Short DNA sale April 2013

Family Tree DNA have advised that they are having a "DNA day" sale which originally finished 11:59pm 22 April 2013 CDT.
It has been extended to the 25th April, with the following explanation:
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This year we began our commemoration of National DNA Day on April 19th. This coincides with the celebration by the National Human Genome Research Institute and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History's partnership to celebrate the 1953 discovery of the double helix and the 2003 completion of the Human Genome Project, which was April 19th.

However, DNA Day is celebrated worldwide on April 25th. Therefore, we've extended our sale! The usual conditions apply - orders must be made and paid for by 11:59 p.m. CDT on Thursday, April 25th. 
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Great time to be in.
Here's the original notification, with the prices:

Excellent Family Finder & mtDNA full sequence pricing, and news of Y-DNA upgrades being available on Father's Day
So if you've been thinking about doing your bit for our overall knowledge of RUNCIMANs, goto Family Tree DNA, select the RUNCIMAN project and order your appropriate test.
If in doubt about what is best, select a link in the footer of any of the RUNCIMAN pages linked at top right and ask.
If already tested, log in to your personal page at Family Tree DNA and select an upgrade. The tests relevant to you will pop up.

From their advice to administrators:

"While the special pricing features all the major tests, we’re placing particular emphasis on the Full Mitochondrial Sequence and Family Finder. We’ll offer Y-DNA upgrades during a Father’s Day sale and will give you those details at that time.

By carefully choosing the sale options and limiting the length of the sale, we will be better able to focus our resources on processing the tests efficiently and avoiding delays in delivering results.

We are proud to announce we have successfully moved our mtDNA Full Sequencing line from Sanger DNA sequencing to what is called Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). This gives us much greater capacity to process tests, to reduce costs without sacrificing quality, and to ensure shorter turnaround times.

We must run the entire sequence every time we process an mtDNA full sequence test, even for upgrades. However, in recognition of your prior investment- and National DNA Day – we’re offering our lowest price ever for the FMS and upgrades.

Rather than the 8-10 weeks first generation sequencing required, we expect results to be completed within 5-6 weeks. This does depend on the number of orders received though. If their DNA is already at our lab, those who order first may expect even shorter turnaround times.

For a limited time we will be selling the FMS for $189 and whether you’ve tested HVR1 or HVR1+2, you’ll be able to upgrade to the Full Sequence for just $129!

In addition, we are also lowering the Family Finder to $169 for this sale!

Here is the list of all tests under the promotion:

Full MtDNA Sequence…. $189
Upgrades to FMS….$129
Y-DNA37 (new and add-on)…. $119
Y-DNA67 (new and add-on)…. $199
Y-DNA37 + Full MtDNA Sequence…. $308
Y-DNA12 + FF…. $218
Y-DNA37 + FF…. $288
Y-DNA67 + FF…. $368
Family Finder.... $169
Family Finder + Full MtDNA Sequence…. $358
SuperDNA….$388 (Y-67 + FMS)
Comprehensive DNA…. $557 (Y-67 + FMS + FF

The sale will begin tonight, April 18th, at 6PM CDT and will conclude at 11:59PM CDT on Monday April 22nd. All orders must be placed and paid for by the end of the sale to receive the promotional price.

There will be no need for a coupon - all prices will be automatically adjusted on the website."

Creeping closer

The next step towards the present on the I1 Haplogroup tree has been returned, and the haplogroup tree on DNA Surnames has been updated to reflect this. Also check out the current ISOGG I1 tree

The branch of the tree that Kevin (R-8), and by implication, his matches, is now Z60+ aka I1a2a1

The time estimates from the I1 project currently put this branch at about 3-4500 years ago - ie creeping into recorded history! Take a look at the Timeline of Prehistoric Scotland to put this into context. But bear in mind all such dna time estimates are subject to variation.

Many thanks to those who have donated to the RUNCIMAN DNA Project general fund. Your generous donations allow this testing to continue.

Heading for the present

We've started our progression down the I1 haplogroup tree from ancestral Adam down towards present day.
Kevin (R-8) (many thanks) is our volunteered representative for this, with the first step completed showing that he, and by implication, the matching RUNCIMANs, have changed from I-M253 (aka I1), to the subgroup Z59+ (I1a3a).
The more strings of letters and numbers, the closer we're getting to present day, but don't hold your breath, it's a long way down.

The next step down has been ordered, with thanks to the generous donations in our general fund - which can also be applied towards testing any qualifying direct male line RUNCIMAN from any of our Wanted! lines, or any unrepresented line.

The Supplementary pages have been updated to both include Kevin's new results, and upgrade the analysis page to reflect the current numbering and trees, along with some data on how the RUNCIMAN STR results compare to the overall I1 haplogroup values.

Those interested in this level of testing may be interested in the Y-DNA-HAPLOGROUP-I mailing list.

Entry level Y-DNA discount

Has the cost of DNA testing been the only thing putting you off joining in the fun and helping us explore whether or not assorted RUNCIMAN lines are connected?

Family Tree DNA have announced a heavy promotional discount for their Y-DNA12 test, Normal price $99 US, discount offer $39 US.

This is an excellent price for this entry level test to begin exploring your connections to other RUNCIMANs (follow the sidebar links for results to date).

Be in and begin an exciting journey.

Direct male line RUNCIMANs are welcome to join the RUNCIMAN project by following this link to order the Y-DNA12 test for $39 US and join the project at the same time.

This level of test will really only tell you your deeper ancestry (1000s of years ago), but once tested, you will become as hooked as the rest of us.

Upgrades are always possible, with at least Y-DNA37 begin useful for exploring family connections within genealogical timeframes.

This test is for males only, so if female, find a brother, cousin, father, uncle etc to test on behalf of the family.

Getting there

The One Name Study lineage pages have had an update, primarily for the William of Crail change of tack, which brings in at least a couple of generations earlier in North Berwick (East Lothian).

Other changes include tweaks in some of the lineages (which wont show up on the Recently Changed index).
There may be more, but at least in the following charts:

• Thomas and Mary (REDPATH) RUNCIMAN - found after investigating a headstone in the Portarlington Cemetery, Victoria (AUS) brought to our attention by one of our intrepid researchers
• George and Janet (DARLING) RUNCIMAN - found during the above investigation,  twig  going to/from New Zealand (George a rabbit trapper from Ayton (BEW), married to Janet Bell McLeod MARSHALL)
• Thomas & Alison (GRIEVE) RUNCIMAN - also found during the above investigation, further information on the twig emigrating to Australia in 1910.

William of Crail

One Name Study lineage pages have (finally) been fully republished, primarily to include the updates made necessary by the sterling work of Phyllis and Allan from their visit to the National Archives that settled once and for all the relationship between William of Crail, and the mysterious Richard who brought up his orphaned children (see It was Grandad!).
There are undoubtedly some rough edges yet to be tidied up, and the DNA project supplementary pages have yet to be brought in line with this change of tack

The other convict

Flushed with the success of identifying convict John, attention turned to Ruth the other Tasmanian convict (1831).
Supposedly Scottish, she looks rather more likely to be the Ruth born Berwick upon Tweed to Richard and Jane (SANDERSON) RUNCHMAN.
Whether Richard is from Scotland, or belongs to the other Cornhill families may never be determined.