Future tests: how YOU can participate

Now that the core of a Rockwell genetic database is in place, further tests on Rockwell samples can be added to fill out the picture. The more samples we have in the pool, the more potential of finding mutations which distinguish individual branches, and the more likely is it that someone seeking to connect their untraced Rockwell branch will locate a general line to which their branch belongs.

The price for doing the DNA test, as set by Relative Genetics, is $195 per sample (following a recent drop from $225 per sample due to growing business). I will continue to serve as coordinator for future tests. If you are interested in having a test done for yourself or a qualifying (direct-line male) relative, I invite you to contact me, and I will add your name to a list of volunteers, so that we can do it in batches at the lower rate. You can also volunteer to be a sponsor for another donor, whether closely related to you or not. Then we can offer to cover the cost for someone who might not otherwise participate, who represents a particular line in whom we are interested.

A brief list of historical Rockwells whose lines we'd like samples for:

• Thomas of Norwalk and Ridgefield, son of John of Stamford, who married Sarah Rusco.
• Joseph of Norwalk, son of John of Stamford. We may already have some in the Simmons samples, but verification is needed that Joseph and Thomas didn't have the DYS-439 mutation found in their brother Jonathan's descendants.
• Joseph (m. Sarah Mead) who died at Malta, Saratoga Co., NY. Believed by Rockwell researchers to be a descendant of the aforementioned Joseph, son of John of Stamford.
• Uriah of Butternuts and Orange, NY. Again, we may have a sample already in John of Butternuts, but want something to compare with his and the Simmons samples, to address the debate over John's parentage.
• John (d. 1673), son of William of Windsor. We have one sample, and would like to get more.
• Samuel and John, sons of Josiah of Norwich. Currently we have only 3 confirmed descendants of Josiah in the pool, all from son Josiah, with a fourth perhaps descending from John but disputed as a possible William-liner. Other Josiah Jr. descendants are also welcome to share their samples, though.
• Robert Rockhold descendants, whether bearing the Rockhold surname or cognates thereof, or Rockwells. The seven samples we have are a great start, but further samples may help to flesh out different lines and begin to tie incomplete pedigrees together.
• Any samples from Rockwell branches thought to have come about later, via adoption, legal name changes, or later immigration. Examples include a mid-19th century immigrant from Canada to Franklin Co., Vermont, who, according to a descendant, changed his name from Julien Durocher to Julius Rockwell.

For more information, contact me at: kwrockwell@yahoo.com

Access the official report from Relative Genetics

Return to DNA Project home page