Deb's Delvings in Genealogy

Another Chance: Early Bird Discount Extended for Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy in 2013

2013-05-01T16:58:00.000-05:00

On June 6th at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank, the Southern California Genealogical Society and the International Society of Genetic Genealogists have teamed up to offer a full-day genetic genealogy conference with beginner, intermediate, and advanced tracks. The conference is attracting attendees from all over North America, the UK, the Netherlands, Australia and China. More countries may be represented by the time the conference is held. Attendance is limited to 350 people for the DNA conference on Thursday. Early bird registration has been extended to May 7th for the DNA conference and the full Jamboree.

Dr. Spencer Wells, Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society, will open the DNA conference with "The Genographic Project and the Rise of Citizen Science." Wells has appeared in numerous documentary films and is the author of The Journey of Man, Deep Ancestry and Pandora's Seed. He also hosted the PBS series The Journey of Man.

Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is the director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research and the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University. Gates has hosted several PBS series, including African American Lives, African American Lives 2, Faces of America, and Finding Your Roots. Gates will speak at the luncheon.

Many well-known in the genetic genealogy community will also be speaking: Emily D. Aulicino; Blaine T. Bettinger, PhD, JD; Katherine Hope Borges; Ken Chahine, PhD, JD; Alice M. Fairhurst; Bennett Greenspan; Richard Hill; Tim Janzen, MD; CeCe Moore; Joanna Mountain, PhD; David F. Reynolds; Judy G. Russell, CG, CGL; and me, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL. I am proud to be part of this group.

After DNA Day on Thursday there are still many speakers to come on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Jamboree. I'm really disappointed I won't be able to stay, but I have to fly home to turn right around and travel to IGHR in Birmingham Alabama.

Check out the links above for the full schedules and registration information.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Another Chance: Early Bird Discount Extended for Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy in 2013," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 1 May 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

NGS: Building New Bridges in the West

2013-05-01T09:15:00.001-05:00

Genealogical conferences are often an interesting mix of genealogy and history. The upcoming National Genealogical Society 2013 Family History Conference will truly represent both sides of this equation. The conference theme of "Building New Bridges" symbolizes "the West as a timeless 'bridge' where cultures, nations, and technologies connect."¹

The conference committee, led by Stefani Evans, CG, went all out to provide a unique program. Yes, you'll find the traditional sessions we all need no matter where we do research. Thomas W. Jones on "Debunking Misleading Records." Elizabeth Shown Mills on "Information Overload? Effective Project Planning, Research, Data Management, and Analysis." Sharon Tate Moody on "Strategy for Research Success: How to Analyze Your Evidence and Plan Your Next Step." And more than I have space to name from many other names every genealogist will recognize.

Every conference has some sessions that focus on the regional history. Stefani and her team have gone above and beyond to provide unique topics and sessions not only pertinent for Nevada, but for anyone working in any of the states once colonized by Spain and Mexico and all western states. Stefani's ties to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas probably helped in bringing in so many well-known historians as speakers. I hope all of the genealogists at the conference let these speakers know how much we appreciate them sharing their knowledge with us.

One of sessions I consider must-see is "Interethnic Women and Marriage along Spanish Colonial Frontiers 1820–80" by Maria Raquel Casas on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. A few years ago I read her book on this topic.² Even though the book focuses on California most of the history and analysis can also be applied to Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and other Spanish-influenced states. I learned of many sources I hadn't heard of before when I read the footnotes and the twenty-six page bibliography. Check out her other publications on her CV.

Another must-see is Davis S. Tanenhaus on "Legal Histories of Families" on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. I first heard of Tanenhaus through the Legal History Blog and saw some interesting article titles associated with his name in law journals. His publications are listed on his CV and there are many titles that can help any genealogist understand her family's history.

There are a lot of blocks on the schedule where choosing one speaker means missing another must-see. I hope lots of these sessions will be recorded so I can listen to them when I get home. I make use of all my travel time by listening to recorded genealogy sessions. My phone and tablet only have a few songs, but are full of genealogy sessions from conferences over the years.

Stefani's team made an effort to bring in speakers and topics that are not widely available through webinars and online sources and new topics and new speakers. You really need to be in Vegas next week to get the full experience. I'm not a gambler. Most of my family never migrated west of Texas. But I expect to learn so much that will help me with my future research. I hope my brain doesn't turn to mush until after the conference because I am scheduled to do one of the last sessions on Saturday before the conference ends. This is my only complaint to the conference planning committee (said with an understanding smile).

1. Diane L. Richard, "NGS Announces Plans for 2013 Family History Conference in Las Vegas," Upfront with NGS blog, posted 17 May 2012 (http://upfront.ngsgenealogy.org/2012/05/ngs-announces-plans-for-2013-family.html : accessed 1 May 2013).

2. Maria Raquel Casas, Married to a Daughter of the Land: Spanish-Mexican Women and Interethnic Marriage in California, 1820-1880 (Reno and Las Vegas: University of Nevada Press, 2007).

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "NGS: Building New Bridges in the West," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 1 May 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

Upcoming Speaking Engagements

2013-04-26T07:50:00.000-05:00

My upcoming speaking engagements are listed below. I hope to see you all at one of these events:

Saturday, April 27, Canton, Texas, Van Zandt County Genealogical Society
"Certified, Accredited, Professional: What's the Difference?"
Some in the genealogical community are confused about the differences between genealogical credentials and those who offer professional services. This presentation covers the credentialing and professional organizations in the U.S. The discussion is aimed at those interested in becoming credentialed genealogists, those considering hiring a professional, and genealogical event planners who need to understand the plethora of initials following a name.

Friday, May 10, NGS 2013 Family History Conference, Las Vegas
"Going Nuclear: DNA Discoveries to Trace All Lines of Descent"
Learn to link families using autosomal DNA test results from any testing company. Maximize impact on your genealogical research goals. Includes how to use test results such as those from 23andMe and Family Tree DNA Family Finder tests.

Saturday, May 11, NGS 2013 Family History Conference, Las Vegas
"Ours and Theirs: Tax and Land Laws"
Tax and land records can provide clues to the lifespan of an ancestor, if you can interpret the records according to the laws of the time. Tax records can also tell you how your ancestor may have lived. Learn to interpret records using real-life examples.

Saturday, June 1, Mesquite, Texas, Mesquite Historical & Genealogical Society All-Day Seminar
"GATA GACC! DNA and Genetic Genealogy Today"
Learn where we are today using DNA for genealogy. Maximize Y-DNA, mitochondrial DNA, and autosomal DNA test results to contribute to genealogical research goals.

"DNA Case Studies"
Case studies will illustrate using your DNA test results for genealogical research.

"Spice It Up: Adding Historical and Social Context"
Make your family history an enjoyable read by including more than the begats. Examples show how to find and use sources that provide pertinent information to place your ancestor's story in historical and social context.

"Bypass the Roadblock: Getting Beyond A Sticking Point"
Tips and tools to help get around the proverbial roadblock or brick wall.

Thursday, June 6, Burbank, California, Southern California Genealogy Jamboree: Family History and DNA
"Mitochondrial DNA: Tools and Techniques to Go Beyond Basics"
Learn advanced uses of mtDNA. This lecture uses case studies to demonstrate databases and analysis methods using mtDNA for genealogy. Low resolution and full mitochondrial sequences are discussed.

Wednesday, June 12, Birmingham, Alabama, IGHR, "Genealogy as a Profession" Course
"Genetic Genealogy for Clients"
Introduction to basic analysis techniques, reporting methods, and educational needs of professional genealogists and DNA project administrators.

I didn't post about them beforehand, but I also recently gave these presentations:

Saturday, March 9, Tyler, Texas, East Texas Genealogical Society and Tyler Stake FHC Spring Seminar
"Texas Family Cemetery Laws"
Information on laws affecting forming a family cemetery and access to existing cemeteries.

