I just came across this article by Judy G Russell.
Judy is obviously deeply involved in using DNA to connect with living relatives. She shares here a wonderful story I ask you to read.
Here is a short clip from the article: "You never know, when you start down the path of genetic genealogy and DNA testing, what to expect. But one thing came clear to me this past week: it’s the very fact that you never know what to expect that makes the journey so worthwhile"
Click here for the article.
Showing posts with label DNA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DNA. Show all posts
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
The Definition of Who Is Your Ancestor
Many may know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is very supportive in Genealogy - Family History Service. This work is core to our understanding that families are forever. We are not only genetically tied to our ancestors, we are eternally tied to them. How cool is that? Personally, there are several of my ancestors whom I want to know better. Each story and fact that I uncover about them adds to that hope for the future. (I do want it to wait awhile though, I have many here to share time with.)
Our Temples, and the promises we make there are part of that eternal quest.
Today I fielded a call from Wyoming where a person asked, "what is the definition of an ancestor whereby I am to do their family history? They were told by one, just go up your lines.
That's not correct. If I only went up my direct lines, I would have nothing to do but to learn Spanish and crack brick walls. Three of my lines, Cragun, Bingham, and Porter have been researched by faithful genealogist from way back. The Bingham line is back to the 1500's. These are Pioneer lines. People have worked them hard. There are many records they have provided. My other grandparent, Salinas was from Mexico. The records are in Spanish. I don't read Spanish.
The correct answer that is Church policy is easy to understand: Are you blood related? Think of it another way, do you have the same genetic parenthood? If I have a common grandmother or grandfather to another, we are then going to blood related, which can be identified genetically. Church leaders recommend concentrating family history research and temple work on our own ancestors. That, by the way, is one of the sobering facts about DNA. I have my ancestors DNA as a part of mine. You my cousins with the same grandparents have that DNA also. It is remarkably remarkable.
Do you think the creator of all this is in charge? DNA science alone testifies to me of the reality of a Loving God. An accident, I think not. One of the least interested in Church was a man I knew well. He was an Ophthalmologist, an eye surgeon. He couldn't be bothered with religion. He confused me one day as I entered his office. An old Indian man was walking out the door to his car. The Dr. grabbed me by the arm, took me to the door, and pointed at him. "Do you see that man", he asked? Yes I said. "Two weeks ago he was blind, he was blind until I operated on him." That is awesome I said. "It wasn't me. I know it wasn't me. There was something about the operation that I knew I was being guided by a higher being." Wow! And no time or interest in God.
Back to who is my ancestor in LDS policy. An example of one who is not my ancestor for our church responsibility would be the wife of my great grandfathers son. That then would include her parents and grandparents, and up the tree. Their children are my blood relatives.
That's the good news. Yes, there is a lot of research to do.
Our Temples, and the promises we make there are part of that eternal quest.
Today I fielded a call from Wyoming where a person asked, "what is the definition of an ancestor whereby I am to do their family history? They were told by one, just go up your lines.
That's not correct. If I only went up my direct lines, I would have nothing to do but to learn Spanish and crack brick walls. Three of my lines, Cragun, Bingham, and Porter have been researched by faithful genealogist from way back. The Bingham line is back to the 1500's. These are Pioneer lines. People have worked them hard. There are many records they have provided. My other grandparent, Salinas was from Mexico. The records are in Spanish. I don't read Spanish.
The correct answer that is Church policy is easy to understand: Are you blood related? Think of it another way, do you have the same genetic parenthood? If I have a common grandmother or grandfather to another, we are then going to blood related, which can be identified genetically. Church leaders recommend concentrating family history research and temple work on our own ancestors. That, by the way, is one of the sobering facts about DNA. I have my ancestors DNA as a part of mine. You my cousins with the same grandparents have that DNA also. It is remarkably remarkable.
Do you think the creator of all this is in charge? DNA science alone testifies to me of the reality of a Loving God. An accident, I think not. One of the least interested in Church was a man I knew well. He was an Ophthalmologist, an eye surgeon. He couldn't be bothered with religion. He confused me one day as I entered his office. An old Indian man was walking out the door to his car. The Dr. grabbed me by the arm, took me to the door, and pointed at him. "Do you see that man", he asked? Yes I said. "Two weeks ago he was blind, he was blind until I operated on him." That is awesome I said. "It wasn't me. I know it wasn't me. There was something about the operation that I knew I was being guided by a higher being." Wow! And no time or interest in God.
