Rebuilding The Family Tree

Lesley Stahl Reports On The Hopes And Limitations Of Genetic Genealogy

(CBS)  This segment was originally broadcast on Oct. 7, 2007. It was updated on June 26, 2008.

Genealogy -- researching family history -- is one of the most popular hobbies in this country, right up there with gardening. A nation of immigrants, we almost all come from somewhere else we wish we knew more about, so searching for our roots holds tremendous appeal. And today there is an exciting new addition to the genealogists' tool kit: genetic genealogy.

As correspondent Lesley Stahl first reported last fall, it turns out that inside each one of us, within every cell of our bodies, is information about who our ancestors were, where they lived, and who we're related to today. Our DNA contains hidden stories about our pasts, and scientists, together with businessmen, are now offering ways to help us read them.

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Vy Higginsen is the founder and director of the Mama Foundation for the Arts in Harlem. She believes it's crucial for African-Americans to know and celebrate their heritage. But for most of her life, she knew virtually nothing about her own.

"It happened when my grandmother died. When I saw her laying in the casket, and I realized I didn't know who she was," she explains.

She started researching her family tree, but could only get as far back as her grandmother's father, Robert West. Then she heard about a company that could explore her great grandfather's ancestry, using DNA from a direct male descendent. So she called her cousin James West and asked if she could come swab his cheek.

"So we go down to Washington D.C. We take the test and he's all excited. And we send it back. And, bam, there's a hit," Vy Higgensen remembers.

There was a match between cousin James' DNA and that of several other men whose last name was also West. That means that James, and therefore Vy, are related to all these men, who sent their DNA to the same company, also looking for matches.

Vy was reeling from that information, when she received a phone call from halfway across the country. "And he said, 'Hello. My name is Marion West. And I'm a cattle rancher from Poplar Bluff, Missouri. And I understand we're cousins," Vy, who is African-American, remembers.

Out of the blue, Marion West, who is white, had picked up the phone and reached out to his newfound DNA cousin. "I picked up the phone and dialed her," he tells Stahl.

"You probably never had a cousin that sounded like that before," Stahl remarks.

"No," Vy says. "Not even close. I mean I didn't see a cow 'til I was 22."

And she wasn't exactly what he’d been expecting either: he had tried DNA testing to prove a family story that his bloodline traced back to British royalty.

"You had this sense that your family was pure English, pure blood. Blue blood," Stahl says.

"Oh yeah, 100 percent," Marion West says.

Marion West and Vy's cousin James West are related through the tiny "Y" chromosome, which men pass down unchanged to their sons, so it traces an unbroken line from generation to generation. It was the "Y" chromosome that allowed family members of Sally Hemings to prove they descended from Thomas Jefferson, or at least from one of his male relatives.

Now if you want to find out about your ancestry, there are at least a dozen different companies offering to analyze DNA for prices ranging from $100 to $400 a test.

The company Marion and Vy chose, Family Tree DNA, is one of the largest. They say the DNA proves that Marion and Vy share a common male ancestor, probably within the last 100 to 300 years. And that common ancestor was Caucasian.

Marion says up to that point, it had never before occurred to him that he had a branch of the family that was African-American.

"How did you feel about the prospect of having black relatives?" Stahl asks.

"Well, you know, I really, to tell you the truth, it's just life. I didn't doubt it a bit," he says.

[root-c-ker]

For MissTWest,

I couldn''t tell from what you wrote whether Harold L. West is your brother. If he%u2019s already been tested, you can learn something about your family''s origins by comparing it with other Wests. If there is a match, you will know that you share some family history with them. You%u2019ll be able to see whether your West line matches any of the 28 West families that have been identified, or with one that hasn''t yet found a match, on this West surname project page: http://web.utk.edu/~corn/westdna/west5.htm

The test they%u2019re using to look at the West surname is the Y chromosome, which is found only in males and is passed down father-to-son. It won%u2019t be possible to use it to learn about your maternal ancestors using the Y chromosome.

You could find out about the maternal lines by having someone test mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). If you could find someone who descends directly from mother to daughter from the possible Native American ancestor, then the result should tell you whether the person in question really was Native American or not.

The price of these tests starts at about $99. To get more useful info you might need to spend a little more. Why don''t you first see if any male relatives in your West family have already been tested, and if not, whether they would like to be. Maybe they%u2019ll even pay for it! You can get more information from the administrator of the West DNA project here:http://web.utk.edu/~corn/westdna/

Good luck!

