Do you have anyone famous in your family tree?

[ch0zen]

I doubt this will hit home for any of your US citizens, but... Bosanquet, related to Reginald Bosanquet, famous BBC news presenter in the UK. Bernard Bosanquet, invented to googly (type of cricket spin bowl). And another Bernard Bosanquet who was an English philosopher who is credited for the theory of the state. But Dad changed the spelling of his name to Bouzanquet when I was a kid to get outta paying his taxes... It didn't work.
Oh and my Mum's maiden name is Marx... Traced backed to the same village as Karl Marx in Prussia. But apparently not related...

 

[Theogenes]

I found out a few years ago that my grandfather of about 10 generations is Rev. John Robinson, the pastor to the Mayflower pilgrims. He chose to stay in Holland with about half of the congregation and not go to the new world. But his son, Isaac Robinson, I believe was on the Mayflower.
Jim

 

[Galatians220]

Pres. Ford was my fifth cousin, twice removed, so says Ancestry.com, through some good documentation. I'm still waiting for the apologies from the Ford family as I was inexplicably omitted from the guest list for both his inauguration and his funeral. I'm related to him through his maternal and my paternal lines.

Col. Daniel Axtell (Daniel Axtell, Regicide, 1622-60), a Puritan, was my 8th great-uncle. He was instrumental in the execution of Charles I of England. When I visited the Cromwell museum in Huntingdon, England, I mentioned quietly to the curator that I had a "somewhat famous here" maiden name. She asked what it was, and I whispered "Axtell." Instead of getting ugly about it, as I expected, instead she was "overjoyed," she said, to meet a descendant of one of "the regicides," and, she said, she always thought if she did meet a descendant, "it would be a Yank. And I was right." She took me in the back room and gave me quite a tour of the Cromwell and Axtell artifacts. Col. Axtell's brother, Thomas, was my 8th great-grandfather. I have a copy of a beautiful prayer that Col. Axtell gave as he stood in the hangman's cart, just minutes from execution...

 

[extolHIM]

I'm related to Charles Lindbergh. And then two presidents...Herbert Hoover and James Buchanan. Buchanan looks very similar to my great uncle...or vice versa.

 

[Theogenes]

Randy,
Did you know that your relative, Willam Bradford, was an elder in the church that my relative, John Robinson, was the pastor? And we both have the name Snyder! I think that's pretty cool!
Jim

I just found out that I am a descendant of William Bradford. My Sister got on Ancestry.com and traced the lineage of my Grandpa Snyder.

So, do any of you have any famous people in your lineage?

Is this Ancestry.com thing reliable?

View attachment 2780

William Bradford (Plymouth governor) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

- Ancestry.com

 

[baron]

Originally Posted by baron
If your from Western Europe than that could be a good possibility. Charlemagne had 20 offsprings I think.
True---and if you're central Asian, you're probably descended from Genghis Khan.

I read some where that 1 out of 200 males are descended from Genghis Khan.

 

[MarieP]

Francis Cooke, Mayflower Pilgrim
Admiral George Dewey

 

[Philip]

I read some where that 1 out of 200 males are descended from Genghis Khan.

Probably more in fact once you realize that this is simply direct male-line descendents.

 

[CuriousNdenver]

Is this Ancestry.com thing reliable?

It is as reliable as the person who did the research and entered the information. I have not had time lately, but did some extensive genealogy research while I was laid off a few years ago. Ancestry does allow people to enter their information, and some may not verify it, so the possibility of errors is high. However, it is a GREAT starting point for your own original research. Like any research, primary documents and multiple sources to validate persons, places, dates and events helps ensure you have the right facts. I was able to do the research necessary to become a member of DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution).

More interesting to me was the fact that on both sides of my family, our ancestors left Europe very early, due to religious persecution. Some were French Huguenots who fled first to the Nederlands, then to England before sailing to "New Amsterdam" NY where they were members of the Dutch Reformed Church. Another group was originally from Switzerland and literally fled for their lives under hot pursuit. It is fascinating in seeing the hand of God on His people and tracing the story back through some ancestors who do not appear to have been believers, including one bigamist. I myself am a prodigal who was raised to know the things of the Lord, but instead walked my own way for years until I could not resist His call on my life. To look back on this heritage and see the faith of my forefathers is humbling, and a blessing and encouragement to me, knowing that the Lord will build His church!

