Need Answers

[steve737373]

Can anyone tell me if DNA will help me in the following situation. I'm trying to find my 4th Great Grandfather. I know who my 3rd is but there is a question as to if a certain man is his father. I know relatives of both men.
Will DNA rule out this man or confirm him? And who do I need to test? thanks

[whitkeen]

If you know direct male descendants of both men, you can test first, known descendants of the one you suspect is the father, and, if they do not match, test the direct male descendant of the other. Or you can just test both. If the DNA does not match, it pretty much rules out the one you have tested. There is a slight possibility of a mutation within that time (you never know exactly when a mutation will occur so you cannot rule out the possibility, but several mutations is highly unlikely, so if the results are off by more than one marker, you can pretty much eliminate that person from the direct line.) If you test both, and find a match to one, that is the paternal like, most likely. Test the oldest males you have in the direct father-son male line.