18th: Check originals!

It really does pays to check originals! In my SINTON data review I've been checking what original baptisms I can find on the OPRs, and as a result, corrected a couple of the Southdean places. Margaret, bless her cotton socks, had transcribed a couple of places as ending in ...head, eg Strangeburnfoothead etc. The actual entries, in both cases found, were headless, eg Strangeburnfoot (as in x at y had a son baptized).

Rash of new DNA results in today:
Further markers in for Doug, the representative of the James and Helen (GOODFELLOW) FAIRBAIRN line - see the FAIRBAIRN DNA Project and the blog for details on the matches (yes he matches Lineage 1, that of John FAIRBAIRN and Bessie FLINT et al, but it looks like things might get a bit complicated with different markers involved).
Also results starting to come in for the Peruvian contingent of the RUNCIMAN DNA Project. Again, see the both the project files, and the blog for more details, but basically, even at 12 markers, yes he matches the James & Agnes (HERIOT) RUNCIMAN lineage.
(And yes, I know that Google have put warnings on both of the blogs above that they are potentially spam, I have applied to get that designation lifted - yet again!)

Can anyone claim a James SINTON of Woodfield? William, son of James was buried Southdean 1814.
Still trying to get my updated webpages out there, with all the new SINTON connections documented.
This update will bring several lines into the SINTON charts shown on my web pages (eg the outline one on the Research logs portion of my site, and the fuller one under Big Brother, anyone interested in them needs to be aware that although I've done some work on the other lines, there are likely to be huge gaps in the families.
Even if someone is shown on a descendant chart on my web pages, they wont necessarily appear in my WorldConnect databases, as I only gradually add people to that as I check off BDM data where I can and set them to "publish".

15th: Southdean SINTONs

Nearly finished a fairly major review of the early Southdean SINTON portions of the tree.
My personal web pages haven't yet been updated, but I have updated the SINTON Surname DNA Project Patriarch's page with my current thoughts.
Can anyone place Clesleepeel on a map?

Nov 10, 2008: DNA Projects Portal/DAWEs

Prototype version of my DNA Projects Portal now in place. Many more lineages to be added. Anyone researching the surnames is welcome to contact me to get their webpages included in the Web Links section. Or even have their dna project included.
Currently working on new info from a DAWE descendant (in Michigan) of Isaac DAWE and Thirza STEPHENS.
Will update the pages when I've caught my breath from the TMG Conference and fought the mail backlog, and then get back to the exciting new results from the FAIRBAIRN and SINTON DNA projects.

Oct 21, 2008: SINTON dna match

21st: The SINTON Surname DNA project has come up trumps. It has proved a relationship between two Southdean families unable to be proven by other means. At 12 markers only, it is rather hard to determine just exactly how the families relate: those of John SINTON (marr. Alison HALL 1829, Southdean) and Peter SINTON (marr. Janet DONALDSON) d. Bairnkin, Southdean 1811, but relate they do, somehow.

Oct 10, 2008: Do these names ring a BELL?

FAIRBAIRNs and BELL/THOMSON families. Wondering if it is complete coincidence that there are two FAIRBAIRN families connected to the same BELL/THOMSON family, or whether there just might be a link between them.
One family is that of the latest participant in the FAIRBAIRN Surname DNA Project, the other the subject of a Borders Family History Society Journal way back in Feb 1998 about Granny FAIRBAIRN the Bone-setter of Kelso - "Isabella (ROBERTSON) FAIRBAIRN 1859-1940".
The possible connection being made by adding 2 and 2 and probably getting 5.

Robert FAIRBAIRN, Isabella ROBERTSON's husband's lineage works back to a Robert FAIRBAIRN and Agnes JEFFREY, via a Robert FAIRBAIRN, writer in Duns (reputed father) and Ellen BELL.

Robert FAIRBAIRN and mother Ellen BELL are in the 1881 census with Ellen's sister Janet and her (2nd) husband John THOMSON at Kelso.

In 1901 Janet THOMSON nee BELL is at Kelso with a boarder, John FAIRBAIRN, 25 (he later married an Ellen THOMSON).

John's pedigree is now on the FAIRBAIRN Surname DNA Project Patriarchs page, with no known connection to Duns or Robert above.