 

[Somerset]

Josh - all these presidents and kings are OK, but to be related to the inventor of the Googly is really something.

One of my uncles won the prize for the heaviest onion at Tone Vale flower show for most years in the 1950's. Not much, but the best I can manage.

 

[py3ak]

Colonel Axtell seems like a very interesting ancestor to have - though the heaviest onion prize is probably the most tremendous accomplishment.

 

[SRoper]

Louis Bromfield, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is my cousin several times removed. His first novel, The Green Bay Tree, was set in my great great great grandfather's house, Oak Hill Cottage.

 

[mhseal]

My family tree is a tumbleweed. That aside, I'm a direct descendant of famous Kentucky polygamist, Dillion Asher. Rumor has it that my family is descended from his legitimate wife.

 

[Peccavi]

Francis Bacon and the Kennedy's are the two I have learned by way of my uncle who did an investigation of my Mother's side ( The Bacon's)

 

[Mephibosheth]

A few of mine:

Eleanor of Aquitaine (Queen of England)
Wagner (German Composer)
Jefferson Davis (President of the Confederacy)

 

[Carolyn]

I'm connected to the royal stuff through the "unofficial" family of one of England's kings. Once you are connected to one royal in Europe, you have a bunch because of all the intermarriages of royal lines.

As a teacher , it comes in handy to throw out, "Hey, Sven Fork-beard is one of my ancestors." during the History reading. Other than that, there's not a lot of day-to-day significance. The big onion guy would be much better for that!

 

[Somerset]

My family tree is a tumbleweed. That aside, I'm a direct descendant of famous Kentucky polygamist, Dillion Asher. Rumor has it that my family is descended from his legitimate wife.

Depending on the number of "wives" half the state could be his direct descendants.

 

[Herald]

My cousin spent about $15K on a historian who traced our family tree. The "Brown" side goes back to the Bruce's. The "Caggiano" side (maternal) is related to Perry Como the crooner. I'm not sure what that all means but it hasn't done me any good.

Bill, my grandmother's sister did something similar back in the 60s. She established that she (and my grandmother) indeed were bona fide "daughters of the American Revolution." She joined DAR and was proud of her blue blood. Then she got ambitious, having visions of royal heritage etc., so she asked the genealogist to push back further.

So back she pushed, until she found that the famous Peabody my great aunt was so proud of was the grandson of a certain Peabody who stowed away on some freighter to avoid serious theft charges in England. Turned out that he was a drunkard too.

She paid the bill, but never showed anybody the report.

America was indeed the land of opportunity, or escape, in those days.

By the way, I'm not related to these folks, but I have the distinction of stepping on the foot of both Walter Mondale and Ross Perot. And I've spilled coffee on Chet Huntley and Peter Fonda. So I figure I've had my hand (or foot) in influencing history.

Vic, did you step on Mondale's and Perot's feet at the same time? Now that would be a story.

Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[VictorBravo]

Vic, did you step on Mondale's and Perot's feet at the same time? Now that would be a story.

No, eight years separate the two events. Same boots, though. . . .

 

[Hilasmos]

Paul Revere for me

 

[bookslover]

My cousin spent about $15K on a historian who traced our family tree. The "Brown" side goes back to the Bruce's. The "Caggiano" side (maternal) is related to Perry Como the crooner. I'm not sure what that all means but it hasn't done me any good.

I thought you were related to Jimi Hendrix. Heh...

 

[rmwilliamsjr]

Jonathan Edwards through my paternal grandmother, and thereby Solomon Stoddard, John Cotton, John Davenport.

and i'm related to his wife, my maternal grandmother was a Pierpont. but the connection requires going back to England and down another immigrant son.

Also I'm apparently descended from Charlemagne.

it's a parlour game in the genealogy community to trace back to charlemagne. roughly 40% of europeans can do so, but most don't have the documented trees.
the real fun is to do it twice, once through william or his cohorts then again through harold or companions.

if anyone is an active genealogist i'd love to share stories. rmwilliamsjr85705 @ ancestry
it's an amazing hobby......