The Choate DNA Project is open to any male descendant with the Choate surname (or its variant spellings, Choat, Chote, Shoate, Shoat, Shote, etc.), to any male with other surnames whose Y-DNA marker results have a close match with those in this Project, and to all other persons who have taken the Family Finder test that match with the Choate surname and share segments with a Choate. One of our objectives is to attempt to identify the numerous Choate family groups as well as to assist in proving their relationships through documented lineages. For those wanting to join the Choate DNA Project please read the below requirements/recommendations - Both men and women who have taken the Family Finder test are welcome to join if they match a Choate/Shoate, etc. lineage, but tools are limited at the project level for Family Finder. For male Choates, or other name if there was a name change or if Choate paternity is suspected, no less than a 37 Y-DNA marker test is recommended as this puts the matching within a good genealogical time-frame. If money is not an issue, please consider the Y-67 or 111 tests. Please note it is imperative that you set your Most Distant Direct Paternal Ancestor with name, some time frame and some geography in your account. You can access this configuration setting from your My Account tab. ****When you submit your Join Request, please provide your Choate lineage from the oldest PROVEN Choate to yourself in the format below. Please include all the detail for dates, locations (including the town or community and the county, if known) and spouses names.**** Please follow this format - 1. James Choate b. ABT 1813 in Tennessee; d. BEF 9 JUN 1880 Census in unknown; m. ABT 1835 in unknown to Elmira "Mira" Farmer 2. Mary Arminti/Armittie Choate b. 10 AUG 1853 in Scott County (now Logan County), Arkansas; d. 11 FEB 1928 in Bells Chapel Community, Pope County,Arkansas; m. 5 SEP 1869 in Pope County, Arkansas to Charles Homer Austin 3. Rebecca Elizabeth Austin b. 1 NOV 1873 in Pope County, Arkansas;d. 5 AUG 1968 in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas; m. 6 FEB 1901 in Pope County, Arkansas to Dock Talley ETC. Once this information is received, you will be able to join. However, do not be discouraged if you do not have this much information - just include what you do know. I am available to assist you with any questions or comments you may have about your test, so please don't hesitate to email me at ftdnaprojects@gmail.com. If I am unable to answer your questions or concern, I will find someone who can.