Friday, April 12, Dallas, Texas, Forensic Genealogy Institute, Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy
"Forensic Techniques for Genetic Genealogy"
Introduction to analysis techniques, reporting methods, and educational needs of forensic genealogists.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Upcoming Speaking Engagements," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 26 April 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

DNA Day Sale at Family Tree DNA

2013-04-18T18:18:00.001-05:00

Update: Family Tree DNA has extended this sale through 11:59p.m. April 25th.

Information on this sale just came in from Family Tree DNA:

Family Tree DNA
HISTORY UNEARTHED DAILY

We are pleased to announce our 2013 DNA DAY Promotion.

While the special pricing features all the major tests, we’re placing particular emphasis on the Full Mitochondrial Sequence and Family Finder. We’ll offer Y-DNA upgrades during a Father’s Day sale and will give you those details at that time.

By carefully choosing the sale options and limiting the length of the sale, we will be better able to focus our resources on processing the tests efficiently and avoiding delays in delivering results.

We are proud to announce we have successfully moved our mtDNA Full Sequencing line from Sanger DNA sequencing to what is called Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). This gives us much greater capacity to process tests, to reduce costs without sacrificing quality, and to ensure shorter turnaround times.

We must run the entire sequence every time we process an mtDNA full sequence test, even for upgrades. However, in recognition of your prior investment- and National DNA Day – we’re offering our lowest price ever for the FMS and upgrades.

Rather than the 8-10 weeks first generation sequencing required, we expect results to be completed within 5-6 weeks. This does depend on the number of orders received though. If their DNA is already at our lab, those who order first may expect even shorter turnaround times.

For a limited time we will be selling the FMS for $189 and whether you’ve tested HVR1 or HVR1+2, you’ll be able to upgrade to the Full Sequence for just $129!

In addition, we are also lowering the Family Finder to $169 for this sale!

Here is the list of all tests under the promotion:

Full MtDNA Sequence: $189
Upgrades to FMS: $129
Y-DNA37 (new and add-on): $119
Y-DNA67 (new and add-on): $199
Y-DNA37 + Full MtDNA Sequence: $308
Y-DNA12 + FF: $218
Y-DNA37 + FF: $288
Y-DNA67 + FF: $368
Family Finder: $169
Family Finder + Full MtDNA Sequence: $358
SuperDNA: $388 (Y-67 + FMS)
Comprehensive DNA: $557 (Y-67 + FMS + FF)

The sale will begin tonight, April 18th, at 6PM CDT and will conclude at 11:59PM CDT on Monday April 22nd. All orders must be placed and paid for by the end of the sale to receive the promotional price.

There will be no need for a coupon - all prices will be automatically adjusted on the website.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT
Bennett Greenspan
President
Family Tree DNA

LOW PRICES ON THESE AND MANY MORE

Full Mitochondrial Sequence: $189
Family Finder: $169
Y-DNA + Full Sequence: $358

All orders must be placed and paid for by 11:59PM on Monday April 22nd, to receive the promotional rate. As with all promotions, orders need to be placed by the end of the sale and payment must be made by end of this sale.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "DNA Day Sale at Family Tree DNA," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 18 April 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

Useful DNA Tests for Genealogy

2013-04-15T20:44:00.000-05:00

This article is available as a PDF file with permission granted to freely copy this document in its entirety for educational purposes.

Genealogical DNA Tests

There is a lot of confusion on how to use DNA test results for genealogical research and which tests are useful for what purpose. Some of that confusion comes because the terminology is new to us. Spending our money wisely on the right DNA test means taking the time to understand the terminology, what each particular test can show us, and how that applies to our family research.

In many situations a DNA test may be the only way to find evidence to support a theory of kinship. In other situations a DNA test will not help at all. Consulting a genetic genealogist can help you decide what may work for you if you don’t want to spend the time to study this yourself.

Before ordering any DNA test you should know:

1. What is it you are trying to learn or prove?

2. Which DNA test will provide the information needed?

3. Who is alive in the particular line in your family tree who has inherited the right DNA segment to provide evidence for what you want to learn?

Reading articles and blog posts by genetic genealogists can help us answer the second question. Use a search engine to find online articles, blogs, and websites of genetic genealogists.

DNA Analysis for Genealogical Purposes

All of the DNA tests described below will provide results that may be useful for a historical or genealogical research project—your research project. But the results must be carefully analyzed and correlated with your evidence from traditional genealogical research before a conclusion is reached.

As you find a new document related to your ancestor you take the time to learn what the contents of that document mean so that you can interpret the information correctly in relation to your family. You will have to do the same to make use of results from a DNA test. It won’t be like the CSI shows on TV where an answer magically appears in a matter of minutes. You will have to study how to use the test results to make the most of this exciting technology and the information it provides.

Autosomal DNA Tests
(Family Finder, Relative Finder, AncestryDNA, Geno 2.0, and others)

Autosomal DNA tests (atDNA) have been available for some time, but it is only in the last five or so years that they have become really useful for genealogical purposes. An autosomal DNA test can be performed on a man or a woman. It tells us something about many of our ancestors, not just the direct paternal or maternal line.

The results of your atDNA test can be compared to others who have tested and mathematical algorithms predict how closely you may be related based on how much DNA is shared. Using these test results to the fullest will require some time and study. But amazing discoveries may be made about the last five or so generations of the family of the person whose DNA is tested. Predictions related to ancestral populations, such as Vikings and others, are still being studied and there is more to learn.

Y-DNA Tests

Y-DNA tests have been used for genealogical purposes since about 2000. A Y-DNA test can only be performed on men and only tells us about that man’s paternal line. The basic Y-DNA tests offered, referenced by the number of markers tested such as “37-marker test,” usually gives you information that can determine if two men have a common ancestor within a genealogical time frame or not. The test cannot usually indicate any specific relationship between those two men, such as father-son.

Mitochondrial DNA Tests

Mitochondrial DNA tests (mtDNA) began to be used for genealogical purposes a few years after Y-DNA. An mtDNA test can be performed on a man or a woman and only tells us about that person’s maternal line. Changes in mitochondrial DNA happen at a rate that may make this more difficult to use except for specific genealogical purposes. Discussing your particular problem with a genetic genealogist and using a pedigree and/or descendant chart can help determine if an mtDNA test can help you gather evidence to solve a particular problem.

Use of DNA Tests: Scientific vs. Genealogical

Scientists use these same or similar DNA tests to study populations and ancient migration paths and many other things. When scientists talk about “genetic ancestry” they usually mean deep ancestry, tracing the migration of humans thousands of years ago. Scientists may disagree on exactly what can and cannot be proven with the knowledge we have today. That is how scientific research works—someone has a theory, experiments or tests are performed, results are analyzed, and findings may cause a new theory to be formed or the old theory may be supported. Free and open discussions bring new evidence to light. As new evidence is found our understanding may change. This sounds a lot like genealogical research to me.

Most genealogists are not as concerned about our deep ancestry so we aren’t as concerned with the scientific debates. We want to know more about our ancestors within the last few hundred years. A DNA test is likely to help you discover more about your family. But it will require you to study and learn more than you may know now. As more people test we will learn more and we will learn new ways to apply this new knowledge.

Genetic genealogy is cool, cutting-edge science.
But you have to learn how it works
to make the most of this new technology.
When reading about genetic research be sure you
understand whether genealogical research
or scientific research is being discussed.
Terms that sound similar may be used in a
slightly different way by the two groups.

What doesn’t help much with scientific research may be exactly what a genealogist needs.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Useful DNA Tests for Genealogy," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 15 April 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

Using Common Sense to Make Sense About Genealogical Uses of DNA Tests

2013-04-13T10:51:00.000-05:00

The immediate world-wide sharing of information in our modern age is both a blessing and a curse. We know what is happening this very second in a place thousands of miles away. Disagreements between factions can generate so much data it is difficult to keep up and get to the truth. Misunderstandings occur when minor differences in usage of terms cause a reader to think of one thing when the writer meant something else.

