This just in!!!!!!!
- Gov. Gary Herbert holds a news event with GeneTree.com/Sorenson Molecular Genealogy in the Capitol Board Room….
Ancestor of the Month: Maternal Grandfather
Ancestor of the Month: Maternal Grandfather
If you have taken either a Y-DNA or mtDNA test then you are already learning more about your direct paternal and maternal lines. You probably also have seen that these results don’t tell you about other ancestors, like your maternal grandfather. But did you also know that you can use Y-DNA and mtDNA testing to trace your maternal grandfather’s lineage? The key is finding the right relatives to test!
Clearly the easiest way to find the DNA of your mother’s father is to have him take the DNA test himself (assuming he is willing and able). However, if testing your grandfather is not an option, you can reconstruct his Y-DNA and mtDNA profiles through testing his relatives. Depending on who is available, you might find yourself climbing up and down the family tree a few times to find just the right relative, but it will be well worth your time to do so!
There are several people you can test for your maternal grandfather’s Y DNA, including his son, brother, nephew (brother’s son), paternal uncle, or male first cousin with the same surname. Typically any of the males in the family who share your maternal grandfather’s surname will also share his Y-DNA. For your maternal grandfather’s mtDNA profile, you can test his brother, sister, sister’s son or daughter (niece/nephew), or maternal aunt or uncle.
Consider this example: Kevin wants to find the Y-DNA and mtDNA of his grandfather, Richard.
Kevin’s mother, Shari, was an only child, and Richard’s brothers and sister have all passed away, so Kevin needs help from his cousins (descendants of Richard’s siblings) to learn about Richard’s DNA.
Y chromosome DNA:
Richard had two brothers, Walter and Nathan. Nathan had only daughters, who did not inherit his Y chromosome. Walter had 3 sons (Shari’s cousins). Before Kevin asked Walter’s son Tom to take a DNA test, he double checked that Tom was the right person by drawing out a pedigree chart:
Tom’s pedigree shows Peter, who is Richard and Walter’s father, along his direct male line, so Tom is the right person to test. Tom has the same surname as Richard, which is another indication that their Y chromosomes are the same.
Mitochondrial DNA:
Richard had one sister, Mary. Mary had one daughter and three sons, all of whom have passed away. However, Mary’s daughter, Karen, had 5 children, all of whom are living. Kevin plans to ask Karen’s daughter Tina (Kevin’s second cousin) to take a mtDNA test. Tina’s pedigree chart shows her maternal great-grandmother is Richard’s mother, Elizabeth, so Tina has the mtDNA Kevin is looking for.
These same concepts can be applied to any other ancestors you are searching for. If you need some help finding the right person for your particular question, give us a call or chat with our consultants. We are happy to walk you through your options!
Wondering where we’re going to be?? Come see us!
Upcoming Events:
Colorado Family History Expos
Loveland, CO
June 24-25
Booth #105
Class times:
Friday 24th 11:30am and 1:30pm
BYU Conference
Provo, UT
July 26th-29th
Booth in the main area
Class Times:
Tuesday 26th 11:00-12:00pm and 2:45-3:45pm
Midwest Family History Expos
Overland Park, KS
July 29-30
Booth #36
Class times:
Friday 1:30pm
Saturday 8:00am
Have a question for the experts?
This month’s question is: I was recently notified about a 95% DNA match with a gentleman with my surname. My direct line goes back to Kent County, England, in the 1700s. In fact, I am the first male of my father’s line to be born in America. The genealogy of the gentleman I match runs back to the 1600s in America. Where do I look for a common ancestor?
To find out the answer, click here.
If you have a question you think we should answer in our newsletter or on our YouTube Channel, send it to info@genetree.com with “Question for the experts” in the subject line of your message. Let us know what you want to learn more about!
So, what is it about Friday the 13th?
