A Tree Grew in Oakland

Walt Disney – 8th cousin, twice removed as # 338 and 7th cousin, twice removed as #34 from We’re Related.   In #34, our MRCA is Elizabeth Cooke (1611-1663), the mother of my 7th great grandfather, Isaac Lawrence (1652-1731).  Finding the documentation that Elizabeth is actually my 8th great grandmother is still in the TO DO pile.  In #338, our MRCA is Mary Parmenter (1616-1690), the grandmother of my 7 times great grandmother, Abigail Bellows (1661-1776).  Grandmother Abigail was the wife of grandfather Isaac!  On cousin Walt’s lineage, #34 meets #338 at his great grandparents:  #338 – Eber Call (1791-1864) and #34 – Violette Lawrence (1792-1870), the parents of Charles Call (1822-1890), Walt’s grandfather.  Thus making Cousin Walter his own cousin!

This re-boot of We’re Related is getting quite interesting due to the reprise of notifications with different lineages.

Willard Mitt Romney now calculates to be my 9th cousin on We’re Related # 336.  He was 8th cousin, once removed when reported on # 26.  What is the difference?   Well, in my reported lineage, #26 goes up the White lineage line from 4 times great grandmother, Prudence White, four generations to our MRCA, Elizabeth Savage, 1655-1742.   In #336, from Grandmother Prudence, we use the lineage of her mother, Mehitable Morey (1737-1814) and meet at the MRCA, Elizabeth White (1643-1707).   For Cousin Mitt, the diversion occurs at his great grandparents.  #24 traces lineage of his great grandfather, Charles Edward Robison (1845-1883).  #336 traces the lineage of his great grandmother, Rosetta Mary Berry (1843-1918).  Now, #336 tracks to my documentation on my lineage all the way to our MRCA; in #26, I still have two generations to research and document.  Due to the Romney family focus, I have to believe, the lineage provided is correct.

President Truman had been previously reported through We’re Related as #146, a 7th cousin, three times removed, through our MRCA, Elizabeth Lee (1608-1687).  Elizabeth is one generation removed from my documented 8th great grandmother, Esther Ballard (1632-1717).   In this reporting, #334, We’re Related shows President Truman as a 8th cousin, twice removed, through our MRCA, John White (1600-1684).   In the #146 lineage, the trail leads up the Jenks – Ballard lines.   In the #334 lineage, the trail leads up the Botsford-Clark-White line.   In both cases, the lineage for President Truman is reported for his father, John Anderson Truman.  The two do not appear to cross until Harry’s great grandparents.   A very interesting research project!

Shailene Woodley as my 7th cousin, twice removed is interesting as she is one of the new actors and has a more recent MRCA, Samuel Lane (1700-1779).  At least more recent in my lineage.  In the Lane lineage, Samuel is only two generations beyond that of my documented ancestor, Samuel Lane (1769-xxxx), my 4 times great grandfather.  Of course, with older “cousins” they are closer to the MRCA.  This might get the grandchildren interested in genealogy, so I will put it on the TO DO list to verify the pedigrees.

President Abraham Lincoln was just reported as my 7th cousin, four times removed.  I would have ignored this because this appeared as the 30th notification in the 336 notifications I have received, but I know better than to ignore, I verify.   The #30 reference has us as 6th cousins, 4 times removed.   Why the difference?  Both cases (#30 and #333) use Cousin Abe’s paternal line through his father, Thomas Lincoln.  The paths veer off at Abe’s great grandparents.  #30 climbs up his great grandmother, Rebecca Flowers’ lineage to our MRCA, Thomas Betts (1602-1688).  #333 climbs up his great grandfather, John Lincoln’s lineage to our MRCA, William Reed (1565-1621).   #30 is part of my Botsford lineage with one generation yet to prove out to the MRCA.  #333 is part of my Clark lineage with six generations to prove out to the MRCA.  So, if I am successful, and I put the whole mess into FTM, will it show that Cousin Abe is his own cousin?  This might make the research a lot of fun!

Brad Pitt is reported as my 8th cousin, once removed through my documented 4th great grandfather, Samuel Lane’s lineage to our MRCA, Dutton Lane (1670-1726).  This is three generations beyond Grandfather Samuel, so I have some more research to do.  But, this comes with a bonus piece of trivia.   Another actor with the same MRCA that We’re Related just update to me:

Marilyn Monroe as my 8th cousin!  Prior to this she was reported with the MRCA of Pretitia Tydings (1680-1734) and now she is reported with Dutton Lane (1670-1726).   The inference is that Dutton and Pretitia were man and wife (or at least, father and mother of the two offspring that went down our lines.  Brad and Marilyn share the same immediate step from the MRCA.

Might need to increase the priority on this project!

Matt Damon is reported to be my 9th Cousin through my 4th great grandmother, Esther Clark’s lineage to our MRCA, Joseph Clark (1642+1702).  I have no evidence beyond 4*GGM Esther, which means I will need to investigate 4 generations of her male lineage to get to the MRCA.  On the up side, Matt’s lineage looks like it might be possible.  So, another TO DO item and clues on the lineage on the Clark family!