Combining the know-anyone-famous and genealogy threads . . .

[Lorna in the boonies]

How about this? Are you a direct descendant of anyone famous?

My only documented claim to fame is Rowland Taylor, a martyr found in Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Not very famous, but it's all I've got for ya.;)

There is speculation that William Tyndale (as in Tyndale's Bible) may have been his father-in-law, which would make me a direct descendant of his, too -- but from what I've read, there are as many arguments against that connection as there are for it, so I won't claim him (though it would be really cool to do so!).

(In the speculative world of genealogy-going-back-centuries-and-centuries, Charlemagne's name shows up frequently on my mother's side -- but I take that with an *enormous* grain of salt and don't put any stock in it at all.)

Ugh -- can't edit my title! I need it to say 'ethnicity' thread, not 'genealogy' thread! Sorry!

[Carol in Cal.]

.nt

[Whisperlily]

I'm a direct line descendant of this guy. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Carroll_of_Carrollton)

Ooh! I guess that means I'm Irish!

[Tracey in TX]

Charlemagne (while thinking initially a bit egalitarian, HALF of European descendants are allegedly related to him!!)

I've hailed from the best and worst of mankind!!
Jane Austen, John Steinbeck
Ronald Regan, Rutherford B. Hayes
Daniel Wesson (gun maker), Orville Wright
Clyde & Buck Barrows (Bonnie & Clyde):001_huh:
and five First Ladies (what's the likelihood of that??)

Ancestry.com allows you to see relatives, both direct line and 97th cousins, 26 times removed (ok, slight exaggeration)

My DC are directly related to a super famous Italian (deceased)author and politician. When we were in Italy, people were excited to meet them. Thought that was sweet

[Momto4kids]

Ronald Reagan.

[Jenny in Atl]

On my mom's side (I think her mother's).... This shamed many of her family, so much so, they changed their names. So sad because he was innocent, so they gave their names up for nothing.

Dreyfus, Alfred (1859-1935)

Captain Alfred Dreyfus of the French Army was convicted of treason before a crowd hurling anti-Semitic epithets and on January 5, 1895 publicly demoted and exiled for life to Devil's Island off the coast of South America

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Dreyfus

[Soph the vet]

Abraham Lincoln. I hope I resemble him in ideology and not in appearance!

[Jodi-FL]

John Adams. Loved the book named after him (of his letters) in relation to the faith that was handed down and is still being handed down.

generational faithfulness indeed. and we needed it once my dad's side of the family got involved!

[RebeccaC]

Well my dh's dad is Mel Gibson's dads first cousin. So my dh and kids are related to Mel Gibson but we have never met him. Dh's father has met and knew Mel's dad tho for what that is worth since they shared the same grandparents.

[OnTheBrink]

My first cousin 9 times removed is Anse Hatfield. I'm directly descended from his uncle.

My 9th generation grandfather (William Burgess) was a lieutenant governor in Maryland in the late 1600's.

I can't believe I forgot this! My grandmother's aunt (blood) was in some way related directly to a cousin or uncle of Abe Lincoln. I'd have to go dig up the paperwork to find it, but I know there is a blood link between her and Lincoln.

[Closeacademy]

According to my dad's research:

Jesus:001_rolleyes:

Hubba the Viking who did a number on some of the Saxon chiefs.:eek:

All sorts of kings we read about in SOTW I and II. My ancestors were always like the second or third son who did not go on the throne but lived quietly having lots of children with their lines descending into obscurity.

The guy who wrote the Magna Carta.

I forget his name but we have an ancestor who is a Revolutionary War hero who has statues of him in South Carolina and had several towns named after him. Most of his deeds were attributed to the Swamp fox.

[Remudamom]

Well, not blood, but Robert E. Lee was married to a way back cousin on my dad's side.

Soph the vet, I guess this means war!
Hey, you never told me if you "wanted" a horse!

[Mama Lynx]

Charlemagne (while thinking initially a bit egalitarian, HALF of European descendants are allegedly related to him!!)



Me too! Cousin! :D

[Jennifer in NH]

Samuel Chase...signer of the Declaration of Independance. Look for his signature directly under John Hancock's. I think that's it for me.

[HomeOnTheRanch]

FIL's grandfather used to tell him stories about a crazy uncle and his castle. FIL visited Europe last year and ended up at this guy's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_II_of_Bavaria) castle. After a major case of deja vu, he figured out that THIS was the uncle. He showed us some side-by-side pics of his grandfather and Ludwig, and there is an uncanny resemblance. Now DH and the kids want to go claim the family castle. I say it is probably cold, damp, and has lots of mice.

If I have the story straight, Ludwig is/was my kids' great-great-great grandfather's uncle.

[Jennifer in MI]

Grover Cleveland is my great-great-great-great-great uncle!!! (And, yet, I've never been invited to the white house. Humph.)

[Suzanne in ABQ]

My dh is a direct descendent of King John Lackland (Richard the Lionheart's brother), of Magna Carte fame. It was an illegitimate line, but it's been documented by a professional geneologist.

[Stacy in NJ]

Ever hear of the McCoy-Hatfield feud? My family decends from one of those classy hill-billy clans. I wouldn't say that's famous, more like infamous.

[HomeOnTheRanch]

I have to ask...are you a Hatfield or a McCoy? I've ALWAYS heard it referred to as the "Hatfield & McCoy." This is the first time I've seen it as "McCoy and Hatfield." No biggie, just thought it was interesting.

[Stacy in NJ]

I have to ask...are you a Hatfield or a McCoy? I've ALWAYS heard it referred to as the "Hatfield & McCoy." This is the first time I've seen it as "McCoy and Hatfield." No biggie, just thought it was interesting.

