Dave Richards - Project Administrator & Line Leader [richardj AT
gmail.com]
Dave Woody - Project Line
Leader [geneped AT hotmail.com]
Revised Jun 11, 2019
Woody DNA
Project
(Including Wooddy, Woodey, Woodie, Woode, deWoody, etc.)
Created: June, 2007
The computer, the internet and the world wide web
have revolutionized genealogy and family history
research. These inventions provide tools that earlier
generations of researchers never even dreamed about. The
discovery of DNA and the widespread use of DNA testing
and analysis have provided the modern family historian
with yet another powerful research tool: however, the
genealogical significance of the result of any type
(yDNA, mtDNA, atDNA, xDNA) of individual DNA test is
almost meaningless by itself: This result must be
compared with other individual's DNA results to be
useful. The Woody DNA Project was created in June, 2007
to provide a place where individual yDNA results and
lineages can be organized, posted and compared with
other results. A father's yDNA (sex chromosome) is
passed to his son and this process repeats from
generation to generation forever. Usually the father
also passes his surname to his son, so yDNA is used as
the basis for almost all DNA surname projects. The
easily understood results of yDNA testing and this
project help Woody genealogists and family
historians identify and/or verify their paternal
ancestry (father's father) in a quick and easy way. This
saves time, prevents mistakes, and provides invaluable
data that can be obtained in no other way.
Click here for a more
detailed discussion of the benefits and limitations of
yDNA testing and analysis.
Our project line leaders provide research assistance to
novice family historians. Along the way, we have also
helped several folks extend their known lineages, some
significantly. We have focused others on the best
locations to continue their research.
1. Help researchers of
all Woody families work together to find their common
heritage. We do this by posting the abbreviated lineages
that our project participants and other Woody
descendants send us. This feature links yDNA results to
specific lineages and is an integral part of our
project. In our opinion, a DNA project that does not
include such a feature provides very little research
value. To view these lineages, click on the Patriarchs
link above. We do not post any information about people
born less than 100 years ago. To add your lineage to
these pedigrees, just email a Project Administrator your
abbreviated pedigree. If you would like your name and/or
your email to be displayed, please tell us. You do not
have to be a DNA test participant to add your family
pedigree.
2. Identify the DNA of the ancestor families and compile them and
their branches into distinct genetic lineages through DNA analysis
and matches. DNA analysis is used to
determine the common
ancestors of different branches of related Woodys. This analysis is
also useful
in
extending Woody lines
that have reached a "dead end" utilizing conventional research.
Unless a participant asks to be identified, the
Woody DNA Project does not post the name of any member; only their
yDNA results and the patriarch of their line. The different lines
are grouped by patriarch. Click on the Results link above to see our
progress.
Project Successes - DNA analysis has shown that:
1. Our Woody men make up at least four completely unrelated lineages
(families with separate ancestors). Three of these lines have deep
ancestral roots in Western Europe; the other in Scandinavia.
The project is open to any male Woody or man believing that he is
the son of a Woody male. yDNA is passed from father to son, but not
from father to daughter. So any line that includes a female link
cannot be proven or disproven using yDNA. Female Woody descendants
can help by strongly encouraging their male Woody relatives to join
the project. To-date, all of the project participants have come from
the USA, but we hope that Woodys from all over the world will join
us.
Click here to join the Woody DNA Project and order a DNA test.
Another very popular DNA test that can be purchased from
Ancestry, FTDNA, 23andMe and others is based on
autosomal DNA (atDNA). This paragraph is directed at
those who have previously purchased an atDNA and are
contemplating the purchase of a yDNA test.
In our instant
society, we seem to want everything now and shows like
Finding Your Roots, Genealogy Roadshow and Who Do You
Think Your Are? often leave some with the impression
that they can completely map out a lineage in a matter
of hours. This impression is reinforced by an almost
constant flow of hyperbolic media advertisements, so
much so that the hobby has become a fad. In particular,
the website of one atDNA kit seller has many of the
aspects of Facebook and popular dating sites such as
Match. If you have found your way to the Woody DNA
Project page, you have probably realized that this hype
is just that. Looking closely at others "research" can
help, but this information should only be a clue/hint
for you. Even printed media from the past is suspect.
Long before the advent of DNA testing, around the 1st
anniversary of the American revolution, the genealogy
fad hit the USA with a vengeance. During the
late 19th and early 20th century blatant fraud occurred.
While more than a few "professional" genealogists were
involved, Gustave Anjou and Frederick A. Virkus were
among the worst. Both preyed on the pretensions of
Americans. Anjou specialized in the wealthy looking for
connections to royalty, while Virkus mainly invented
lineages for societies such as the DAR, SAR, GAR, SCV,
Mayflower, Jamestowne, etc. applicants. The Virkus story
is especially troubling since he actually did legitimate
research, but when he became the least bit stymied, he
just resorted to forgery. In the early days of most of
these types of organizations, the applicants fee was
much more important than the facts, especially if the
application was supported by a well known professional
like Virkus; however, the applicant did not necessarily
need the scammers help since the applications were
virtually unscrutinized. Most of these organizations
take their roles more seriously now, but the older
applications are filled with fantasy and should be only
be used as as hints or clues. What is much worse is that
Virkus was the editor of many volumes of The
Compendium of American Genealogy, a standard
reference found online and in many libraries. Virkus
sprinkled his forgeries in to these volumes, along with
his legitimate research. The Woody, etc. surname will
probably not be found in these references, but the
situation serves a warning to those who might accept any
person's supposed "research" at face value.
At one time, this page included a very long discussion
of the usefulness of the various types of DNA testing.
As mentioned above, we have come to believe that DNA
test kits are very often impulse buys, with almost no
thought given to their usefulness. We also believe that
anyone really interested in the usefulness of the
various DNA tests can easily find this information
online.
Make no mistake: atDNA testing does not replace yDNA
testing.
yDNA testing
provides the surest and most efficient method for Woody
males to discover and/or confirm their Woody family
ancestry. Female Woodys can benefit by encouraging a
close male relative to take the yDNA test. The test also
makes a great gift for a male with an interest in his
heritage. To find relatives that theoretically might
help in solving nearer term family history situations,
both male and female Woodys, as well as, close relatives
of Woodys can utilize an autosomal DNA (atDNA) test;
however, this test should be preceded by or used in
conjunction with yDNA testing.
The Goals of the Woody DNA Project are to:
2. Virtually
all of the descendants tested, with ancestors from the Piedmont and
Blue Ridge regions of Virginia, share a common ancestor.
3. "Dead end"
pedigrees can be connected to a known lineage. Because a lineage
connection provides a family and locality to focus on, most of these
these pedigrees have been extended, some very significantly.
For those of you that are interested in your heritage, but cannot
actively participate in the project, the
Woody DNA Project General Fund provides an alternative method of
support. The Project Administrator and Line Leaders use
contributions made to this fund to share testing costs with those
individuals having limited means.
Although the Woody DNA Project accepts DNA results obtained from any
testing company, the preferred DNA testing company for the project
is Family Tree DNA (FTDNA).
FTDNA has detailed
information on DNA and DNA testing. A yDNA test ordered from FTDNA,
as part of this project, receives a substantial discount.
The Woody
DNA Project has no financial interest in Family Tree DNA and the
project administrators and line leaders receive nothing but
satisfaction for their volunteer efforts. The total testing fee goes
to the testing company.
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