The DNA Tests and the Filming of the Reunion by Tom Nielson

We had a wonderful family reunion unlike any I have ever been to. How do you describe a reunion where very few people attending actually knew each other prior to the reunion? This was an Aten/Auten reunion, held in Somerset New Jersey, where the first New Jersey farm was located. Now it's become even larger with a full hour production being made for possible PBS use.

We used DNA testing to connect the various branches of the Auten family, now spelled Aten, Eaton, Auten (and one Nielson), and the descendants of the slaves held in the 1700's were also tested. We had DNA tests taken on several Aten/Auten lines, including orphan Auten lines that could not be connected with the first immigrant. All of the various lines were a 100% match with the exception of the African-American Autens. These results mean that the Autens were a faithful family. Only three of the genetic markers matched with the African-American Autens, and that implies no common relationship back to the 1400's on the Auten paternal side.

Film crews flew from Utah to New Mexico and Michigan, and then rented a van to drive to Pennsylvania and on to Somerset New Jersey. The film crew also came out to the Nielson Ranch in Lamoille, Nevada and interviewed my Mom and Dad Neilson and Janet and me with pictures of our kids included. This is turning into a very big project. I saw the first cut of 15 minutes of the 16 hours of film recorded so far. It really is beginning to grow into a story. Jim Sorensen who has financed everything to this point will see this early next week. It will be his financing that will grow the story into something bigger. Some possible additions to the film would be some period acting taking place at the Staats House where slaves are freed and possibly given papers to that effect. Another idea, suggested by Kenny Auten, is having a period setting for depicting a former Auten slave honorably returning from the Civil war.

I found it particularly interesting when we took the family group photos that the Aten line had taken all of the physical height. The rest of the Autens were somewhere in the 5'6 to 5'10" range, while the Aten line was several inches taller than that. If well done, the documentary could do justice to all Auten family members. It could show a family that truly is an American family, one that has been musical, religious, and virtuous, and has fought in every major conflict from the very beginning of the American Dream. It shows a family diverse in every color, size and shape—a  family with its problems and its contributions. All of us are better for attending and looking back to former times and to common futures.

One last note: The photography is first rate and Mark Allen and Gerald Hatch deserve kudos for all their work. Without their concern and support we would have never had the reunion that we had.