McCoy.:glare:

[mcconnellboys]

Yeah, a few pilgrims; Alvin C. York (WWI hero); Timothy Carpenter (Methodist circuit rider who brought the church to the Cumberland Plateau, among other places).....

Ummmmm, husband has Sam Houston in his family.....

I have an astronaut cousin, but he's older than me. He's been on a mission to the international space station....

That's all I can think of at the moment,

Regena

[HomeOnTheRanch]

McCoy.:glare:

LOL!

[OnTheBrink]

Ever hear of the McCoy-Hatfield feud? My family decends from one of those classy hill-billy clans. I wouldn't say that's famous, more like infamous.

Let's change history, shall we? (and, it's Hatfield and McCoy. Just sayin') ;)

:cheers2:

[CleoQc]

My dad's cousin was chief archeologist for Sumer... He was also curator of Le Louvres museum in Paris.
http://archaeology.about.com/od/pterms/g/parrota.htm


Mentionned elsewhere, Louis Hébert, first apothecary and first european farmer in North America.

[Antonia]

No proof, but my English grandmother looked *just like* George Washington! She was not what you would call a "handsome woman"... well, maybe in England. ;)

[Karin]

Sure. Leif Erikson, Erik the Red, Snorri, the baby born in Vinland, Snorri Sturluson (infamous or famous, depending on viewpoint, but a historian and wrote a text that was used for about 500-600 years, plus Law Speaker.), some King Harald (I think that's the one) from Norway. There are others, but who knows much about Iceland????? Most people think it was all about Viking raids (as I did for a long time).

On my dad's side, I don't know about way back as the records were bombed out in one of the WWs. I have some relatives on his who are famous in certain scientific communites and limited musical circles (like avant guarde), but not household names.

[Stacy in NJ]

Sola Michella, Well, if you promise not to encroach on my land or steal my pig. I'm all for peaceful coexistance!

[K-FL]

That's Francis Marion. The movie the Patriot was loosely based on him.

[OnTheBrink]

Sola Michella, Well, if you promise not to encroach on my land or steal my pig. I'm all for peaceful coexistance!


I hate pork, think pigs are completely creepy and have all the land I can deal with. :D

[mysticamethyst]

I'm a direct line descendant of this guy. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Carroll_of_Carrollton)

Ooh! I guess that means I'm Irish!



That is so odd, my grandmother always told us we were descendants of him as well. We have many ties to Ireland too, from what I am told.

[GothicGyrl]

*I* can't prove this yet, but I've always been told: Bing Crosby, David Crosby (stills, and nash) and Denise Crosby(tasha yar, on star trek)..

DH **can** prove though, direct bloodline to Woodrow Wilson.

I know there is more, but I just can't afford to have it all thoroughly checked out.

[OnTheBrink]

*I* can't prove this yet, but I've always been told: Bing Crosby, David Crosby (stills, and nash) and Denise Crosby(tasha yar, on star trek)..

DH **can** prove though, direct bloodline to Woodrow Wilson.

I know there is more, but I just can't afford to have it all thoroughly checked out.

Fanny Crosby (famous hymn writer) is related to Bing, too. So you'd also be related to her.

[Lorna in the boonies]

Jumping into my own thread, since I only mentioned a direct ancestor and not any other relations.

If we take it out from direct descendancy, I can claim Jefferson Davis, George Washington, Zachary Taylor, Buffalo Bill, and Peta Nocona/Quanah Parker (which probably means nothing to anyone outside of Texas).

Thanks, everyone! It's made for fun reading!

[Sharon in SC]

Are you a direct descendant of anyone famous?

Noah Webster of dictionary fame. :)

[RoughCollie]

I am supposedly related to Eddy Arnold, on my father's side. He is a country singer. I say supposedly because, to my knowledge, no one in my family can sing a note. This info came from my grandmother and every other elderly relative I have or had.

I am also related to James Wright, on my paternal grandmother's side. He was the last British Royal Governor of Georgia, from 1760-1776, and 1779-1782. We can trace this directly back & there are a whole bunch of Wrights in my family (and no wrongs). :-)

Heck, I just realized he can't be Irish, so I must have some English mixed in with my Irish. So much for my pure, albeit fractioned, ethnicity.

[JFS in IL]

our neighbors were decendents of survivors of the Donner Party. And in college one professor was a cousin of Danny Kaye. But I think all my ancestors were poor Irish tater farmers.

[Mama Lynx]

I'm descended from a man named Phillipe De La Noye, who came over not on the Mayflower, but on the Speedwell. FDR is also descended from Phillipe. The name became Delano, and my great-grandmother was a Delano. Her daughter married a Gayle, and it is through the Gayles and Griffiths that we, supposedly, trace back to Charlemagne. I actually have that all traced out, but cannot verify much of it. It's fun to look at, though.

My husband and children are direct descendants of Mayflower passenger Stephen Hopkins. My husband is his 10th great grandson.

If we forget direct descent, I can claim the Bushes *and* Laura Bush, Edgar Allan Poe, John Locke, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Joan Crawford. Oh, and "Wild Bill" Hickock, Belle Starr, and the only individual with whom the U.S. has ever signed a peace treaty - his name was Thomas Starr. He wasn't a very nice guy, but that is a fun thing to be known for ;-)

DH and I can both find Laura Ingalls Wilder (mine by a very roundabout route) and Laura Bush in our trees.

[Cricket]

Robert the Bruce, Duncan (who was murdered by Macbeth) and other kings....but I think everyone with Scottish blood can claim that. :001_smile: One of my mom's relatives is really into genealogy and traced it all back. There were a couple of pastors on her side too that were well-known in their day. One wrote a book on systematic theology.

On my dad's side, my great-grandfather was a cousin of Huey "The Kingfish" Long, the Louisiana governor who was assassinated back in the 1930s.