good on ya, mate!

Does anyone recall that I used to preach about upgrade timing and how important it was to do them on Wednesdays before 5:00 p.m. mountain time so that your order didn't just sit at FTDNA for a week before going to the lab?    It's so much more difficult to time the arrival of a new order kit to accomplish the same object but our Kiwi friends have just done it, and long distance, too!    Gordon's, #99, kit arrived at FTDNA yesteday and promptly went to the lab last evening.

So we again have a pipeline -

Good on ya, Gordon and Theresa!

Harry Berry

Anyone recognize Harry E. Berry?
I found him in a Berryville, Virginia graveyard yesterday.

The Law of Accelerating Returns redux

Courtesy Pink Tentacle                                                               Remember the Singularity?

Name change?

I emailed all eight members of the Culpeper Co. Berry family on Sept. 15 asking them what they thought of changing their name to the Madison Co. Berrys.    Here's the question I posed to them:

I wondered whether when you all think of your roots location you think of Culpeper County or Madison County?    I think because the Madison Co. area is more mountainous, closed off and protected from outside influences It seems to me more descriptive of the ancestry of the folks sharing your DNA.    I named you all the Culpeper Co. Berrys initially because some of your earliest known ancestors had some relationship with Culpeper Co.    I now believe that that's just because Madison Co. wasn't formed from Culpeper Co. until 1792.

I received replies from only three, none having any objection.

I'm inclined to go ahead and change their name but thought I would solicit opinions from the Berry Family DNA Project participants as a whole.    I won't give other's opinions the weight I give the affected family members but I would be interested in any thoughts you all might have on the subject.    Email me here.

cladograms?

Well, not exactly.    But I found this blog posting in which the writer had written a java applet that graphed html tags, as explained here -


I tried some of our sites.    Here's this blog -
The Berry Families website -
The Strawbery Banke Berrys genealogy website -
This would be the Woodmen of the World gravestone site -
And two views of the Graveyards & Gravestones site -The applet apparently doesn't draw the graph the same way each time, compare this with the above one -
And here's where you can try it out yourself.

Orange Co., NC Berrys

Today it's the Orange Co., NC Berry's turn.

First their yResults -
and their genetic distances table -
The cladogram.
and the obligatory Time to Most Recent Common Ancestor table -
Here's a direct link to the Orange Co., NC Berry yAncestry.

And the family genealogy.

Musing - POSTED AT 10:28 AM - Looking at the yResults table and the cladogram I think I may have been premature to mark the CDYa=36 as the mutation.    I did this before Ken's, #83, results were in when there were three CDYa=37 and two CDYa=36.    It would appear from the cladogram, however, that Billy, #8, represents the ancestral haplotype and that CDYa=37 is, therefore, the mutation.    See here.

While I'm in the musing mode, Ken needs to upload his results to YSearch.    If Ken or anyone else needs help, click here to let me know.

Who'da thunk it?

I'm sure that you'll recall that over the past couple weeks I've hypothesized guessed that James's, #97, haplogroup was going to turn out to be I1b1, another I1b1, J2 and Q.    Well, his Y-HAP-Backbone test results came in yesterday and he is haplogroup F.    Haplogroup F?!?    He's our only Haplogroup F.

Here's what ISOGG says about Hap F:

Y-DNA haplogroup F is the parent of all Y-DNA haplogroups G through R and contains more than 90% of the world’s population.    Haplogroup F was in the original migration out of Africa, or else it was founded soon afterward, because F and its sub-haplogroups are primarily found outside, with very few inside, sub-Saharan Africa.    The founder of F could have lived between 60,000 and 80,000 years ago, depending on the time of the out-of-Africa migration.

The major sub-groups of Haplogroup F are Haplogroups G, H, [IJ], and K, which are discussed elsewhere at this site.    The minor sub-groups, F*, F1, and F2 have not been well studied, but apparently occur only infrequently and primarily in the Indian subcontinent.    F* has been observed in two individuals in Portugal, possibly representing a remnant of 15th and 16th century contact of Portugal with India.

Here are James' Y-Hap results.

The troubling thing about this result is that now our Berry Family DNA pipline is empty.    No tests in process.    No results pending.    I'll be glad when Gordon's, #99, kit gets back for processing.

Benton Co. Berrys

And now, the Benton Co. Berrys.

First their yResults -
and their genetic distances table -
Their new cladogram -

Please don't read more into this than it deserves -
Here's a direct link to the Benton Co. Berry's yAncestry.

And the family genealogy.

Berry Plain Berrys

Today it's the Berry Plain Berry's turn.

First their yResults -

and their genetic distances table -
Two cladograms.


and my favorite, the Time to Most Recent Common Ancestor table -
Here's a direct link to the Berry Plain Berry's yAncestry.

And a reminder of why 'Berry Plain', and the family genealogy.
     [remember those hidden, embedded links you were to look for?]

