What, if any, interestng historical figures are all the Dopers related to?
Missy2U mentioned that she was related to Edgar Allan Poe, and as far as I’m concerned, my 9th great-uncle is Tecumseh (Shawnee leader, sided with the British in the War of 1812).
Anybody else have any interesting branches in their family tree?
According to my great aunt (dad’s mother’s side), I am a great-great-great (dunno exactly how many "great"s) grandnephew of General George Pickett. He’s the guy who participated in that charge.
My aunt’s second husband was Lawrence Welk’s baritone saxophonist. Hey, it was a job.
Uke
Wow Strainger, small world. My best friend is the great-great-great-great grandson (may not be the right amount of greats either) of the good General.
As for me, my Grandpa caught a dead body in a lake once. It was pretty big news in southeast Kansas.
I am probably the most famous in my family simply because I have been on TV and in print much more often than any ancestors or currently alive relatives.
Well, shut my mouth. It’s also illegal to put squirrels down your pants for the purposes of gambling.
Dominie Everardus Bogardus, an early settler of New Amsterdam. It was said that he delivered two kinds of sermons - drunk and dead drunk. That’s my (number of greats) grandpa!
Official Poster of the Millenium
Err… unfortunately my family didn’t keep too great of records when they immigrated here, but I do know that my great (great great? Dunno, someting like that) aunt and uncle got shot during a Jesse James train robbery.
http://www.madpoet.com
The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
One of my nieces is a talented actress. (Really!) She’s not famous now, but she will be. I’ll say who she is once she’s well-known. 
My father’s side of the family is(was) huge on the vaudeville circuit in the early 1900s. And my great aunt on his side is Emme Jean Coco (sp?), who played the dead grandmother they strapped to the car in one of the national lampoon movies.
Hmmm, actual blood relatives? Alex North was a great-uncle; he wrote the scores for lots of films, like “Giant” and, umm, can’t remember the others.
Lauren Bacall is a distant cousin several times removed.
My mother has told me that I’m n[sup]th[/sup] cousin (X-removed) from Cassius Clay
(Muhammad Ali to you).
Float like a boulder, sting like a sock.
I just want to be funny like Chris Rock.
“Vandelay!! Say Vandelay!!”
No famous relatives for me, but my friend Dave’s uncle is the guy who played Grandpa Munster. He lives on Roosevelt Island and recently ran for office.
Mad Poet:
Wow! I’m related to Jesse James on my paternal grandmother’s side (I think he was her second cousin or something). My relative shot your relative. Weird. I hope this doesn’t stop us from being friends.
On the same grandmother’s side, I’m related to the guy who founded the Piggly Wiggly grocery store chain. I think his name was Clarence Saunders. Unfortunately, I own no stock in the company, nor do I receive free groceries.
My husband’s family insists Suzanne Somers is a distant cousin, but can’t recall exactly how they’re related.
“I hope life isn’t a big joke, because I don’t get it,” Jack Handy
Hey, my husband is a Saunders! I’ll have to do some more digging and see if I can find a connection <–very amateur genealogist
“I hope life isn’t a big joke, because I don’t get it,” Jack Handy
I’m releated to jesse james also. very distant though. but that’s not really a big deal, he had lots of illegitimate children.
I been in the paper four times, and seen in the background on walker texas ranger. So probably me right now.
We live in an age that reads to much to be wise, and thinks too much to be beautiful–Oscar Wilde
Well, I have the same last name as the singer/actress/writer Jewel. Jewel’s grandfather was from Switzerland (needless to say, so am I.) The name is one that’s not very common even in Switzerland, so I imagine we must be related in some very distant way.
Sorry, that’s the best I can do.
La franchise ne consiste pas à dire tout ce que l’on pense, mais à penser tout ce que l’on dit.
H. de Livry
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. One of my best friends is actually a descendant of William Henry Harrison. He “defeated” (masssacred) Tecumseh’s “forces” (village consisting mainly of women, children, and elderly) at the Battle of Tippicanoe. He was also holds the record for being President for the shortest amount of time. He caught a cold on his inauguration day that turned into pnuemonia and killed him.
Gr8Kat –
If he can’t get you a discount on a Thighmaster it doesn’t count.
MissTangerine – It’s Imogene Coca and she is famous for a whole lot more than her role in National Lampoon’s Vacation.
As long as we’re straying somewhat from the important historical figures…
The only famous relative I’m aware of in our family is my dad’s cousin, painter Tom McKnight. I like his work, but he’s apparently a primadonna asshole.
But as compensation, I have found reproductions at Target for cheap 