I'm proud to say Abraham Lincoln is in our family tree. Wish I had his wisdom...
How about you? What famous or infamous person are you related to?
Posted by Judy Pate (Member # 237) on :
Thomas Coram is in my family tree.
Thomas Coram[kOr´um] , 1668–1751, English philanthropist and colonizer. He lived for some years in Massachusetts, working as a shipbuilder. On his return to England he became (1732) a trustee of James Oglethorpe's Georgia colony and sponsored (1735) a colony in Nova Scotia for unemployed artisans. He established the London Foundling Hospital (1739), a pioneer institution of its kind.
Judy
[ September 24, 2004, 11:12 PM: Message edited by: Judy Pate ]
Posted by Laura Butler (Member # 1830) on :
Al Capone wanted my grandmother to come to Chicago and work in one of his establishments as his Hostess. Thats about it.
Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
Scott Bakula.."Star Trek Enterprise" is married to Chelsea Field. She is my second cousin.
Not a HUGE connection but a connection at least!!! Posted by Ray Rheaume (Member # 3794) on :
My grandfather played drums and grandmother sang with the Harry James Band back in the 1940s and 50s.
I've been told I am related to Manon Rheaume. She was the first woman to ever play professional hockey in the NHL as a goalie for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Rapid
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Sakajewea - I'm sure I BUTCHERED the spelling on that but I'm sleepy
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
President Zachary Taylor...
but more importantly.. My Dad! if you could have known him... Posted by Mike Clayton Graphics (Member # 723) on :
General George McClellan, A general in the Civil War I believe. My Dad was named after him, George McClellan Clayton. Not sure of the relationship, but he was family I guess. I was told my Dad actualy wanted that to be my first name, McClellan, but settled for Michael.
[ September 25, 2004, 04:02 AM: Message edited by: Mike Clayton Graphics ]
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
Robert the Bruce (a scottish bloke...)
(P.S.Todd, please edit the title & change "whose" to "who's" thanks!)
Posted by Mike Milos (Member # 4743) on :
my mother-in-law is the great neice of Devil Ance Hatfield (or something like that)
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
hennies family name is FLOYD. her daddys cousin was "pretty boy floyd." and add to that...there are cousins to the floyd family named BARKER, and they have some relation to "ma barker."
Posted by Rovelle W. Gratz (Member # 4404) on :
Aaron Burr, Vice President in 1802 and his Father who founded Princeton University.
Aaron Burr is the one who shot Alexander Hamilton in a duel.
General George Henry Thomas, a Big shot during the Civil War, on the Union Side.
Raymond Burr, the actor, on Father's side.
Danny Thomas, the actor, on Mother's side.
A little story: My Great-great-great Grandfather was stowed away on a ship coming to this country in a roll of carpet by his two sisters...after being discovered, he had to work off his expenses by working on the Erie Canal.
[ September 27, 2004, 12:57 PM: Message edited by: Rovelle W. Gratz ]
Posted by W. R. Pickett (Member # 3842) on :
Malcom X and.General George.
Posted by Roy Frisby (Member # 736) on :
Lizzy Borden, guess that's why I could always swing an axe rather well!!!! Just joshin' no one of any significance in my family.
[ September 26, 2004, 10:46 AM: Message edited by: Roy Frisby ]
Posted by Jay Nichols (Member # 2842) on :
Samuel Adams. I cant figure out why they wont give me discount on the beer...
Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
My two older kid's last name is Warfield, they are supposedly related to Wallis Warfield Simpson. One of my ancestors, tho I don't know how because he was childless, was John Barry. He was born in Ireland and was in charge of the first American Navy and commander of the brig Lexington. I used to babysit for a guy who is related to George Romero and had a bit-part as a scientist in Night of the Living Dead....does that count? Love....Jill
Posted by DianeBalch (Member # 1301) on :
eRNIES
Posted by DianeBalch (Member # 1301) on :
Ernies side of the family- John Balch was the first white baby born in Salem Massaachusetts in 1625. The Balch house, built in 1629, in Beverly Massachusetts, is still occupied by Balch's and is a living museum. On his mothers side- related to President Andrew Jackson. My maiden name is Lemieux. Great grandparents were from Monteal. Who knows, I may be related to hockey player Mario Lemieux.