A consumer should always do their homework before parting with precious dollars. This applies whether you are buying a house, where you'd have an experienced person inspect the plumbing and foundations, or a vacuum cleaner where you might check out reviews in Consumer Reports.¹ It is the responsibility of a consumer to understand what they are buying. It is common sense to investigate before you buy.

It is the job of a marketing person to present his company's product in the most favorable way. It is the job of a saleswoman to convince you to buy the product from her company. It is the job of entertainment media companies to gather as many viewers or readers as possible with a good story. These may not always be the best people from whom to seek impartial advice and accurate information.

While there are some unscrupulous companies out there taking advantage of consumers (aren't there always?), there are also companies trying to do the right thing. Good companies are trying to provide a balance between tests reflecting the science we have tested and trust and the leading edge tests demanded by those who must gather more evidence to prove or disprove their theories.

When the consumer is not knowledgeable about a product, as is often the case with genetic genealogy tests, she needs impartial advice so she won't be unhappy with the end result. A DNA test is not a magic bullet to solve your genealogical problems. It is one more piece of evidence to weigh along with all the other evidence you have gathered before you reach a conclusion. Exactly what you are trying to prove has a huge impact on determining which DNA test, if any, is appropriate for your goals.

One problem in our modern world is that there are many groups out there now with names that make them sound knowledgeable and impartial, but every group is made up of humans who may have a secret purpose we don't know about. With marketing materials, the purpose is not a secret. We know the purpose is to sell us something. So we need to read the statements even more carefully. We need to talk to someone who knows the product so we can understand what we are getting.

Specialists, including scientists, use terms differently than the man-on-the-street does. Specific phrases have very specific meaning to scientists that may not be clear to those who are not specialists in the same field. If we don't understand what the term means to the scientist we may misunderstand the point being made.

I received a copy of a flyer (which I am deliberately not supplying a link to) written by the Sense About Science group in the UK. This is now being used by some in the U.S. to support a statement that genealogical testing is not useful for genealogy. The Sense About Science flyer seems to be related to a dispute between two academic groups in the UK.

A careful reading of the flyer shows most of the negative comments are directed at using DNA analysis to determine ancient origins. The science and the available databases are not at a point where we can accurately predict ancient origins. No matter what you've seen on TV we can't be 100% sure someone is descended from the Queen of Sheba, Zulus, Vikings, or any other ancient population. This is exactly the reason that organizations like National Geographic have the Geno 2.0 project² — we need to learn more. To learn more we need more people to test and more analysis of the results.

CeCe Moore covers this well and illustrates the differences in results displayed by three of the big DNA testing companies in the U.S.³

One small inset in the Sense About Science flyer clearly indicates "There are some things genetic ancestry tests can tell you quite accurately" and has two good points. The first is that one of those credible uses of genetic ancestry tests is "to supplement independent, historical studies of genealogy." That is EXACTLY what our genealogical research is - an independent, historical study of our personal genealogy. The genealogist is the independent researcher. The second point is that, "To answer a specific question about individual ancestry with any degree of confidence requires a combination of historical records and genetic information." And that is exactly what the Genealogical Proof Standard⁴ teaches us. We make no conclusions based on a single piece of evidence. We gather all of the relevant evidence from a reasonably exhaustive search, including the DNA test results, then analyze and correlate it to form a logical conclusion.

The magic solution to all of your genealogical problems will not be printed in so many words as part of your test results. But DNA tests have many uses in genealogical research. Many researchers have made wonderful discoveries about their family history because of what they have learned from a DNA test.

Getting the most information from DNA results to further your genealogical goals requires understanding what tests are available, what results can realistically be expected, what your goal is and which of the tests can help achieve your goal, who is alive in the line of interest who can provide a DNA sample, and, most importantly, how to analyze and interpret the results when you get them, correlating the DNA results with all of your evidence from traditional research. It requires some work on your part, a lot of work, but in some situations DNA test results can provide the key to solving a genealogical problem even if you won't learn whether your ancestor was a Zulu or Viking warrior or the Queen of Sheba.

1. Consumer Reports (http://www.consumerreports.org/ : accessed 13 April 2013).

2. "GENO 2.0: THE GREATEST JOURNEY EVER TOLD. Your Story. Our Story. The Human Story.," The Genographic Project, National Geographic (https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/ : accessed 13 April 2013).

3. CeCe Moore, "Comparing Admixture Test Results Across Companies (otherwise known as "ethnic" breakdowns): FTDNA, AncestryDNA, 23andMe and Geno 2.0 - My Review," Your Genetic Genealogist blog, posted 18 December 2012 (http://www.yourgeneticgenealogist.com/2012/12/comparing-admixture-test-results-across.html : accessed 13 April 2013).

4. Christine Rose, Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case, 3d ed. (San Jose, California: CR Publications, 2009).

For more information on the academic dispute and the response of a UK genetic genealogist see:

Debbie Kennett, "Sense About Genealogical DNA Testing," Sense About Science blog, posted 15 March 2013 (http://www.senseaboutscience.org/blog.php/41/sense-about-genealogical-dna-testing : accessed 13 April 2013).

Debbie Kennett, "Sense About Genealogical DNA Testing," Cruwys news blog, posted 15 March 2013 (http://cruwys.blogspot.com/2013/03/sense-about-genealogical-dna-testing.html : accessed 13 April 2013).

Debbie Kennett, "Sense About Genetic Ancestry Testing," Cruwys news blog, posted 8 March 2013 (http://cruwys.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/sense-about-genetic-ancestry-testing.html : accessed 13 April 2013).

Jonathan Bucks, "Rector assessed: Moffat blasted over 'laughable' scientific claims," The Saint, "an independent newspaper written and run by students at the University of St Andrews, Scotland," posted 7 March 2013 (http://www.thesaint-online.com/2013/03/rector-assessed-moffat-blasted-over-laughable-scientific-claims/ : accessed 13 April 2013).

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Using Common Sense to Make Sense About Genealogical Uses of DNA Tests," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 13 April 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

New BCG blog: SpringBoard: News and Notes

2013-01-20T12:12:00.000-06:00

The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) has a new blog titled "SpringBoard: News and Notes." BCG's website has many articles and sample reports useful to any researcher who wants to leave a well-researched genealogy to their descendants. Don't ignore their blog and website just because you aren't interested in seeking certification.

Here's the announcement (slightly reformatted for online display and links):

BOARD FOR CERTIFICATION OF GENEALOGISTS
P. O. Box 14291
Washington, DC 20044

For Immediate Release
DATE: 8 January 2013

SUBJECT: BCG’s New Blog: SpringBoard: News and Notes

The 49-year-old Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), the group that wrote the book on genealogical standards, recently joined the blogosphere with its blog, SpringBoard: News and Notes, accessed from http://www.BCGcertification.org.

According to BCG president Elissa Scalise Powell, CG^SM, CGL^SM, of Pennsylvania, the blog will communicate news about BCG and events it sponsors or participates in. Early posts introduced officers Powell; vice-president Michael Ramage, J.D., CG, of Pennsylvania; secretary Dawne Slater-Putt, CG, of Indiana; treasurer Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, CG, of Illinois; and member-at-large Stefani Evans, CG, of Nevada; and gave notice of a fee change effective January 1. Another post announced new audio clips from three Board-certified genealogists describing why they chose to seek certification.

Future posts will come from BCG officers, trustees, and committee members and will include

names and profiles of new certificants (whose portfolios of work have been judged to meet the standards set out in the BCG Genealogical Standards Manual),

news of conferences and events where BCG will have a presence through exhibit booths, lectures, certification seminars, and social events, and

information, advice, and explanation on genealogy standards, the certification procedures, and other items of interest.

In addition a current-events calendar lists where BCG will have a presence. Anyone may subscribe to email notifications of new posts from the site as well.

Using blog software through its website allows BCG to communicate more frequently than its triannual newsletter, OnBoard, to which anyone may subscribe for a yearly fee. The organization also has a presence on Facebook (currently open to the public) and LinkedIn® (for associates).