Anyone actively researching Robert's family? Found part of it on OneGreatFamily
but the email address of the researcher (dtr of John M FAIRBAIRN, a journalist who emigrated to Australia) bounced.

Back to Meavy for a break. ANDREWS this time. I'd not taken the family of Henry Willcocks & Lydia (HELYER) ANDREWS beyond 1871 until contacted by Pauline, who has a family connection with them.
Merrily checking them off in census and BDMs and finally realised I was duplicating data. Dtr Mary Willcocks ANDREWS firstly married John SHILLIBEER, then remarried a Richard Henry BICKLE (I calculate they were 5th cousins once removed, or at least I did once I realised he was the son of John Creber BICKELL and Susanna HELYER).

Pedigree, and latest results, added to the ROWE Surname DNA project.

Sep 29, 2008: Bit of this, lot of that

Main changes of late:
Meavy DAWE families had a bit of a looksee for a reason which now escapes me. I can now see why I couldn't find a lot of them in the UK census records - a lot of them emigrated to America!
My main interest is how they may or may not inter-connect with the Buckland Monachorum DAWE families and assorted WILLCOCKS.
Some of those connected to people already showing up on my LornaHenderson db on Rootsweb will be added there next update to try and illustrate some inter-connections.

Forgot to mention a SCAIFE update a wee while ago.
Geoff contacted me via Curious Fox with info on the GRAHAM/SCAIFE connections from his SCAIFE perspective. This enabled me to merge two previously separate people in my db, one the son of Jane GRAHAM (whose husband I now know was called John), and the other the William who married Frances GRAHAM, Jane's niece.

Continued working on the family of John and Elisabeth(MILLER) FAIRBAIRN, where this John's father Walter may, or may not, be my Walter FAIRBAIRN. Would really love to find a representative of this line for the FAIRBAIRN Surname DNA project, particularly before the great discounts run out at the end of Sept (or one each from different branches in case there isn't a match first off)!
The other FAIRBAIRN sidetrack mentioned on the 21st (Bowmanville Robert F.)has been slotted into his rightful place as one of the John FAIRBAIRN/Elizabeth YULE line. I'll update the FAIRBAIRN DNA project Patriarch's page accordingly sometime soon.

Sep 12, 2008: "theory" ruined!

Several more twigs and branches on the assorted Canadian FAIRBAIRN lines have been tidied up a bit, some of whom will now appear on the FAIRBAIRN descendant chart, a lot more on the Rootsweb databases when I next publish them.

I'm getting a bit tied up and puzzled with the families around Hull, Quebec. Lose one, pick up another, can't make up my mind if they're the same David FAIRBAIRN or not.

My rather specious theory that all the FAIRBAIRN families on the Borders are related (well it was only based on a sample of 3 up till now), has been ruined as new results in for the FAIRBAIRN Surname DNA project show the 4th participant is from a different line - pages yet to be updated to show this.

Sep 6, 2008: ROWE DNA updates

Prompted by another candidate joining the ROWE Surname DNA project I tidied up the pages a bit further. Should be a few less awol links now.

Aug 31, 2008: DNA sale extended

Family Tree DNA have extended their summer sale to the end of September, with very good discounts, so if you are at all interested, get in quick. To get the discounts, orders have to be via an appropriate project, so make sure you find the project and use the Join link for it.
I'd love to see a few more FAIRBAIRN lineages represented, not to mention all my other projects: SINTON, ROWE, RUNCIMAN, DAWE or FINLAYSON.

Back to Lennox & Addington, Ontario FAIRBAIRNs.
Does anyone know anything about the family of a William Albert FAIRBAIRN and Grace Helena LONG? They were around Camden & Centreville, Lennox & Addington, Ontario. Lost two sons in WWI, Bruce Wellington and Howard. I've found dtr Ruth married a Victor King William EDGAR, and son John Albert FAIRBAIRN married Henrietta Susannah BALSDON in the 1910s.
William Albert's 1905 death cert shows him to be the son of a Robert and Jane FAIRBAIRN whom I've not yet identified, but would love too.

