Wikipedia has a marvelous introduction to genetics (click here) for us non-scientists, and their explanation of using DNA for genealogy (click here) is also good (entitled "the genealogical DNA test").
The male chromosome (the infamous Y) is passed down exclusively, invariably from father to son. Occasionally during the replication of the DNA, the enzymes will create a copy that is slightly different from the original. Given adequate numbers of participants, these slight differences can eventually tell us that a person belongs to a particular "branch" of the family. The (Anders) Bankston DNA Haplotype (click here) shows a lot of similarity and a few differences among the 7 individuals tested to date. If we had 700 results, we would be well on our way to perfecting our knowledge of Bankston ancestry and eliminating the plethora of guesswork that is our nemesis today.
Cynthia is administrator of the Bankston DNA Project and gets really excited with each new participant. Her enthusiasm is delightful, so I encourage you to help keep the girl happy. We are committed to sharing our results. Click HERE to see Bankston Y-DNA results that include Bankstons not descended from our Anders Bankston.
Moving on past the males, everyone has either an XX or XY sex chromosome ... and 22 other chromosomes, and each chromosome is some random combination of their mother's and their father's chromosomes. Those "other" 22 chromosome pairs are called autosomal DNA. (Click here for an explanation). Your sister's 23 chromosomes will have similarities and differences from yours, as will your aunts' and uncles'. Analysis of autosomal DNA is less straightforward since those chromosomes are assembled "piecemeal" from snippets of your mother's and father's chromosomes. However, if enough people are tested, the results can be correlated and analyzed to determine which similarities come from which parent, grandparent, and eventually which great-great-great-grandparent. The (autosomal) Family Finder test is still expensive, but you can order a less expensive test and allow your DNA to be stored for a future when the Family Finder price becomes more affordable. Already, the Family Finder test and database can give you a list of "cousins" descended from a common ancestor "within 5 generations." (Note that "5 generations" is a probability; in fact, there may be no common ancestor, or the common ancestor could be back more than 10 generations ago.)
Autosomal DNA technology is still developing, but pictures available already are wonderful. (Click HERE to) see Bankston Family Finder chromosome graphs comparing two sisters and a niece with Bankston ancestry, thanks to FtDNA. This technology promises miraculous advances for genealogy, especially as more individuals test their DNA. DNA testing of earlier generations is critical because the autosomal DNA is diluted by half with every generation, so your parents generation can provide results twice as clear as your own generation. (Think of vision, good coffee or perfect marguaritas; would you like them half as strong?)
Everyone has mitochondrial DNA. It comes from your mother's mother's mother's ... mother, and it will also closely match your close relatives. Presently mitochondrial DNA is used only to determine your ancient (feminine) ancestry (your Haplogroup), but as more "full sequence" mitochondrial testing is done, more valuable genealogical correlations will become evident.
Sure it costs a few dollars to have FtDNA test your DNA, but the results can be astonishing. The latest "breaking news" is that DNA proves that Anders Bengtsson was definitely a Swede. There is no longer any speculation, Anders Bankson was neither a Finn nor a Norwegian.
On the other hand, dozens of Bankstons who are rightfully proud to be descendants of the Rev. John Bankston (of Spartanburg, SC) cannot believe that he was not a male-line descendant of Anders Bankson, but his Y-DNA definitely does not match. Those Bankston descendants feel disenfranchised. (My personal belief is that he descends from an unknown daughter and was raised by an uncle so that his descendants have every right to remain proud of their Bankston ancestry. DNA may one day prove my hunch.)
YOUR DNA just might help Rev. John's descendants determine their place within the family.
On the other hand #2, there is one Thomas Bankston who was thought to be a son of Rev. John Bankston. His DNA proves that he was NOT a son of Rev. John and that he IS a descendant of Anders Bankson.
Cynthia sent her DNA in to National Geographic’s Genographic Project in 2005. She has never had to submit another cheek swab sample, but has been able to purchase each new result that has become available. Please send your DNA in now for even the cheapest test. Your DNA is not linked to you as an individual; instead, you are assigned a "kit number" and can elect to share the results or not. You can also dictate whether your sample is to be preserved for future tests or destroyed. I recommend sharing your results and preserving the sample; you never know when someone with uncertain ancestry but tons of money might offer to pay for all possible upgrades.
PLEASE, We appeal to ALL Bankston descendants to have your DNA tested by FtDNA; your DNA will contribute to knowledge about Bankston ancestors. As more individual results become available for correlation, lineages will be more exactly determined and validated.
Pages of personal interest: Ron Beatty's home page, Rambo family genealogy, Bankston & Bankson family genealogy, the Camblin family genealogy, the Dorsey Overturff family, cousin Jean's Schenck and Hageman genealogy, Eric's RPM coins, TRS-80 computer & software collection for sale or donation to a museum, Strategy and Tactical Game Collection for sale, many from Avalon Hill