[root-c-ker]

For MissTWest,

I couldn''t tell from what you wrote whether Harold L. West is your brother. If he%u2019s already been tested, you can learn something about your family''s origins by comparing it with other Wests. If there is a match, you will know that you share some family history with them. You%u2019ll be able to see whether your West line matches any of the 28 West families that have been identified, or with one that hasn''t yet found a match, on this West surname project page: http://web.utk.edu/~corn/westdna/west5.htm

The test they%u2019re using to look at the West surname is the Y chromosome, which is found only in males and is passed down father-to-son. It won%u2019t be possible to use it to learn about your maternal ancestors using the Y chromosome.

You could find out about the maternal lines by having someone test mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). If you could find someone who descends directly from mother to daughter from the possible Native American ancestor, then the result should tell you whether the person in question really was Native American or not.

The price of these tests starts at about $99. To get more useful info you might need to spend a little more. Why don''t you first see if any male relatives in your West family have already been tested, and if not, whether they would like to be. Maybe they%u2019ll even pay for it! You can get more information from the administrator of the West DNA project here:http://web.utk.edu/~corn/westdna/

Good luck!

[root-c-ker]

For MissTWest,

I couldn''t tell from what you wrote whether Harold L. West is your brother. If he%u2019s already been tested, you can learn something about your family''s origins by comparing it with other Wests. If there is a match, you will know that you share some family history with them. You%u2019ll be able to see whether your West line matches any of the 28 West families that have been identified, or with one that hasn''t yet found a match, on this West surname project page: http://web.utk.edu/~corn/westdna/west5.htm

The test they%u2019re using to look at the West surname is the Y chromosome, which is found only in males and is passed down father-to-son. It won%u2019t be possible to use it to learn about your maternal ancestors using the Y chromosome.

You could find out about the maternal lines by having someone test mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). If you could find someone who descends directly from mother to daughter from the possible Native American ancestor, then the result should tell you whether the person in question really was Native American or not.

The price of these tests starts at about $99. To get more useful info you might need to spend a little more. Why don''t you first see if any male relatives in your West family have already been tested, and if not, whether they would like to be. Maybe they%u2019ll even pay for it! You can get more information from the administrator of the West DNA project here:http://web.utk.edu/~corn/westdna/

Good luck!

[root-c-ker]

For MissTWest,

I couldn''t tell from what you wrote whether Harold L. West is your brother. If he%u2019s already been tested, you can learn something about your family''s origins by comparing it with other Wests. If there is a match, you will know that you share some family history with them. You%u2019ll be able to see whether your West line matches any of the 28 West families that have been identified, or with one that hasn''t yet found a match, on this West surname project page: http://web.utk.edu/~corn/westdna/west5.htm

The test they%u2019re using to look at the West surname is the Y chromosome, which is found only in males and is passed down father-to-son. It won%u2019t be possible to use it to learn about your maternal ancestors using the Y chromosome.

You could find out about the maternal lines by having someone test mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). If you could find someone who descends directly from mother to daughter from the possible Native American ancestor, then the result should tell you whether the person in question really was Native American or not.

The price of these tests starts at about $99. To get more useful info you might need to spend a little more. Why don''t you first see if any male relatives in your West family have already been tested, and if not, whether they would like to be. Maybe they%u2019ll even pay for it! You can get more information from the administrator of the West DNA project here:http://web.utk.edu/~corn/westdna/

Good luck!

[herbar]

See web pages: www.tjheritage.org and www.angelfire.com/va/TJTruth for the handling of the Jefferson-Hemings DNA Study.

DNA DID NOT prove Thomas Jefferson to be the father of Sally Hemings''s children. I assisted Dr. Foster with the test.

The problem: He tested a known Sally Hemings male line descendant of Eston Hemings whose family had ALWAYS claimed descend from a "Jefferson uncle" meaning Randolph Jefferson, the Presidents brother. Dr Foster failed to notify Nature Journal, Monmticello or other researchers and thus there was surprise when the DNA''s matched. Having been forwarned they could only assume that the result would naturally happen because of thje long family claims. There was no match of Jefferson-Woodson, a long held family claim. Final analysis: NOTHING proves that TJ fathered Hemings children. Be careful of your own DNA studies and gather ALL family history.

Herb Barger
Jefferson Family Historian

[ckerwath]

Charles...If you count the number of DEAD people,
you easily go into the trillions.

[charlesohio]

There may be a flaw in the calculation of how many grandparents that you have after so many generations. If you go back far enough, you end up with more grandparents than there are people in the world.