Aug 26, 2008: Identifying John CREBERs

When working on Devon families around Walkhampton, Buckland Monachorum, Whitchurch etc, you just cannot avoid CREBERs. I've convinced myself that the Joan CREBER who married Henry TOOP is the one at Dotterbrook in Tavistock in 1841, with what looks like her father John. And that this John is the one who married Margaret GILES. John buried Walkhampton 1845, Henry and Joan (CREBER) TOOP buried Buckland Monachorum, 1844 and 1850 respectively.
Does anyone agree, or disagree, and if the latter, have you more evidence than I on where he belongs?

Family Tree DNA are offering good discounts for their tests until the end of August. Anyone interested in joining the FAIRBAIRN, SINTON, ROWE, RUNCIMAN, DAWE or FINLAYSON projects should get in quick.
If you do so, make sure you find the right surname project and use that to order the test or else the discounts wont be applied, eg a 37 marker test is $119 US, and a 67 marker includes the mt dna test for only slightly more than the usual 67 marker Y-DNA test, at $289 US.

Aug 21, 2008: All those buses coming along at once

Updates from contacts on several fronts in the last few days. Just like buses, nothing for ages on a branch, then along come several contacts all at once.
David & I have been talking FINLAYSON dna (a FINLAYSON Surname DNA project has now been set up if anyone is interested).
Then along comes Jocelyn asking about my William TAYLOR/Isabella FINLAYSON. We were last in contact in 1999. This time I got more serious, and although I still haven't quite convinced myself that her Henderson TAYLOR is the son of William and Isabella, it does look quite likely.
However, in the process, I reviewed what else I had on William, and finally convinced myself that yes, he was the son of William TAYLOR and Janet SMITH of Wester Watten, AND that Jean (who married David McBEATH), was indeed his sister. TAYLOR chart updated.

Then today there were two separate contacts with regard to Devon CREBER connections.
Katherine pointed out that Mary TOOP, dtr of Robert John Newcombe TOOP and Mary Ann SPRY, had married Philip BLOWEY, son of Frederick BLOWEY and his cousin Laura Marina BLOWEY. Two of Philip's brothers married two of my SPRY relations, and Robert TOOP's uncle married one of my DAWE relations.
In the process of checking around this info I also found that Mary's step sister Margaret King TOOP had married a John C W ROWE (1919, registered Tavistock). Wonder if he'll turn out to be another rellie?
Whatever of the many charts all this was on have been updated too.

Jul 22, 2008: Ontario FAIRBAIRNs; DNA updates

Anyone know anything about a Robert FAIRBAIRN in Ontario from about 1828?
Scott sent me an extract from the Scots in Canada pre Confederation which showed a Robert born abt 1786 emig 1828, settled nr Selby, Lennox & Addington Co, with children including: William, James, Robert, Elizabeth, Jane, Alison (marr. David FITCHETT, lived Huntingdon Twp, Hastings Co)
Alison and Robert look like they were born Scotland, still trying to trace the rest of them, but the 1851 census shows Robert Snr and Jnr enumerated with a 22 yr old Esther, all born Scotland, along with an 11 yr old Robert born USA and yet another Archibald, aged 9 born Canada West (Ontario).
Sounds promising for a connection to my lot.

Newfoundland DAWEs are now represented on the DAW/DAWE DNA project. There must be some proven descendants on the Devon lines out there somewhere who'd like to take part!
Also progress on the FAIRBAIRN DNA project, the line of Robert FAIRBAIRN and Janet HOGARTH, whose son William married Isabella SINTON.
And another on the SINTON project. I'd been trying to find a suitable candidate down the line of John SINTON and Alison HALL, but in the end one found the project and saved me some effort.
Thank you Steve, I do so hope we get a match with the other Southdean SINTONs.

NB the WorldFamilies DNA pages are undergoing a revamp outside my control, so some links may not work at the moment, and some info is missing, will remedy soon.

Jun 23, 2008: FAIRBAIRN to RUNCIMAN

Interesting journey today. Checked off a marriage cert for one chap, looked at the other one on the page and realised it was one of the FAIRBAIRN/CLAPPERTON lot. So off I went checking what I did and didn't have for the family from assorted census data. Decided to cross check one census against a marriage, so got the cert, and realised that I already had the groom in my database down my RUNCIMAN tree. James WALLACE, descendant of William MERCER and Janet RUNCIMAN, married Janet CLAPPERTON, descendant of George FAIRBAIRN and Janet PURDIE. No, they weren't related, but both are distant relations of mine.
The FAIRBAIRN Surname DNA project is growing - a descendant of the family of William FAIRBAIRN and May CARTER (married Greenlaw 1792) has joined, so that should be an interesting addition given where all the family lived - Greenlaw, Eccles, Earlston, Jedburgh, Bedrule, Ednam (with Dumfries, and Kirkcudbright thrown in for good measure).

