Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2013 19:42:09 -0330 (NST)
From: David Pike 
To: pike-dna-l@rootsweb.com
Subject: Two new results for Group 2



Hi everybody.

In this message I want to mention two new DNA results within our project, 
both of which involve our project's "Group 2".



For the first one, having kit number 278643, Laverne got a second cousin 
of hers to provide a DNA sample that was then analysed for 37 markers. 
When the results were reported by Family Tree DNA, several close matches 
on the order of 35 out of 37 markers were found with members of our 
project's "Group 2".  To date, this group is limited to Pikes with 
ancestry from Conception Bay in Newfoundland, and with earlier origins at 
Poole in Dorset.

That Laverne's cousin matches with our "Group 2" cluster is consistent 
with what is known about his Pike ancestry, which can be traced back 
through several generations that lived at Mosquito (now called Bristol's 
Hope) and the neighbouring the towns of Harbour Grace and Carbonear in 
Newfoundland.  Genealogical records do not indicate how Laverne's Pikes 
might be related to other nearby Pikes, but thanks to DNA testing we now 
know that there is indeed a relationship from sometime prior to the start 
of the local church records.



The second new DNA result involves several people who are currently 
anonymous on our project's public webpage.  For the sake of presenting the 
details of their situation, I'm going to make up pseudonyms for them, and 
will call them William, Robert and Sheila.

William was adopted and had once been told that his father might be a 
Pike, but the reliability of this information was deemed questionable.  A 
few months ago William ordered a 37 marker test from Family Tree DNA, and 
when his results were reported he found that his only matches at 25 or 
more markers were with members of our Pike project (and in particular, 
with members of our "Group 2").  Indeed, one of them was me, and so 
William sent me an email message, described his situation, and asked if I 
might happen to know of a Robert Pike from the American southeast.

With William matching me and other Pikes in our project's "Group 2", a 
spotlight was now shining on Pikes of eastern Newfoundland, which I've 
studied extensively.  And yes, as it happens I did know of a Pike with 
Newfoundland ancestry and who fit William's description of Robert.  After 
a few email messages, William and I felt confident that we had 
successfully identified Robert to be the biological father that William 
never knew.

But this is only part of the story.  Although Robert passed away many 
years ago, his daughter Sheila survives.  William contacted her, described 
his story and also what his Y-DNA test had revealed, and then waited to 
see if she would reply.  Thankfully the wait was short, and the two of 
them were soon emailing back and forth and discussing the possibility that 
they might actually be half siblings.

To back up for a moment, I should clarify that although William and I were 
confident that Robert was indeed William's father, we could not be 
completely certain from William's Y-DNA test alone.  Potentially it could 
have been some other male Pike who fathered William, and so William and 
Sheila asked if there was a way to prove that they really were half 
siblings.

Their question does have an answer:  if William and Sheila were to both do 
Family Tree DNA's "Family Finder" test, it would reveal whether they share 
enough autosomal DNA with one another for them to be half siblings.  So 
that's exactly what they did next.  As a quick reminder, although Y-DNA is 
only carried by men, autosomal DNA is what makes up the bulk of the rest 
of our DNA (both for men and women) and it is inherited from all of our 
ancestors.  Immediate family members share a large proportion of their 
autosomal DNA with one another, while the amount shared by less close 
relatives diminishes as the relationship becomes more distant (e.g., 
second cousins share less with each other than first cousins would).

William's autosomal "Family Finder" test results were reported first, and 
as would be expected of a descendant of a Pike with ancestry from 
Newfoundland in the 1800s, he matched (albeit weakly) with several other 
people who have already done the Family Finder test and who have ancestry 
from Newfoundland.  When Sheila's test results became available, in 
addition to many weak matches with various people, she had one strong 
match.  That one was William.  And most importantly, whereas an "average" 
pair of half siblings will share 25% of their autosomal DNA with one 
another, William and Sheila share about 29%.  There is no doubt that they 
are indeed half siblings.

I have to say, I am thrilled about how this situation unfolded.  It is a 
textbook example of how genealogical DNA testing has the power to break 
down brickwalls, solve puzzles and reunite family.  William and Sheila met 
for the very first time about a month ago and are now contemplating making 
a trip together to Newfoundland where their Pike ancestry came from.  I'm 
looking forward to meeting them when they do!



On a closing note, I want to remind anybody who might be contemplating 
upgrading their DNA test results that Family Tree DNA has reduced several 
of their prices until the end of December.

- David.