Diane Balch
Posted by Michael Clanton (Member # 2419) on :
Yep, Ike Clanton of the Clanton Gang and OK Corral fame is one of our forks. (BTW-Don't believe everything you have heard about how great Wyatt Earp was, He was one of the few that got to write his own version of his history. "the older I get, the better I was...")
Some of you "age experienced" people might remember the singer Jimmy Clanton- there is a scene in the "Buddy Holly Story" where they are in an office and in the background there is a showbill poster- Jimmy Clanton is listed. (even more useless trivia) He's also one of our forks.
We even have a town in Alabama- Clanton (never been there, but I wonder if anyone would recognize me)
Posted by Kiersten Percell (Member # 3749) on :
Hey Mike Milos.. I'm related to him to.. my grandmother's maiden name was Hatfield.. I can trace my family tree (Hatfields) back to the 1700's
[ September 26, 2004, 05:43 PM: Message edited by: Kiersten Percell ]
Posted by Catharine C. Kennedy (Member # 4459) on :
Eight of the Mayflower passengers were kin to me, including John & Priscilla Alden and Mary Chilton (first white female to land over here- pushy 12 year old who was TIRED of being on ship!) We have 43 family names traced here before 1640. More recently, John Singer Sargent was a cousin of my great-grand mother...
Posted by Frank Magoo (Member # 3950) on :
It's exciting to hear of others colorful histories; mine is equally broad, though, by accident or plan, I now remain the last of my male family w/no blood male ties. My youngest is adopted, name only in circles that put credence to blood only. Though he is listed in full family tree. And, as most know, my first died.
Why I posted was to enlighten some of their hertitage: Mike Clayton; Gen. McClellan was one of the first cavarly officers and is credited with inventing the "McCellan Saddle", a saddle, whose entire purpose was to be used in combat and still have neccessary equipment bearing qualities. Still in use today and some prefer it, even has it's own class amongest those that ride competitively in todays rodeos. Very light. Mike Clanton; your relation Jimmy Clanton was an excellent singer, enjoyed him throughout the 50's... Mike Milos; HATFIELD/McCOY feud was one of the bloodiest hill wars in history, still have simmering amongest kin of original clans today. Supposedly started over a pig. Though I doubt it goes past discussion anymore, hopefully. Supposedly started over a pig.
Thank you, I'm done.... Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :
My Mom's side: the M(a)cIntosh clan (now the M(a)cIntosh apple fame) yes, my Grandma took me to the farm in southern Indiana where she grew up and they grew the apples. Our MacIntosh family comes dates back to 642 A.D. My great uncle Frank was the president of Northern Ohio University in Ada, Ohio for twenty years. Our family still has the genealogy and family crest (Touch not but the Cat from Scotland). In this comes direct lineage to Samuel Adams and Nathan Hale. (My granny was always truthful and somewhere in a far linkage is Jesse James!!!!!!!) My dad from English heritage connected to the Creek, Souix and Blackfoot, just a 1/20. It still may be something, but my dad was mostly English and Dutch. Direct lineage to the American Revolution here too. anyone ever considering joining the Daughters of American Revolution? I have my paperwork ready, just seems like there is never time to sit down and file it all!
[ September 26, 2004, 06:49 PM: Message edited by: Deb Fowler ]
Posted by J & N Signs (Member # 901) on :
My cousin Suzie Côté was an actress on Guiding Light playing Samantha Marler (1989-1992)(one of them soaps) and my second cousin Marc Fortier played for the Quebec Nordiques on and off from 1987 to 1992. Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings 92-93 and the Canadian National Team in 1995. Later went to play for Zurich and Berlin Polar Bears and then the Frankfurt Lions (Europe). Not sure if he is still playing.
Not family tree oriented but I was, along with my brother in law, Jason Ward's first hockey coach. He now plays for the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL...
[ September 27, 2004, 06:03 PM: Message edited by: J & N Signs ]
Posted by Kiersten Percell (Member # 3749) on :
Hey Magoo, yes the fued was started somewhat over a pig... but it really kicked off when 3 McCOY boys attacked a Hatfield.. i cant recall his name at the moment.. but i know hes one of my kin.. so Devil A. Hatfield kidnapped the boys and said if he died.. he would take their lifes.. and he did died.. so he shoot the 3 McCOY boys.. "an eye for an eye"
Posted by Kissymatina (Member # 2028) on :
I've read a lot on the Hatfield/McCoy thing. My husband works in Pikeville KY which is the county on the KY side of the river. I can never remember which family was WV & which was KY. Anyway, the whole thing was really blown out of proportion by the media. Back when the "fued" happened, the area was scarcely populated. Basically everyone in 1 county was a Hatfield or married to one, everyone in other was a McCoy or married to one, with a few exceptions, not many. Most of the real disputes were normal disputes like those that happened everywhere between neighbors, especially in recently settled areas (the pig incident, arguments over timber). But because the only families there at the time were Hatfields or McCoys, the media decided to credit everything that happened (and a lot that didn't) to a fued between the families.