May 14, 2008: Jasmine

The Original documents subsite has had the rest of the 1894 Tasmanian letter images included, as are all the people referenced, implicitly or explicitly. Would still love to track down present day DAW descendants of this lot (and any other lines for that matter).
DNA testing of a matrilineal descendant of Jane ANDREWS nee GIBSON has shown her to belong to "Jasmine" of the "Seven Daughters of Eve, as the descendant was haplotype J1a. There are some links at the bottom of Jane's page about this.

Apr 25, 2008: Matching FAIRBAIRNs

Full 67 marker results for all three participants have now been received for the FAIRBAIRN Surname DNA project.
Earl and Roy match 67/67, with Martin a genetic distance (GD) of 3 away. Check out the Discussion page for how I currently interpret this.

Had a chat to the newfound (Australian) 5th cousin down the Caithness TAYLOR line. Should be able to fill in those gaps very soon.

Apr 18, 2008: ROWE dna matches

Thankfully, the preliminary results from the two ROWE Surname DNA project participants (Max & Ernest) do show a match. No need to throw out years of research.

Would love to get the DAWE Surname DNA project kick started by finding some eligible (male, still DAW(E) surname) modern day DAWE descendants to participate.

Apr 9, 2008: RUNCIMAN dna update

Several DNA results have come in over the weekend, the most exciting isn't one of mine, but the RUNCIMAN Surname DNA project has now shown a 36/37 marker match between a family in the States and one in New Zealand, which looks to have solved what happened to a branch of the family of James RUNCIMAN and Agnes HERRIOT.

Mar 8, 2008: FAIRBAIRN DNA

FAIRBAIRN Surname DNA project pages updated to reflect the new results.
In particular, I've split Roy's supplied pedigree into two, the first being the definite lineage back to William who married Jean WANLESS, with his brother David, and the second being Sir William's line.
I've expanded the latter to show a few more salient connections in the hope that a participant may come forward for the project to help resolve whether or not Reby (Johnston) DODDS claim of a relationship in her book Who's Which (1970) is based in fact.
I confess to needing more proof, as the schoolmaster Reby refers too as the connection would appear NOT to be a William married to Elsie ELLIOT, but the one married to Margaret SCOTT.
How I'd love a time machine to go back and ask Reby why she has William and David's parents as William and Elise (ELLIOT) FAIRBAIRN, when indications are that their father is an Archibald.

Feb 16, 2008: DAWE DNA Project

DAWE Surname DNA Project Patriarchs page updated to include Isaac DAWE's family.
Any takers to join the project?
Would welcome any descendants of Devon or Cornwall DAW(E) families.

Feb 5, 2008: Elementary my dear ROWE

A foray back into the ROWE family reminded me that I hadn't replied to an email from quite some time ago from Ernest, a descendant of the ROWE family who owned/ran the Duchy hotel in Princetown. He had found out that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had written some of "The Hound of the Baskervilles" while staying at the hotel. Web searches show Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had checked into a hotel in Princetown. The book was beginning to be published by 1901, and there were two hotels in Princetown, both with ROWE family connections, the Duchy from at least 1851. In 1901 Aaron ROWE was recorded at the Duchy House Hotel, which Kelly's 1914 directory for Devonshire shows as a Private Hotel, with Aaron still there.
More Australian relations down this ROWE line have shown up, thanks to Ernest pointing me to a connection in GenesReunited.

Being a tiger for punishment, I've extended my DNA interests to the ROWE family, taking on co-ordination of the Family Tree DNA Surname project for that one too. Interested parties should check out the ROWE Surname DNA Project website at the World Famlies Network to see results for some who have already been tested, doesn't look like any Devonshire ones there yet, which will hopefully change soon.
I've not yet added "our" pedigree lines or done any changes to the web site I've just inherited, that will come.

