You are not going to believe this!!!

[Cinda]

Hi folks,
Thought I tell you about the wildest, most exciting thing happened to my husband.
He's a member of the Meek surname project at FTDNA.
He's R1b1.
While he has has a few great matches with other project members, he wasn't able to get back to country of origin.
Until now.
A member, with a DIFFERENT surname, went to Ireland to collect YDNA samples from any male Meek he could find.
He thought his family might originally been named Meek.
He only convinced ONE to give a sample. While it did not match the man who was looking for his ancestors, it matched my husband! My husband knew nothing of this man's quest until he received an email from his project manager.
That man matched my husband at a genetic distance of one on 25 markers.
Considering my husband's family has been in this country at least 200 years, we believe we have a great match!
Is this a great story of the power of genealogy through DNA, or what!?
Thought you'd like to know.
Cinda

[KerryODair]

Great Stuff Cinda,

I am still looking for that magic in my surname Congrats!!!!!!!!

[Cinda]

Hi Kerry,
I'm very happy for my husband, but jealous!
My paternal haplogroup is J2.
I was the one who had to convince him that this was an exciting new thing to persue. I had my paternal DNA in the database a long time before he did, & still no clue as to where the J2 came from.
My family has been in the US for about 200 years
We thought for sure we would be Celtic.
But... SURPRISE SURPRISE!!
J2 & no idea where it came from.
No matches at all.
We are as "white bread" as you can get.
Boy, isn't DNA testing fun?
I bet ALOT of folks have had a shock like me.
Cindy

[Stevo]

Cinda -

I saw your post on the Rootsweb DNA List.

That is a pretty amazing success story. Congratulations!

Like finding the golden needle in the haystack.

I wish something like that would happen to me!

Do you all plan to expand out to 37 markers just to firm up the match?

[Cinda]

Hi Stevo,
My husband has already updated to 37 markers some time ago.
We do plan on either paying for this gentleman's update or splitting the cost.
I just feel sorry for the original man who went to Ireland looking for his ancestors.
But, we are eternally grateful!!
Cinda

[Stevo]

Hi Stevo,
My husband has already updated to 37 markers some time ago.
We do plan on either paying for this gentleman's update or splitting the cost.
I just feel sorry for the original man who went to Ireland looking for his ancestors.
But, we are eternally grateful!!
Cinda

Hey! He got to go to Ireland AND he performed a good deed into the bargain! So, don't feel sorry for him!

[KerryODair]

Hi Kerry,
I'm very happy for my husband, but jealous!
My paternal haplogroup is J2.
I was the one who had to convince him that this was an exciting new thing to persue. I had my paternal DNA in the database a long time before he did, & still no clue as to where the J2 came from.
My family has been in the US for about 200 years
We thought for sure we would be Celtic.
But... SURPRISE SURPRISE!!
J2 & no idea where it came from.
No matches at all.
We are as "white bread" as you can get.
Boy, isn't DNA testing fun?
I bet ALOT of folks have had a shock like me.
Cindy

Cindy, I had the same surprise, when I learned that, I was e3b and not a R haplotype. There are only three family lines in the last two hundred years for O'Dairs that I can identify. My family in Pennsylvania, one in Ontario Canada, and one family in England. I have just had a breakthrough with the Canada family, they are going to submit their DNA to familytreedna. I hope to finalize with a gift test for the English family in next couple of days. This is going to be a huge break through for my Project. The English gentleman is probably the oldest living in his line that goes back to Ireland in the early 1800's. The Canada individual is located in same location, where the family arrived in 1800, in Ontario, Canada. This could begin to solve a great mystery about O'Dair's and where they originated from. Good luck with your J2 search. I am sure your turn will come in time.

[Cinda]

Kerry,
I KNOW you have to be excited!
Let us know what happens.
Cinda

[KerryODair]

Kerry,
I KNOW you have to be excited!
Let us know what happens.
Cinda

Good news Cindy,

both the Canada family and the English family are on board for testing. These two individuals represent the only other lines of the O'Dair surname in the entire world. This is about as good as it gets for my project. Thanks familytreedna, without them, I could not have reached out world wide to discover my ancestry.

[NormanGalway]

congrats! what an exciting discovery!
I am curious -- did he show up with cheek swabs and mail them back to the company himself, or how exactly did he go to "collect" samples from Ireland?

[KerryODair]

Good news Cindy,

both the Canada family and the English family are on board for testing. These two individuals represent the only other lines of the O'Dair surname in the entire world. This is about as good as it gets for my project. Thanks familytreedna, without them, I could not have reached out world wide to discover my ancestry.

I have a milestone today. Ftnda has recieved its first kit for my project. The second one is on its way in the mail. I am now a real project and no longer a single enity.

[da Silva]

Congratulations! I guess persistence pays off.

[Kathleen Carrow]

Good News & Congrats

I too have my first kit received by FTDNA today for my Carrow/Carew/Caroon surname group.
I would like to think we are all cousin but suspect that will not happen.

The Fant/Faunt group has a kit out also..I am a member there.

[Cinda]

Hi Norman,
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I've been away from my computer.
To answer your question: I think the gentleman just took off for Ireland with swabs in hand & looked up any male with the Meek surname & asked for his DNA.
I'm not sure of all the details. We just got an email notifying my husband of a match. It's just unbelievable that he only convinced one male & he matched my husband!
Good luck to all in getting a match like my husbands!!
Cinda

[Bob Swinea]

Hi folks,
Thought I tell you about the wildest, most exciting thing happened to my husband.
He's a member of the Meek surname project at FTDNA.
He's R1b1.
While he has has a few great matches with other project members, he wasn't able to get back to country of origin.
Until now.
A member, with a DIFFERENT surname, went to Ireland to collect YDNA samples from any male Meek he could find.
He thought his family might originally been named Meek.
He only convinced ONE to give a sample. While it did not match the man who was looking for his ancestors, it matched my husband! My husband knew nothing of this man's quest until he received an email from his project manager.
That man matched my husband at a genetic distance of one on 25 markers.
Considering my husband's family has been in this country at least 200 years, we believe we have a great match!
Is this a great story of the power of genealogy through DNA, or what!?
Thought you'd like to know.
Cinda

This is wonderful news Cinda; especially for your husband. Sometimes serendipity really surprises everyone.
Best Wishes,
Bob