Wheaton Wood

L1358 Discovered in Group B Walk Through the Y

Posted on December 21, 2012     Leave a Comment

As all of you know by now (but some future readers might not), our sponsorship of Jerry’s “Walk Through the Y” was successful in the discovery of a brand new, never before identified mutation on the Y chromosome called L1358. The schematic shown below is from Thomas Krahn’s Y Chromosome browser showing the precise location of our discovery as denoted by the red vertical line.  As some of you may remember the Y chromosome is about a third the size of the X chromosome and along with chromosomes 21 and 22 among the smallest. But it is still power packed with over 50 million base pairs.

On average a WTY tests about 230,000 Base Pairs. Since FTDNA began doing WTY only about 500 men have been tested and in that 5 year period nearly 1,000 new SNPs have been discovered at FTDNA. In the beginning more SNPs were found because the areas had not been well explored. Of the 500 WTY tests the vast majority (200+) have been for Haplogroup R (which just happens to be the most prolific Haplogroup in England). Of those only 8 were L2+. The last L2+ prior to Jerry’s test was in May of 2011 and no new SNPs were found.

Why is this discovery important? Each time there has been a mutation on the Y chromosome only the descendants of the man in which that mutation took place will carry that SNP. So each man will carry a “genetic roadmap” of his descent from the earliest man. When we find a new SNP it needs testing to determine how widespread it is. If only a few Wheatons in Group B carried this SNP we would know it is very recent. If all Wheatons (and those that match them) carry the SNP we would know it is further back. If other L2+ men test positive then we can place it in a time frame and determine not only who is related to who more recently, but also where the mutation likely occurred. Currently we believe that the man in which the L2 SNP occurred lived in the mountains of Northern Italy about 5,400+ years ago. From that one man the L2 SNP has spread out to Southern Italy, Germany, Belgium, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, US, Canada etc. If we test L2+ men for L1348 and find it extends beyond the Wheatons but is only found in England we can start to determine the time frame and likely place of residence of that man in which the mutation first occurred.

This is how individuals working with scientists are changing our understanding of the human family. It extends our ability to reach back beyond genealogical time. In the future with more SNPs being discovered and some of them being more recent…. we may be able to recreate a family tree going backwards via STRs and coming forward using SNPs. SNPs are copying errors where an allele changes from its ancestral value to a derived value. The derived value in this case is A+. Which seems very appropriate! A+

WHAT A YEAR IT’S BEEN!

Posted on December 19, 2012     Leave a Comment

Here’s what we have accomplished this year:

• WE went from 17 to 37 MEMBERS at FTDNA and many more overall!
• WE went from a presumed 2 Wheaton groups to  SEVEN with FOUR of those Groups tracing roots to DEVON!
• WE have proof the name had not a single origin but likely many.
• WE have 3 members who are participating in the Genographic Project Geno 2.0
• WE have sponsored a Walk Through the Y for a member of Group B
• WE have been responsible for the discovery of a brand new SNP L1358
• WE have located the earliest Wheaton of record in Devon in 1288!
• WE have our first African American of Wheaton descent join us
• WE have solved a few mysteries and uncovered many more

My very Best Wishes to all of you this HOLIDAY season.
My wish list for next year:

• More members especially from England
• Descendants of Thomas Wheadon’s son John
• Descendents of Robert Wheaton’s sons Obadiah and Samuel
• Descendants of Christopher Wheaton of Hull, MA
• An answer to Robert Wheaton’s precise origins
• That our new SNP and the results from Geno 2.0 help refine the origins of the various Wheaton Groups
• That through this project we learn more about our place in the Greater Human Family

Warmest Wishes to all. If you are looking for a last minute Christmas gift give the gift that keeps on giving a DNA Kit or a donation to our general fund. Yes I am shameless Ho, Ho, Ho!

GENO 2.0 First Thoughts

Posted on December 14, 2012     Leave a Comment

Three of our project members that I know of have taken the GENO 2.0 and one has results. Of the over 12,000 Y-DNA SNPs tested Mr. Mallenby is positive for 447. That really doesn’t mean much in itself but it does show why FTDNA is no longer recommending the Deep Clade Testing as this test is far more comprehensive.

