A Tree Grew in Oakland

In notice # 379, Jim Morrison was reported as my 8th cousin through our MRCA Anna Maria _________ (1675-1700), the proposed 3 times great grandmother of Mary Ann Allen (1836-xxxx), my great great grandmother and the furthest documented ancestor in that lineage.  Now besides the lack of a surname and 5 generations on my lineage to research, this might cause me to Light  My Fire to research.  But, back in notice # 219, Jim was reported to be my 8th cousin, once removed, through a different MRCA, Joshiah Thayer (1670-1728), the great great grandfather of Esther Clark, my 4 times great grandmother and the furthest documented ancestor I have in that lineage.  #379 tracks Jim’s lineage through his father; # 219 tracks through Jim’s mother.  The #219 lineage seems to be the way I will approach first – the line in question stays within the single surname of Thayer.

Notification #378 brings Josh Hutcherson as my 8th cousin, once removed, through our MRCA Dutton Lane (1670-1726), the great grandfather of Samuel Lane (1769-xxxx), my 4 times great grandfather and the furthest documented ancestor I have in that lineage.  Now, Grandfather Dutton has another actor descendant, Brad Pitt, # 332.  In Josh’s lineage, Dutton has a son, Richard Lane (1698-1770).  In Brad’s lineage, Dutton also has a son, Richard Lane (1702-1770).  From there they split off into two separate children of Richard.   It does raise the question of whether the two Richard entries are really the same person.  They died the same year, but their birth year differs by 4 years.  Since I have not made it back to old Dutton, I cannot say for sure who his children were or for that matter who his grandchildren were.  So, until that TO DO is Done, I will leave this in the “I wonder if this is true” column.

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.