mtDNA might be considered the province of the human female - it is only passed on by the mother of a child. However, the mother passes that genetic coding on to both her daughters and her sons. But only the daughter can pass it on to her children.
YDNA, which we have studied through our surname project is passed only from father to son and changes in the duplication process between generations can occur at any time. Generally it can be said that it mutates about every 500 years. That is not a hard and fast rule but merely an average time.
On the other hand, mtDNA mutates much slower and can actually take thousands of years for a mis-duplication (mutation) to occur. The government, when attempting to determine the identity of unidentified individuals who have died, will generally use mtDNA to aid in that identification process.
There is a chart at Family Tree DNA's website which explains which females should be tested to determine your matrilineal ancestresses. It can be seen at this URL: http://www.familytreedna.com/tc.html If you were looking at a standard four or five generation pedigree chart, printed portrait-style, the mtDNA would be represented by those women who are at the very bottom of the chart.
An example of a maternal lineage would go like this (I'm going to use my own):
Mother: Mary Moseleen Knauer, b 18 Feb 1922, Putnam Co., IN; d 28 Aug 2004, Putnam Co., IN m Harold Eugene DayGrandmother: Etta Viola Baker, b 11 Aug 1896, Putnam Co., IN; d 13 Apr 1993, Putnam Co., IN m Joseph Cecil Knauer1st Great Grandmother: Mary Marie Michael, b 20 Jun 1868, Putnam Co., IN; d 10 May 1918, Putnam Co., IN m Charles Calvin Baker
I actually have two known Clendenin/Glendunning women in my family tree but neither one of them can be located by testing my mtDNA. The first is an ancestor of Charles Calvin Baker, my great-grandfather. His wife was Margaret Jane Clark, her mother was Paulina Stephenson, her mother was Margaret Jane Boggs but to get to the Clendenin line we have to go to the husband of Margaret Jane Boggs who was Charles Stephenson, the son of Nellie (Mary Ellen/Eleanor) Clendenin, the daughter of Charles Clendenin of VA/WV. Too many men in that line to do us any good.
The second one would be more promising as we pick up with my personal mtDNA line we find in the next generation
2nd Great Grandmother: Eliza Ann Wilson, b 2 Aug 1845, Putnam Co., IN; d 18 Sep 1930, Marion Co., IN m Gilson H. Michael3rd Great Grandmother: Nancy Waln, b 28 Jan 1817, Highland Co., OH; d 26 Jan 1857, Putnam Co., IN m Castleton Wilson4th Great Grandmother: Elizabeth McKee, b c 15 Jun 1795, Frederick Co., VA; d 15 Aug 1855, Putnam Co., IN m Henry Waln5th Great Grandmother: Rebecca Wickersham, c 1772, Frederick Co., VA?; d date, place unknown m John McKee6th Great Grandmother: Elizabeth Fraiser, b/d dates, places unknown m Isaac Wickersham7th Great Grandmother: Rebecca Cox, b/d dates, places unknown m James Fraser/Fraiser/Frazier
Here we get derailed again. It is the Fraser/Fraiser/Frazier line where we encounter Catherine Glendunning. James Fraser's parents were Alexander Fraser and Sarah Coppock. Alexander's parents were (another) Alexander Fraser and his wife Catherine Glendunning. Again, it does me no good. But I do know that Catherine's parents were John Glendunning and Agnes Muir and they were living in Scotland in 1665-1666 when Catherine was born. Catherine's marriage to Alexander Fraser took place in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland on 23 Aug 1683.
If you believe you have a matrilineal descent from a Clendenin or any other spelling including the Glendennings but aren't sure, please contact me before you order the test kit. If you do NOT have the correct individuals in your mother's line of ancestors, we can save you some money.
Earliest Known
Ancestress HG Testing
Company Anderson,
Margaret H CRS 195C, 263G, 315.1C, 522-,
523- Argus Bioscience
Anderson, Margaret, b 10 Apr 1743, Augusta Co., VA; d c 1805, Greene Co., KY; m James Clendennin (v/s) - Brent Bradberry [brentbradberry AT clearwire.net]
Mary Rebecca Clendennin, b c 1762, Augusta Co., VA; d 2 Apr 1831, Green Co., KY; m William SympsonMartha "Patsy" Sympson, b 1 Feb 1790, Clark Co., KY; d 1 Feb 1842, Clark Co., KY; m Amon Cass/CastCaroline Elizabeth Cass/Cast, b 15 Jan 1818, Clark Co., KY; d 15 Feb 1868, Boyd Co., KY; m Thomas Joseph BerryMary Houston Berry, b 15 Feb 1840, Clark Co., KY; d 24 Feb 1909, Hood Co. TX; m William Joseph AndersonCaroline "Carrie" Jane Anderson, b 18 Dec 1871, Union Co., KY; d 11 May 1962, Los Angeles Co., CA; m Steven Albert MartinMyrtle Monedel "Eleanor" Martin, b 15 Jan 1914, Hood Co., TX; d 13 Apr 2005, Latah Co., ID; m Winsel Taylor "Brad" Bradberry