Said Powell, “We enjoy being able to offer timely news and notes to help advance the mission we began in 1964—defining, supporting, explaining, and advocating high standards in genealogy.”

FYI: BCG is an independent certifying body recognized nationally and internationally. It is not affiliated with, or part of, any group. More information is available at
http://www.bcgcertification.org/aboutbcg/index.html.

Certified Genealogist, Certified Genealogical Lecturer, CG and CGL are proprietary service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) used by the Board to identify its program of genealogical competency and evaluation and used under license by the Board’s associates. The Board’s name is registered with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

# # # # # #

Contact Information:
Nicki Birch, CG, Executive Director for BCG office@BCGcertification.org
www.BCGcertification.org

Full disclosure: As a Certified Genealogist and Certified Genealogical Lecturer I am an associate of BCG. The fact that I voluntarily spend my time and money to be part of this group should clearly indicate how I feel about the group. But I would recommend the website and blog even if I were not an associate. I subscribed to OnBoard for many years before I submitted my application portfolio. I learned invaluable lessons and would expect the blog may offer similar benefits.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "New BCG blog: SpringBoard: News and Notes," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 20 January 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

CFP: Digital Frontiers 2013 at UNT

2013-01-20T11:32:00.001-06:00

I received this call for proposals along with a message that they would really like to have a genealogy panel:

Call for Proposals: Digital Frontiers 2013

The University of North Texas Digital Scholarship Co-Operative and UNT Libraries invite proposals for Digital Frontiers 2013, a conference that brings together the users and builders of digital resources for research and education.

Digital libraries provide unprecedented access to materials, and this has dramatically expanded the possibilities of primary source research in the humanities and related fields.

We seek submissions of individual papers, fully-constituted panels, birds-of-a-feather discussions, hands-on tutorials, or posters--all based on the use of digital archives, social media, and digital tools for humanities research.

We encourage contributions from anyone who creates or uses digital collections, including scholars, educators, genealogists, archivists, technologists, librarians, and students. The goals of this conference are to bring a broad community of users together to share their work across disciplinary and administrative boundaries, and to explore the value and impact that digital resources have on education and research.

Possible Topics

Specific ways digital libraries have changed the state of research

Digital tools and methods for conducting research

Using digital collections in the classroom

Using digital libraries for research on any humanities topic

Proposal Types
Digital Frontiers is accepting proposals for:

Individual papers

Panels or Roundtables

Birds-of-a-Feather Discussions

Hands-on Tutorials & Workshops

Academic Posters

For specific guidelines and further details, please visit http://digitalfrontiers.unt.edu/
Deadline: April 30, 2013

This is a great way for genealogists to let the record keepers know our wants and needs. What are your ideas for topics to be suggested?

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "CFP: Digital Frontiers 2013 at UNT," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 20 January 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

Advertising, Questionable Products, Terms of Use

2013-01-16T09:14:00.002-06:00

I don't have enough time to do all the things I want and need to do. I don't need more sites that waste my time and money.

I frequently send out the URL for http://snopes.com/ to family and friends when I get e-mail messages about something that may or may not be a scam. Snopes is my go-to place for finding the truth on scams and such.

While reading the blog posts linked below, I thought, maybe we need some kind of evaluation site for genealogical product offerings, especially websites. Then I found a comment that mentioned ReviewOpedia which I have not seen before. A search there for genealogy brings up three website names, only one of which has been reviewed by two people. A search for family history brings up nine website names, but several are for vehicles and not family history. I'm not sure who is behind ReviewOpedia, but I'd sure like to see a site with trustworthy evaluations of genealogical websites and products that are not written by someone paid to review the offering. Is there one I am not aware of?

With all the articles about the billions of dollars being spent on genealogical research, there will be more and more questionable offerings. These will be difficult to evaluate, especially by someone who is new to genealogy. While a company's offerings may be useful to some, everyone should carefully read and evaluate the marketing claims and the terms of service. Read the blog posts linked below.

Randy Seaver's GeneaMusings blog often has evaluations of sites and products with his personal observations and experiences. Be sure to read Randy's additions to the blog post linked below after Thomas MacEntee read the Terms of Service of the site being discussed.

For bloggers who display ads, you may want to check out who you are advertising for. These new companies being formed will sign up to get their ads displayed through the same channels as companies we all use and respect.

Randy Seaver's post "UPDATED: Genealogist Beware - Checking Out Genealogy... "¹ links to Christine Blythe's post "The Saga of Genealogy.... and Ancestor..."² [domain name endings removed so no URLs will be seen by indexers]. When I went to read Christine's post there was an ad displayed for a different domain name owned by the same company discussed in her blog post.

Who are you advertising for?

1. Randy Seaver, "UPDATED: Genealogist Beware - Checking Out Genealogy...," GeneaMusings Blog, posted 14 January 2013 (http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/01/genealogist-beware-checking-out.html : accessed 16 January 2013).
2. Christine Blythe, "The Saga of Genealogy.... and Ancestor...," Empty Nest Genealogy Blog, posted 15 January 2013 (http://www.emptynestancestry.com/2013/01/15/the-saga-of-genealogy-us-org-and-ancestor-us-org/ : accessed 16 January 2013).

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Advertising, Questionable Products, Terms of Use," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 16 January 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

16 January 2013: Corrected spelling of Christine's name and citations.

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

What DNA test do I take? Part 1

2013-01-09T11:21:00.000-06:00

What DNA test do I take?

This is the question I get most often when speaking on using DNA for genealogical research. It is impossible to answer the question as stated. Like so many questions, the answer is — it depends.

It depends on

what you want to learn, and
whether there is someone alive in the line of interest who is willing to provide a DNA sample.

You should also be aware that taking a DNA test isn't going to knock down all of your genealogical roadblocks. It takes a lot of work to analyze the results and correlate the information with your traditional research to reach a soundly reasoned conclusion.

If you are just curious, I recommend testing as much as you can afford as soon as you can. Your choices are between a Y-DNA test if you are male or can get a male relative to test, a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) test, and an autosomal DNA (atDNA) test. An autosomal test usually has a name like FamilyFinder, Relative Finder, or AncestryDNA. Do all of the tests if you are curious and can afford it.

With a Y-DNA test you can learn about the direct paternal line — the tester's father's father's father and so on back through time. You may have an exact match with someone where your common ancestor is many generations back. You can also prove there is no link between the tester and another man.

With an mtDNA test you can learn about the direct maternal line — the tester's mother's mother's mother and so on back through time. You may have an exact match with someone where your common ancestor is many, many, many generations back. You can also prove there is no link between the tester and another person.

With an atDNA test you can learn about all lines of descent, but only back five or so generations. Farther back than that is iffy because of the way DNA is inherited. Two people can be related far back in time, but not show much matching autosomal DNA.

All of these tests may give you clues on how to focus your research to get further back, but you still have to do the traditional research. Each test can provide information to answer focused questions related to genealogy. The Y-DNA and mtDNA tests are available in several different resolutions. In some cases you may only need a low resolution, low cost test. In other situations you may need the highest resolution, higher cost test. But you can't determine which is needed until you know what you want to learn.

Don't be confused by companies who offer kinship tests using the markers used by law enforcement. For Y-DNA, mtDNA, and atDNA genealogical tests check out Family Tree DNA. For atDNA tests, including some information on health-related markers, check out 23andMe. Ancestry.com used to offer all three types of test. It is difficult to find anything on their site now other than the AncestryDNA atDNA test, but be aware they don't yet provide access to your raw DNA data which is absolutely necessary to do detailed analysis.

This will be an ongoing series detailing specific genealogical questions with recommendations for the tests that may help.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "What DNA test do I take? Part 1," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 9 January 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

Michael Hait's U.S. Census Pathfinder

2012-12-23T09:25:00.001-06:00

Michael Hait has a new free e-book that will be useful to every genealogist:

United States Federal Census Pathfinder

He includes clickable links to general information on the census and specific information on each U.S. census through 1940, extraction forms, educational articles, and more. Thanks, Michael, for a great resource.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Michael Hait's U.S. Census Pathfinder," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 23 December 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

14 Jan 2013: Typographical error corrected.

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

NASA Pub: Earth as Art

2012-12-23T09:13:00.001-06:00

WOW! Sometimes our tax dollars are used to add beauty to our lives.

