Tuesday, May 7, 2013

DNA Continues to Amaze Me!


This week, my cousin NeNise Smith’s DNA results were calculated by 23andMe. She told me several weeks ago that she had taken their DNA test.  As predicted, she appears in my Relative Finder database! Recap: 23andMe asserts that their “relative finder finds relatives by comparing your DNA with that of other 23andMe users. When two people share identical segments of DNA, this indicates that they share a recent common ancestor. Relative finder uses the length and number of these identical segments to predict the relationship between people.” (Source: 23andMe.com)

I am especially excited about NeNise’s results because now I can compare our results to a mutual cousin, Lenro Morgan, who took 23andMe’s DNA test last year. NeNise, Lenro, and I all share two sets of ancestors – Robert Ealy & Jane Parrott Ealy and Lucy Kennedy Cherry and the father of Lucy’s oldest children. (See this post This is Frustrating! for an explanation concerning that father).  Three children of Robert & Jane Ealy of Leake County, Mississippi married three of Grandma Lucy’s children. 

Robert Ealy, Jr.Mattie Kennedy = Lenro Morgan’s great-grandparents
Martha EalyAlbert Kennedy = Melvin Collier’s great-grandparents
Paul EalyAdaline Kennedy = NeNise Smith’s great-great-grandparents

This is how our DNA results compare:


The average DNA sharing between third cousins is: 0.78% (See chart.)
The average DNA sharing between third cousins once removed is: 0.39% (See chart.)

But, what is particularly interesting is to see on which of my 22 chromosomes I am related to NeNise and Lenro:

DNA enthusiasts, feel free to share other observations from this DNA comparison. I love gaining additional knowledge and thoughts from others.

6 comments:

  1. I also have two cousins who tested (along with my paternal aunt) have a color coded table I made in Word, listing my aunts matches along with those who share common matches with her and my cousins, and which chromosome they fall on. I think taking it one step further, you can look at WHERE on the chromosome the matches fall. I have been amazed by the discoveries, but have so much more to learn!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Melvin!
    As a Newbie, this will help in Presentation for our Reunion this Summer. I am also trying to find a way to offer a kit to someone, preferably a Elder. I love doing this in Family Inheritance. You just gave us a idea so we can inform family how all 4 of Us did took this Journey and makes it easy for family to understand. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is very exciting! I really don't know that much about DNA but I made the decision a few weeks ago to get one. This 23andMe sounds interesting and I think I'll get that one too since our peaps are from the same neck of the woods.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It'll be cool to see if DNA detects that you and I are actually cousins!

      Delete
  4. I like the chart. I think that I will do one with my cousins.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Melvin - Is Nenise connected through your Abbeville, SC roots? Give her a shout out that I'm going to send her a basic invite from Mom (Georgie S W aka Mamuanyi) as she & Mom share 11 cM :-)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting and commenting on Roots Revealed!