I received a note a few days ago from my friend Dr. Ugo Perego, in Rome. I’m sharing a portion of it here:
I would like to make you aware of a couple of things pertaining to a project I have been involved since 1999.
As many of you already know, when I was working for Sorenson (1999-2012), I began to work on different side projects involving Joseph Smith’s alleged children born from polygamous unions. Presentations and articles about those finds are available on my personal website www.josephsmithdna.com.
One of the most difficult and yet to be resolved cases was that of Josephine Lyon, whose mother left an affidavit claiming she was the daughter of Joseph Smith. The technology I had available when working for Sorenson was not sufficiently advanced to address this particular case. Up to that time, only male offspring could be tested through a piece of DNA inherited exclusively along the paternal line.
However, hoping that such technology would become available at some future day, I proceeded to work with Josephine and Joseph Smith descendants to secure DNA samples, genealogy and other useful information. Over time, nearly 120 descendants of Josephine and approximately 200 Smith descendants (not only from Joseph, but also from Hyrum and Samuel) contributed the necessary DNA samples and historical data. However, in 2008 Mr. Sorenson died, resources became scarce and, although I was promised to be able to continue to access these samples, they were all sold to Ancestry.com and I can no longer use them. I have tried everything but to this day the answer is a no.
Therefore, with the support of the Josephine and Joseph Smith families, I have resumed collection of samples (the rest of the information is still in my possession) as new technologies are available through commercial laboratories. As I no longer have access to resources from Sorenson, I am going about this as an independent researcher with the need of raising funds for the necessary testing. Laura Hales suggested that I tried GoFundMe and it has been a great idea. I was able to raise $1000 of the $5000 I am budgeting for this initial part of the project and this money has already been spent to collect the first few DNA kits (they are about $100 each). I would appreciate if you could share and circulate news about this effort. Meridian magazine should do a story later this week. The fundraising site is http://www.gofundme.com/JosephSmithDNA.
It now appears that another, unrelated effort to address this question may be underway and currently raising funds — an effort that appears, though I can’t yet confirm my suspicion, to lack the necessary scientific background and perhaps even to be motivated by a desire to call Joseph Smith’s character and claims into question.
So I’m posting this in support of Dr. Perego’s research. He is a faithful Latter-day Saint, a friend, and a superbly qualified geneticist.
If anybody out there is inclined to support his work, even if it can only be with a small amount, please do so. In the absence of good, solid research, potentially poor and partisan efforts can often have disputed fields all to themselves.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In