The 1850 census for Elkhart County has families of two SHREINER brothers, John and George. John disappears from the Elkhart County records, but George has many descendants still carrying the Shreiner surname today. These Shreiners go back to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

I am a descendant of a John Shreiner who shows up in Cass County, MI records after 1850 (just across the state line). I've had a Y chromosome test done on one of my male Schreiner cousins, and I'd like to compare results with a known descendant of George. The line of descent must be male to male all the way, since that's the way the Y chromosome travels. Markers on the Y chromosome can remain constant for many generations.

I am willing to pay for the test, which involves rubbing a swab inside your cheek and mailing the sample to the lab (Family Tree DNA http://www.ftdna.com). The test reveals nothing about any traits or medical conditions -- just whether or not the two men have a common ancestor.

If you are acquainted with any Shreiners, please pass along this message.