# Were your ancestors famous? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 18, 2002, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822 "2002-03-18T03:12:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/61 "2002-03-25T02:01:56Z")
Not even famous, but apparently an ancestor on my mother’s side was a pirate. That’s about as good as it gets until someone decides to research the family tree a bit more. Mr Tsubaki’s family were samurai, which was a pretty spiffy thing to be 300 years ago. His grandfather has an extremely long piece of paper listing all the eldest sons of eldest sons, going back hundreds of years. Alas, its his MATERNAL grandfather, so Mr isn’t included on it. But Mr prefers to think of himself as a ninja… ---
**Author:** ![TelcontarStorm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ab097/32.png) [@TelcontarStorm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TelcontarStorm)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/62 "2002-03-25T15:17:23Z")
According to him, I am distantly related to William the Conquere as well, but who knows?:rolleyes: He was a little looped in his last few years. 5 greats, on Uncle puts me in with Col. Wiliam Crawford. Crawford was a childhood friend of Gen. Washington. They often spent time in each others home as children and adults. Williams claim to fame is that he managed to yank the chains of the local natives (near Upper Sandusky ,Ohio) so badly that before his torso was roasted on a pike, his limbs were cut off and thrown to the wolves. I guess he killed a Chief’s family. It wasn’t long after I was required by state law to learn Ohio history that I found out about the relationship. Needless to say it was quite a bummer, for an 8th grader to find out I had such notorious reletive.:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2002, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/63 "2002-03-26T16:10:20Z")
A second cousin twice removed (???) was Brendan Nolan, Irish Ambassador to Switzerland. ---
**Author:** ![Winnowill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Winnowill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnowill)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2002, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/64 "2002-03-26T16:28:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nichol\_storm \* > **I’m a direct descendant (several times over for each) of King Edward II of England, his gay lover Hugh le Despencer, his Queen Isabella, and her lover, Roger Mortimer. No Robert the Bruce, though. Darn.** All four at once! That’s quite an orgy! 😉 ::\*\*D & R:: ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/65 "2002-06-10T20:20:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Opus1 \* > \*\* > > Going **way** back, I’m allegedly descended from William the Conqueror, Charlemagne… But I’m highly skeptical of any genealogies prior to around 1500, so I take this all with a grain of salt. \*\* According to a recent article in Atlantic Monthly, everyone of European ancestry is related to Charlamange and Mohammed, and everyone currently on earth is descended from Nefertiti and Confuscious. I guess you don’t feel so special now, do you? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![QueenAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/d26b3c/32.png) [@QueenAl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QueenAl)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/66 "2002-06-10T20:42:49Z")
My great-great-Grandfather was, according to my Aunt, the John Brown who had that platonic romance with Queen Victoria. And my great-Grandparents were among the first people in Scotland to get divorced. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/67 "2002-06-10T21:46:57Z")
I haven’t got my computer here, which has my geneaology records on it, but off the top of my head I am descended from Erik the Red, famous Icelandic Viking bastard. We descend from European royalty as well. ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/68 "2002-06-10T21:51:08Z")
I’ve been told that I’m a descendant of [Ezra Meeker](http://www.downtownpuyallup.com/ezra_meeker.htm), one of the first hops growers in Washington and preservationist of the Oregon Trail. I wonder where the money’s gone… Reading these, I’m reminded of Neil Gaiman’s “We Can Do It For You Wholesale.” ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/69 "2002-06-11T00:11:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hedra \* > **one of the ‘knights’ at the Battle of Hastings (on the winning side)** I am alledgedly an ancestor of William the Conquorer himself. I suppose everyone with the last name Hastings could say that. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/70 "2002-06-11T00:26:19Z")
My great-great-great … great-great-grandfather was Aaron, brother of Moses. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/71 "2002-06-12T03:28:54Z")
My dad told me many years ago that [Sir Walter Raleigh](http://www.incompetech.com/authors/sirwalter/) figured into our family tree as an uncle or cousin. That must’ve been where dad got his charm. _see below_ On his _fourth_ (and final) marriage, I understand that I’m related to two small-time Hollywood actors now. One is that kid in Better Off Dead who keeps chasing John Cusack and hollering “I want my two dollars!”. The other is the middle ninja in The Three Ninjas and the equally bad sequel, The Three Ninjas Kick Back. The two are brothers and I’ve never met them. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/72 "2002-06-12T04:42:13Z")
Nobody. The mass of bubbling multitudes that wound up producing me? We’re all just a bunch of qwinks. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/73 "2002-06-12T05:23:30Z")
I’m a direct decendant of a convicted 17th century New England witch. Fortunately she was not hanged, but rather exiled with her husband. I’m also a distant cousin of a guy who showed around the (purportedly) 2nd elephant brought to the USA. He toured the elephant as a novelty, and this eventually, via a long and twisty path, led to his name being associated with a famous (to this day) circus. The elephant leant her name to the Elephant Hotel in Somers, New York and is a local landmark (or so I hear) and also appears on the seal of the Somers Chamber of Commerce. ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/74 "2002-06-12T06:27:48Z")
I don’t want to name anyone **too** recent, so… **On my Icelandic side:** Harald Fairhair (or Finehair), king of Norway who swore to some chick that he would unite all of Norway and not cut, comb, or wash his hair until he did it. I think that Harald Hardrade guy who fought in England in 1066 (but got killed before the Battle of Hastings). Odin. **On my Finnish side:** A whole long line of blacksmiths, none of them famous. But some of them were master blacksmiths. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Fisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Ms.Fisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Fisk)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/75 "2002-06-12T07:24:14Z")
My great grandfather (mother’s father’s father) was executed by Chiang Kai Shek in China after a long close friendship with him because he disagreed on some points. Also, further back some of my family were the educators of members of the Han Dynasty. Anybody else with the last name Eoyang? ---
**Author:** ![Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/73ab20/32.png) [@Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caesar_s_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/76 "2002-06-12T19:40:43Z")
One of my relatives was shot and killed by Jesse James. Prepare to die, **Lodrain**! There is also a relative of mine I found some papers on, in the geneaology program we have. The ancestor is William Trask, one of the first settlers of Salem, MA. The papers are rather long, but state that William Trask and Anthony Needham (not a relative) have the power to fine people who let their horses wander around the commons. They can fine them and are required to give 25% of the fine to the town. Now, that was cool. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/77 "2002-06-12T20:06:14Z")
Little Bird, why did he give her hot dogs? Just to insult her? ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/78 "2002-06-12T20:09:54Z")
My grandfather was a card dealer for John Dillinger (he also ran craps games for him). That’s as good as it gets in my family. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/79 "2002-06-12T20:33:13Z")
My mother’s family are descendants of Gutenberg, the Bible guy. My father’s side of the family claims some relationship to the Stuarts/Stewarts, but I’m rather doubtful of the connection (Grandma used to say we were descended from Mary Queen of Scots, and I find it a little hard to believe that I’m somewhere in line for the throne, if only we could get rid of those pesky Windsors…) ---
**Author:** ![ezra\_brooks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/13edae/32.png) [@ezra\_brooks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ezra_brooks)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822/80 "2002-06-13T00:58:07Z")
On my Dad’s side, 3 g-g-g uncles formed a little livestock enterprise. The law thought that stealing horses made you horse thives, so they took them out and hung all 3 of them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-your-ancestors-famous/98822.md?page=5)