Jan 28, 2008: DNA success story

The RUINCIMAN Surname DNA project now shows that the respective descendants of the Michigan and Wanton Walls RUNCIMAN families are a very good match, at 37 out of 37 markers. Now I'm trying to work out whether or not it is worth upgrading the tests to get a better idea of how closely related, or just to fit William in where he probably belongs anyway. I reckon his grandfather is probably a son of John and Betsy(FAMILTON) RUNCIMAN, so along with this assumption, and that the Michigan James and William are cousins, not brothers, that's where I've placed them in the RUNCIMAN family tree. If anyone has a convincing argument of where better to place them, speak up.

Still looking for a willing descendant of James & Isabella (CARTER) RUNCIMAN to join the project - which is growing. There's been some interest from a descendant of William of Crail whose descendants seemed determined to set foot in a fair few countries and Counties: Fife, Dunbar, Ireland, Canada, NZ, Australia... and hopefully Don will eventually get some evidence of a connection between his James and Janet (HOG) RUNCIMAN of Selkirk then Canada, and the James & Agnes (HERIOT) RUNCIMAN of Ayton/Dunbar whose descendants went to Selkirk, Ohio, and NZ.

Jan 24, 2008: Lots of updates, incl. dna matches

Both databases on WorldConnect updated, so the links on the lhs of most of my web pages to "BMD Data on all rellies" and "Likely Rellies" will take you to the latest and greatest, including all the newfound twigs down the SINTON and FAIRBAIRN families.
You'll have to use those links to get to the newer names for a couple of days though as it will take a while for the indexing on WorldConnect to catch up.

On the basis of predicting children's names, I think there also has to be a Peter ROBSON somewhere around Roxburghshire, son of Richard ROBSON and Isabella SINTON.
Finally also managed to update the web pages. The newfound Isabella SINTON and Alison FAIRBAIRN are both included, and all charts now contain the current versions of the trees.

Exciting news on the RUNCIMAN Surname DNA project as well, yes, there's a match (admittedly only 12/12 markers at this stage) between the Wanton Walls RUNCIMAN family, as represented by David in Spain, and the Michigan family of William and Mary (BROWN) RUNCIMAN, as represented by Jerry.
Still looking for a representative of the family of William's cousin (or brother) James & Isabella (CARTER) RUNCIMAN.

And the accidentally newfound FAIRBAIRN relation in Dunedin lives directly opposite the couple who lived in front of my first "home" post University in Dunedin.

Jan 11, 2008: A DNA day

Another preliminary set of results came in for SINTON Surname DNA project, and thankfully had a 12/12 match with the earlier set. Which tells me that the two sons of Peter SINTON and Janet DONALDSON, and their sons in turn etc, were faithful, and thankfully also confirms everyone's research. So we have a good set of comparisons for when I finally track down other lines.
Also the preliminary 12 marker results on a HENDERSON (2nd)cousin. No exact matches on any HENDERSONs, but I note that scratching around in the ySearch database seeing what I could find that the closest matches did indeed appear to be Perthshire based, but at 10/12 markers, that's all fairly airey fairey, and definitely not conclusive. A Shetland one wasn't even in the running, so theory A that he may have come from the Caithness area may well prove to be only that, theory.

Dec 19, 2007: Fun with FAIRBAIRNs

Given the developments in the FAIRBAIRN tree (yes the dtr of Earl Millard FAIRBURN has been in touch, I had the right family), I've done a wholesale set of updates:
The Rootsweb pages have had a rather overdue update, seeing it's at least 2 months since that was done. The FAIRBAIRN chart at that site now includes a descendant chart from the theoretical Archibald? that links the two lines together.
My domain pages have had assorted FAIRBAIRN bits and bobs updated, including a write up on the theoretical grandfather of the two Archibalds, and their relationship.

Dec 18, 2007: Matching Archibalds

The final FAIRBAIRN dna results came in on our match, which added to the sum of knowledge in that although they were an exact match at 12 and 25 markers, by the 37 marker test there was 1 difference. I concluded, probably rather unscientifically, that they shared a grandfather and that their respective fathers were probably brothers named Walter and Archibald.
I'll expand on this on Archibald's write-up at a later date.

Updated the Patriarchs page of the FAIRBAIRN DNA project to include the line of the 2nd Berwickshire Archibald FAIRBAIRN.

