OK, folks. We have an opportunity to do some DNA testing at a reduced price.
Some of you may have seen that Sorenson Molecular Genealogy
Foundation has been making a special offer. If you sign up and
contribute a DNA sample for their project, you get a coupon worth $95
that you can then use to get the Relative Genetics Y-DNA test (list
at $155) OR the mtDNA (for the maternal line, but not very helpful
for the y-chromosome DNA testing we have been doing on the Wells
men). The way it works is you contact them (coming up), request
their kit and send it and your genealogy in when you get the
kit. They then send you a coupon.
This is open to BOTH men and women. However our project, Wells DNA,
is still only available to the men.
NOW, you don't have to use the coupon for yourself. It can be used
by anyone you give it to if you don't have a burning need for it.
I am in discussion with Relative Genetics to let us have the expanded
test (normally $195) for the difference of $40 so the total would be
$135 for the full 37 marker test. Hopefully they will let me know next week.
If for no other reason, you should do this to help out Sorenson
Molecular Genealogy Foundation with their great project. They are
only half way to their target of 100,000 samples. This has the
potential of helping everyone.
You can use the coupon for any person in your family or pass it off
to someone else. If you don't have a need for it (no Wells to toss
into the testing, you don't want the mtDNA test or you have no other
surname branch you can use it on) I would welcome the coupons to use
with some potential testees who have been reluctant. Of course they
can also go get their own coupon.
The only limitations on this offer is 1) you have to register to
participate by February 9th (although I am getting mixed signals on
that) and 2) the coupon must be used within 90 days.
Go to the following website and follow the instructions as I show them.
http://www.smgf.org
Click on "Participate" at the bottom of the screen
Click on "Request a Free Kit" at the bottom of the next screen
Click the link to read the consent form then return to the request page.
Fill in the requested information on the request form and click on
"Request Kit"
They will send you the kit and ask for your Gedcom file or paper
genealogy. The Gedcom/genealogy should be a full 4 generations or
more. They are also interested in anyone who has ancestry documented
in the 1800s even if there is a flawed branch or two.
What about those of you who participated through the Wells project in
phase 1 where we gave samples through the Molecular Genealogy project
back when it was at BYU? You can go to the Sorenson website and
request a coupon without giving again and the coupon can be used as
described above. This ONLY applies to those who gave blood for
testing. Or if you contributed at any time by sending a sample to
them or attended one of their sample collection events over the past 5 years.
http://www.smgf.org
Click on "COUPON" at the bottom of the screen.
If you do this, please send me an email to let me know so I can track
the activity. If for no other reason than to let them know how much
participation and business we generated for them.
I am currently in the process of updating ALL our DNA data. I was
able to find most of our Phase I project participants in the Sorenson
database and extract the expanded marker information. Unfortunately
35 of the samples are not (yet) in the database and three others are
missing some of the marker data. They are not testing DYS464 so
there are only 39 alleles rather than the current maximum of 45
(DYS464 has up to 6 values now but most people only return 4 during
the testing and analysis and only two of our participants have
produced the full 6). I will post information to the list when I am finished.
Also, Relative Genetics is now reporting "Haplogroups" for most of
the test results. Now you can, if you care to, take a look at where
they think your ancestors back 40,000 years or so came from. It is
kind of interesting but it really does not contribute much to the
genealogy. I will include these codes in the new pages and links so
you can see what they mean.
Bonita is also moving forward on the genealogy for the Wells web
site. If any of you have not provided her with your genealogy to be
included, please do so.
In case any of you were wondering, the DNA project is still very much
alive and well.
As far as I know, no one so far has been able to connect Aaron Wells,
Augustine Wells or Zachariah Wells on up to Thomas Wells. The DNA
says it is so, but someone out there is going to have to do the
research to find the links. Researchers have been able to connect
Robert Wells on through to Robert Wells, the son of Thomas and
Frances. Don't you with your ancestors had made it THAT easy?
Orin R. Wells
Wells Family Research Association
P. O. Box 5427
Kent, Washington 98064-5427
<OrinWells(a)wells.org>
http://www.wells.org
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