www.itowler.com - Ian's Home on the web

Some time ago I had my DNA tested for use in my genealogy research, and I have even blogged about it in the past (Here, Here, Here and Here).  I used familytreedna.com for my testing and they offer 4 levels of Y Chromosome testing, 12, 25, 37, and 67 marker testing.  The more markers, the more detailed the "picture" you can get.  At the time in 2008 when I had my testing done, there were not that many Toler / Toller / Towler's that had completed the DNA testing.  Three years later, in March of 2011 there are still not that Toler / Towler / Toller's that have taken the test.  When you first signup with familytreedna.com they ask if you would like to share your results with others, including those you may not know.  If you elect to share, every time that someone takes the test and has results that are a close match to you, you are notified by familytreedna.com.  I have taken the full Y-67 DNA panel test and recently I just got notified about some more matches.  

Familytreedna.com is offering a great sale for the remainder of the month.  FamilytreeDNA.com is a DNA testing company that focuses on Genealogy.  To date they have 157,583 Y-DNA records, 91,097 mtDNA records, and 5,424 SURNAME PROJECTS.  One of those surname projects is the Toler 2 (Virginia) project, for which I am the admin.  There are only 2 Toler / Towler DNA projects, with a combined total of around 24 results.  Familytreedna.com recently announced that it will be offering a summer sale to help boost the amount of records that in the database.  The sale is a great deal.  Here are the details:

• Y-DNA37+mtDNA for $119. (The regular project price is $248 – a reduction of more than 50%!!)
• The promotion will begin on June 9, 2009 and will end on June 24, 2009
• Kits ordered in this sale must be paid for by June 30, 2009
  

As of today, there have been 3 people who have taken the 67 marker DNA test for the Toler / Towler DNA Project.  I started off with the 67 marker test, and then 2 other have upgraded from the 12 to the 67.  One of the upgrades can trace his line back to David Toler of WV.  The other upgrade is a mystery.  I was talking and we discovered that we may have found a "New Toler" branch.  Obviously it is not a "new line" but it is new to me and the other Toler / Towler researchers, and as such it is a bit of a mystery....

This is all important becuase the upgrade shows that we are a 66 for 67 match, so not exact, but we are related.  It is likely that our most recent common ancestor (MRCA) will be found at the start of settlement in the United States (read: James Town / early VA) or just before they came to the United States.

Last week I wrote about the DNA results, but I did not put up the MRCA chart.  MRCA stands for Most recent Common Ancestor.  It turns out that I am a 67 for 67 match with a descendant of the David Toler line in WV.  That means that we are definitely related.  I have included a chart for you below that shows the chances that our MRCA (Most Recent Common Ancestor) is within a certain generation.

About a week ago I talked about my line, and when put into perspective with Ray Toler's book, you can propose a line that goes back more than 400 years.  Well recently a descendant of a the David Toler line (a Line that is deeply rooted in WV) had his DNA tests upgraded to 67 markers (from 12).  This was done to provide us more insight.  Well....the results are in.  We are a 67 for 67 match.  This means that both the David Toler line of WV and my line out of Pittsylavania County, VA are realted, without a doubt.

Big news on the Toler / Towler / Toller surname front.  About 6 months ago I took a DNA test to help add some clues to the info that I have already uncovered.  Using DNA for genealogy is still kind of a new thing; with lots of people still not sure what it can do or tell you.  Working with DNA on a day to day basis and having done a Masters Thesis on DNA evolution, I have a pretty good grasp on the power that this new tool for genealogy offers.  I am hoping that the DNA results will provide solid evidence for a time period that records are scarce.

It's been a little while, but now some results are starting to shed some light.  DNA results indicate that my ancestors are not related to the Toler/Towler clan that is found in North Carolina.  In addition I have a 12 for 12 match on DNA to the Toler clan of West Virginia, with the patriarch of David Toler.  And lastly, I have a 25 for 25 match to another Toler line, which comes out of Virginia.  So what does this all mean?

I won!

As a part of the AMP meeting, researchers have the opportunity to present their work.  The presentations can by either an talk or a poster session, or both.  This year I am presenting my work at a poster session (I did last year as well).  At the poster session, you hang your poster and stand next to it and answer questions from people that come by.  The meeting publishes a brief description of each poster in the meeting book, so most people that come to see your poster have an interest.  Well in addition to just the poster session, I also applied for the Young Investigator Award.  As an applicant of the Young Investigator Award I had to send my finished poster in advance where it was judged before the meeting.  This judging accounted for 40% of my score.  Then while at the meeting, I had judges come and speak with me at my poster during the poster session.  That accounted for 60% of the my score.  I applied for the award, but did not really expect to win.  Well.... I did win, and was named one of the 2008 AMP Young Investigator Awardees.  I am pretty pumped about it. 

I am out of town for the next few days.  I left Baltimore this morning and it was about 40 degrees.  I am now in Texas, and it's sunny and 70.  Its a trip for work, but should be a good trip.  I am attending the annual AMP meeting.  I am presenting a poster and planning on attending some sessions.  The conference is being held at the Gaylord Texan, in Grapevine.  Its a huge building, that has an atrium, and a river, etc.  Should