Also included a chart for Archibald and Mary GRIERSON/GIESSEN on my FAIRBAIRNs page.

Dec 17, 2007: Win some? Lose some?

Well, I'm not sure if this DNA result is going to add or subtract people from the family tree!
The final link to Archibald FAIRBAIRN and Alison CROSSER from one side of the test results is an unproven link, based purely on date/place proximity and naming patterns of the children of Archibald FAIRBAIRN and Janet SCOTT. I've reviewed this in light of subsequent research on the chap I believe to be the DNA match. On balance I still think it looks and feels right in the absence of any evidence to the contrary.
Any other FAIRBAIRN descendants out there to help confirm this? I've not traced any of the other lines from Archibald and Alison down to present day, so am short of candidates at the moment, but it would be fantastic if someone else would participate in the FAIRBAIRN Surname DNA project to aid these conclusions.
A male FAIRBAIRN descendant of Walter FAIRBAIRN and Agnes ROBERTSON would be great, or if anyone has a James, John or David born mid/late 1790s around Morebattle....
My research to date peters out before living people, the nearest candidates I currently know of would be children of:
Archibald FAIRBAIRN and Charlesina PHIMISTER, or their son Archibald (born Glasgow, died Jersey) who married Agnes Watt Gladstone FYFE.
Henry FAIRBAIRN and Emma Maud HANNEY, living Hampstead in 1901, with a 1 yr old son Stanley.
Walter Edward FAIRBAIRN and Davina Oswald MacDONALD: son Henry Edward F. was living in Edinburgh in 1930 when father died.
Walter FAIRBAIRN and Elizabeth ROY: two sons still alive in 1901 (Haltwhistle, Northumberland), a Walter and a John

If the other side of the match is who I think he might be, his email didn't bounce, BUT I think he died back in March.
However, researching this chap's family took me back from California to Melrose, and to Whitsome and Hilton, Berwickshire, and another Archibald FAIRRBAIRN, the one married to Mary GIESSEN. The two Archibalds are of an age, and having simultaneous families, so cannot be one and the same people. Both have sons named Archibald, one is my Walter's younger brother, so at least 2nd son in my family's case, but likely to be the first son in the other family.
My current theory is therefore that these two Archibalds share a grandfather via brothers Walter and Archibald, who will likely never be found, more's the pity.

Wonder what the rest of the results of the DNA testing will show up? All very exciting to find a match so quickly, and with only one participant!
I will update the Patriarchs page of the DNA project with a lineage of the second Archibald shortly, and possibly include some notes on my site's FAIRBAIRN page.

Dec 13, 2007: A DNA match! And a hunch confirmed

This DNA testing lark has already proved interesting. The first (partial) results are in, and already there's an exact 12/12 match. My sole FAIRBAIRN Surname DNA project testee matches with another Family Tree DNA testee by the surname of FAIRBURN. I await with baited breath to find out more about him. Hope his email address is still current.
And I would love to find more FAIRBAIRN descendants interested in this process to volounteer, particularly the Delaware lot down from John FAIRBAIRN and Elizabeth MILLER, who may be descendants of my Walter, and the William & Jean (WANLESS) FAIRBAIRN & David & Jane (WILLIAMSON) FAIRBAIRN lot.

Another hunch proved correct. When told about James Percy SINTON being in the same orphanage as a Frederick Walter SINTON in 1891, Helen had ordered the latter's birth cert. She advises that he was indeed his elder brother (children of David and Mary Ann SINTON, descendants of William SINTON & Isobel BLACK). Neither of us have been able to find Frederick after this census, anywhere as yet. Sightings welcome.

Dec 5, 2007: Luck(ock)s in

Yes, as suspected, Joseph LUCOCK married sisters Annie and Agnes Gair HENDERSON, dtrs of Archibald. The latter was a witness to her sister's marriage, as was what looks like a maternal uncle, Thomas WHITE, and Joseph's brother Reay LUCOCK Junr.
Another DNA kit has reached the lab, one of the RUNCIMAN Surname DNA Project ones.

Nov 21, 2007: Red or blue?

