Monday, February 19, 2007

John's Famous Relatives

Our family tree on Ancestry.com now has over 1700 people in it, thanks to many contributions from family and ties into the One World Tree. This goes back far enough and wide enough for the web site's famous relative search tool to work. And, it turns out I have some bad apples in the family, such as train robbers and politicians. Good or bad, here are some famous people related to John Donovan Lambert:

James Matthew Barrie (1860-1937)

Scottish Novelist
James Matthew Barrie wrote the stories of Peter Pan and The Lost Boys. His college acquaintances include Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Lewis Stevenson, with whom he wrote for the university newspaper.
Relationship: 3rd Cousin 12 times removed

Lucretia Rudolph Garfield (1832-1918)

First Lady
Lucretia Rudolph Garfield, wife of President James A. Garfield, wasn't interested in the social duties of the First Lady, but her genuine hospitality made her gatherings very enjoyable.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 7 times removed

Mary Edwards Walker (1832-1919)

American Activist and Surgeon
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was a feminist Union surgeon. She was given a Medal of Honor after the Civil War for her bravery as a prisoner of war, making her the only woman to have received this medal.
Relationship: 7th Cousin 5 times removed

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)

26th President of the United States
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the first president to win the Nobel Peace Prize. With the assassination of President McKinley he became the youngest president in the nation's history. He brought new excitement and power to the presidency as he vigorously led Congress and the American public toward progressive reforms and a strong foreign policy. His popular presidency had many accomplishments, but he personally considered his greatest accomplishment to be the creation of the Panama Canal. The "Teddy" Bear got its name from President Roosevelt.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 7 times removed

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

American Author
Spending 2 years "living simply" in the forest was the premise for Henry David Thoreau's famous book, "Walden". Thoreau also wrote "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience", an essay that encouraged people to prohibit governments from having absolute power.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 8 times removed

Lucille Ball (1911-1989)

American Actress and Comedian
Lucille Desiree Ball was the comedic star of the 1950s TV show I Love Lucy. Often called, "The Queen of Comedy," Ball has acted in Broadway productions, motion pictures, and TV shows.
Relationship: 9th Cousin 3 times removed

Desi Arnaz (1917-1986)

Cuban American Performer
Desiderio Alberto Arnaz was a Cuban-American musician, comedian, and actor. He performed with his wife, Lucille Ball, for several years before their divorce.
Relationship: 11th Cousin 1 times removed

Edward Winslow (1595-1655)

Mayflower Passenger
Edward Winslow served as the governor of the Plymouth Colony. He also signed the Mayflower Compact.
Relationship: 12th Great Grand Uncle

Robert Boyle (1627-1691)

Irish Physicist
Robert Boyle is regarded today as the first modern chemist. He was also an alchemist and a physicist.
Relationship: 3rd Cousin 12 times removed

Charles Carroll of Carrollton (1737-1832)

Maryland Representative
Charles Carroll was the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence. His signature reads "Charles Carroll of Carrollton", so he is widely known as such.
Relationship: 5th Cousin 8 times removed

George Ross (1730-1779)

Pennsylvania Representative
George Ross served in the Continental Army and on the Committee of Safety. He later served in the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 8 times removed

William Osler (1849-1919)

Physician
William Osler has been called one of the greatest icons of modern medicine, the Father of Modern Medicine, which is what he considered Avicenna to be.
Relationship: 9th Cousin 4 times removed

Francis Lightfoot Lee (1734-1797)

Virginia Representative
Francis Lightfoot Lee was a radical patriot during the revolution. He worked with Patrick Henry to oppose the Stamp Act. He later signed the Declaration of Independence.
Relationship: 4th Cousin 8 times removed

Sam Bass (1851-1878)

American Outlaw
American train robber Sam Bass robbed the Union pacific gold train and took $60,000, the largest robbery of the Union Pacific to date.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 5 times removed

Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822-1893)