This is not really a genealogy-related post except maybe peripherally. But it is a subject dear to my heart so ...

As beautiful as earth can be from land-bound eye level, it is even more fascinating when seen from above, especially high above. Years ago I would sit mesmerized watching the NASA channel as it broadcast the view from the window of the space shuttle. Even when I should have been doing something more productive, I couldn't tear my eyes away from the beautiful images on the screen and the game of trying to figure out where on earth this feature was. I haven't seen this series on the NASA channel recently. I wish NASA would reinstitute the feed of images from the space shuttle missions. For me, this is much better than most of the "reality" shows some of us watch.

There are beautiful images of earth from space illustrated and described in "Earth As Art" created by NASA.¹ I learned of this publication on the Free Technology for Teachers blog. This is a blog useful to every genealogist who writes (all of us, right?) or does presentations.

As beautiful as the NASA images are as art, don't skip over the descriptions which explain the colors and important features in each image. This image is a portion I cropped from an image of the Lena River Delta in Russia.² Compare it to the image of the Mississippi River Delta in the U.S. on pages 84–85 of the book.

The images might be useful as art on Powerpoint slides (faded as background images or cropped for a border decoration or as a bullet image) or for a presentation on interesting place names (like Lake Disappointment, Australia) or if you happen to have ancestral events in one of the locations depicted on the images shown (like the Mississippi River).

I'm not a lawyer. You should confirm status of the images before using them. But, in general, creations of the U.S. government are considered to be in the public domain. The book has no copyright statement included and does not indicate any restrictions on use. But be sure to properly cite the images to avoid plagiarism.

1. Lawrence Freidl, et al., Earth as Art (Washington, D.C.: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2012); electronic edition (http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/703154main_earth_art-ebook.pdf : accessed 23 December 2012).

2.Cropped portion of "Lena River Delta, Russia," Lawrence Freidl, et al., Earth as Art (Washington, D.C.: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2012), 76–77; electronic edition (http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/703154main_earth_art-ebook.pdf : accessed 23 December 2012).

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "NASA Pub: Earth as Art," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 23 December 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

Harold Henderson on Writing

2012-12-22T08:59:00.000-06:00

I just read a great article with tips on writing your genealogical research from Harold Henderson titled Why We Don't Write, and How We Can.

There is a lot of good info in the article. I especially like the comparison to buffalo hunters and Harold's "Three Ps of Genealogy:"

Prove our conclusions
Propagate our findings
Preserve our information

In addition to his articles at Archives.com, check out Harold's writings at Midwestern Microhistory: A Genealogy Blog. This is one of my must-read blogs.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Harold Henderson on Writing," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 22 December 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

1871 Gun Laws in Texas

2012-12-19T09:56:00.000-06:00

In several Texas counties I have run across county court minutes and commissioner's court minutes where a man was being fined for carrying a gun in the 1870s. This surprised me as Texas has a reputation, even today, as a place where gun rights are supreme.

Even in 1871, when some Texas counties were still experiencing "incursions of hostile Indians," Texans passed a law prohibiting the carrying of firearms, as well as "dirk, dagger, slung shot [sic], sword cane, spear, brass-knuckles, bowie-knife, or any other kind of knife manufactured and sold for the purposes of offense and defense," in certain locations, including schools and churches. I suspect many of the men in the legislature at that time still needed a firearm to put food on the table, not just for target practice or to shoot snakes while they were jogging.

Here's the 1871 law:

An Act to regulate the keeping and bearing of deadly weapons.

Sec. 3. If any person shall go into any church or religious assembly, any school room, or other place where persons are assembled for amusement or for educational or scientific purposes, or into any circus, show, or public exhibition of any kind, or into a ball room, social party, or social gathering, or to any election precinct on the day or days of any election, where any portion of the people of this State are collected to vote at any election, or to any other place where people may be assembled to muster, or to perform any other public duty, (except as may be required or permitted by law,) or to any other public assembly, and shall have or carry about his person a pistol or other firearm, dirk, dagger, slung shot, sword cane, spear, brass-knuckles, bowie-knife, or any other kind of knife manufactured and sold for the purposes of offense and defense, unless an officer of the peace, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall, for the first offense, be punished by fine of not less than fifty, nor more than five hundred dollars, and shall forfeit to the county the weapon or weapons so found on his person; and for every subsequent offense may, in addition to such fine and forfeiture, be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not more than ninety days.

Sec. 4. This act shall not apply to, nor be enforced in any county of the State, which may be designated, in a proclamation of the Governor, as a frontier county. and liable to incursions of hostile Indians.¹

This blog has comments moderated to prevent spammers and wackos from using it as a platform. This post is not designed to generate a gun safety discussion here. But, in light of recent events in Connecticut, understanding our history may help us come to more reasonable conclusions on how things should be done today. Think about it.

Remembering those who lost their lives, those who lost loved ones, and those who responded to the horrific crime in Newtown.

1. H. P. N. Gammel, comp., The Laws of Texas, 1822-1897, 10 vols. (Austin: Gammel Book Co., 1898), 6:25-26, "An Act to regulate the keeping and bearing of deadly weapons," approved 12 April 1871, "General Laws of Texas, 1871; digital images, University of North Texas, The Portal to Texas History (http://texinfo.library.unt.edu/lawsoftexas/ : accessed 14 September 2005).

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "1871 Gun Laws in Texas," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 19 December 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

Family Tree DNA 2012 Holiday Sale

2012-11-13T18:21:00.001-06:00

As the Project Administrator for the Texas State Genealogical Society Project (TXStateGS) at Family Tree DNA one of my responsibilities is to notify members and prospective members of upcoming and ongoing sales.

If you've been waiting for a good sale before ordering a DNA test, the time is now. Family Tree DNA has great tools to help analyze your DNA data. They provide full access to all of your DNA data; after all, it is YOUR DNA. They have great Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) lists to provide all the information most of us need. If you can't find your answer in the FAQ there are helpful customer service reps available through telephone support. Best of all, the company founders are genealogists who understand us and our needs.

Here is the 2012 "Holiday DNA Sale" notice with big discounts offered:

As we ended our 8th Annual Genetic Genealogy Conference, several conference participants asked us to start our year-end sale as soon as possible. In answer to those requests we decided to start it immediately:

New Kits Current Price SALE PRICE

Y-DNA 37 ~~$169~~ $119

Y-DNA 67 ~~$268~~ $199

mtDNAPlus ~~$159~~ $139

mtFullSequence (FMS) ~~$299~~ $199

SuperDNA (Y-DNA 67 and mtFullSequence) ~~$548~~ $398

Family Finder ~~$289~~ $199

Family Finder + mtDNAPlus ~~$438~~ $318

Family Finder + mtFullSequence ~~$559~~ $398

Family Finder
+ Y-DNA 37 ~~$438~~ $318

Comprehensive
(FF + FMS + Y-67) ~~$837~~ $597

Upgrades Current Price SALE PRICE

Y-Refine 12-25 Marker ~~$59~~ $35

Y-Refine 12-37 Marker ~~$109~~ $69

Y-Refine 12-67 Marker ~~$199~~ $148

Y-Refine 25-37 Marker ~~$59~~ $35

Y-Refine 25-67 Marker ~~$159~~ $114

Y-Refine 37-67 Marker ~~$109~~ $79

Y-Refine 37-111 Marker ~~$220~~ $188

Y-Refine 67-111 Marker ~~$129~~ $109

mtHVR1toMega ~~$269~~ $179

mtHVR2toMega ~~$239~~ $179

mtFullSequence Add-on ~~$289~~ $199

To order this special offer, log in to your personal page and click on the Order An Upgrade button in the upper right corner. A link to the login page is provided below. ALL ORDERS MUST BE PLACED AND PAID FOR BY MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012 11:59:00 PM CST TO RECEIVE THE SALE PRICES. ...