From Answers.com:
The convergence of two superstitions between the number 13 and Friday seem to be at the heart of many questions concerning this particular superstition. So lets start with those.
FRIDAY has been an inauspicious day for a very long time, and in many varied cultures. It has been held to be both unlucky and as a day when evil influences are at work.
In Ancient Rome, Friday was execution day.
In some pre-Christian Religions Friday was a day of worship, so those who involved themselves in secular or self-interested activities on that day were not likely to receive the blessings of the gods on their undertakings. Which may go a long way to explain the superstition of not embarking on journeys or starting important projects on Fridays.
From the Christian bible:
- Friday is reputed to be the day Eve gave Adam the apple.
- It is said to be the day Adam & Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden.
- Friday is also reputed to be the day they (Adam & Eve) died.
- The Great Flood is supposed to have started on a Friday.
- God was said to have struck the builders of the Towel of Babel and created the confusion of many tongues, on a Friday.
- The Temple of Solomon was destroyed on a Friday.
- Christ was crucified and died on a Friday.
In Britain, Friday was customarily Hanging Day.
It is said accidents are more common on Fridays, however, that may be more because Friday is the end of the work week and people are hurrying to get away from work, than any sinister reasons.
It is supposed that witches favour Friday for coven gatherings. This Pagan association was not lost on the early Christian Church, which went to considerable lengths to suppress them. If Friday was a holy day for “heathens” the Church fathers felt it must not be so for Christians, hence in the middle ages Friday became known as the “Witches’ Sabbath.”
The name “Friday” is derived from the Norse goddess known either as Frigg – wife of Odin (the goddess of marriage & fertility, the moon & witches) or Freya (goddess of love, beauty, sensuality, war, good fortune, magic & wisdom). To complicate matters the two goddesses are combined and used interchangeably by many, however, the etymology of Friday has been given both ways.
Pre-Christian Teutonic people actually considered Friday to be lucky, particularly for wedding, because of its association with the aforementioned goddesses. This however changed when the Christian church came into ascendancy. Frigg/Freya was re-cast in folklore as a witch and her day became associated with evil doings.
Various legends developed in that vein, one however, is of particular interest:
As the legend goes, the witches of the north used to observe their Sabbath by gathering in a cemetery in the dark of the moon. On one such occasion the Friday goddess, (Freya herself) came down from her sanctuary in the mountaintops and appeared before the group, who numbered only twelve at the time, and gave them one of her cats, after which the witches’ coven, and, by “tradition,” every properly-formed coven since, is comprised of thirteen members.
New DNA tests now available
* Extended Y-Chromosome Haplotype
* X-chromosome
* Autosomal STR
* Y-chromosome SNP
http://www.genetree.com/specialty_testing
RootsTech Wrap-up
We had a great experience at RootsTech 2011 here in Salt Lake City. We were kept busy with free 10-minute consultations, answering questions, and sharing stories – and that’s just how we hoped it would be! Thank you to all of you who stopped by our booth. It was wonderful to meet you in person and to have the chance to explain how DNA might help you define your family tree.
If you want your own free 10-minute consultation, just give us a call!
St. George Family History Expo
Mark your calendars for the Family History Expo in St. George, Utah February 25-26! Our booth in the exhibit hall is #203. We will also be presenting 2 classes on DNA and genealogy, taught by Dr. Ugo Perego: The Power of DNA in Unlocking Family Relationships on Friday morning and Expanding the Concept of Family History Through DNA on Saturday afternoon. The exhibit hall is free, and you should definitely check the Family History Expos website for information on the location, registration, classes, exhibitors, presenters, and much more. We look forward to seeing you in St. George!
Genetic Genealogy Class – This Friday
Anyone in the area is welcome to join us this Friday February 18 for a free genetic genealogy class at 1 pm in the Family History Library in downtown Salt Lake City. The speaker is Dr. Ugo Perego, Senior Researcher at the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation and one of our consultants. We hope to see you there!
