper trail and to test a distant cousin of both testers who matched. In this case, go back to the oldest known ancestor and bring an all male line forward to the present on a son different than that of the person who tested. This could be a person you do not know and probably is. However, after contact and after getting to know them you may convince them to test, but you may have to help pay for their test. The idea is to confirm that your DNA is that of your paper trail and your surname. Since time began our ancestors have taken in the orphaned children of the neighborhood. Many adoptions and name changes have existed over these thousands of years without any written record…even into the 20th century. By testing more than one person on a surname, you can determine if any adoptions (formally or informally) have taken place.

After you have tested a distant cousin and proven your DNA matches his, then you are ready to compare your results with other testers to find more cousins. At this point you should be in contact with persons matching your test results and comparing your pedigrees.

If you find that both your lines are in the same general areas, then it’s back to basic genealogy research to find the paper trail which supports the DNA match. If you can’t find that common land area (county, etc), consider the brothers and uncles along the same branch of your pedigree chart. The two testers could be related through an uncle’s family who came to the area. Sometimes it is necessary to test the descendant of other people in the area who bear the same surname.

As more people test…and hundreds are doing so weekly…the number of potential matches will increase. The more matches you find the easier to narrow down your MRCA. DNA testing can be helpful for the present and even more valuable in the future.

These are exciting times and the field of genetics is moving quickly. It has been said that within the next twenty years genealogists will start with their DNA first and then work on the paper trail. At the rate genetics is moving this will happen sooner. More and more people are beginning to understand how genetics can help genealogy. Those who use this new tool no longer consider themselves genealogists, but are proudly called Genetic Genealogists.
If you have questions, please contact Emily Aulicino at Aulicino@hevanet.com

To order a DNA test and receive the reduced price through a Surname Project:

1. Go to the bottom right of this Blog and click on the FTDNA icon.
2. Where it says SEARCH on the right side, type in CAMPANIA
3. On the next page, click on CAMPANIA
4. Complete the form. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on JOIN.

IF you know of a project, put that name where you see CAMPANIA above. If you are a female who wishes to test you cannot join a surname project. In that case type in CAMPANIA.

The CAMPANIA DNA Project is just one of mine and I can help you understand the results, etc. ALSO, you can move to a more relevant project at any time after you receive your test results without cost. You can be a member of more than one project at a time.

Email me if you have questions before you order your test. If you need help, I can call you or email you to walk you through the process.

Emily
aulicino@hevanet.com

Copyright Aug 2008

Breaking Brick Walls with DNA

Many times people ask me how to use DNA to get through their brick walls in genealogy. The late Randy Pausch said, "Brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something, because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough." Very wise words indeed! Brick walls are a test of our strength in pursuing what we want.

Frankly, there are as many methods for this as there are walls. However, below are some basic steps to help a researcher use DNA testing to get past those bricks.

Tips for Toppling Bricks

1. Know the basic rules for testing DNA.
Tutorial Information to assist you in understanding DNA Testing:
Books below can be found for under $10. Some may be in your library.

http://www.familytreedna.com/
Click on TUTORIALS on the right

http://www.worldfamilies.net/
World Families Net - many topics

http://www.kerchner.com/dna-info.htm
Genetics & Genealogy - An Introduction
Genetic Genealogy DNA Testing Dictionary
Genetic Genealogy Glossary

http://www.thegeneticgenealogist.com/
The Genetic Genealogist...a wonderful blog
Free booklet from Blain T. Bettineger, Ph.D. (Click on icon to the right)

Wonderful beginners book on Genetic Genealogy:
Family History in the Genes by Chris Pomery

Also,find in your library or used book store:
Trace Your Roots with DNA by Megan Smolenyak and Ann Turner

2. Review your research sources carefully. Note areas of doubt or conflict.

3. Dig deep into the county records checking all resources.

4. Expand your lineages to include siblings and cousins.

5. Test others with the same surname that you find in the counties where your ancestors lived.

6. Test the mother to find the father when the father is in question.

7. Join forces with other related researchers.

8. Be pro-active.

©Aulicino 2006

Triangulation in Genetic Genealogy

Greetings!

Below is a paper I wrote and shared with my DNA project members. If you share it, please allow me to receive credit for its compilation. The lineage chart will not come out well on this forum so you are most welcome to email me privately to get a better copy.

Triangulation in Genetic Genealogy

Triangulation is a method of determining the DNA signature (haplotype) of an ancestor using the DNA results of direct line descendants.

If two DNA tests of the descendants of two sons of a common ancestor match, you know the haplotype of the common ancestor.

If there is a mutation (not a perfect match), then one must test the branches of other sons of the common ancestor to determine which branch has the haplotype for that common ancestor and where the mutations occurred in the branches which differ from that common ancestor’s haplotype. The idea is to have two or more lines of descent for each branch that differs from the other branches of the common ancestor.

There are many ways Triangulation can help genealogists:
* It can help determine the common ancestor’s haplotype and thus pointing you in the correct direction for research.
* By testing various descendants of an ancestor you can determine which descendants belong to which son of an ancestor, thus proving a paper trail.
* You can learn the specific haplotype of an ancestor.
* Triangulation can be applied to both Ydna and mtDNA.

If the Y-DNA of direct paternal descendants of two brothers is exactly the same, we know the Y-DNA of the father of those brothers. The father is at the intersection of the two lines from the descendants back through the brothers.

However, the DNA of that ancestor would not be clear if we just looked at one male descendant’s DNA and that of his other son whose descendants have one or two mutations difference from the first tester.

By adding more markers and mutations to the Group mean, then you can hope to determine sub-groups and more recent MRCA for that sub-group.

