Just so the wrong impression isn't being made here.... I initially ordered a DNA test on my dad back in December of 2005. The only type of DNA tests available at that time were Y-DNA and mtDNA. I did Y-DNA 37 marker (the most markers at that time) on my dad for his Portuguese line (he's half). I got the results back in January of 2006. Although he had a zillion 12 marker matches (more anthropological in nature) and some 25 marker matches, he had none at the 37 marker level. Not knowing how many thousands of families settled the Azores and how long it will take to find a male descendant from each family to test, I knew it'll take a while to make matches on this ONE line. Yes, Y-DNA is only the one line: my dad's father's father's father's line (top of my dad's pedigree).
Autosomal DNA (Family Finder) was around in 2005/2006, but it's uses were not well known or well refined. It took the geneticists some time to work it all out. It finally became available for consumers to purchase in the spring of 2010. I sat on the fence and watched what happened with other admins and DNA junkies first. Then I ordered additional DNA testing on my dad - Family Finder. His results came in on February 16, 2011. As I mentioned, my dad is half Portuguese. So it wasn't too hard to tell his American half from his Portuguese half. His "American" matches had surnames like Bolton, Damron, Daugherty, and Smith. His Portuguese matches had surnames like Mello, Souza, Medeiros, Oliveira, etc. Today is August 1, 2013. About 2.5 years after I first ordered Family Finder on my dad and the piece are really falling into place. Yes, Shirley Allegre and I figured out our connection on paper years ago. So when she tested her DNA, it made sense. But what to do with those who were stuck in the late 1800s or early 1900s and couldn't go back any further? So as the Family Finder portion of the Azores DNA project builds (now at 242 people testing), it's really starting to come together. Not only am I able to piece together the outside of the jigsaw puzzle, but I'm filling in the insides. And I'm starting to pull in my dad's matches who are stuck in the late 1800s or early 1900s! These matches are going to have some lopsided trees for awhile, but at least they are starting to get somewhere! -- Cheri Mello Listowner, Azores-Gen Researching: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das Tainhas, Achada -- For options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership." --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Azores Genealogy" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to azores+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to azores@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores.
