[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] DNA Testing?

[Otto]

Good morning Listers!
The question has been asked many times.  I've wanted to submit a reply but did not take time to do so. . . so many e-letters to type. 
But then, perhaps I just procrastinate.

I know there are many on the List and also SGGEE members who have taken the test I am discussing here, one I feel is a helper to paper-trail research. The participants can speak for themselves. I am willing to answer questions limited to this test and its use but will do so privately.

I am involved in both paper-trail and DNA research and receive the same delight from a new paper record of a past relative of mine as from a DNA match without a paper. The signature of a g.g.g. grandfather on paper, Wow.-the DNA genetic shift because of just one marital union, Wow.
This is today, we cannot have the chicken without the egg. Both is better. Like a right and left hand washing dishes. SGGEE and 23andMe, a symbiotic relationship.

The question that has come to the fore ofttimes, "Of what value is DNA testing?
There must be a value because the field is growing tremendously.

DNA testing proves to be an adjunct to paper-trail research.
Paper-trail research proves to be an adjunct to DNA trail research.
I see no difference between the two. . . except DNA records are more accurate.

Paper-trail offers a written legal pedigree, that is, in accordance with all the relevant rules.
DNA offers a biological pedigree (we must view ourselves as a lump of information, code; no bluffing in the code).
I always think of a stateside cartoon series (the funny paper) of the past; Popeye, the sailer-man and his saying, "I yam what I yam and tha's all what I yam."  So goes it with DNA testing.

"What benefit is DNA testing for paper-trail genealogy?"
Civil paper records "state" I am my father's son. They are my legal identification.
*note: A woman on the DNA site enjoyed the test so much (all of that info!) but not possessing a Y chromosome (female are X~X, no male Y~X) badgered her paper-trail father into taking the test, paid for it as a stimulus. He finally agreed. She waited impatiently for the results-they finally arrived!  No match. . . not your father. . .Time to talk to Mom. 
DNA biological records prove it out. They are biological identification.
DNA testing has released many persons wrongly convicted on criminal charges.

Types of DNA testing:
"STR" testing for "Haplotype" will prove out that I am my son's father.
Short Tandem Repeats -STR, a favorite in forensics.

and 23andMe spit-testing
"SNP" testing for "Haplogroup" (23andme) will provide a 23 chromosome, 1,000,000 + markers big picture test leading into the distant past.
Single Nucleotide polymorphism -SNPs,  valuable in study of disease development and critical in personalized medicine. For genealogy purposes it provides a 23 chromosome based view of what genes a person is knit from. 

-It creates a "Y-Haplogroup", based on the Y chromosome which contains markers passed from father to father to father into the distant past.

My Y-Haplogroup is R1b1b2a1a1*, the base group is "R" and each character after the initial R represents a mutation, for example, 1-b-1-b-2-a-1-a-1-*,  the asterisk marks an as of yet unclassified mutation.  I refer to it as Mother Nature's latest software code update.

-it creates a mtDNA-Haplogroup, based on the DNA of mitochondria in the red blood cells, passed from mother to mother to mother and so on into the distant past.

My mtDNA-Haplogroup is H1, the base group is "H" and each character after the initial H represents a mutation.

So. . . What has it offered me besides my health scenario. . . (Yo! Mon!-Sheesh, I thought so. . . now I know it for sure and live accordingly)
Health includes Health Risks, Drug Response, Inherited Conditions, Traits, Health Tools

DNA testing pointed me to the shorelines of the North Sea and beyond, laying claim to being an ancient inhabitant of Doggerland, now lying beneath the North Sea since the last glacial meltdown.  This immediately redirected my paper-trail research to the Baltic Sea coast and west to the North Sea coast.  The "Cluster Effect" came to the fore as I searched for similar peoples moving along the coast to eastern territories. I am making headway-"can't know where you are going until you know where you coming from."

What else did genetic testing with 23andme provide for me?
-It provided me with my "Ancestry Composition"- My mixed gene bag of who I really am. Amazing!
-It provided me with my "Maternal Line" History (research can also be conducted online (google, Wiki,etc) using just the haplogroup characters)
-It provided me with my "Paternal Line" History (ditto)
-It provide me with my "Neanderthal Ancestry" (2.6%. . . my deceased wife always accused me of carrying some markers-I accused her family of carrying many markers. . . her brother tested Y-haplogroup R1b1b2a1a1. . . @ 2.9% Neanderthal (yeh! I knew it!)
Well, I at least remain the latest haplogroup update. . .*)

-"Ancestry Tools" box has a variety of algorithms to play with-I like "Global Similarity."

-It provided me (to date)  "DNA Relatives.", with 766 biological relatives.
Some are paper-trail verified-(They must also be spit-tested and part of the database group.)
A few verified paper-trailers follow:
I ran 23andme application ("Family Traits" algorithm) and tested myself against myself. . . Yup! 100% me.  "I yam what I yam and tha's all what I yam." 
I ran their application (algorithm) and tested myself against my son. . .50% me. (it is my son!)
I ran their application (algorithm) and tested myself against my first cousin. .  Yup! 1st cousin maternal side!
I ran their application (algorithm) and tested myself against my 3rd cousin. . . 3rd cousin he is!

-Without a present day paper-trail ID, in  "DNA Relatives.", Norman Radke rates as a 5th cousin, his offspring rate as cousins, Donald Miller rates as a 5th cousin, Earl Schultz rates as a 10th cousin and so on. Albert Muth and I are very similar genetically but not part of a direct line of descent even though Albert is also a cousin to Donald Miller. . . and Meta Fife.

This is just the beginning. Many more names will be added to the  "DNA Relatives" relative list.  Once a DNA connection is established, contact must be established and a paper-trail connection needs to be made.  In checking the 23andme site for the number of cousins, I noticed another close female relative I have the paper-trail for. . . Gotta write to her.

-It provides me with my "Gene Comparison" to the rest of the 23andme group. ( birds of a feather do flock together)

It provides me with my "Family Traits", an application, (algorithm) which I use to compare my genes with all who have agreed to share with me at 23andme. Your  actual DNA code is never seen by others and vice-versa.  23andme computer algorithms do the work for you. Quickly.

-One can also participate in their research. . .  With paper-trail and DNA trail pursuits, my time is limited.

-A "Community Site" and "Blog" exists for answers to questions.

. . .   Otto
         " The Zen moment..." wk. of January 01, 2013-
                _____________________________________
                  "Answers out there . . .  Seeking us."