THIS IS WHY more member samples are so important to any study. More samples confirm the convergence of member genetic profiles and their genealogy at many levels.


DNA Project Example

In this actual example, Bill (Kit 30610) has a perfect 67 marker match with:
Arlin (Kit 30586) and Joel (Kit 36047). All have paper trails from John who died 1740 in Amelia County, Virginia. Bill, however, descends from John’s son Lodwick while Arlin and Joel descend from different sons of Abraham. The chart below clarifies this.


John, d. 1740 Amelia Co, VA
.....had son
........Lodwick, b. 1715
............Descendant Bill (Kit 30610) tested for this branch

John, d. 1740 Amelia Co, VA
.....had son Abraham, b. 1721 and two branches on this line were tested.

.....Abraham son of John, d. 1740 Amelia Co, VA
........had son Frederick, b. c1745
............Descendant Joel (Kit 36047) tested for this line.

.....Abraham, son of John, d. 1740 Amelia Co, VA
........had son John, b. c1760
............Descendant Charles (Kit 30586) tested for this branch.

Typical Triangulation Problem

* Curtis (Kit 30595) has a 67 marker match with the descendants of John of Amelia.
* Curtis has no paper trail to John.
* Curtis’ oldest ancestor is Peyton , b. ca 1790 VA; d. ca 1859; m. Nancy Pitts 25 Mar 1830 in Upson Co, Georgia.


Possible Options

* Test other sons of John to determine if all have the same haplotype as Lodwick and Abraham
* Those who do not have the same haplotype will not be the direct ancestors of Curtis since he matches Lodwick and Abraham perfectly. However, a mutation could occur in another descendant of Curtis. If that is found to be the case, then triangulating that line is important as well.
* If all testers of all the sons are perfect matches, then you must focus on the paper trail to determine Curtis’ path to John through any of the sons.


Non-Perfect Matches

* Genetic Difference of 1 on a 67 marker
.....o Warren (Kit 30609) DYS 413a
.....o Floyd (Kit30726) DYS 393
.....o Joseph (Kit 32477) DYS 449

* Oldest Known Ancestors:
.....o Warren – James M., b. ca 1808 VA
.....o Floyd – James Franklin, b. ca 1884 IL
.....o Joseph – William, b. ca 1812 NC

Genetic Options:

* Triangulation can help determine the common ancestor’s haplotype and thus pointing you in the correct direction for further research.
* Triangulate each tester’s branch separately to determine where the mutation may have occurred.


Test remaining sons of John of Amelia to see if any have the above mutations

* IF one of the sons of John has the mutation that has been received by Warren, Floyd or Joseph, then that is the line to which they connect. This would make them a perfect match to that son.
* IF the other sons do not have any mutations that Warren, Floyd and Joseph exhibit, then test other sons of their respective oldest ancestors or more recent males to see if the mutation occurred in more recent generations.


Rationale

* You need to test other sons of more recent generations to find where the mutation occurred.
* It is possible that a more current generation received the mutation that appears in the haplotypes of Warren, Floyd and Joseph.
* When you add more markers and mutations to the Group Mean, then you can hope to determine sub-groups and the more recent common ancestor for that sub-group.


Determining a more recent Common Ancestor can help you…

* Find other genealogists and cousins who specially match and can help with the research.
* Provide a focus in targeting specific families with whom you connect more closely, thus narrowing the “hunt.”
* May lead you to the particular descendant who received the mutation, possibly proving your lineage.

©Aulicino, March 2008 Email: Aulicino@hevanet.com

Sources:
John Carpenter’s email on ISOGG
Charles Kerchner: http://www.kerchner.com/deducedancestralhaplotype.htm

SAVE GINA - The Genetic Information & Non-Discrimination Act

***UPDATE ON GINA.....The bill has passed and is now signed into law.***

Greetings!

This message is of most importance. Please read it and visit the link below.

http://www.isogg.org/savegina.htm

At this link you will find instructions to Save GINA. GINA stands for: "The Genetic Information and Non-Discrimination Act" There is also a contest to win a DNA test kit.

This bill keeps our DNA private. Insurance companies and employers cannot discriminate based on any genetic information. With medical science making such strides to determine which genes are related to which diseases in order to tailor-make medicines and procedures to help cure the illness, we need GINA to keep our information private, to prevent insurance companies from raising premiums or dropping us and to keep employers from refusing to hire those will the likelihood of an illness such as Cancer. One case I know is a woman who had breast cancer and when she had to change insurance, they refused coverage.

Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma has placed a "hold" on the bill to stall it from going to a vote in the Senate. The House has passed it in April 2007. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada is the Senate Majority Leader and can require the vote be taken if given 30 hours of discussion. Urge both of them to allow this bill to come to a vote. It will pass easily once it does.

This is of paramount importance and I know that most of us do not like to write our representatives, but this is our only voice in this matter and as all of you have shown an interest in DNA testing for genealogy, this can directly affect you. If the bill doesn't pass, many people will hear about it and hesitate to DNA test. We all know what that means.

I urge you to help by writing your representatives.
I urge you to share this with others who are interested in DNA Testing.
I urge you to share this will all friends and family as it will affect them at some point, as well.

Take the time today...just a few minutes; a few lines to your Senators and to Senators Coburn and Reid.

SAVE GINA

http://www.isogg.org/savegina.htm

Hurry! Email TODAY.

The Contest and your chance to win a DNA kit ends either March 31st, 2007, when Senator Reid calls for a vote or when Senator Coburn releases his "hold"...which ever comes first.

Thank you, Emily