Is a DNA test really worthwhile ?

[PommieG]

Most births in December are registered the following quarter and year, which your father's was.

St Thomas, Chelsea, London

10 Adela Street

George BATHAM, 22, Head, married, Chimney Sweep, born Kensington, London
Sarah E BATHAM, 19, Wife, married, born Barnet, Hertfordshire
George, 17 months, son, born Kensington, London

Just because they were poor doesn't mean it was sordid.  I think that young George was probably George's son.  They were not married, so unless the couple attended the registry office together the father should not have been named.  By the time the fourth child was born they didn't bother with legalites any more.  Both Edward and Sarah were born after 1891 so there is no reason to think that they were not George's children.

Debra 

My father knew nothing of his father except that 'he'd gone away'. Aunt Annie, aged 10 at the time their father died should have known something. They never mentioned their grandfather George who lived till 1923 and lived not far away in Shepherds Bush. Apart from Sarah b.1872 all the previous generation had passed away,all of them fairly young. So from Sarah saying she was born in a caravan(true), the story got about that we were descended from gypsies. We weren't. Take a look at Annie Burris b. 1885 Nottinghill, Sarah's sister. birth cert says father Richard James Burris, Sailor. Falsification if ever there was one. Born 2 years after her husband Thomas, sailor died. 
       Now, another point. I never met uncle George or aunt Sarah. They had fallen out with my father and didn't speak to him. I resemble my father who in turn resembles his mother from existing photos. She was a slightly built woman, short and skinny, aunt Annie was a bit taller and skinny looked like her mother too. Uncle Alf also had the looks of his mother but had red hair. Aunt Emily, 1st of the Batham name was totally different, a big fat woman.
     My new tree will be more interesting than the old one. Not just a list of people. Stories will be added.

[melba_schmelba]

my only dilemma is whether to send some envelopes my mother licked and sealed in the 60 & 70s to be tested for her DNA or not

Is that a genuine possibility, Guy?

Yes there are I think three companies that currently offer this but it is very expensive, that is my dilemma, can I justify the cost?
At present I have my DNA and a First Cousin's DNA (from my mother's side of the family).
I also have a living cousin from my father's side of the family (but she has not tested at present).
I should therefore be able to trace both sides of my family, but DNA from letters my mother sent would?may add to the possible pool of DNA connections.
Cheers
Guy

Can you list the companies Guy, do we have examples where people have successfully done this? Would FTDNA or MyHeritage accept such uploads as well as GEDMATCH?

[Guy Etchells]

my only dilemma is whether to send some envelopes my mother licked and sealed in the 60 & 70s to be tested for her DNA or not

Is that a genuine possibility, Guy?

Yes there are I think three companies that currently offer this but it is very expensive, that is my dilemma, can I justify the cost?
At present I have my DNA and a First Cousin's DNA (from my mother's side of the family).
I also have a living cousin from my father's side of the family (but she has not tested at present).
I should therefore be able to trace both sides of my family, but DNA from letters my mother sent would?may add to the possible pool of DNA connections.
Cheers
Guy

Can you list the companies Guy, do we have examples where people have successfully done this? Would FTDNA or MyHeritage accept such uploads as well as GEDMATCH?

I have not checked whether companies accept the upload but see no reason why they would not accept such files.

https://www.totheletterdna.com/
Step 1 – Determine if DNA is present – cost US$165
Step 2 – Determine if DNA is human, and if sufficient for processing – cost US$395
Step 3 – Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) – cost US$1600 – includes generation of the autosomal DNA file for upload to GEDmatch, the full WGS BAM file, and Haplogroup data.

https://www.keepsakedna.com/
approx.. costs US$390 plus a processing charge (not determined)

https://livingdna.com/
approx.. costs US$500-US$800 per sample
Cheers
Guy

[PommieG]

DNA will only connect to living relatives

[Ruskie]

Unless you have identified every single DNA match, how can you be sure that none of them come from the paternal side of your family?

Physical resemblance, or lack of, is not a reliable way to determine paternity.