Some credit the beginning to a kid from 1 family dying in the civil war, some to the pig incident. There were arguments over timber, over a hatfield & a mccoy kid getting together. I wonder if either family had settled both sides of the river if it woulda been called the McCoy family fued or Hatfield family fued.
As for famous family, I have no clue but I do have a cool family legend.
Legend has it that my great (no idea how many) grandfather was found as a baby after one of the early Johnstown floods (not 1889, earlier). No one came forward to claim him, so a family took him in & gave him the name "king" because he survived the flood. Keep telling myself I need to find time to research this, just hasn't happened yet.
[ September 26, 2004, 11:07 PM: Message edited by: Kissymatina ]
Posted by William DeBekker (Member # 3848) on :
My Wife is related to Gutzon Borglum. Mt Rushmore Fame. Me I was adopted so I have no clue. With My Luck Adolf Hitler.
Posted by Ron Gibbs (Member # 3882) on :
My Dads great,great uncle was Sir John A. Mcdonald ,first Prime Minister of Canada. My dad was a great athlete,in junior hockey he led the league in scoring ,played with the New York Americans in hockey ,his buddys were Bauer,Smidt and Dumar ,the famous Kraught line from Boston.Played in the Detroit Tigers organization in Baseball and played Fastball in the World Fastball league .Played and managed the Windsor Jets, the only Canadian team in the league, went on to win the world championship.Played Football for the University of Windsor.He was voted by former referees and umpires in 1980 as the most valuable athlete to ever come out of Windsor. Ontario Canada.He was inducted into the Southern Ontario Sports hall of Fame. My mother was a great swimmer and diver and was invited to represent Canada at the Berlin Olympics .She was also crowned Miss Windsor and Miss Southern Ontario. My dads brother was drafted by the St.Louis Cardinals as a catcher. The sisterenlaw of my moms sister in Texas was Miss Texas.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Great stories everyone! Regarding the Hatfield/McCoy feud: interestingly, I read a bit about this online withing the last year out of curiosity. I'd have to go back and research again for clarity and exact details....but I believe the "pig" incident was correct....and also, I recall that one of the Hatfield daughters fell in love with a fellow on the McCoy side, and this added fuel to the fire....
Posted by Tony McDonald (Member # 1158) on :
Todd, on my moms side was Mary Todd Lincoln, and also a distant cousin of Clint Eastwood.
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
John Jumper...(on my fathers side)Chief of the Seminole tribe...he brought his people to Oklahoma indian territory and cared for his people til his death.
Anyone named Kennedy (on my mothers side) altho the name was spelled Cannady on many limbs of the tree (I guess they old irish weren't as literate). Or maybe they were trying to hide something.
[ September 27, 2004, 09:59 AM: Message edited by: Monte Jumper ]
Posted by Lotti Prokott (Member # 2684) on :
On my family's side, there's no one of great fame, but I can trace it back to the 13th century. That's impressive, no?
My husband's ancestors are originally from the Transylvania region in Romania, I'm not sure I want to know more about that... Posted by Ron Wakefield (Member # 4816) on :
Tim Wakefield of the Boston Red Sox is NOT related to me at all and I don't care! hee hee Go Yankees!
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Mike Clanton,
I find the "Wyatt Earp" story very intriguing. In fact, I have read the Biography, "Wyatt Earp: The life behind the legend" by author Casey Tefertiller, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
This book was touted as a very unbiased biography which attempts to dispell the modern day lore and myths of Wyatt Earp and instead makes a heroic attempt to disect his life and times through exhaustive research, including letters, newspaper clippings, eye-witness accounts and the like.
I think he did a very good job. Footnotes and bibliographies are extensive. Every claim made is somehow backed up. Unknowns are stated as such, as are commonly held beliefs which aren't provable to the advantage of either side.
Have you read this accounting? If so, I'd be curious to hear your critique on the book.