Most of the results that I have checked so far are consistent with the known Y-tree also known as the Phylogenic Tree. However there are many new SNPs below the terminal L-2 SNP and some that were placed on the tree over on the U106 side of things (like the WHEADONs) which he is positive for. So the Y Tree will be getting an overhaul as these things get sorted out. Each SNP has a name such as L2 or Z148 and they also have a position and sometimes a “Rs number” So For the series L, M, V and Z series where I could find the Rs number I looked up my husband’s results on 23andme (he is also Group B). All so far are identical with Mr. Mallenby save one: L516 aka Rs9785694 Mr Mallanby shows the mutation (therefore is positive) whereas my husband is negative. In this case the “ancestral” value (allele) is G (my husband) and the mutation or “derived” value is A (Mr. Mallenby). When we have Adams’s results (Group B) we will be able to compare them to Mr. Mallenby. They should be nearly identical. Any differences could be branching of the tree in genealogical time.

The GENO 2.0 only tests 12,000 known and selected SNPs. It cannot find unknown mutations. That is where the Walk Through the Y steps in and tries to identify NEW mutations. Together with a little luck we may get some big answers about Group B this coming year. We should also be getting good info on the Wheadon Group C Folks too!

I know I have probably lost some of you by now but as more info gets digested I hope to be able to report it in a way that is actually interesting and meaningful…..okay back to number crunching….

Too Much News so just a quick ROUND-up

Posted on December 12, 2012     Leave a Comment

Those with Genographic 2.0 are getting there results including many more SNPS. As yet not sure what it all means as the Phylogenic trees do to reflect all these new SNPs yet. Thank you to Thomas and Terry for keeping me posted.

We also have new results for Geoffrey which show that he and the New Jersey Wheatons (of Wheaton Glass fame) are not recently related. I have separated them into D1 and D2 for now. They are both part of the very prolific North Atlantic modal that will show matches at 12 markers which fall apart at 37. Remember I warned of this. I suspect Kingsley will still match Geoffrey but we will need his markers extended to know for sure.

Please see the previous post about the passing of 88 year old Wheaton Clan B Dale Dean Wheaton.

Looks like our Walk Through the Y results may be a ways out but will be worth the wait.

Thanks for the comments regarding the Wall Street Journal Article. Here is the link for posterity.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443589304577635801333547784.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

There are many sales and new price structures for various DNA tests. If you happen to have an interest in medical related DNA the $99 price at 23andme is quite attractive and includes atDNA. Ancestry.com is currently offered at $129 for atDNA and FTDNA’s equivalent atDNA called Family Finder is $199. If you want recommendations for holiday gifts please contact me directly.

That’s the short update. I will post more as I get it.

Uncle Dale Dean Wheaton

Posted on December 12, 2012     1 Comment

My Uncle Dale passed away early Saturday morning, at his farm-home with hospice and family.  See other obit information here: http://www.petersandmurrayfuneralhome.com/obituaries_view.php   We are part of the Robert Wheaton Clan, with postings on Jean’s web site through the 6th and 7th generation ending at Ottis and Alonzo in Eaton Co. Michigan, my Great and Great Great Grandfathers.

I brought along printouts of the family lineage, and family members enjoyed reading and sharing the stories around his bedside.  Thank you all-

R. Bruce Wheaton

REVOLUTION in the Y-DNA Tree

Posted on December 9, 2012     Leave a Comment

Thanks to Thomas’ question posted below and Adam’s reply it looks like the Y-DNA Phylogenic Tree is in upheaval and headed for MAJOR revisions. Let’s  review the basics. The Y-DNA starts  with  the Proverbial Adam and each time there was a major mutation that determined a different branch of the Y tree. In our Project we have “I” and “R” Haplogroups representing our major branches of the “Y” tree. As new mutations were discovered each further refined the position on the Phylogenic tree: R becomes R1 then R1 becomes R1b and so forth. The shorthands are becoming so unwieldy that ISOGG (International Society of Genetic Genealogists) are moving to use the Branch name R1b with the terminal SNP ( that is the furthest down the branches SNP for which a man shows positive for the mutation ).

The new Geno 2.0 Chip tests for thousands of Y DNA SNPs most of which were previously unavailable. Apparently widespread testing has thrown a few surprises into the mix and the whole tree must be revamped. This has broad implications for our project and for our WAlk Through The Y. First the shake-up may help further define where the various Wheaton clusters are located in the new tree AND the time frame for our Group B Walk Through The Y may be effected. This is good news because the longer the wait the more likely we will see more interesting results.

REMEMBER the Genographic Chip only tests for KNOWN selected Y DNA mutations whereas the WALK THROUGH the Y is looking for NEW mutations.

AS promised here is a link about the new A00 Haplogroup. http://dna-explained.com/2012/11/16/the-new-root-haplogroup-a00/

Still looking for the video. Here’s one
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=3O3GHIhEvOY&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D3O3GHIhEvOY
And a shorter one
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=cttyfRpggcw&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DcttyfRpggcw

National Geographic Geno 2.0 project

Posted on December 9, 2012     3 Comments

Does anyone know why the National Geographic Geno 2.0 project is not releasing any male results at the present?

