I know that not all the people who have been DNA tested are on this site but it would be
helpful (at least it seems like it would be helpful) to know how many generations of men
the DNA passed through before reaching the person who was tested for your line. You
don't need to give me the tree but just the number. I'll use my cousin as the
example and also make the assumption that James (Isabel) and Anthony (of Armagh) were
brothers and their father was the MRCA (Most Recent Common Ancestor)
1. Father of James and Anthony
2. James (Isabel)
3. John Sr.
4. John Jr.
5. Charles
6. Isaac
7. Andrew
8. James
9. my Cousin
So as you can see, my line (or as direct a line as I can get) is 8 generations (or 8
chances for mutations) away from the Common ancestor in comparing DNA with the lines from
the thrice married James (AKA James II in my dissertations)
My line is 7 generations from other lines of James (his 4 sons)
My line is 6 generations from lines from the other sons of John Sr. (yes, right!!! -- as
if we knew who they were)
My line is 5 generations from the other sons of John Jr. -- Like Arthur's line who has
been tested.
The generations are so close together that statistically, I don't think any
conclusions can be developed -- like does Hiram belong to William or to John -- because
the common ancestor is only 7 generations in the past. Maybe at some time in the future,
we can get a couple more 6720tests done and the missing link will be lurking in the
results -- like the line from William and Hiram will both have the same mutation. -- and
maybe the sun will rise in the west this morning. <smile>
So when you have nothing else to do -- Just send me your number counting the father of
James and Anthony as # 1 and the person who tested as the last number. Like for me -- the
magic number is 9.
It seems probable that the MRCA is not too many more generations removed from James and
Anthony (I think their father but could possibly be grandfather) because in comparing
"ancestral line" (results of the majority on each marker), on 37 markers --
there is a line from Anthony who only differs on one marker from the line from James so
it's not like the common ancestor was 500 years ago.
Take care all. Marilyn