Our Famous (Possible) Relations
While researching, Brad found a collection of nationally and internationally famous (and infamous) individuals who are claimed to share a common ancestor from his own lineage. This serendipity prompted creation of this page. Other such caches have since been found.
So, for members of our families who might find this amusing, listed below are a small selection of various famous (and infamous) individuals who may be related to us through a single common ancestor.
The individuals shown below are distant relatives at best, are unproven, and may never make it to the main pages of this site. Though it is almost certain that some of these lineages are flawed, it is probable that many are correct.
Shown for each person is the claimed lineage from them to the shared common ancestor with Brad or Pam. This name of the common ancestor is linked to the individual in our own trees. Any other individuals in the lineage who are listed in our own trees are shown like this, and these particular individuals we believe we can verify.
Note: These lineages are just for fun, and were taken directly from various genealogy websites at face value. They are not researched or verified by us. Enjoy.
A Few Of Pam's Possible Distant Relations
e.e. cummings (1894–1962)
- Poet
- Lineage: E.E. Cummings, Edward Cummings, Lucretia Merrill, Sherburn Merrill, Samuel Merrill, Jonathan Merrill, Abraham Merrill, Mary Brown, Nathaniel Brown, Eleanor Watts
James Abram Garfield (1831–1881)
- 20th President of the United States (1881)
- Lineage: James Garfield, Abram Garfield, Asenath Hill, Ebenezer Hill, John Hill (1706), John Hill (1661), Hannah Parmelee
Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809–1894)
- Author
- Lineage: Oliver Holmes, Abiel Holmes, Temperance Bishop, Temperance Lathrop, Elizabeth Watrous, Sarah Pratt, William Pratt
William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
- 27th President of the United States (1909-1913)
- Lineage: William Taft, Alphonso Taft, Peter Taft, Rhoda Rawson, Mary Allen, Mary Hill, Hannah Twitchell, Mary Riggs
Shirley Temple (1928–) aka Shirley Temple Black
- Actress
- Lineage: Shirly Temple, George Temple, Francis Temple, Reuben Temple, Eliza Allen, Elizabeth Lathrop, Zachariah Lathrop, Sarah Huntington, Simon Huntington, Sarah Clark, Mary Coley
Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
- Poet
- Lineage: Walt Whitman, Walter Whitman (1789), Hannah Brush, Hannah Platt, Epenetus Platt, Hannah Marvin, Mathew Marvin (1626), Matthew Marvin (1600)
A Few Of Brad's Possible Distant Relations
Glenn Close (1947–)
- Actress
- Lineage: Glenn Close, Bettine Moore, Elizabeth Hyde, Elizabeth Worrall, Petera Worrall, John Worrall, Peter Worrall, Abigail Pyle, Sarah Worrilow, Ann Maris, George Maris
William Frederick Cody (1846–1917) aka "Buffalo Bill"
- Frontiersman and showman
- Lineage: William Cody, Mary Laycock, Hannah Taylor, Elizabeth Maris, Joseph Maris, Richard Maris, George Maris
Amelia Earhart (1897–1937/1939)
- American aviation pioneer
- Name lineage: Amelia Earhart, Amelia Otis, Alfred Otis, Isaac Otis, Mary Cornell, Hannah Underhill, Jacob Underhill, Abraham Underhill, Nathaniel Underhill, Elizabeth Feake, Robert Feake, James Feake
Ernest Jennings Ford (1919–1991) aka "Tennessee Ernie Ford"
- Musician and television host
- Name lineage: Ernest Ford, Maud Long, Nancy Ladd, Pitsy Bass, Aaron Bass, Hannah Moon, Anne Mendenhall, John Mendenhall, John Mendenhall (1688), Elizabeth Maris, George Maris
Albert Arnold Gore (1948–)
- 45th Vice President of the United States (1993–2001)
- Name lineage: Albert Gore (1948), Albert Gore (1907), Allen Gore, Claiborn Gore, Rebecca Simcock, John Simcock (1772), John Simcock (1747), John Simcock (1723/4), John Simcock (1685), Alice Maris, George Maris
Lindley Armstrong Jones (1911–1965) aka "Spike Jones"
- Musician and comedian
- Name lineage: Lindley Jones, Phebe Barnett, Jesse Barnett, M. Mendenhall, John Mendenhall, Richard Mendenhall, Mordecai Mendenhall, John Mendenhall, Elizabeth Maris, George Maris
Richard Milhous Nixon (1913–1994)
- 37th president of the United States (1969–1974).
- Name lineage: Richard Nixon, Hannah Milhous, Franklin Milhous, Joshua Milhous, Martha Vickers, Jemima Mendenhall, Lydia Mendenhall, Aaron Mendenhall, Elizabeth Maris, George Maris
Alfred G. Packer (1842–1907) aka Alferd Packer
- One of only three Americans imprisoned for cannibalism. (The others were Albert Fish and Jeffrey Dahmer.)
- Name lineage: Alfred Packer, James Packer, Moses Packer, Eli Packer, Rose Mendenhall, Aaron Mendenhall, Elizabeth Maris, George Maris
William Sydney Porter (1862–1910) aka "O. Henry"
- Author
- Name lineage: William Porter, Mary Swaim, William Swaim, Marmaduke Swaim, William Swaim, Martha Worthingon, Sarah Simcock, Alice Maris, George Maris