A Tree Grew in Oakland

President Zarhary Taylor appeared for the third time in a notification from We’re Related.  This time, #376 has him as my 6th cousin, 6 times removed, through our MRCA, Elizabeth Bodenham (1538-1636), the grandmother of Mary Moulson, my 9th great grandmother and the furthest documented ancestor in this lineage.    A few weeks ago, Zach was in # 351 as my 5th cousin, 6 times removed through out MRCA Elizabeth Godfrey (1570-1680) who gave birth to two daughters with the same name, 52 years apart.  I cast a bit of shade on this report!   Then there was # 62, where Zachary was reported as my 5th cousin, 8 times removed, through our MRCA Jane Phippen (1580-1650), the 4th great grandmother of my 6th great grandmother, Bethiah Younglove (1721-1768), the furthest documented ancestor I have in that lineage.   For Zachary, all three claim to follow his mother’s lineage.  # 62 and # 351 cross at his maternal grandparents, Sarah Bayly (1720-1774) in #62 and William Dabney Strother (1726-1808) in # 351. Then, # 62 and # 376 cross at the parents of Sarah Bayly, Samuel Bailey (1691-1727) [note change in surname spelling as well] in # 62 and Elizabeth Baker (1690-xxxx) in #376.  All in all, cousin Zach, I am not ready to enter you into my database.

Report # 375 has Henry David Thoreau as my 6th cousin, 5 times removed, trough our MRCA Richard Warren (1580-1628), the grandfather of Jonathan Sprague (1648-1741), my 8th great grandfather.   Unfortunately, We’re Related postulates that the connection between the two is Joanna Warren, the daughter of Richard and the mother of Jonathan.  The unfortunate part is that I have confirmed evidence that Jonathan’s mother was Millicent Eames (1615-1696).   So, report #375 is not valid.   This is the second time Walden Pond has shown up – it was also part of report # 40 where Henry was my 5th cousin, 6 times removed, through a MRCA Elizabeth Godfrey (1570-1680), the grandmother of Thomas Lewis (1633-1709), my 8 times great grandfather and the furthest documented ancestor in that lineage.  I may pursue # 40 as a To Do Item and if it pans out, I will chill out next to cousin Henry’s Walden Pond.

Report # 374 shows Thomas Paine as my 5th cousin, 8 times removed, through our MRCA Richard Gunne (1541-xxxx), my 12th great grandfather.  This line is fully documented!  Now it is just a matter of verifying the lineage presented for Thomas.   Earlier, in report # 350, We’re Related showed Thomas as my 3rd cousin, 7 times removed, through our MRCA George Lewis (1600-1664), the grandfather of Hannah Lewis (1662-1717), my 7th great grandmother.   Unfortunately, she is not the furthest documented ancestor I have in that lineage.  I have documentation that her father was Thomas Lewis (1633-1709).   We’re Related proposed George Lewis (1625-1710).  George and Thomas Lewis may be brothers, but this negates Report # 350 as being viable.  But, #374 seems totally viable.

Stephen King showed up in We’re Related report # 373 as my  9th cousin through our MRCA Esther Ballard (1632-1717), my 8th great grandmother – fully documented!  In addition, the first two generations down from Grandmother Esther in Stephen’s lineage I also have the documentation to support!  So this may explain a bit of my quirkiness: it’s in the genes!  Now, earlier in report # 289, We’re Related reported Stephen and I were 8th cousins, twice removed, through our MRCA Mary Jane Wilkerson (1680-1758).  There were many PRIVATE entries in both of the lines in that report.  In the very beginning of Stephen’s line Mary Jane apparently gave birth to when she was 8 years old!  Both pedigree reports are from Stephen’s father, Donald Edwin Pollack King [King was his adoptive father’s surname], but this most recent one has a great deal more substance and I tend to believe may actually be correct if the rest of Stephen’s lineage can be documented.

Ringold Lardner was the subject of We’re Related report # 371 showing us as 7th cousin, four times remove, through our MRCA John Thompson (1577-1627), the father of Anthony Thompson (1614-1648), my 9th great grandfather and the furthest documented ancestor I have in this lineage.   Report # 119 shows that we are 6th cousins, five times removed, through our MRCA William Lawrence (1622-1680), the father of Thomas Lawrence (1644-1703), my 9th great grandfather and the furthest documented ancestor in that lineage.  The lineages cross for Ring at his parents.  Report # 371 follows his mother’s line; report # 119 follows his father’s line.  These are very close to connecting to the MRCA for me — one generation!!  Both will be candidates for priority status on the TO DO list.

Alfred Hitchcock is reported in # 369 as my 7th cousin, 3 times removed,  through our MRCA, Cicely Penny (1601-1683), the great grandmother of Moses Hitchcock (1717-1768), my 6th great grandfather and the furthest documented ancestor I have in that particular lineage.  Now, when I look at the connected lineages of cousin Alfred and myself, I see that Grandmother Cicely had two daughters : Hannah Chapin (1644-1719) and they each had a son, Nathaniel Hitchcock (1677-1761).  Coincidence?  I think not.  Failure to notice the trees are identical?  I think so.  It appears the MRCA is really Nathaniel Hitchcock, the father of Moses.   So, now I have a doable TO DO item!  And I do not need to fear Vertigo or the Birds!