Charles

[MsWest1025]

Hi!
I was watching the newscast about tracing your family roots. I saw the story of "Vi Higginson", and tracing her family tree to "Marion West". My last name is West also. I know that I have "Blackfoot Indian" in my family tree. I know that my Great Grandmothers name was "Addie Howell". She lived in the Tennesse area. Around Knoxville, Danveridge, New Market, and Nashville area. I have been trying to tace my roots through "Ancestory.com", but that has been taking forever. I also noticed that the names on the paper that was shown contained a name of a living sibling of mine, by the name of "Harold L. West", which showed he has the "Y25" cromosone to trace male decendents. Is there any type of help anyone can give me to help in my quest to find my heritage? Money is a big obstacle for me at this time. I have been laid-off since February of 2008. Dispite the obstacle, I would still like to find my roots no matter how minut it may seem to some. PLEASE HELP!!

[credo6]

I couldn''t care less what her lipstick looks like but I was appalled to hear Ms. Stahl use the masculine term "businessmen" vice gender-neutral "businesses," business owners, business people or persons. I live in a community where only businessMEN are consider smart enough to run a business, chair a committee or hold public office. I sure don''t need my girls hearing sexist terms from a woman who supposedly made historic inroads into a predominately male profession and should have the sensitivity to set an example for other women AND men.

[uckleduckl]

If the number of grand x parents keeps doubling every generation back like 1,000,000 going back 20 gernations, how do get back to 2 at the start, Adam and Eve. HS and JK who thought of it.

[tbetchkal]

Who puts on Leslie''s lipstick for her? Daisy Duck?

[planetearth3]

Were we come from is not as important as who we are. For who we are will show what we are as a people.

[michellem99-2009]

I have no idea of who I am related to thanks to this nanny govt breaking our family. Throwing us in to foster homes denying to know who we are our roots what nation our family came from to top it off I am white, female legally blind. I know very little.. Thank ye America for nothing. Yer robbed me of family.. It is not just a black thing..I am 53.

[ladonna49]

I have been tracing my family genealogy since I was 17 years old and I am now 48!!! I found the story fascinating. I have gone back as far as 1865 when my great grandfather was born to a slave mother. It will be interesting to order the test to see if any of the results actually match my resource. I would to love to meet Leslie and Vy and hear more. I''m sure their entire story could not be covered in such a short television show!

[jmdurrett]

Leslie,
If you had done your homework you would have mentioned that the reason it is so hard for for women to match is because each generation we have a different female. And when we get an X chromozone a women does not know which X chromozone she is getting from her mother. She could be getting her 6th great-grandmother''s chromozone or she could be getting her 12th great-grandmother''s X chromozone. In any case it gets confusing.
Men are lucky they don''t have this problem.

[johnshaft4]

George W. tried to trace his family tree, but all he found was a bunch of nuts.

[lrwpubl]

OK, Ms. Stahl, you must do a part 2, because you left out to much information. I know 60 minutes can do better. After the one-sided Joel Olsteen interview that Mr. Pitt did, I know you can do better than this...please do a sequel and tell more about the DNA testing. Thanks

[montezl]

I think the explaination of multiple tribes in her DNA line is due to understanding the history of Chattel American Slavery. Persons from tribes captured into slavery from the congo-angolo and the ivory coast regions were dispersed among each other when they were sold at auctions in the United States. The captors split persons and families who were from like tribes. This was to keep them from communicating effectively to prevent insurrection. At the same time, they made those who were dispersed mate with each other. This would account for the heritage of different tribes. We also know how white male ancestry was introduced into those who were African slaves. White slave masters inpregnated black female slaves.

I thought the report was good, but it did not account for the history of the African American slave story. I thought it would have been a better presentation if it had included some perspectives of history. We do know that everything, to include science, has limitations. Next time, Including some historical explanations can give us a better picture of what DNA science concluded.

[cisabdk]

This segment about ancestry was poorly . I can''t believe that a program such as 60 Mn wil be aired twice with the same mistake. May be no one care because is about African ancestry. For DNA lab workers to come forward with diiferent "tribe" for one ancestry is scientifically right,but for a serious tv producer not to asssociate an expert in african studies or a scholar in African history make that segment a joke. Because we will have known that the Mande in Serria-Leone, the lobi in northern Ivory coast,the mandeka in Senegal were all part of the empire of MALI that followed the empire of GHANA not to confuse with the actual republics of Mali and Ghana.And these 2 empires were located in West Africa where all those ethnic groups not tribes still live .Again another bad portrayal of African history to make African american less proud of their heritage. Well done.
This is like finding in a DNA of a french citizen from Marseille that he has italian, greck, spanish portuguese ,syrian and algerian ancestry in his DNA.In that case, we will have heard in the same time that it is normal because so and so. But when an African-American has multiple encestries on her DNA ,no one seems to know why.

[selmey63]

I watched your piece on Reconstructing The Family Tree. The most important part was ommited by those scientists. The ancestors of everyone in the world today come from Africa. Please go online enter scientist Spencer Wells or The Journey Of Man and get the truth with proof.