A Tree Grew in Oakland

From yesterday’s Civil War General to the woman Abraham Lincoln referred to as “the little lady that started the war”, Harriet Beecher Stowe is reported to be my 5th cousin, 5 times removed, though her mother, Roxanna Foote.   Our MRCA, Sarah Vore (1635-1676) is two generations beyond my documented 7th great grandfather, Benjamin Munn (1683-1774) in my line that was reported.  So, TO DO item!

Cousin Harriet was # 301 in the list of persons reported by We’re Related.  Her father, Lyman Beecher, was # 213, and my 5th cousin, 6 times removed.  Through Lyman, we meet at the MRCA, Elzabeth Bigge (1596-1638) and instead of going through my Munn line, we are going thorough my Summers line.  The two lines meet for me with my 3 times great grandparents, Horatio Lee and Hannah Munn. – Horatio being the son of William and Mary Summers Lee.  But, this also implies in some ways , Harriet must have been her own cousin since I am related to her both through her mother and her father.

It does get complicated.

Adelbert Ames is reported to be my sixth cousin, 5 times removed, through our MRCA, Anthony Eames (1595-1686).  I have documented Anthony as my 10th Great grandfather, so this is a full pedigree for my line.  Adelbert’s raises the question of the name change since his line is male straight through to the MRCA.  Why did the spelling of the name change?   Not unthinkable for the late 1700s when it occurred, but still an item that needs to be placed on the TO DO list before claiming the General as a true “cousin”

William Rockefeller as 6th cousin, 4 times removed would be the perfect example of the family black sheep!  Everyone wants this type of scoundrel in the family.  And it does not hurt that his two sons founded Standard Oil!  The pedigree provided leaves two undocumented generations for me to get to the MRCA, Elizabeth Starkey (1614-1684).  So, the TO DO list expands!  The bio blurb above from wikipedia and the picture of cousin William is that of his son, William, Jr.   William, Sr. was NOT one of the founders of Standard Oil, but was an “botanic physician” that sold elixirs.  Your basic snake oil peddler.  His full bio really does earn him the Black Sheep mantle.  The pedigree for William shows him as William, Sr., the son of Lucy Avery and Godfrey Lewis Rockefeller.  It is through the Avery line that William is attached.  Obviously, William, Jr. does appear in the same line, just one generation later, but he is not the one reported by We’re Related.

I am sorry to admit, Cousin Amos, I have never heard of you!  Postmaster General under President Andrew Jackson — that was when that was considered important!  The pedigree chart from We’re Related is non-PRIVATE!!!!!  My line is documented through my 8th great grandmother, Bethia Brooks (1662-xxxx).  I have not found the documentation of when she died.  Two more generations, plus Grandma Bethia’s demise specifics, to work out until we get to the MRCA, Grace Wheeler (1594-1664).  Another TO DO list item!

James Thurber arises though one of my favorite named ancestors, Thankful Isham, my 5 times great grandmother.  Then, four more generations to the proposed MRCA, Elizabeth Ingraham (1628-1660).  To get there, it was necessary to go through Thankful’s great grandmother, Hopestill Bullock (1659-1749) – another great name.   Why don’t we still use these names?   Anyway, there are no PRIVATE entries in either line, so I now have more on the TO DO list to prove out.   Walter Mitty, your life may become an open book!

Bobby Darin appears to really be my 9th cousin!  My full line is documented straight up to the MRCA, my 8th great grandmother, Joanna Inman (1648-1718).  Walden Robert Cassotto’s (his real name) line contains NO PRIVATE entries either.   Chalk one up for a hit!  Recording artist, actor, and MY COUSIN WAS MARRIED TO SANDRA DEE!

Bob Barker, 8th cousin, twice removed, yes, my dog has been neutered.  The pedigree chart provided by We’re Related has not!   All entries are filled in — both lines.  My line traces to my proven 6th great grandfather, Moses Hitchcock (1717-1768).  Then 3 more generations to be investigated to our MRCA, Samuel Chapin (1598-1675).  This time, I have direct line clues, Moses → Nathaniel Hitchcock (1677-1761), his father → Hannah Chapin (1644-1719), Nathaniel’s mother → Samuel Chapin, Hannah’s father and Bob and my MRCA.  The To Do list is appended and there will either be Truth or Consequences to the search.  Hopefully, the Price Is Right.

I received the notice that John Quincy Adams was my 4th cousin, seven times removed and I thought, “Well about time!”.   JQA was the 292nd notification from We’re Related.  His father, Pres. John Adams, was the 3rd notification.  I then looked at the pedigree chart presented for the son versus that of the father and they are of different lines of descent.  John Adams goes up my Botsford line to MRCA, Henry Adams (1583-1646).  John Quincy Adams also goes up my Botsford line, but to MRCA, Samuel Bass (1600-1694).  And, even though he appear as PRIVATE MALE in the role of JQA’s father,  John Adams is also a descendant of Samuel Bass.  This makes them doubles.   That is, if I can actually find the backup evidence.