A Tree Grew in Oakland

Robert Louis Stevenson as my 7th cousin, 4 times removed!  Author of Treasure Island, one of the first books I remember reading.  We cross our MRCA, John Bland (1572-1668), the proposed grandfather of my 8 times great grandfather, Edward Smith (1636-1693) and the furthest documented ancestor I have in the very confusing Smith lineage.  The proposal from We’re Related is even more confusing since they stipulate that the two male children of John Bland have the surname of Smith — these are the next link for both RLS and myself.  Now, usually, the male child does not switch surname.  And rarely would multiple male children change.   So, the reason behind this will have to go on the the dead man’s chest with a yo ho ho, and investigate as time permits.

OK, so for the second time, We’re Related has told me John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed) is my cousin.  In Report # 397 he is my 6th cousin, 5 times removed, through our MRCA, Susan Warren (1555-1613), the proposed 4 times great grandmother of Mercy Simons (1779-1804), my 4 times great grandmother.  In notification # 105, We’re Related has us as 5th cousins, 4 times removed, through our MRCA, Elizabeth Cooke (1611-1663), the proposed mother of Isaac Lawrence (1652-1731), my 7 times great grandfather and the furthest documented ancestor in that lineage.   For John, # 105 reports through his mother’s lineage and # 397 reports through his father’s lineage.  So, I guess that will make him his own distant cousin.   Now, why the sneeze — I am major allergic to apple blossom pollen — So, thanks cousin Johnny for just planting those trees EVERYWHERE!

It took three days between, but We’re Related figured out for the first time that if I was a 9th cousin of Marie, I must also be a 9th cousin of Donny.  The reports also use the same MRCA, Thomas Deane (1639-1697), the proposed father of my 7 times great grandmother, Lydia Dean (1679-1726) and the furthest documented ancestor I have in that lineage.   I have been looking for evidence of Grandmother Lydia’s parents for a while since there are a number of reports that claim Thomas as her father, but everywhere I have sought they just claim it without citation!   Time for a number of persons to take a class from Elizabeth Shown Mills!

This report was grouped as # 394 since the both siblings were so closely reported.   But, a number of months ago, in report # 85, Marie was reported as my 9th cousin thought MRCA, John Hitchcock (1642-1712), the proposed grandfather of my 6 times great grandfather, Moses Hitchcock (1717-1768) who is the furthest documented ancestor I have in that lineage.  Both connections come through the Osmond paternal line, splitting off at their great grandparents, Tyesha Ann Beeler (1843-1929) #394 and Isaac Hawk Vail (1831-1871) # 85.

So, if I can authenticate either, maybe I can score some comp tickets on my next trip to Vegas?

Sam Walton as my 7th cousin, once removed, through our MRCA, Abigail Bellows (1661-1726), my 7 times great grandmother.  Forget the discount, I want a piece of Cousin Sam’s estate and free access to the royalties on the People of Walmart Pictures!  If the lineage for Sam is correct from We’re Related, then we really are related since I have documentation confirming my lineage to Grandmother Abigail.

If I had known Ms Buck was my 7th cousin, 3 times removed, in High School, when I had to read The Good Earth, I am sure I would have milked it for extra credit!  We are supposed to be related through our MRCA, Christian Gerber (1592-1650), the 5 times great grandfather of my 2 times great grandmother, Mary Ann Allen (1836-xxx), the furthest documented ancestor I have in the Allen Lineage.  (I have some work to do, that is really not very far back compared to the rest of my tree!!!  And, I have not found Grandmother Mary Ann’s death record either!).  I could have asked for double extra credit for knowing what the S stood for: Sydenstriker, Pearl’s maiden name!