Augusta/Washington Co. Berrys

This will be to some extent sans narrative since I believe that the tables and cladograms pretty much speak for themselves.

First the yResults for the Augusta/Washington Co. Berry Family -

Next the genetic distances table Which can be reconciled with the next cladogram.

Not much difference here from the cladogram from several months ago, only that Artie, #90, has joined the large group to the left -
And here, Brian, #50, has joined the 67 marker group -
And last, and probably least, the Time to Most Recent Common Ancestor table which, in my opinion, contributes more heat than light -
And, perhaps a link to the Augusta/Washington Co. Berry's yAncestry might be helpful.

Genetic distances

Since we're at a somewhat stable period as far as new data is concerned (we have no unreported tests outstanding), I've entered the data for the entire Project into Dean McGee's Y-DNA Comparison Utility to generate a genetic distance table comparing everyone to see if there might be any matches not shown by FTDNA.    You will recall that this Project is open to Berrys of all spellings and wherever they may have tested.    Several have tested with labs other than FTDNA and this is the only way to discover whether they match other participants.


Each person is identified by a shortened version of his given name accompanied by his participant number.

Perhaps I shouldn't be but I've always been a mite perturbed that the World Families Network purports to run a Barry Family DNA Project associated with FTDNA.    That project was begun in 2005 after our Project, which included the Barry surname, had been in existence for two years and had about 40 members.    We now have 99 Y-DNA participants and five mtDNA (only) participants.    The WFN Barry project only has five 12 marker results so I've included them in this distance table.    Those results are labeled WFB at the bottom of the table.    One does match and would be a 'possible' for our Spartanburg Co., SC Berrys.    That's the one identified as WFB-1.    I can find no way to contact him and I see no pedigree for him on the WF site.    Any ideas, anyone?

By the way, the reason all those WF numbers look so small compared to the others is that each of them has only tested 12 markers so 12 would be the highest genetic distance they could get from anyone.    Another illustration of the limitations of the 12 marker test.

Reunion Report

Well, I'd have to call yesterday's trip to the Culpeper Co. Berrys reunion a 'muted' success.    There was no real organization other than serving a pot luck dinner.    Mm-m-m-m-m-m-m.    And to think that I thought I didn't like potato salad all the time I was growing up.    Anyway, the noise/conversation level was too high for any organized presentation so I just talked with several folks individually or in small groups.    The upshot of all this is that three Berrys tested, Raymond, Richard and Matthew, leaving four test kits unused.    I'm going to have to ask SMGF if there's any kind of 'expiration date' on the Genetirinse solution they use for DNA collection so I can keep the unused ones around until opportunity presents.

I wasn't there but it's my distinct impression that the Orange Co. Berrys reunion was organized by people with a particular interest in genealogy.    Most aren't and the families are just getting together to see the family they know about but haven't seen for a year.    Asking around yesterday, I couldn't locate any Berry surnamed people there who were particularly interested in genealogy.

Wish me luck . . .

This morning I'm off to the Madison Co., Virginia, Burnt Tree Grange Hall to talk about the Berry Family DNA Project to the Berry/Berrey reunion being held there today.    We call these folks the Culpeper Co. Berrys but I maintain an online database for them as the Madison Co. Berrys.    Madison Co. was formed from Culpeper Co. in 1792.

I'm carrying with me seven free DNA kits from SMGF (they meant to send eight) and hoping I can interest that many of these folks to do the test.    Since I recommend this free test for everyone, many of you know the test kit is simply a mouthrinse that you swish around in your mouth for 45 seconds and spit back into its bottle, and a (at minimum) four generation pedigree chart to fill out with full names, and dates and places of birth for each.

If any of you have a similar event coming up I would urge you to do this yourself.    Just let SMGF know what you have and they send you the test kits by FedEx along with an addressed, prepaid FedEx container to return them in.    Can't beat that!

In addition, those very delinquent markers for Brian, #50, have finally arrived so I guess I'll have to start playing with the data to see if anything turns up.    I've already run a genetic distance table for the entire Project and we don't seem to have any matches we didn't already know about.    I'll get it posted sometime after I get back from Madison County.    Too busy making visual aids right now.

housekeeping

In order to get the most utility from your FTDNA account everyone should go to their FTDNA personal page and check two things:

1. Select your 'User Preferences' tab and look to see that the radio button beside the option ' I want my matches to be set against the entire database' is selected. If it is not select it and then scroll to the bottom of the page and click the 'Update' button.

2. Next, select your 'Y-DNA Matches' tab. If you can see a box containg the line 'Additional possibilities for searching matches' and the line 'Click here to upload to Ysearch.org' on that page, click the latter.

I'll be happy to help anyone through either or both of these procedures if you'll just email me.

