The Spring Conference of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Palatines to America is scheduled for 20 April 2002, at Yoder's Restaurant, in New Holland, PA. One of the four presentations is of special interest. But first, let's mention the other three which have more conventional points of interest.
Bruce Bomberger, curator of the Landis Valley Museum, in Lancaster County, PA, will speak on "Pennsylvania-Germans and the Culture of Their Tools and Machines".
Jonathan Stayer, Head of the Reference Section, and Archivist, at the Pennsylvania State Archives, will present "Military Records at the Pennsylvania State Archives and Some Related Resources".
Dr. Kenneth McCrae's talk will be "Using Pennsylvania State Land Records to Find Your Ancestor's Land".
The fourth presentation (the one of special interest) will be by Katie Hadley, a representative from Brigham Young University in Utah. She represents the Molecular Genealogy Research Project (MGRP) at Brigham Young. This project is headed by Scott Woodward, a microbiology professor at BYU.
What is Molecular Genealogy? It links individuals together in "family trees", based on the unique identification of genetic markers. This is accomplished by using the information encoded in the DNA of an individual to determine his/her relatedness to other indiviiduals,tribes, families, and populations. Pedigrees based on genetic markers can reveal relationships not detectable in genealogies based only on names, written records, or oral traditions. And it can probably deny some relationships that are claimed.
The fact that DNA is inherited, and that each individual is the product of his/her progenitors, means that DNA can be used to create unique identifications, and show, at the same time, membership in a family, clan, or tribal group. MGRP is attempting to obtain 100,000 blood samples from around the world to build a database of genetic markers. According to AP writer Hannah Wolfson, samples have already been collected from New York, Hawaii, Alaska, New Zealand, and Australia. And the team members are just about to collect some samples from Pennsylvania. Collecting all of this data costs money, and Utah billionaire James Sorenson, and Arizona philanthropist Ira Fulton, have donated $2.5 million toward the project. Initially, the database consisted of Mormons from Utah, but the need for geographical diversity has changed the emphasis on where to collect samples.
If you want to be a part of this project (including giving a blood sample), bring a completed four-generation chart of ancestors beginning with yourself. You must know where each individual in this chart was born. You can do a web search for molecular-genealogy and learn more.
The fee per person for this meeting, which includes a dinner, is $27.00 for nonmembers, and $22.00 for members (advance registration required).
The registrar for the Conference is:
Shirley T. Nystrom
35 Stonehedge Drive
Carlisle, PA 17013-9120.
For more information call:
Ken McCrea at 717-336-5520, or
Lois Byrem at 717-687-8234.
(11 Mar 02)
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.