Back to who is my ancestor in LDS policy. An example of one who is not my ancestor for our church responsibility would be the wife of my great grandfathers son. That then would include her parents and grandparents, and up the tree. Their children are my blood relatives.
That's the good news. Yes, there is a lot of research to do.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Don’t get me wrong. Autosomal DNA testing is a very valuable tool. A match has the possibility of breaking through some very significant genealogical brick walls. It’s important to understand what a match means or doesn’t mean.
In a nutshell, we all have 46 chromosomes, 23 from mom and 23 from dad. Two of those chromosomes are the sexy kind, X and Y. We’ll ignore those for now. In an autosomal test, the DNA sequences in your chromosomes are compared against everyone in the testing company’s database. The goal is to find long matching sequences. Depending on how long the sequences are and the total number of matching sequences, a calculation predicts the cousin relationship.
Click here for the full article.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Understanding DNA and Genealogy
There was a lot of buzz about DNA and Genealogy at the recent RootsTech conference. I found myself impressed. Just think, we can determine if we have the same ancestors, as another. It will become a way we find living relatives.
I decided to refer you to a recent article I have come across. It has basic information and more. I will copy a portion and give you a link to the full article.
Roberta@dnaexplain.com
X chromosomes produce a female and an X and a Y chromosome produce a
male. Women do not have a Y chromosome (otherwise they would be males) so
they cannot contribute a Y chromosome to male offspring. Given this scenario,
males inherit their father’s Y chromosome unmixed with the mother’s DNA, and
an X chromosome unmixed with their father’s DNA.
This inheritance pattern is what makes it possible for us to use the Y
chromosome to compare against other men of the same surname to see if they
share a common ancestor, because if they do, their Y chromosome DNA will
match, either exactly or nearly so.
Autosomal DNA, X chromosomal DNA and, in males, Y chromosomal DNA are
all found in the nucleus of a cell. A a fourth type of DNA call mitochondrial DNA,
or mtDNA for short, resides within cells but outside the cell’s nucleus.
Mitochondrial DNA packets are the cell’s powerhouse as they provide the entire
body with energy.
For both genders, mitochondria DNA is inherited only from the mother. Men
have their mother’s mtDNA, but do not pass it on to their offspring. Women have
their mother’s mtDNA and pass it to both their female and male offspring. Given
this scenario, women inherit their mother’s mtDNA unmixed with the father’s and
pass it on generation to generation from female to female. (Males carry their
mother’s mtDNA, but don’t pass it on.) This inheritance pattern is what makes it
possible for us to compare our mtDNA with that of others to determine whether
we share a common female ancestor.
I decided to refer you to a recent article I have come across. It has basic information and more. I will copy a portion and give you a link to the full article.
Roberta@dnaexplain.com
Two portions of our DNA are not combined with that of the other parent. The 23rd
chromosome, in the green box above, determines the sex of the individual. TwoX chromosomes produce a female and an X and a Y chromosome produce a
male. Women do not have a Y chromosome (otherwise they would be males) so
they cannot contribute a Y chromosome to male offspring. Given this scenario,
males inherit their father’s Y chromosome unmixed with the mother’s DNA, and
an X chromosome unmixed with their father’s DNA.
chromosome to compare against other men of the same surname to see if they
share a common ancestor, because if they do, their Y chromosome DNA will
match, either exactly or nearly so.
all found in the nucleus of a cell. A a fourth type of DNA call mitochondrial DNA,
or mtDNA for short, resides within cells but outside the cell’s nucleus.
Mitochondrial DNA packets are the cell’s powerhouse as they provide the entire
body with energy.
have their mother’s mtDNA, but do not pass it on to their offspring. Women have
their mother’s mtDNA and pass it to both their female and male offspring. Given
this scenario, women inherit their mother’s mtDNA unmixed with the father’s and
pass it on generation to generation from female to female. (Males carry their
mother’s mtDNA, but don’t pass it on.) This inheritance pattern is what makes it
possible for us to compare our mtDNA with that of others to determine whether
we share a common female ancestor.
DNA Testing for Genealogy - What Can It Do For You??
Paper courtesy of Roberta Estes,
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