I did a bulk email yesterday of these same suggestions and all these email addresses bounced: pghp@att.net, anojaberry@ispmgt.com, berrypatch5@cox.net, madandwi@widowmaker.com, janiceg1@acninc.net, clayathome@charter.net, glb@bresnan.net and klewander10@tampabay.rr.com. Would those folks whom these addresses belonged to please send me an email update including the old address, your new email address and your participant number?

I give up

During this past week or so I've predicted from partial results (with the help of Whit Athey's haplogroup predictor) that James, #97, haplogroup would be I1b1, and later, J2.    Well, the balance of his 67 markers were returned yesterday and, using all, we get these results:

Basic 15-Haplogroup Program - fitness 21, probability 98.8%, J2

Beta 21-Haplogroup Program  - fitness 18, probability 43.2%, I1b1
            or                fitness 21, probability 47.7%, Q

???    It's a good thing that his Y-HAP-Backbone test is in the works.

We have a new participant!    Gordon Berry from New Zealand will be #99 and our 104th participant.    Gordon's joining us is particularly good news for me for I expect him to match the Augusta/Washington Co. Berrys.    I expect Gordon's story to be much like that of Cam, #58, and Patrick, #60.    Their ancestors emigrated from Ireland directly to Canada and Australia, respectively, about 100 years after the Augusta/Washington Co. Berrys came to America, yet our DNAs match.    Now if we could only find a match still living in Ireland and Scotland.

yAncestry lines for Danny, #95, and Jim, #96, have been added to the Project website.

Well, finally . . .

. . . we have some real results!    The rest of Clifton's Y-DNA67 results came in and he matches BJ, #88, 36/37.    They differ on DYS439 which, according to FTDNA, mutates faster than average.

It's also possible that we have matches that we don't realize yet with participants who have tested with other labs.    As soon as we get James, #97, (due shortly) and Brian's, #50, (WAY past due) results I'll prepare a genetic distance table on the entire project again.    Sometimes that yields a pleasant surprise or two.

I haven't yet decided what to call the Clifton/BJ 'family' but their results are posted on the numerical yResults page and here are some distance tables.

wild guessing

James, #97, received 12 more results yesterday, his Y-DNA26-37 markers.    With these he has Y-DNA1-47 reported of his Y-DNA67 order and now appears headed to be Hg J2.    What do I know?    Fortunately, he's also ordered his Y-HAP-Backbone test, results of which are expected 10/23/2007.

Clifton's, #98, 'phantom' results have still not shown up again.    Hope those Y-DNA38-67 results that mysteriously showed up on ySearch and are now posted to the Berry Project web site are correct.    I guess time will tell.

just guessing

James, #97, received 12 10 more results yesterday, his Y-DNA38-47 markers.    He now has Y-DNA1-25 and 38-47 reported and will probably turn out to be I1b1.

If any of you are interested in Woodmen of the World monuments, those gravestones often shaped like tree stumps, I have gathered those that I could find from my various cemeteries and posted them on a WOW gravestone page.    It's still a work in progress and will be a little tidier once I've finished.

'Phantom' results?

I don't know how Clifton's, #98, results were uploaded to ySearch, unless Gary did it, because try as I might, and despite email notices and postings, Clifton's results were nowhere to be found -- except posted to ySearch!

Received Lab Results

Y-DNA DYS Values

I've asked Gary if he can help solve the mystery but, as yet, haven't heard back.

At any rate, Clifton's Y-DNA38-67 results are now posted to the Project's numerical yResults page, as well as a link to his ySearch site.

Summer's last gasp

As usual, our summer travel season ended with our trip to Jubilee.    This is a van camping trip in which we throw a 3/4 size mattress in our minivan and sleep in it.    For the second year in a row we have met our daughter and her son there.    They tent camp with us and we have a nice visit.    The weather could not have been more cooperative if I had been in charge.    Warm days and cool nights.    Good thing, too!    I guess it must have been too hot here when I packed to remember to take a sweater or light jacket?!    Luckily, Betty had thrown my windbreaker/rain jacket in the car for me.

Going, we stopped at Bob's Hot Dogs for lunch, and returning we stopped at the Buckhannon Donut Shop for our pepperoni roll and maple donut.    Life doesn't get much better than that!

While there we met up with a lot of our music friends from West Virginia and elsewhere, played some and listened to a lot of good tunes, like this one, Sally Will You Marry Me?

The dogs are very pleased that we'll be home now until the latter part of October.

in my absence . . . .

Partial results came in for James, #97, i.e., Y-DNA1-25 of his Y-DNA67 order.    We are able to tell from these partial returns that the chances of James matching anyone already tested are slim to none.    A haplogroup test is in progress for James but Whit Athey's predictor gives him an 85.4% probability of being I1b1.    We'll see.

In addition, FTDNA indicates that Clifton, #98, has received Y-DNA38-47 and Y-DNA61-67 results from his Y-DNA67 order.    These must be phantom results because they're not yet available anywhere that I have access to.    As soon as I can find them I'll tell you if there's enough data there yet from which to glean any information.