Click here to order a new kit and join the Texas State Genealogical Society Project at the same time.

If you are already a Family Tree DNA customer, login using your kit number and password to order an upgrade.

New customers can also order a test without joining a project, but you may miss some special project discounts and assistance offered by project administrators.

Be sure to order and pay for the upgrade before the end of the year to get these special prices.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Family Tree DNA 2012 Holiday Sale," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 13 November 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

DNA Two-fer Becomes a Three-fer

2012-11-08T10:30:00.000-06:00

I am constantly reminded about what a small world we live in and how we can all be related in more recent times as well as once we go back thousands of years. This is another example of why it is so important to trace the FAN club (Friends, Associates, Neighbors) even when it hasn't been a line of primary interest before DNA testing came along. I also suspect having access to the raw DNA data will be critical as I work on this problem.

A few months ago I wrote about a two-fer with a new DNA match at Family Tree DNA. I recently found out I have a three-fer with this same family. We haven't yet identified the third line my family members share with this other family, but there obviously is one on the "step" side of the family. I hope the diagram makes these relationships more clear.

In this case female #1 represented by the green circle (F#1 J) and female #2 represented by the orange circle (F #2 N) both had multiple partners represented by the squares. In the earlier post I discussed how Y, K, and Z match on the Ryan line. Y's Ryan line is through the mother J. Z's Ryan line is through the father K.

Y's Hurt line is through the father R. M, who is the second husband of N, has a Hurt line. So Y has matches to both partners of N and the child of N. None of these people knew each other before they matched on the Family Finder DNA test. We found this link back in August.

X is the half-sister to Y—same mother, different father. X also shares the Ryan line through her mother J and should match Z whose Ryan line is through her father K.

But now that X's results are back we also find she is related to N. This link is likely through X's father A. Knowing about the ancestry of N may provide information about the paternal ancestry of X even though we know very little about her paternal line at this time.

To summarize:

X and Y are half-siblings

Y matches Z on the Ryan line

Y should match M on the Hurt line once M's results are back

X matches N on an unknown line likely through A

X matches Z on the Ryan line

Three groups of children related in different ways to two women and the four men those women have partnered with during the last sixty years. Wow! Is this cool or what? I suspect our blended families will result in more and more multiple links between families as we explore what we can learn from DNA testing. And none of us knew or suspected each other before DNA matched us up.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "DNA Two-fer Becomes a Three-fer," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 8 November 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [DATE]).

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

Family Tree DNA Flash Weekend Sale

2012-09-28T08:19:00.000-05:00

Family Tree DNA is offering a "Flash Weekend Sale." Order before midnight, Sunday, September 30, for these great prices. This information is from their announcement:

It seems every time we run a flash sale a few people e-mail us days later they were traveling, sick or just had not looked at their e-mails in time, so for all of you who want to entice a friend, neighbor or reluctant relative to get involved in Genetic Genealogy here's one more opportunity, but it will last for only 72 hours.

We are gearing this sale for newcomers and upgrades by promoting the Family Finder and the Full Mitochondria Sequence (FMS). This sale starts Friday, September 28, at 12:00am and ends Sunday, September 30, at 11:59PM.

New Kits Current Price     SALE PRICE

Family Finder ~~$289~~ $199

mtFullSequence ~~$299~~ $199

Family Finder + mtFullSequence     ~~$559~~ $398

Upgrades Current Price     SALE PRICE

Family Finder ~~$289~~ $199

HVR1 to mtFullSequence     ~~$269~~ $199

HVR2 to mtFullSequence ~~$239~~ $199

mtFullSequence ~~$289~~ $199

As with all promotions, orders need to be placed by the end of the sale and payment must be made by end of this sale. Learn More.

Order from the Family Tree DNA website.

If you need help deciding which test to order, see the Family Tree DNA website or my notes.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Family Tree DNA Flash Weekend Sale," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 28 September 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

Review: Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA

2012-08-29T21:36:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading Richard Hill's new book, Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA.¹

Richard announced the book a few days ago on one of the DNA mailing lists I read. At first I could only find a link he provided to createspace.com, an Amazon company. My first search at Amazon didn't find the book. I didn't want to create another login for createspace.com so I hesitated to order the book. The next day I was able to order the book through my normal Amazon login. A few days later I received the book and I read it in one sitting. You always hear the exaggeration, "I couldn't put it down." I did put it down a couple of times to run down the hall for a break. Other than that, "I couldn't put it down."

I have not met Richard Hill, but I heard him speak at the 2011 Family Tree DNA Project Administrator's Conference. Richard's search for his biological parents was covered in stories in 2009 in The Grand Rapids (Michigan) News ² and The Wall Street Journal.³ At the DNA conference Richard told us his story. It is an interesting and compelling story. This new book incorporates details that occurred after the 2011 DNA conference. These new findings make the story even more compelling for everyone. Genealogists striving to meet the Genealogical Proof Standard⁴ will find some excellent examples in Richard's search process and in reviewing his analysis.

I don't want to spoil the ending. I'll just say Richard's story demonstrates:

why we need a research log to track our project;
the importance of a reasonably exhaustive search, why DNA is an integral part of a reasonably exhaustive search today, how persistence and serendipity can both be an important part of the search;
how to analyze and correlate information, assessing its quality as evidence, giving up assumptions and pre-conceived notions, finding the kernel of truth in a family story—and the lies and half-truths we all run into;
using evidence to resolve conflicts, propose logical reasons for the conflict, reveal facts indirectly, and point us to other research avenues;
and arrive at a soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusion.

Richard's book may not fully meet the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) because it does not include the complete and accurate source citations genealogists expect in scholarly publications. There aren't any footnotes or endnotes for citations. We can't judge the quality of some of the sources or the full extent of the research as some common records aren't mentioned. We do see the importance of persistence in requesting the same record multiple times. We see the problems encountered when the records most likely to give an answer are closed or not available. We see creative thinking to get around these problems. We learn how to interpret several kinds of DNA reports. We see the use of multiple sources to prove facts.

But this isn't meant to be published in a scholarly journal. It's meant to be a readable story that inspires and guides adoptees and genealogists about how to use DNA for family history. There is information on his sources in the narrative. Most of the sources are those same ones genealogists use every day: family stories, the Social Security Death Index, newspapers, court records, city directories. The exclusion of source citations is a deficiency when measuring against the GPS. But this is Richard's search story, not a compiled family history or genealogical narrative where this would be a major flaw. And when a story includes living persons in a sensitive situation, we do have to be careful what is published.

The writing keeps you in the story. The characters, living and deceased, make you want to know them or know more about them. The personalities of the people in the story come through. Each chapter ends with a statement that draws you into the subject of the next chapter. It's a good read; most researchers will learn something; many will be inspired. I think that meets Richard's goals in writing the book.

Richard teaches about the sensitivity needed when working with adoptees:

Adoption is inherently a two-sided coin. On one side, there is gratitude that a nice family chose to raise you as their own. On the flip side, there's a sense of loss. Your birth parents had to give you up for this to happen. {p. 9}

I was beginning to see that there was a lot of curiosity about lost relatives from both sides of the adoption wall. {p. 81}

I knew that some birth parents did not appreciate being found by the children they had conceived. {p. 111}

This book is a perfect illustration of how genealogical conclusions must change as new evidence comes to light. In my opinion, it is also a perfect complement to a recent discussion on the Transitional Genealogists Forum mail list about using DNA as part of the Genealogical Proof Standard.

The so-called "Genealogical Proof Standard" promulgated in The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual is in fact described in that work as a credibility standard. Genealogical evidence that meets that standard—whether documentary or DNA—when properly explained, should be sufficient to convince most reasonable people that the conclusion drawn from it is in accord with reality. However, there will always be some who are still doubters, while only a portion of the evidence would be enough to convince others.
...
These days DNA evidence is among the types of evidence a knowledgeable researcher would seek, and so is within the scope of the reasonably exhaustive search, if suitable donors can be identified and consent to testing. If none can be found, the "reasonably exhaustive search" requirement has been satisfied, and the paper evidence can stand on its own, without the confirming support or conflicting evidence the DNA samples might provide.

