Most DNA project admins would tell you, if the person is in their 80s or 90s, GET THEIR DNA!!! Doesn't matter what you order, just get them swabbed!!!! We want to preserve their DNA. They will be leaving a legacy to us and others who will get into this hobby in the future!
When a DNA kit is sent out, it has 2 swabs. The testee will scrape the left cheek with one swab for 1 minute and then will scrape the right cheek with the other swab for 1 minute. Those swabs have all kinds of DNA on them: Y chromosomes, mitochondrial, autosomal DNA. Family Tree DNA will keep the samples for at least 25 years. So if you order Y-DNA on this uncle, they would extract just the Y chromosome. If you order Family Finder, they will extract the autosomes. If you order Y-DNA now, they will pull the Y chromosome. If you add on Family Finder later, they will pull his vials and extract the autosomal DNA at that time. Y-DNA will focus on this uncle's strict paternal line: His father's father's father's only, or the top of his pedigree. It might be a few generations of Pachecos, but then it will probably be a different surname going back in time. We are getting a few Y-DNA matches within the project. Until we get a sample from each unique male who settled the Azores and we reach critical mass, we won't be getting a ton of Portuguese matches with his Y-DNA. We'll get them, but right now it's a slow trickle. The autosomal DNA (Family Finder, as it is called) will cover ALL LINES of this uncle back about 200 years from his birth. So if this man is born in the 1920s, his DNA will go back to about the 1720s. If he's lucky, he may have a sticky segment in there from an ancestor in the late 1600s. Note I said "AN ancestor." Not all of the ancestors from the 1600s. You will get lots of matches from people on this list with this type of DNA testing. You'll have to check out their trees and email them. This type of DNA doesn't tell you which ancestor. You get to figure out that part. It's like a 1000 piece puzzle....kind of overwhelming at first to try to piece it all together. After you get a few pieces (figure out a few cousins), it will slowly start to fall into place. But it will take some time and effort on your part. Because of his age, I'd try to do both tests on him. I wouldn't worry about the mtDNA at this time. mtDNA is inside the cell, it's in abundance, and it's really hardy. I'd do Y-DNA and Fam. Finder on him. If they don't enough of chromosome 10, for example, they can mail him another kit get and get another swab from hims. If you decide in 5 years to do Fam.Finder on him and he's no longer here, then you may be out of luck (they do try to replicate the DNA and go through the vials with a fine tooth comb (well, microscope) and try every way they can to get that missing chromosome). I have a $25 off Y-DNA. Order that on him. Then add on Family Finder. I have a $10 off that too. Email me directly at gfscherim at gmail.com. 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. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores.
