Famous and Infamous Relatives

[Blacksmith]

This is a subject that has been done a couple of times on another forum that I am a member of and some of the replies are interesting. I have added at the bottom some tips for new genealogists in case this thread inspires you.

Now for some famous people I am related to (I can document these lines):
Two Mayflower passengers
Charlemagne
George W. Bush and of course George H. W. Bush
Raquel Welsh
Clint Eastwood
Charles Curtis, 31st Vice President
Philo Farnsworth, Invented television
Clara Louise Kellogg, Opera singer
Frank Billings Kellogg, Nobel Peace Prize (1929) U.S. Secretary of State, etc.
William Kieth Kellogg, founded the W.K.Kellogg Co. (Kellogg's Corn Flakes)

I haven't yet worked the specific connections yet but probably also:
Brigham Young
Benjamin Franklin Goodrich, B. F. Goodrich rubber
Lee Marvin

I have so far found 17 Revolting Ancestors; those who meet the criteria for someone to gain membership in the DAR or SAR.

Digging up ancestors has been a long and interesting search that continues, but like any long journey it begins with the first steps.

TIPS FOR GENEALOGISTS
Start with yourself, write down what you know and make copies of the documents that support those facts. Then move to your parents and grandparents, what facts do you know and what record supports that. Now you can start using Census records widely available on line (I remember going to the historical society and viewing them on microfilm). The 1930 Census has recently been unsealed and is available through Heritage Quest (see below).

Take a trip to your local Library, many have access to databases. Maryland Libraries allow you to access Heritage Quest from your home computer with your library card number. Local Historical Societies can be a great help, my local society also has access to Ancestry.com. The local Family History Centers of the Church of Latterday Saints (Mormans) are another excellent resource.

Finally online there is Cyndi's List which is the most comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online.
You will find tens of thousands of links to help you with your genealogy including beginner sites to tell you how to start, sites with educational programs to make you a professional, and many many sites to help you find the data you are searching for.
Here is the Link:
http://www.cyndislist.com/categories/

Remember there are a lot of bad genealogies floating around the internet. Don't accept anything as fact, unless the source of the information is documented.

[10x]

A couple of my female cousins claimed to have a royal ancestor on their mothers side. They researched church baptismal records and other civic records back to 1750 or so in Germany. Apparently one of their ancestors was a lady who resided in a brothel in Dusseldorf. There are records that members of the Royal family of the day consorted with the ladies of negotiable affections residing at that address. They did not delve deeper into the role their ancestor played in the business. Their nature and activities suggested they may well have been very happy to be employed in a traditional family business.

Brings to mind Faye Dunaway (movie Little Big Man, Played an unfaithful preachers wife, then a harlot in a brothel) who said, "Jack, when I was married to the preacher it was fun, but now it is every night...."

My grand mother was second cousin to Roald Amundsen who went to both the North and South Pole.
And I have several second cousins who won World championships in curling.
Some of my family relocated to Normandy and Ireland between 900 and 1200 much to the dismay of the local clergy and nobles.

of the 70 or so cousins I have, I am aware of only 3 that have gotten a divorce.

[Calamity Jake]

Calamity Jane or Martha Jane Canary a 4th cousin and David Canary of Al My Children and Bonanaza fame a 3rd cousin.

[popper]

Been trying to track down Mom's side of the family for a few years. Her mom had many interesting stories of living in S.E. Kansas as a kid (mid - late 1800's). Much info was in the family bible which is lost. GGGF was a Quaker Indian agent by the name of Jones, all I can get from the family other than GF was on the haskell board. Anyway this ifs off-track. Found some very interesting reading about Nebraska territory (precurser to Ks, Ok, Ne, Sd, etc.) http://digital.library.okstate.edu/chronicles/v001/v001p150.html. has some fun reading. Whe GF on dad's side passed we went through the house and found lots of civil was stuff,ribbons, buttons, books, papers. Gramma wouldn't talk about any of it, wanted it thrown out - that was ~60 yrs ago. Also checking into a relative that supposedly was doing survey & general chores for lewis/clark. Kansas & Nebraska historical records are good reading. We think we've 'seen it all' but those people had a really, uh, unusual life also. Really absorbing reading. I enjoyed finding out about the kickapoos tribe. Yea, I remember the cartoon character.

[Blacksmith]

Popper
You might try looking up your dad's GF on this site:
http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm

[Goatwhiskers]

My mom and her sister paid some geneologist to put together the family tree. Found out we've got everything from royalty to horse thieves. As dad's momma used to say, ancestors are nice, we wouldn't be here without them, but not a darn one of them ever put a bean in my pot. GW