That was the word I received back when I inquired why my results were taking so long to complete?

Susan’s Cause for Celebration! Long research pays off.

Posted on November 19, 2012     1 Comment

Susan I have taken the liberty of posting your comment directly to the Blog.

Cause for celebration. Susan of Group D has finally traced back her family to Nathaniel Wheaton of Coldridge/Winkeigh, born c. 1605, via Thomas of Chulmleigh c 1767, his father Nathaniel of Chulmleigh, and his grandfather Lewis, born 1681 Coldridge. Lewis’s father was also a Nathaniel, son to the one born c. 1605 and believed to be the son of Paul Wheaton of the same village.

The story of my find after several despairing weeks in Exeter Record office is very interesting, and shows one should never give up hope.

Having checked dozens of parishes, I had been unable to find a baptism for Thomas, married in Iddesleigh in 1789. In the nearby small town of Winkleigh was a Nathaniel, married to a Grace, surname unknown, and several children. There had been a vague idea that they might be brothers. I then came across a Resettlement Examination for a Nathaniel Wheaton of Winkleigh which linked him to Chulmleigh. An exhausting bog-eyed trawl through the Chulmleigh microfiches had already turned him up, plus some brothers and sisters, and his father, Nathaniel, married to Ann Slade in 1760. but I had discarded him because there was no Thomas. Last week a more scrupulous examination seemed to indicate that there were some years missing. What to do? Was there a link? Was he, in fact, linked to a Nathaniel born in 1741? Should I go and have a cup of tea and call it a day?

Don’t ask me what happened but I decided to check the lists of the Chulmleigh Overseers of the Poor. And I found apprentice indentures for every single one of those children, except the youngest, Mary. They were dated in matching order to the dates of the baptisms, except that John and Nathaniel were apprenticed in the same year. And there was Thomas.So he did exist after all. At the time poor children were apprenticed at around 7-9 years of age, so this set him in the right year according to his death certificate.

Bit between my teeth, on the next morning I set to again and the first thing I turned up was Thomas’s father, Nathaniel, born to Lewis Whiddon and Elizabeth. I later found Lewis’s marriage to Elizabeth Gribble plus a few more children, all in Chulmleigh.

I now knew who Lewis was as I had him on my data base. Talk about going on my way rejoicing. I was due to catch the bus into Bideford at 2.10 so I was on cloud nine as I travelled through that beautiful countryside where my ancestors had lived for 300 years or more until they started moving to Exeter and the bigger towns.

When I next write in I will copy the Resettlement Examination of Thomas’s older brother, Nathaniel. It reads like something out of Dickens.

Devon at the time of the Domesday in 1086

Posted on November 18, 2012     1 Comment

Since so many of our Wheaton/Wheadons etc. harken from Devon I thought perhaps you might like a snapshot of Devon at the time of the Domesday Book about the year 1086. Yes a long time ago.

Approximately 9-10,000 farms of which approximately 8,500 were small outliers worked by “villeins” (bonded peasants)

About 1200 Manor houses

Population ranged from 10-15 per square mile around Exon (Exeter) and Berry Pomery near Totnes) to the sparsely occupied areas of Dartmoor with 2 or less per square mile. The vast majority was in the 5-10 persons per square mile category.

Total population was about 7,000 with Exon having about 1500 of that total.

This would be before the advent of surnames. It does not take much to imagine how manors, farms and occupations would be a source of surnames when they became more prevalent in the 13th and 14th centuries.

FTDNA HOLIDAY SALE & UPDATING YOUR FTDNA INFO

Posted on November 15, 2012     1 Comment

Although I have emailed you all I thought I would post here as well in case you are looking for a holiday gift for yourself or a family member at the last minute and already deleted the email. A DNA test is a test that can keep on giving as samples are stored for 25 years and they are thinking of expanding that to 50 years!  If you haven’t done so already please log onto your FTDNA pages and update your personal information and especially your Beneficiary Information. It is helpful to list your last known ancestor and places of origin.  For those of you who have done the Family Finder Test looks like there are some cool updates and improvements in the interface coming next year.

If you need advice on what to order feel free to contact me directly or post here so others will learn as well.

To order this special offer, log in to your personal page and click on the Order An Upgrade button in the upper right corner. A link to the login page is provided below. ALL ORDERS MUST BE PLACED AND PAID FOR BY MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012 11:59:00 PM CST TO RECEIVE THE SALE PRICES.

Log In to Order an Upgrade.

Click Here to Order a New Kit.