I understand DNA evidence to be one more part of the mix, to be considered along with everything else on the basis of its relative credibility compared to the other items of evidence. Y-DNA and mtDNA matches can provide supporting, but not conclusive, evidence of relationships, but mismatches can upset them conclusively.

And don't forget the cautionary note that needs to accompany the GPS:

Conclusions that meet the GPS are always subject to reconsideration when new evidence is discovered.

The GPS doesn't provide finality, even though that's what many are looking for.⁵

The genealogical paper trail and the DNA evidence must be used in conjunction: we analyze and correlate all of the information we gather. Richard illustrates that well.

I have to admit that, as a Texan, I was surprised when Richard described how he had been warned "not to mistake Dale's strong Texas accent for a lack of intelligence" {p. 183} and by the fact that not everyone in the U.S. knows about the domino game called 42 {p. 202}. But then I don't know anything about euchre, apparently big in Michigan. And I worked very hard to soften my Texas drawl when I started teaching international and national students. My Texas accent was hard on the New Yorkers and Scotsmen, and vice versa. We tend to forget that, even with the homogenous landscape we live in today, with a McDonald's and a Walgreen's on every corner, there are still a lot of regional differences. I embrace those differences even when they do surprise me. Those differences keep life interesting.

Disclaimer: Richard Hill and I are "friends" on social media sites, but not personal friends. I link to publications on his website http://www.dna-testing-adviser.com/ where he publishes information useful to genealogists and adoptees using DNA for family history research. He is the author of the free e-book Guide to DNA Testing: How to Identify Ancestors and Confirm Relationships through DNA Testing; A Plain-English Overview for Genealogists, Adoptees and Everyone Else.

I did not receive a free copy of Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA; I paid full retail for it. Money well spent. I recommend you do the same.

Added after initial post: I forgot to state above that Richard's process also clearly demonstrates something I state in all my presentations: the DNA test results indicate statistically how likely something is to be true. But random events don't always perfectly match statistical probabilities. The actual relationships must be determined using the DNA data and the documentary evidence. But you should be able to correlate the evidence to explain why a situation outside the probabilities is likely to be true.

1. Richard Hill, Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA (n.p.: self-published, 2012); available on Amazon.com. An e-Book version should be available soon.
2. Pat Shellenberger, "Rockford man uses DNA testing, Internet searches to find his birth father," 21 June 2009, the Grand Rapids (Michigan) News (http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/06/rockford_man_uses_dna_testing.html : accessed 29 August 2012).
3. Gautam Naik, "Family Secrets: An Adopted Man's 26-Year Quest for His Father," 2 May 2009, The Wall Street Journal ( http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124121920060978695.html : accessed 29 August 2012).
4. Christine Rose, Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case, 3d ed. (San Jose, California: CR Publications, 2009).
5. Donn Devine, "DNA - proof or just indication?," slightly modified version of a TGF mail list message, 18 August 2012, (http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM/2012-08/1345179394 and http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM/2012-08/1345276256 : 28 August 2012 modification and permission to use to Debbie Parker Wayne along with the cautionary note).

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Review: Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 29 August 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

J. Mark Lowe, CG, East Texas Seminar

2012-08-28T13:23:00.000-05:00

J. Mark Lowe, Certified Genealogist, will present a workshop and seminar soon for East Texas Genealogical Society in Tyler, Texas. Registration starts one-half hour before the presentations. Walk-ins are welcome, but pre-register to be sure you get handouts and choice of lunch.

Friday evening from 7-9:00 p.m., "Following a Case Through Court Workshop"
Learn the basic of the legal system. Understand the process of following a case through court including dockets, orders, depositions, etc. Find the key to solving a problem using these records.

Saturday seminar, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

1. Locating Civil War Ancestors - Discover the records of your Yankee or Rebel ancestor. Learn more about compiled military service records, pensions and more.

2. Finding Uncle John by Talking to the Neighbors - Using census records, manuscripts, and land records, learn details about your ancestor's neighborhood and the people with whom they worked, prayed, fought and married.

3. Cemeteries as a Genealogical Resource - We often overlook obvious clues as we walk through a cemetery. Whether town or country, enjoy this look at ways to learn more from our ancestors through gravestones and cemeteries.

4. Just Talkin' or Oral History & Genealogy - Talking with family members will help you gain additional information about the family. Learn how to conduct an effective interview, how to follow-up, and how to document the information

Mark is an entertaining and informative genealogical speaker. Click these links for a map of the location and PDF version of the flyer. You won't find a more economical workshop or seminar where you will learn so much while having such fun.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "J. Mark Lowe, CG, East Texas Seminar," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 28 August 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

RIP: Neil Armstrong, Moonwalker

2012-08-26T10:16:00.000-05:00

Neil deGrasse Tyson tweeted last night, "Men Walk On Moon - The only positive event in the last 50 yrs for which everyone remembers where they were when it happened." (I don't tweet. I learned about this message from a Wall Street Journal blog post.)

I thought about that and realized he was right. All the other big events I remember were bad things. The assassination of Kennedy—the first political event I remember. Learning of the death of relatives. Hearing about and seeing terrorist attacks perpetrated by both foreign and American-born terrorists.

Why do we remember the bad things so vividly? Why don't the great things make connections in our minds? Most women have strong memories of childbirth. That is both a good event and a painful time so still fits the theory. As our grandmas pass down memories of family events, how many good things get lost to time? We lose some of the stories of disreputable ancestors when grandma purposefully doesn't tell them. But how many good stories had she forgotten?

Where's the time machine when we need it? Maybe a time machine is a dream. But the only possibility of ever seeing one depends on the kind of research done to explore space. Here's to the future Moonwalkers and Marswalkers that my genealogist descendant may research and that Neil Armstong will inspire.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "RIP: Neil Armstrong, Moonwalker," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 26 August 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

Upcoming DNA Presentations

2012-08-25T12:34:00.000-05:00

In the next three months I will be presenting "GATA GACC! DNA and Genetic Genealogy Today" in several different Texas cities. I'd love to see you at one of these events and see what you think of my unique images to illustrate DNA inheritance patterns.

Monday, September 17, 5:00 p.m., Angelina County Genealogical Society, Kurth Memorial Library, 706 South Raguet Street, Lufkin, Texas – http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txacgs/

Saturday, October 6, 11:00 a.m., Dallas Genealogical Society, J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas Texas – http://www.dallasgenealogy.org/

Saturday, October 20, 1:00 p.m. – plenty of time for questions during a two-hour DNA session as part of an all-day seminar starting at 9:00 a.m., Fort Bend County / George Memorial Library, 1001 Golfview, Richmond, Texas – http://www.fortbend.lib.tx.us/

Friday, November 2, time TBD, Texas State Genealogical Society Annual Conference – http://txsgs.org/

I will also be covering "Forensic Techniques for Genetic Genealogy" at the Forensic Genealogy Institute of the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy on October 25–27. The institute requires pre-registration and has closed enrollment for this session. Check their site for future institute offerings – http://www.forensicgenealogists.com/

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Upcoming DNA Presentations," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 25 August 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

The Informed DNA Tester

2012-08-25T10:31:00.000-05:00

Disclaimer: The following represents my opinions. I've spoken and written little publicly about the issue of Ancestry.com not providing raw DNA data to their genetic genealogy customers, here, in several posts on mail lists, in DNA presentations, and in private messages. I try to be fair when stating my objections to policies and actions of a company whose product I use every day. I don't use their DNA products or put family trees on their site. I make extensive use of their databases and record images. I analyze DNA data from Ancestry for clients and family members and compare it to the results from other companies when enough information is provided to allow this. I pay standard subscription rates for all services from Ancestry. I do not receive free access or services from them or from any other DNA company.

