Monday, November 26, 2007

New DNA Results provide answers...and questions.

I'm happy to report that more DNA test results have come back for our Corder Family DNA Project, and these results contained no nasty surprises. At 25 markers, the DNA test was just 1-off on marker 449 (a "fast mutator") which confirmed the paper research of both lines involved. Although the DNA cannot pinpoint the precise relationship between the two men, it does prove that they share a common ancestor within a reasonably recent window of time (no more than 7-20 generations). This is no surprise to them. Their own paper research has lead them to a reasonable conclusion about their MRCA (Most Recent Common Ancestor) and so I think that everyone is well satisfied with the growing baseline DNA signature we're getting on record for the William Corder b. 1703 of Fauquier County VA group.

The new testers have lots of questions so I really need to focus on getting our Corder DNA Project web site up and running. I wanted it to be polished and perfect for launch, but now I'm beginning to think that something may be better than nothing, regardless of the state of completion.

I spent some time last night working on another group of Corders who left Fauquier County VA in the mid 1700's and migrated into Granville/Caswell County NC before dispersing over the southeast and then points west. I am hoping that DNA testing will connect this group to one of the others at some point. I am always very suprised at how quickly the time passes when I am working on these old lines. The next time I looked up, it was half past midnight and it felt like I had only just scratched the surface.

Our Brooks DNA chat is very active and as usual, LaMarr Brooks provides much of our information and research from her astonishingly detailed (and very tidy) notes.

LaMarr has learned that as far as anyone knows, none of the central NC Brookses have done the DNA test, so we are still open at this point to the possiblity that there may be a relationship between our NC/SC/TN group and the larger group of Brookses from central NC. The problem with researching the Brooks family is that it seems like chasing your tail. The surname is not exactly unusual, and when combined with the aggravation of unrelated groups bestowing very similar or common first names down through the ages, there now exists a fearsome tangle. More than one of us on the chat has confessed to finally giving up in frustration and working on another family line. Hopefully the DNA will provide a breakthrough. It has already conclusively linked two pockets of TN and SC groups together no later than the late 1700's.

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