Dear kinsfolk,

After three DNA genetic analysis, I have learned very little about our modern lineage (last 300 years) and a lot about our ancient ancestors.  Scientists have determined that all mankind originated in Africa.  All of us shared a common ancestor who lived in Africa approximately 65,000 years ago

After sending in my first DNA for analysis I waited anxiously to learn more about the Anderson’s living in the 1800,s  and our Native American lineage.  Wrong.  I have to admit I was lost when they explained “DNA is comprised of four bases:  Adenine (A), Cytosine (C), Guanine ((G), and Thymine (T)  , I took college chemistry but that did not help.  However the charts given were helpful in following the migration pathways of our ancient Anderson ancestors.

They do give you names of “other participants” that have possible matches,  but if you have not submitted your DNA I was not going to find the match.  So much for finding out more about great great grandfather Henry M. Anderson or Chief Bowles from grandmother Tommie Lee Boles lineage.  I did find Barbara Close, name as a match from Berkeley, California.  This was not a surprise as Barbara is a third cousin and we have been emailing for several years.  As far as I know Barbara and I are the only cousins who have taken a recent DNA analysis.

Grandmother Tommie Lee (Boles) Anderson told me many years ago that she was Scotch-Irish-Indian.

I wanted to know more about our Native American DNA,  so I submitted my DNA to DNA TRIBES.   Again, my Native Population Match results identifies populations where my DNA is most common, reflecting my deep ancestral origins.     The letter that came from DNA Tribes said  “Results indicate your DNA profile is most frequent in European and Near Eastern populations and regions ; however a full possible range of up to 1/8 Native American ancestry is not excluded on the basis of the 21 autosomal STR markers tested.

Well folks, probably more than you ever wanted to know about DNA,  but if you ever want to compare DNA’s this might come in handy.

Jim Lee Anderson