I believe it is important to test with a company that gives you full access to your DNA data. The graphical tools provided by the testing companies allow only the most superficial analysis of the data. The raw DNA data can be used in many utilities and by knowledgeable genetic genealogists to help you learn more about your family history. Isn't that the main reason you took the DNA test?

Ancestry.com, under the name AncestryDNA, offers genetic genealogy tests. Even though their policy states you own your data, they do not provide the raw data results to you. Having access to the raw data is important, not only because it is your data and you can learn more by analyzing the raw data. When an error occurs, as is possible in any human endeavor, the error can be caught quickly when we see the actual data. When all we see is a graphical representation of that data, as interpreted by a proprietary algorithm, it is difficult to determine the cause of an unexpected result. The genetic genealogy community has helped quickly resolve problems in the past by analyzing the raw DNA data and seeing illogical results.

In my opinion, every customer of Ancestry should demand the raw DNA data be made available to them. For details of a specific problem that brings this point home, see these blog posts:

CeCe Moore, "AncestryDNA: Confusing Relationship Predictions and Adoptees," Your Genetic Genealogist blog, posted 21 August 2012 (http://www.yourgeneticgenealogist.com/2012/08/ancestrydna-confusing-relationship.html : accessed 21 August 2012).

CeCe Moore, "Follow Up: Lab Error Responsible for Adoptee's Confusing Match at AncestryDNA," Your Genetic Genealogist blog, posted 24 August 2012 (http://www.yourgeneticgenealogist.com/2012/08/follow-up-on-ancestrydna-and-adoptees.html : accessed 24 August 2012).
Be sure to scroll down and read Tim Jantzen's comment about contacting the Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues if Ancestry refuses to provide your raw data to you. Debbie Kennett's comment and the link below to her blog raise a separate issue.

Emily Aulicino, "Autosomal Testing: Genetic Genealogy's Current Buzz-Word," dna - genealem's genetic genealogy blog, posted 24 August 2012 (http://genealem-geneticgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/08/autosomal-testing-genetic-genealogys.html : accessed 24 August 2012).

If Ancestry does not make the raw data available I will not recommend them to my friends, colleagues, or clients. I now feel justified in making this statement publicly. Ancestry does a lot of good by providing indexes and images to genealogical researchers. I believe their policy is wrong in their handling of DNA testing and results. Ancestry may choose to continue their current policies. Many in the genetic genealogy community think that is not a wise decision and will hinder growth of our knowledge of human genetics as relates to family history research.

In addition to the problem of not providing raw DNA data to the person tested, Ancestry does not indicate on the first page of the activation form that one of the check boxes gives permission to participate in an optional research program. Every customer should carefully read both the "Consent Agreement" and the "Terms and Conditions" before checking the boxes. I feel sorry for customers who do not take the time to perform this important action and blindly agree to something they may not want.

You are required to agree to the "Terms and Conditions" to activate the DNA test. If you agree to the "Consent Agreement," as is your choice, you are granting broad rights allowing Ancestry to

perform genetic tests on the DNA using test methods available now and developed in the future
...
and to use, host, sublicense and distribute the resulting analysis to the extent and in the form or context we deem appropriate on or through any media or medium and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed or discovered.¹

Even though some of this is standard legalese here in the U.S., it seems pretty far reaching where DNA is concerned. We are still learning about DNA; giving this much control to a public corporation is something to consider carefully before agreeing. Check out these blogs for more information from those who have tested at Ancestry. For now, I prefer to spend my money at companies that understand the results of a DNA test belong to me, including the raw DNA data.

Roberta Estes, "Ancestry’s Consent Form for AncestryDNA Autosomal Test," DNAeXplained blog, posted 16 August 2012 (http://dna-explained.com/2012/08/16/ancestrys-consent-form-for-ancestrydna-autosomal-test/ : accessed 18 August 2012).

Debbie Kennett, "My Ancestry autosomal DNA test Part I: Consent forms and admixture analyses," Cruwys news blog, posted 21 August 2012 (http://cruwys.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/my-ancestry-autosomal-dna-test-part-i.html : accessed 22 August 2012).

Debbie Kennett, "My Ancestry autosomal DNA test Part 2: The matching process," Cruwys news blog, posted 22 August 2012 (http://cruwys.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/my-ancestry-autosomal-dna-test-part-2.html : accessed 22 August 2012).

1. AncestryDNA, "Information and Consent Form," (http://dna.ancestry.com/legal/consentAgreement.aspx : accessed 25 August 2012).

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "The Informed DNA Tester," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 25 August 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]). Or you can link to the individual post.

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

Family Tree DNA 72 Hour Sale

2012-08-23T09:20:00.001-05:00

Today Family Tree DNA announced a 72-hour sale.

There are only two options for this sale:

Family Finder + Y-DNA 12 for $249
Family Finder + mtDNA for $249

Orders must be placed and paid for by August 25th. For more information see http://www.familytreedna.com/family-finder-compare.aspx

To order through the Texas State Genealogical Society (TxStateGS) project use this link http://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?code=C91769&Group=TXStateGS

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

23andMe DNA Melody

2012-08-17T10:01:00.000-05:00

I woke this morning to e-mail from 23andMe with the message:

Hear the music in you! 23andMe has developed a lab that creates a melody from your genetic data. Hear the melodies of your 23andMe connections and share yours with friends and family.

You can hear the music made by my DNA if you go to:

https://www.23andme.com/published/labs/music/ced3d58ae6944ed5/56f8df3b48e88234/

I've always loved the sound of dulcimers. This tool also allows you to hear piano, classical guitar, koto (apparently a Japanese zither according to Wikipedia), marimba, sitar, and steel drums. This steel drums are kind of cool, too.

The rhythm of the melody is based on eye color and height traits in the DNA. Pitch is based on markers for earwax type and photic sneeze response. My maternal haplogroup, U5b1d, determines the key used. Then the listener can choose the instrument that provides the timbre. (Photic sneeze response is a trait where sunlight triggers a sneeze. My husband always told me looking directly at a light would make me sneeze when I am sitting there feeling a sneeze coming on, but it just doesn't come. I always thought he was crazy until I found out it was a real thing.)

This is a cool new tool offered by 23andMe. There is one enhancement I hope they add. On my login page I can listen to the different music made by my DNA and the DNA of others whose tests I administer. I can hear the difference between me and my sister. But when I make my DNA music, then make my sisters, her music page overwrites mine. Apparently there is only one music page per account and not one per person tested. It would be so cool to send my sister a link that would let her listen to both of us and compare. I'll investigate further to see if I can find a way around this limitation.

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

Caution: What Permission Will You Give Ancestry to Use Your DNA Results?

2012-08-16T09:37:00.000-05:00

Anyone who is having a DNA test performed at AncestryDNA (Ancestry.com's DNA arm) should first read the consent agreement. Do you want to give this much discretion to Ancestry? If not, do not check this box when you register your kit.

Roberta Estes discusses this in her DNA Explained blog article "Ancestry’s Consent Form for AncestryDNA Autosomal Test."¹

I have not yet taken a DNA test at Ancestry. They don't provide the raw data to testers. This is MY DNA data, not Ancestry's. I am paying for the test. I want all of the data. As I indicate in my DNA presentations, I suspect Ancestry will be forced in the future to provide this data to testers as their competitors Family Tree DNA and 23andMe do. I am hesitant to give any of my money to Ancestry until they change their policy. And I won't be agreeing to allowing Ancestry to use my results for whatever they or whoever owns the company in the future may decide is a good idea.

1. Roberta Estes, "Ancestry’s Consent Form for AncestryDNA Autosomal Test," DNA Explained Blog, posted 16 August 2012 (http://dna-explained.com/2012/08/16/ancestrys-consent-form-for-ancestrydna-autosomal-test/ : accessed 16 August 2012).

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Caution: What Permission Will You Give Ancestry to Use Your DNA Results?," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 16 August 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

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