SG Family History: Who are You Related To?

Are you related to anyone 'famous'? Any cool stories?

My great uncle wrote the original home hints books...


And uhhh.....
yeah. I think that's as famous as it gets around here. What about you?

let's see, I have my Olympic athlete distant cousin.

I may be related to a Suicide Girl. We've never confirmed it. But if I am then it was a hell of a coincidence meeting her.

that is amazing! Did you do your own family history or did you have some info handed down to you?

In Inferno Dante Alighieri consigned my family to the ninth circle of Hell.

My grandmother's 1st cousin was Margret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind.

I'm a decendent of Pancho Villa's 2nd in command. So i guess that's something.

Also, one of my ancestors was a member of the 7th U.S. Cavalry that didn't go with Custer to his last stand.

My great uncle was Philo Farnsworth who invented television.

A couple of years ago, my parents received a letter from distant family in the US (something along the lines of sharing the same great great grandfather), which stated that Jane Russell was part of their close family tree and was part of ours too, so we were all distantly related to her. Pretty neat.

Though, sadly, the genetics on her side of having an enviable pin-up-up figure didn't filter down!

My great grandmother was Bill Boeing's sister. Another Bill (or William) on my grandfather's side was the inspiration for Bill "The Butcher" Cutting's fictional character in Gangs of New York.

It's been pretty easy for me to track down my family history on my dads side- but my moms side is Spanish American from the early conquistadors. It's been really hard to find ANYTHING out about them!

What a cool thing to know. I'm jealous.

My Great Uncle Doff was a national rodeo chapion in the 30's and 40's http://books.google.com/books?id=xSxgZsh0FhwC&pg=PA206&lpg=PA206&dq=doff+aber&source=bl&ots=YFhSCyBamW&sig=VHJAyuYfuCcoFr3IQ1-UKmLaSRo&hl=en&ei=maXxTZqIAcfbiAKR5aTrBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDUQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=doff%20aber&f=false

I know a bit about my family's history in America. My mom's side of the family were mostly Scottish farmers, three of whom fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. My dad's grandparents emigrated from Germany in the 1880s. I would love to know more about both sides of the family history in Europe, but the only thing I know is that one ancestor was some kind of court musician for Kaiser Wilhelm I.

Pocahontas. For real

Also, one of the lesser known guys who signed the declaration of independence. I wish i could remember which one. My grandfather was really into tracking down family history, and he told me once

Black Sam Bellamy

William Mulholland

I come from a long line of unremarkable people.

Pierre Elliot Trudeau.

Yeah, that's from my mom's side. I don't know anything about my dad's side other than my grandfather was a preacher.

my grandfather was an average boxer heh but i do have one of those old posters with his photo, framed. at least his was the biggest fight of that particular night.

On my mother's side my great grandfather was the horse trainer for Czar Nicholas when he was placed under arrest. Family tradition holds that he walked out of Russia to escape the troubles.

On the other side, my most famous ancestor was Mary Elizabeth Lease, who was kind of the Sarah Palin of her day.

My mom is full of stories about who we're related to. Everyone from Sittig Bull to General Robert E. Lee. I don't think I believe her, and I've never bothered doing the research. Guess I should do that.