I have a cool family

[il_bandit]

So I am descended from a man named Clement Briggs who came to the New Land in 1621 on the Fortune.

In the fifth generation of that family is a man who has a large amount of "famous" relations by rather distant connections.

It's interesting to see the connections from someone deep in my ancestral line, even though it basically means nothing important.

http://briggsfamilygenealogy.com/Capt.php


William C. Durant (1861-1947) - Helped found the Chevrolet Company - 2nd Cousin, 5 times
removed
Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957) - Author: Little House on the Prairie - 3rd Cousin, 5 times
removed
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) - Author: Walden's Pond, On the Duty of Civil Disobedience -
4th Cousin, 3 times removed
William Howard Taft (1857-1930) - 27th President of the United States - 3rd Cousin, 5 times
removed
John Browning (1855-1926) - Gunsmith - 3rd Cousin, 5 times removed
John Hancock (1737-1793) - Massachusetts Representative - Signer of Declaration of
Independence, 5th Cousin, 1 time removed
Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) - 26th President of the United States, 3rd Cousin, 6 times
removed
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) - Author and poet, 5th Cousin, 3 times removed
Agatha Christie (1890-1976) - Author, 4th Cousin, 6 times removed
Emily Dickenson (1830-1886) - Poet, 6th Cousin, 2 times removed
James "Wild Bill" Hickock (1837-1876) - Gunfighter and law man in American Wild West,
6th Cousin, 3 times removed
Oliver Winchester (1810-1880) - Gun company owner, 8th Cousin, 2 times removed

[Chas]

(27-07-2012 10:46 PM)il_bandit Wrote:  John Hancock (1737-1793) - Massachusetts Representative - Signer of Declaration of Independence, 5th Cousin, 1 time removed

Since "removal" is by generations, this one can't be right.

[Leela]

I don't understand that thing with "removed"

I only know that my great great grand father was a shoemaker at the austrian royal whatever... very much not important buy for some reason my grandfather feels proud about it.
Apart from that I don't know of any importance concerning my family, but on the other hand I never invested any time in researching the topic.

[KidCharlemagne1962]

My wife can trace her family back to Jamestown. They have a family book with all the relations down the line. It is cool but really means nothing unless she wants to join the DAR, which is not her style. I on the other hand am a complete mutt. I have lineage to half of Europe.

[Magoo]

(28-07-2012 07:26 AM)Leela Wrote:  I don't understand that thing with "removed"

I only know that my great great grand father was a shoemaker at the austrian royal whatever... very much not important buy for some reason my grandfather feels proud about it.
Apart from that I don't know of any importance concerning my family, but on the other hand I never invested any time in researching the topic.

I think the 'removed' thing is your cousins child. My cousin has a daughter, and her daughter is my cousin once removed. If her
daughter then had a child, that child would be 2 times removed, and so on.

[Erxomai]

(28-07-2012 07:38 AM)Magoo Wrote:  

(28-07-2012 07:26 AM)Leela Wrote:  I don't understand that thing with "removed"

I only know that my great great grand father was a shoemaker at the austrian royal whatever... very much not important buy for some reason my grandfather feels proud about it.
Apart from that I don't know of any importance concerning my family, but on the other hand I never invested any time in researching the topic.

I think the 'removed' thing is your cousins child. My cousin has a daughter, and her daughter is my cousin once removed. If her
daughter then had a child, that child would be 2 times removed, and so on.

I'm impressed, Magoo. That's exactly how it works. "Removed" refers to a different generation. You and your cousin are the same generation. Your cousin's daughter is one generation removed. If you have a kid then she would be 2nd cousins with your cousin's kid.

Not a lot of people your age seem to understand that. Nice job!

[DLJ]

I've noticed wih these family tree thingies that people rarely list all the serial killers / slave owners / rapists etc. that they have in their lineage.

So, fess up, Mr Bandit... how many real bandits are you related to?

:-)

[il_bandit]

Oh I have a feeling there's plenty of Bandits in there, I only got my nickname from my first car...

This part of the family is the part that led to my maternal grandfather. On the father's side, I know the use of the last name roots all the way from a Latin word, vocatus, from advocatus. The paternal side roots from Germany, France, and Russia. Some Austrian/Italian also.

The maternal side is a mixture of the British nationalities, rather than mainland Europe, mostly.

[Dom]

(28-07-2012 12:40 PM)il_bandit Wrote:  Oh I have a feeling there's plenty of Bandits in there, I only got my nickname from my first car...

This part of the family is the part that led to my maternal grandfather. On the father's side, I know the use of the last name roots all the way from a Latin word, vocatus, from advocatus. The paternal side roots from Germany, France, and Russia. Some Austrian/Italian also.

The maternal side is a mixture of the British nationalities, rather than mainland Europe, mostly.

I haven't researched much except by asking family members about the past. The only significant thing I uncovered is that, on my dad's side, I came from a long line of closet atheists. Those who weren't closeted were adventurers and migrated all over the place. I guess I carried on the line, I am an atheist and I migrated and travelled extensively.

[il_bandit]

That is interesting, Dom. I wish I could say that my family is full of rational thinkers...they'd rather make a prayer circle and say it doesn't matter if it comes from God. :/