Anyone famous in your family?

[HollyJoy]

Well, our family story goes that we are related to Mary Queen of Scotts, as well as Sgt. William Jasper (a big revolutionary war hero). Also, William and John Penn.. yes, of Pennsylvania! The most well known famous relation would have to be one I ran across while doing my geneology research... we are distantly related to President Bush (through his mother's side).

 

[takemetoo]

My Grandmother's brother was "Little Jonny Sylvester" of Babe Ruth fame (the little boy Babe pointed to the outfield and hit a homerun for).

 

[jipsy]

Distantly related to Benito Mussolini.

wow that's cool!

My dad used to tell us we were related to the boxer John Sullivan, but I have no idea if that's true or not.

 

[grlpwrd]

Not really famous, but my great grandfather helped Orville & Wilbur Wright push thier plane off when they were making their attempts at flight at Kill Devil Hill. He was working at the Coast Guard station nearby and heard they needed some help, so he and some other guys went. My old Uncle John was about 9-10; he & his dog watched them working and when they fired up those engines he took off running and didn't stop until he got home.

You can see his picture and the notation in Orville's log book if you ever visit the memorial in Kill Devil Hill, NC. Big tall fellow with a bushy mustache.

That is very cool. Did you get to go to the celebration they had?

My dad's cousin was on M*A*S*H. She is part Korean and Hawaiian and was a regular on the show. She is married to Marc Singer, who is best remembered on "V" and now makes some appearances on tv.

I am also related to lots of celebrities and notables from Hawaii, but it's common there to be related to lots of people. One was declared a Living Treasure by the state because he's a renowned poet and artist and many others are entertainers.

 

[missypie]

1. A great great aunt claimed that we were related to Billy Graham and Robert E. Lee and George Washington's wife, but no one ever wrote down how she got there.

2. My dad's cousin is the artist Shell Pace, who I guess you would have heard of if you were very into modern art.

3. Way way back in the family tree, an ancestor was the brother of the King of England's personal doctor (I think it was King James.) What makes it interesting is that the guy was quite a scoundrel in colonial Virginia, but he kept getting out of prison and making new fortunes because of his brother's connection to the King.

4. We have "Pocahontas" connection that is fun. Pocahontas was John Rolfe's second wife. When Pocahontas died, John Rolfe remarried. Then John died and the third wife remarried (in Virginia). One of my ancestors was orphaned as an infant and John Rolfe's third wife and her second husband raised her.

 

[Nancy]

Not my family but my DH's family.

Red Ruffing (hope I spelled the last name right). He was a baseball player and is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He is from my MIL's side of the family. MY DD actually did a report on him for a school project.

 

[sha_lyn]

Boyd Gaines, currently starring on Broadway in 12 Angry Men. He's won 3 Tony awards for Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor. When he's not doing a play, he does guest appearances on shows like Law and Order, and also narrarates for books on tape.

named seemed familiar so I looked him up. No picture but I'm pretty certain I know who you are talking about because of his credits. here is the link
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0301305/?...HE9Qm95ZCBHYWluZXN8aHRtbD0xfG5tPW9u;fc=1;ft=4

Just found a pic http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-27551

My dad's cousin was on M*A*S*H. She is part Korean and Hawaiian and was a regular on the show. She is married to Marc Singer, who is best remembered on "V" and now makes some appearances on tv.

What is her name and who did she play? I am a Huge M*A*S*H fan.

I am a distant cousin of the late Claude Atkins who appeared in several movies and TV series. He was Sherif Lobo on BJ and the Bear, and a short lived series called the misadventures of Sherif Lobo. I know I've seen him in serveral things but didn't realize how many things he was in until I looked him up
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0015391/?...2xhdWRlIGFraW5zfGh0bWw9MXxubT1vbg__;fc=1;ft=7

 

[OhMari]

Not a celebrity, but my great uncle was a pretty famous bishop in the Chicago area, and back in the 60's and early 70's my grandfather's cousin was the head of all the nuns in the world. Her name was sister Eulalia and she lived in the vatican with the pope.

I just found out this past weekend that a hockey dad from our team is the brother of actress Elisabeth Shue though. Pretty cool!

Elizabeth had a brother Andrew Shue and he is a hockey nut, is it the same one?

 

[goldcupmom]

On my mom's side, my great uncle dropped the atomic bomb, if you call that famous. He flew the Enola Gay ...

My uncle on my dad's side was part of the Enola Gay crew - he was always said to have become kind of paranoid after that.

Also very distantly related to Henry Viii and Anne Bolyn, President Andrew Jackson.

My nephew is a famous watercolor artist and my Brother(his dad) has a wildlife TV show in Mississippi, has counseled Fidel Castro on the environment and is a consultant for the space shuttle (in regards to birds).

On my DH's side his great + grandfather was a British Lord - supposedly there are still some relatives among british upper crust.

 

[Tinks]

My mom is a geneaology nut. She traced our family back. William Brewster, of the Mayflower, is my 15th great grandfather. Pretty cool

Also, Jonathan Latimer (Revolutionary war hero).

Nothing else is jumping out at me.

 

[IloveDMB]

My mom's first cousin is Claudia Cohen. She appears on Regis and Kelly as their entertainment reporter. I think she does other appearances as well, but we don't speak to that side of the family anymore (big falling out before I was born).

Really weird, too, because my uncle on the other side and Regis are work out buddies at a gym in NY.

 

[babar]

Some distant deceased family member from Italy was cannonized a saint.

I don't know his name, but my uncle was very excited!!

Maybe he thinks he has an instant "in"!!

 

[CookieGVB]

My dad's cousin was on M*A*S*H. She is part Korean and Hawaiian and was a regular on the show. She is married to Marc Singer, who is best remembered on "V" and now makes some appearances on tv.

Do you mean Kellye Nakahara? As in Nurse Kellye?

Cool.

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

Really far back I am related to someone who was heavily involved in the Underground Railroad, a Welsh duke, and the most famous would have to be....

Oscar Hammerstein...yes the Oscar Hammerstein of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

My dad is known by everyone around town because od his job...does that count? lol

 

[snowball22]

Here are just a few:

Samuel Houston-Senator from Texas
Wild Bill Killer Miller-Ran around with Pretty Boy
Mickey Walker-Boxer
Pocahontas

 

[Tantor]

Anyone remember the band The Guess Who (from Winnipeg) I am distantly related to the drummer. Met him at a wedding. Very very cool.

 

[G00fyDad]

Buffalo Bill. (no, not the one from Silence of the Lambs) I get that everytime. Somehow it is a distant relationship. Not sure exactly how.

 

[Tasha+Scott]

On my mom's side of the family:
My great grandfather was a famous artist. My great uncle is also and is still alive...although he is in his 90s I think. My grandmother's cousin wrote a novel that I have. I don't know if it was really popular or not. It is old, but I LOVE it. My grandmother's real father (who died when she was 16) was friends with some of the famous Italian mobsters.

On my dad's side of the family:
My dad's half-brother used to sing at Opryland and was on the show Hee Haw. He also had his picture on the back of Little Debbie cake boxes around 1992. He has been in a movie, and he writes songs for country stars such as Vince Gill. He is now singing on Broadway last I heard.

 

[CharityLynn]

Well, my dad told us we were related to Amelia Airhart (I'm sure I spelled it wrong)I guess his Aunt did a family tree or something.

 

[luckywife]

On my mom's side of the family, somehow we are related to the actress Debra Winger. I'm guessing she would be a very distant relative.

My FIL's NAME is Andrew Jackson though lol.