AZ-WESTVALLEYGENEALOGY-L Archives

From: "Sally Pavia" <>
Subject: [WestValleyGenSoc] DNA Projects
Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2001 11:18:21 -0700

Chuck Beal has given permission to post the following from his website, which can be found at: http://www.hometown.aol.com/bealsurnamedna/index.html
Not only does his site give a lot of info re various DNA projects but he has links to other sources of information. Thanks, Chuck, for letter me post this to the mailing lists I handle.

BEAL SURNAME DNA PROJECT

SCOPE
This project is a multi-surname DNA project. The BEAL Surname DNA Project
includes the BEAL Surname DNA Study, BEALE Surname DNA Study, BEALS Surname DNA Study, BEALL Surname DNA Study and BELL Surname DNA Study. Any other possible variants of the surname will be added, if there is sufficient evidence to believe they might be useful in the project. The project will address the ancestry of these lines by studying the "Y" Chromosome of living males with ancestry consisting of father, grandfather, great grandfather, g.g. grandfather, g.g.g. grandfather, etc., up the surname male line to their first ancestor to be positively identified through genealogical records.

At this time, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) which is always inherited from the mother through female descent, will not be addressed in this project.

BACKGROUND
Genealogy has traditionally used oral history and documentation as a means of identifying family members and their ancestors. However, researchers have primarily used documents and records to track generations of families by establishing pedigrees and lines of descent. In genealogy research, the surname is frequently a usable tool to trace descent from one generation to another generation. As early as 2850 BC, the Chinese found the use of surnames was practical to identify families and to prevent the intermarriage of close relatives. There were always questions regarding skin, hair color and other physical characteristics and people recognized there must be something in their families that passed these similarities or differences down through successive generations. There were few answers until genetic science was used in genealogy!

There have been questions in each of the project surname's lineages about parallel lines of descent, with same or similar surnames, which could not be connected to a common ancestor. Questions were also asked about the origins of their surnames. Was each surname from the same geographical location, maybe a county or city in England, Scotland, or elsewhere? Were other similar surnames from the same origin? From a common ancestor?

Genealogists have examined other surnames spelled much like their own or that sounded the same in efforts to find ancestors. Names were frequently misspelled because individuals could not read or write, and clerks spelled the surnames and gave the families names as they saw them. Ancestors decided to add letters like a, s, l and e to their names; others simply dropped letters out of their family names; while still others took completely new names when they migrated. Records were lost by fire, war and other disasters. Geneaolgy can be a very frustrating, challenging and time consuming endeavor.

A system called Soundex was invented to include whole groups of surnames in a numbering system, and in that system Beal is found at the designation B400 However, investigative methods did not always find that elusive ancestor. "Brick Walls" are what the genealogist frequently call the dead ends where all attempts to find an ancestor failed.

Today, there is a new investigative tool called genetic genealogy. This is the branch of knowledge arising out of the study of genes first identified in 1909 for identification of inherited physical characteristics. Later, it was found that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was contained in chromosomes and acted as a carrier of genetic information. Since 1940, the chemical nature of DNA has become a science revealing more and more of the mysteries that make up the human body. It now has become a science that permits the identification of individuals by the use of DNA.

DNA is used widely in criminal investigations, court proceedings on paternity cases and other issues requiring individual identification. Talk shows and other media have popularized identifying fathers of children by DNA.

MtDNA has been demonstrated to be a useful way of tracing relatives. It was successfully used in identifying the daughters and Czarina in the Anastasia case in Russia. It was also used in Argentina in the investigation of murder and kidnapping where children had to be identified.

More recently, the use of the Y chromosome has been used in family econstruction, and Y chromosome haplotypes have been used in male descent lines to establish common markers for inclusion or exclusion from a family paternal lines. Haplotypes are a set of markers on the Y chromosome.

DNA was used in a controversial case determining relationships in Thomas Jefferson's descent. Other examples are the Mumma and Duerinck Surname DNA Projects, Sykes, Carvin, Savin, and Page Surname DNA studies.

OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this Y Chromosome DNA Project are:
1. To establish Y chromosome haplotypes for each of the surnames included in this project.
2. To set up charts of the Y Chromosome, including each DNA sample that has been submitted by the participants.
3. To establish if there are common ancestors for each of the surnames.
4. To determine the commonality, if any, between the participating surnames.
5. To determine any commonality in the origins of the surnames, using the
first ancestral place of origin from each pedigree for each sample. ( Look at the charts used in the internet DNA surname projects and studies listed below)

OPERATION OF THE PROJECT
Any descendant with at least a five generation proven paternal lineage will be welcome to participate. A living person's privacy will be protected during the course of the project and in the reporting phase. I have hopes that we will have a number of participants with many more generations of male descent than the required five. This is a private, not commercial, project for BEAL, BEALE, BEALS, BEALL, BELL family genealogists, like myself. There is nothing binding about your stating a desire, initially, to participate in this project. When a sufficient number of participants are available, hopefully 60 or more, we will negotiate price with a qualified, experienced laboratory. You will be advised of the cost, method of payment, how you will receive your kits and any other details. You will make a final decision and sign a form agreeing to participate and pay the laboratory selected to perform the tests.
As for a time table I can only offer the example of the Mumma DNA surname project, which was initiated on April 17, 2000, and the results were received from the surname testing on January 21, 2001. Most of the time was spent obtaining participants. As information becomes available participants will be advised.
I should add, for the squeamish individuals, that the testing will NOT be done by drawing blood, but it will be done by swabbing the inside of the cheeks of your mouth (self help)! Kits will be furnished to each participant for that purpose.
If you are interested in being on the cutting edge of a new genealogy tool and have the proven 5 generation lineage or more, please submit your name, mail address and your established proven pedigree; including each generation of males, dates of b., d., spouse, place of residence to my e-mail address at:
For any participant that wants to use the postal services, because they do not have access to the Internet, my address is:

Charles E. Beal
1800 Hampton Run
Broadview Heights, OH 44147-3290

I cannot enter into postal correspondence to respond to questions on this project at my home, as the postal cost would be prohibitive for me, as I have no sponsor for this project. I believe any individual will find answers to their questions by using the sites below.
This web site will be a focal point for the project and to post the project results. Each participant will be given their individual results and given access to the web site. Each will be identified by a coded number in the charts. None of the participants will be identified nor will their family lineage be posted without their permission.
I can tell you that we already have participants in each of the studies and many of them have more than 12 generations of male surname ancestry to offer to the studies. As participants encourage other genealogists to participate and as the word of mouth and published word spread, I hope to reach our target goal of 60 participants fairly soon. Then we can enter the final stages of the project's operation. We are at the forefront of this new technology.
I recommend reading a layman's explanation of DNA FOR FAMILY HISTORIANS in a 32 page paperback of the same name by Alan Savin at: http://www.savin.org/dna It costs $6.99 postpaid, and his site accepts other international legal tender. He is extremely knowledgeable and has been providing me with free advice for this project. I receive no remuneration from the sale!
Other sites below may be of interest to you and will answer many of your questions:


The Mumma DNA Surname Project
Duerinck Surname DNA Project
The Y chromosome as a marker for the history and structure of human
populations
Y Chromosome DNA Data on Jefferson and Hemmings
Welcome to BYU's Molecular Genealogy Project Home Page
FAQ
GeneTree Inc. Y Chromosome Genealogy Testing Services
Walker DNA Genetic Testing Genealogy Roots
Paul Cuni: Family: Cuni DNA
Michael Hammer
Family Tree DNA - we do genetic tests for your genealogy questions!
Final Results of the Stidham* Family DNA Study
RootsWeb: GENEALOGY-DNA-L Archives

WHY DID I START THE BEAL SURNAME DNA PROJECT

YOUR DESCENDANT'S CHART
Thanks for your interest and participation in this project.
Charles E. Beal

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• [WestValleyGenSoc] DNA Projects by "Sally Pavia" <>