There is fairly extensive accountings of the infamous Gunfight at Ok Coral.
And the Tombstone Epitaph and Tombstone Nugget were polar opposites politically as well as their support or condemnation of the Earps and other issues. Sounds familiar doesn't it?
The book is full of photographs and I thought was very well done. Every fact was disected almost to excess.
Here's a clip of his demise;
"...Wyatt Earp had begun fading. The old marshal died on January 13, 1929, a victim of chronic cystitis, a prostate problem.
Lake wrote of the scene in a letter to Dodge, saying Wyatt had been optimistic to the end, planning another trip to the desert. He fell sick on the 12th, and Sadie called a doctor. Lake wrote that Sadie Earp, with a doctor and a nurse, stayed by Earp's bedside through the night. Wyatt awoke about five in the morning and asked for a glass of water, then went back to sleep. Sometime between seven and eight he said clearly, "Suppose, suppose." Sadie Earp leaned over and asked what Wyatt had said. He did not answer. A moment later he ceased breathing." He was 2 months short of his 81st birthday.
Posted by Devin Fahie (Member # 3961) on :
I think my mother-in-law may be a direct relative of Satan.
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
My family tree goes waaaaay back to before they invented writing! BUT...it has no branches! AND ... nobody in it was famous.
[ September 27, 2004, 02:45 PM: Message edited by: Si Allen ]
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
quote: I think my mother-in-law may be a direct relative of Satan.
Then she and my mother-in-law must be related. I'm still laughing about that!!!
Posted by Mike Duncan (Member # 316) on :
My Dads side of the family was related to the infamous General George Armstrong Custer.
Maybe thats why I rush into things sometimes without thinking? I dare say that my ego is not as big as his was thank God. My Mom's Great Grandmother was the first white child born in Butler County, Kansas.
Posted by Artisan Signs (Member # 3146) on :
I think I'm related to Adam and Eve.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Mike, I hope this isnt offensive, but did anyone ever tell you you look like G.Gordon Liddy? When I saw you pic, I did a double take.
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
I was the first white child born to my parents.
Mother in law...direct relative of Satan... HAHAHAHAHAHA
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
No relation to Tonya that I'll admit to.
Way back when, a relative in England codified the local farmer's recipes into a master formula for Cheddar cheese. All I ever got out of that was higher cholesterol.
Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
Found these pictures of Barb and Steve's grandparents on the Internet. I had always assumed that they were of Canadian ancestry too! Love....Jill Posted by Stevo Chartrand (Member # 2094) on :
HAHAHAHAHAHA Nice Jill!!
Posted by Mike Lavallee (Member # 320) on :
Billy Tweedle, Third Munchkin from the left, the lollipop guild. hahahahahaha
Posted by Kissymatina (Member # 2028) on :
quote:Originally posted by Devin Fahie: I think my mother-in-law may be a direct relative of Satan.
Thank you! I now have to clean spewed mountain dew off my display AGAIN! Posted by Bob Stephens (Member # 858) on :
Damn would I love to spew some mountain dew right now.
Posted by Mike Duncan (Member # 316) on :
No Todd I don't take offense. I might look like G. Gordon Liddy with a few pounds on? A guy today said I looked like a young Wilford Brimley
[ September 28, 2004, 01:56 AM: Message edited by: Mike Duncan ]
Posted by Michael Clanton (Member # 2419) on :
Todd, I haven't read the book, sounds like a pretty good book. My dad has researched quite a bit and seems to hold Louis Lamour's research as pretty accurate, he has several books that include the actual court transcripts and sworn eyewitness testamonies. Louis Lamour was a western novelist, but also considered an accurate historian and authority on various issues of the Old West including the Earps. The way I understand it, the Earps had a horsetrack and Virgil Earp's horse was always the favored winner. Billy Clanton agreed to race his horse against Virgil's for "pink slips"(so to speak) and Billy's horse won. Virgil then refused to hand over the horse- so Billy went back and rounded up Old Man Ike and some others to go into Tombstone and get Virgil's horse. It probably would have ended up in a standoff, but some of the eyewitnesses said that in the standoff, Doc Holiday winked at Billy, who had a very short temper anyway, then all hell broke loose.
It's all pretty interesting, but some of the movies and stories have distorted some the accurate history and the fact that the Earps were not known as upstanding citizens, they just happened to have the badges. When the dimestore western novels started appearing, romanticizing the wild west and creating heros and villans, Wyatt jumped in and told his own story of his life and heroics.