Continued tracking the JOHNSTON/RANKIN family up to 1901. Chuckled over one chap's change of birthplace between 1861 and 1901, so popped him out on the web (Oliver JOHNSTON).
Each of the Surname DNA projects I administer have spare $15 US vouchers available for the 25 marker and mtDNA tests, check out the FAIRBAIN, SINTON and RUNCIMAN recruitment pages for more details on how to join and request to use them.
Also sorted out a few more of the Michigan RUNCIMeN with help from Michigan.

Nov 20, 2007: FAMILTON descendants anywhere?

With some mtDNA test vouchers available until 31st Dec, I mused over how many female descendants of Bessie RUNCIMAN nee FAMILTON might still be around that they would be of use too. Which of course led me into updating a few more branches of the tree. Mainly JOHNSTONs, the family of David Stewart Erskin JOHNSTON and Elizabeth RANKIN, the latter being the dtr of Margaret WIGHT, grddtr of Margaret RUNCHAMAN.

The newly contacted descendants of William RUNCIMAN in Michigan floored me slightly. When I asked what they did, I certainly didn't expect "we used to farm emus (for a couple of years)". It wouldn't have been top of my list of guesses as to occupation for anyone.

Nov 19, 2007: One more down, one to go

Yes, the Michigan RUNCIMAN contact did indeed agree to participate in the RUNCIMAN Surname DNA project, so that's a representative from the William side. They also had a 3 yr old mobile number for one of the James' descendants I'd been chasing around the available records. And it still worked. Had a very interesting chat to the chap at the other end, a brother of the one I'd been tracking.

Nov 8, 2007: RUNCIMAN dna project

RUNCIMAN DNA project Patriarchs page has been updated with the three lines I'm particularly interested in proving a connection to/between. And if anyone knows the whereabouts of any of the descendants of the Michigan families who might be willing to participate I'd love to hear from them. There's a discount going for some of the tests for the next couple of months (some details on the Recruitment pages).

Oct 27, 2007: RUNCIMAN, FAIRBAIRN & SINTON family pages

Set up a FAIRBAIRN page along the lines of the RUNCI(Wo)MeN page, and updated the SINTON pages to include the other Southdean lines, and started tidying up links on the familytree and World Families Network DNA Surname pages.

Oct 24, 2007: And a FAIRBAIRN DNA surname project

When I start something I do tend to jump in boots and all. Check out a new page under Lornaslinks.
As you will see, there's also now a FAIRBAIRN surname dna project and when I've finished the admin involved, all 3 projects should have a related forum for result discussion etc at Forum pages of World Families.

It seems very unfair to me that the more immutable, incontrovertible mitochondrial dna doesn't lend itself to easy organisation into Surname projects. I am going to expand on my Tara, Oxford Ancestors test, but haven't figured out which group to best join, although I am rather tempted to join a CLINTON one, I suspect there's more affinity and likelihood of matches with a ROWE project.
All of which has rather sidetracked me from keeping up with the constant flow of wonderful emails from relations. Promise I'll get back to them soon.
Which I did. The summary DAWE chart has been updated.

Oct 17, 2007: Bringing science to genealogy

DNA results here we come. I've set up a RUNCIMAN surname dna project, and the first kit is on order. All I need now are participants from the other two branches I'm trying to link but they're proving a bit elusive to trace.

Oct 10, 2007: Matching Michigan and Borders RUNCIMEN?

Next lornahen webpage update will include a link to the geograph picture of Wanton Walls on the place pages. Which activity was prompted by an early morning phone call from George RUNCIMAN ex of Wanton Walls in response to a letter I'd written him. (It was a welcome call, but it was 5:30am, I hope I sounded coherent). I was trying to find out if there was any further information to be had about the Michigan link and the current whereabouts, if any, of the letters between the Michigan and the Wanton Walls RUNCIMEN back in the 1850s-1870s(?). George was convinced that they were related, and added a snippet, to be verified somehow, that the original Michigan lot had been transported following deer poaching in the Edgarhope forest (appears on maps as Edgarhope Wood, just north of Lauder).

Given my current interest in DNA testing and genealogy, wonder if any of the US lot and the Scottish lot would be interesting in comparing dna to "prove" this? A 37 marker test comparing 2 male line surname descendants showing identical or close dna matches apparently have a 50% chance of sharing common male ancestors within 2 generations, and 95% chance with