DNA History by Margaret Bardin
Foulis Castle
History of the Munro DNA Project
This is the history of DNA testing by Margaret Dorris Bardin, March, 2017
The Munro Project was formed in late 2001 by a group of researchers with North Carolina Monroe/Munroe ancestry. Our group was stymied by the loss of valuable records in the South during the American Revolution and the Civil War plus fires in wooden courthouses. The founder of our study group was Rick Monroe of Cornelius, NC. It was his idea to look to DNA research to connect us with others who might have Bible records and pictures. Rick also envisioned the project becoming a repository of Munro DNA worldwide. He knew that participants from the Foulis-Munro line would bring validation to the project.
I was asked to choose a test management company and thanks to Scottish frugality I chose what would become the premier test management company in the world. Having no cell phone at the time, knowing nothing about DNA research and not wanting to incur many long distance charges, I chose a local company, Family Tree DNA based in Houston. The company was formed in 2000, and DeAnn Monroe Steely, co-administrator, and I have been volunteers with FTDNA from its early beginnings.
Through the years DeAnn and I have been helped greatly by former clan genealogist, Allen Alger, and CMA-USA board member, Charles Munroe. In recent years, Mark Monroe from Austin and Dr Colin Munro from Glasgow have worked tirelessly on the Foulis-Munro line and the different cadet branches.
The first test participants were those of us in the North Carolina study group. Since then the project has grown to 374 members who are from Scotland and throughout the diaspora. 286 of the participants have taken the male Y- DNA test, and the remaining participants have taken one of the other available tests.
DeAnn and I are pleased that 44 participants in the project are of the Foulis-Munro line. We enjoy helping Munros utilize DNA testing as a research tool. If you are interested in DNA research, please contact DeAnn or me: dsteely@yahoo.com: mbardin731@comcast.net
It would be great if you joined the Munro DNA Project and I have just received the following information from Margaret Bardin.
Last year there was FTDNA offered a sale linked with Father’s Day, but it was offered for the whole month, I believe. Other years there has been a sale at the 4th of July. So, look out for sales on the Family tree dna web site www.familytreedna.com. Also, there are DNA tests for those who are of Munro descent, but who are not males carrying the Munro surname.
Below is an easy site for ordering the kit within the project. It offers the 12-marker kit for those who are concerned about cost but the best starting point is the 37-marker test. Those who match perfectly on 37 markers could theoretically share a most recent common ancestor going back 1 to 6 or 7 generations. https://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?Group=Monroe
We will look a little closer at DNA testing in our next post.