(BTW, I loved Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday)
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Val Kilmer was the best!
I just watched the movie "Tombstone" in the airport last week on my laptop between flights....it's one of my fav's.....and in the movie (as you no doubt know) Val give's that antagonizing wink that starts the whole fight...
So, how far down the line are you with the Clanton namesake? How do you tie in?
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
I don't think there is any fame in our family. But my great, great, great grandaddy's log house (circa 1870) is on display at the Junior Museum in Panama City. It was catalogued, dismantled and transported there from Holmes County by Archaeologists several years ago. He, his father and his two brothers were confederate soldiers. The two brothers were killed during the war, one at the battle of Chickamauga and the other died in a prison camp. His daddy, my great, great, great, great....granndaddy became a Methodist minister after the war.
Posted by Michael Clanton (Member # 2419) on :
Todd, Let's see- there were 5 brothers- 2 stayed in Alabama area, 1 came to Arkansas (my line) the other 2 went out west(one of those forks had Ike Clanton) in early 1800's. The Arkansas line had my great-grandfather, who fought in the Civil War at the battle of Shiloh under Gen. Albert Sidney Johnson. my great-grandfather was 14 yrs old and stuffed cotton in his boots to appear older. My Grandfather (who was named Clyde Albert Sidney Johnson Clanton) was born in 1894- had 10 kids, my dad was number 9- my Grandad was 50 yrs old when my dad born. My Grandad was the coolest! He had lived thru just about everything that we take for granted today. Cars, Planes, Electricity, Rockets, 4 major wars, telephones, tv's... have the best stories!
So a long story short, about 5 or 6 generations away. I think they traced all of the Clantons back to one guy who came from England in the late 1600's.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Very cool Mike!
Posted by Bill Diaz (Member # 2549) on :
My mother was a McCoy and my great grandfather on her side was born in Kentucky according to the "FamilySearch Internet Genealogy". Kissy, I always wondered if I am related to that clan that took part in that famous fued. His name was Lafayette and he had 13 kids who he and my great grandma lived with one at time until they passed on. My grandmother kicked him out of the house when they came to live with her and Grandpa, because he chewed tobacco and spit on the floor. She was a prudish Norwegian lady who had some refinement, and old Lafayette was a little rough around the edges -- so to speak. It was a clash waitin' to happen.
Anyway, he played the fiddle and held it down low around his waist when he played. Supposedly he played it all night long the night he died. I hope I expire doing something I really enjoy when my time comes.
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
Don't know that I have anyone famous, but I have traced my mother's father's family back to 1673. My grandmother on my mother's side live with my parents for 28 years. I probably spent more time with her than my mom. She came over on a ship when she was 14, bringing her younger brother with her to avoid the war. Can you imagine sending your 14 year old and younger child on a one month trip to another country to live with cousins!! I am 100% German. The funny thing is that when my mother's parents and father's parents got talking, they had all come from the same area of Germany, even thought my father's side had been in the USA a couple generations before my mom's side. It is a area called Ostfriesland, up on the coast of Germany, very Dutch-like. Grandma had stories about the wooden shoes and how the community got out on Saturday mornings and swept the streets. I wished I had asked MORE questions. My parents both spoke German and would break into that with their friends and some family. Wish I would have learned more German, too.
Posted by KARYN BUSH (Member # 1948) on :
george...........bawaahhhhhh! Posted by Terry Baird (Member # 3495) on :
Hey Ian, I'm a direct decendant of William the Bruce. Both my grandfather and father boasted about it regularly. My Brother's name is William Bruce Baird. I don't know a lot about it, but after seeing "Braveheart", I don't know if it's something to brag about. I guess I'll mark the bad stuff up to Mel's artistic interpretation.
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Don't have any fame in my family, or at least not that I know of.
My mom's side of the family descended from Italian and German immigrants, dad's side came from France and I think Denmark and settled in New Orleans but his side of the family quickly seperated and assimilated. I'm only the 3rd generation of my family to be born in the US.
My grandfather on mom's side was one of the first to make landfall on Iwa Jima, and Granny has a bloody Japanese flag he brought home from that battle. I don't think that makes him famous though.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Mike, it may not make him "famous" but it makes him a hero in my book! I salute his bravery and service to our (and other) country(s).
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