19th President of the United States of America
Rutherford B. Hayes was known for his honesty and military involvement in the American Civil War. After the scandal ridden years of the Grant administration, Hayes restored trust to the presidency and ended Reconstruction during his term.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 5 times removed

Elvis Presley (1935-1977)

American Entertainer
Elvis Aaron Presley is often called "The King of Rock and Roll", or simply "The King". He starred in movies but is best known for his music which includes over 100 top 40 songs including "Blue Suede Shoes", "Hound Dog", "Love Me Tender", "Don't Be Cruel", and "Jailhouse Rock".
Relationship: 8th Cousin 2 times removed

Oliver Winchester (1810-1880)

Gun Company Owner
Oliver Fisher Winchester was an American businessman and politician. He manufactured and marketed the Winchester repeating rifle, which was a much re-designed descendant of the volcanic rifle of some years earlier.
Relationship: 7th Cousin 5 times removed

William W. Winchester (1837-1881)

Gun Company Owner
William Wirt Winchester was the second president of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company from 1880 to 1881. He was the son of Oliver Fisher Winchester who manufactured and marketed the first Winchester repeating rifle.
Relationship: 8th Cousin 4 times removed

J.P. Morgan (1837-1913)

American Banker
John Piermont Morgan I was one of the wealthiest men at the beginning of the 20th century. A financier and banker, he arranged the merger for General Electric, and his bank today is known as Morgan Stanley.
Relationship: 8th Cousin 3 times removed

William Charles Wentworth (1790-1872)

Early Settler
Australian explorer, journalist, and politician William Wentworth was a leading figure of early New South Wales. He helped explore the Blue Mountains, founded a newspaper, and helped draft the New South Wales constitution.
Relationship: 11th Cousin 7 times removed

Benjamin West (1738-1820)

American Painter
Benjamin West is known for his paintings of historical scenes set in and around the time of the American Revolution. His most famous painting "The Death of General Wolfe" is more than 5 feet tall and more than 7 feet long! West was also commissioned by King George III to paint royal portraits.
Relationship: 2nd Cousin 10 times removed

Lucy Ware Webb Hayes (1831-1889)

First Lady
Lucy Ware Webb Hayes convinced her husband, Rutherford B. Hayes, to fight in the Union army and to oppose slavery. He later became an influential part of the abolitionist cause.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 3 times removed

William Ellery (1727-1820)

Rhode Island Representative
A successful merchant from Rhode Island, William Ellery was the only representative from Rhode Island to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Relationship: 3rd Cousin 10 times removed

Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003)

American Actress
Four time Academy Award winning actress Katharine Hepburn maintained a successful acting career for over 70 years. Her notable performances in The African Queen and On Golden Pond, as well as countless other films, contributed to her title as the AFI's Greatest American Female Star.
Relationship: 7th Cousin 3 times removed

John Steinbeck (1902-1968)

American Author
John Steinbeck's writing is characterized by portrayals of working class families in California. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature as well as the Pulitzer Prize. Two of his most famous works are The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men.
Relationship: 7th Cousin 3 times removed

Ruth Benedict (1887-1948)

American Anthropologist
American anthropologist Ruth Benedict wrote, Patterns of Culture which was translated into 14 languages. She studied cultural relativism and spoke out against fascism.
Relationship: 7th Cousin 3 times removed

Ida Saxton McKinley (1847-1907)

First Lady
Ida Saxton McKinley suffered very poor health and many seizures during her time as First Lady to President William McKinley. She hosted her guests seated in a blue velvet wheel chair.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 6 times removed

Laurence Olivier (1907-1989)

British-born Actor, Director and Producer
Laurence Kerr Olivier was an Academy Award-winning actor, director, and producer. He acted in such films as Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, and Spartacus. Olivier also appeared in many plays throughout his career.
Relationship: 10th Cousin 3 times removed

Elizabeth Browning (1806-1861)

English Author and poet
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. These famous words were penned by English poet and author Elizabeth Barrett Browning, one of the most respected writers of the Victorian era.
Relationship: 11th Cousin 3 times removed

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