There are many different ways you can help promote and expand the Knauer Y-DNA Surname Project:
1. Spread the word. Do not post a notice to either the appropriate mailing lists at Rootsweb or the Message Boards at Ancestry. Their rules prohibit what they consider to be "commercial" postings. Some of the administrators have interpreted this to mean DNA projects - particularly if a testing company's name or URL is included in the message. GenForum seems to be okay with DNA postings.Instead, tell your family members and fellow Knauer researchers about our project. Ask them to contact me and I will provide them with information regarding the company, costs, anticipated results, and any other questions to which they need answers.
2. Test. If you are a male or have a brother, father, uncle, cousin, etc. who bears the Knauer surname encourage them to be tested. Only by having as many participants as possible will this project grow and more information will become known.
3. Document the paper trail. DNA testing is only a tool, but as two of our participants discovered recently it can be a very helpful one. To quote one of the men: "I do not believe we would have ever made the connection without the DNA results. " When the sample is submitted to the testing lab, I require a mini-lineage be submitted to me to be posted at this site.
It was the DNA results that caused us to look more carefully at the mini-lineages these two men had submitted. When they contacted each other, they agreed that they did share a common ancestor and were descended from different wives of the same man. The DNA also tells us that two, possibly three, other men who have been tested are also related. We're still working on those relationships.
I consider this very promising for making other connections.
4. Contribute. If you're saying, "but I'm a woman, I can't be tested for Y-DNA" then not only can you spread the word and document the paper trail, you can also contribute to a General Fund which is automatically set up by our testing company when a project is started. Here's how it works:
There is a portion of the group administration page which allows you to make a contribution, memorial or otherwise, to the Knauer General Fund. You may do this by credit card or you may send a check if you would rather do it that way. That money then becomes available to be used to test individuals who are willing but who feel that they can't spare the money.
The money does not come directly to me (and I prefer it this way) but goes straight to the company to be used for DNA testing. The only control that I have over the money is in deciding whose test is paid for that way. I prefer not to pay for an entire test but usually use such money to upgrade to the next panel of markers or just to pay a small portion of the testing costs.
5. Submit your lineage. Back on our home page you saw a table which included Participant Lineages and Non-participant lineages. Even if you can't participate in the test, if you are a Knauer descendant you can submit your lineage (in the form of a genealogy report, please. No Gedcoms.) and I will post it on the website. Perhaps you have information which someone else needs to make their connection.