[Guy Etchells]

DNA will only connect to living relatives

Sorry I do not understand why you think that.
Any tissue from a person whether living or dead will/may contain their DNA even envelopes and stamps that have been licked may carry their DNA (I say may as it does deteriorate in certain circumstances or it can be contanimated with someone else's DNA). Hair, skin nails etc all contain DNA as do all bodily fluids etc.
It is perfectly possible to extract DNA from hair bloodstain and dried saliva from a deceased person, but we have to be realistic. One could be lucky and get a good DNA sample from the glue on the first envelope tested or one may be unlucky and have to have a number of envelope seals tested before gaining a viable sample.
For instance I have a number of envelopes licked and sealed by my mother. Such samples could prove a DNA link between my mother and myself or even my mother and my 1st cousin. In this case I already have the paper trail link, so the DNA would simply be additional proof but it would also be beneficial in providing my mother's full DNA profile possibly helping to connect more distant lines of the family.
This could be beneficial as I of course only have approximately 50% of my mothers DNA so having her full DNA could show/prove further distant cousin connections.
Cheers
Guy

[PommieG]

DNA will only connect to living relatives

Sorry I do not understand why you think that.
Any tissue from a person whether living or dead will/may contain their DNA even envelopes and stamps that have been licked may carry their DNA (I say may as it does deteriorate in certain circumstances or it can be contanimated with someone else's DNA). Hair, skin nails etc all contain DNA as do all bodily fluids etc.
It is perfectly possible to extract DNA from hair bloodstain and dried saliva from a deceased person, but we have to be realistic. One could be lucky and get a good DNA sample from the glue on the first envelope tested or one may be unlucky and have to have a number of envelope seals tested before gaining a viable sample.
For instance I have a number of envelopes licked and sealed by my mother. Such samples could prove a DNA link between my mother and myself or even my mother and my 1st cousin. In this case I already have the paper trail link, so the DNA would simply be additional proof but it would also be beneficial in providing my mother's full DNA profile possibly helping to connect more distant lines of the family.
This could be beneficial as I of course only have approximately 50% of my mothers DNA so having her full DNA could show/prove further distant cousin connections.
Cheers
Guy

Sorry but I don't have any DNA from any other source than myself. If you have DNA from your g-g-g- grandfather lucky you. My test done years ago can only be compared to LIVING people tested by the same organisation.
    Latest from My Heritage :- You currently have 76 pending Smart Matches™ that have been confirmed by other My Heritage users.
I've reviewed them, no matches
.......A total of 3873 Smart Matches™ are awaiting your confirmation.
After checking the first 100 with no luck I gave it up as a waste of time, time which could be spent more profitably on searching genealogy websites.

[PommieG]

Unless you have identified every single DNA match, how can you be sure that none of them come from the paternal side of your family?


, or lack of, is not a reliable way to determine paternity.

    Sorry but digging up granddad to get DNA is not allowed. The only DNA I have is my own. Tested by 23 & Me it is compared to other LIVING people on their database. I have several surnames listed on my account as have other users. If a 'match' contains a similar surname then contact is made with that person through 23&me to confirm. I have had about 8 confirmations all from my mother's side.
     Physical resemblance is a good way. If you could see me, my father, my eldest daughter and two of her sons you would have to eat your words.

[Ruskie]

Unless you have identified every single DNA match, how can you be sure that none of them come from the paternal side of your family?


, or lack of, is not a reliable way to determine paternity.

    Sorry but digging up granddad to get DNA is not allowed. The only DNA I have is my own. Tested by 23 & Me it is compared to other LIVING people on their database. I have several surnames listed on my account as have other users. If a 'match' contains a similar surname then contact is made with that person through 23&me to confirm. I have had about 8 confirmations all from my mother's side.
     Physical resemblance is a good way. If you could see me, my father, my eldest daughter and two of her sons you would have to eat your words.

I think you misunderstood what I was saying. I am talking about your current (living presumably) matches. Unless you have identified each one of them, and you know where they fit into your maternal family, then it is possible that any you cannot identify may relate to your paternal line.

You may have resemblance between certain family members, but it is still not a reliable method to determine paternity. I’ve seen the opposite - no resemblance whatsoever but definitely closely related to each other.

Similar (or the same) surnames can help finding a connection between dna matches however you also need to consider the female line - they usually changed their surnames upon marriage, so
the surname may be unfamiliar to you, and you may find a common ancestor if you follow their lines back.

Good luck in the search.