GENEALOGY-DNA-L Archives

Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2001-01 > 0980259667


From: "GERMAN, JOHN L." <>
Subject: RE: [DNA] A message from a skeptic
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2001 06:21:07 -0800


Although Mr. Pence is correct in noting DNA testing cannot identify an
ancestor, I think there is value in "knowing" when relationships exist. This
knowledge should help someone like me whose surname is believed to have
patronymic and thus probably multiple origins. The surname JARMAN or GERMAN
and other variants is scattered across southern England and even Wales;
distribution maps fail to show any concentrations that would help pinpoint
an ancestral county. The LDS's IGI has not less than a dozen men of the same
name as the earliest known American colonist, and that file is far from
complete. Yes, I have pursued these leads with the usual methods without
success. My paper trail ends in America; it seems to me a thorough
collection of JARMAN Y chromosomes in England could help me concentrate on a
county, and maybe even a parish, where I could try to pick up the paper
trail again. This is theory I suppose, and the present costs prevent such an
ambitious attempt, but I'll keep hoping that someday...someday...

-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:]
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2001 12:05 AM
To:
Subject: [DNA] A message from a skeptic


I recently posted an announcement about GENEALOGY-DNA-L on the
soc.genealogy.methods newsgroup which elicited the response below. I'm
forwarding it to this mailing list with the permission of the author Richard

Pence, a cyber-friend of mine who is skeptical about the role of DNA testing

in genealogy. I'll post some comments of my own later in a separate message,

but I'd like to see a variety of opinions posted. Richard has subscribed to
GENEALOGY-DNA-L but will stay in lurk mode for a while (unless of course he
can't resist a good discussion).

Ann Turner

===== begin text of Richard Pence's message posted to
soc.genealogy.methods:
-snip-

This thread: