Genealogy and Ancestry of Barack Obama and the Other U.S. Presidents

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA, 44TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T20:29:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama is the first African-American to be elected President of the United States with his wife Michelle Robinson Obama being the first African-American to become First Lady. Before being elected President, Obama was the junior U.S. Senator from Illinois. He is a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he was the first African-American to head up the Harvard Law Review. Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. His parents were Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. and Stanley Ann Durham. On his father's side, Obama is descended from a line of tribal chiefs from Kenya. His father was attending the East-West Institute at the University of Hawaii as a visiting student when he met Obama's mother. After a short marriage, his father returned to Kenya and his mother remarried to Lolo Soetoro and moved to Indonesia. From his mother's second marriage, Barack Obama as a half sister, Maya Soetoro. After living in Indonesia briefly, Obama returned to Hawaii where he was primarily raised by his grandparents on his mother's side, Stanley Armour Dunham and Madelyn Lee Payne. On his mother's side, Obama shares a common descent from Samuel Hinckley with President George W. Bush (his 11th cousin). Obama also shares a common descent from Philip Arment and Maria Elizabeth Schmidt with former President Lyndon Johnson *his 4th cousin). Obama also shares a common descent from Michael Gutknecht with former President Harry Truman (his 7th cousin). Obama also shares a common descent from Adriian Gordy with former President Jimmy Carter (his 8th cousin), Obama also shares a common descent from Joseph Holley with former President Gerald Ford (his 10th cousin). Obama also shares a common descent from Richard FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel, and Elizabeth Bohun, with former Presidents Franklin Rooseelt, John Quincy Adams, james Madison, and Zachary Taylor. From this line, President Obama is descended from English Royalty. With former presidents George Washington, John Quincy Adams, Theodore Rooseelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Woodrow Wilson, Zachary Taylor, John Tyler, and Jimmy Carter, Obama shares a common descent from King Edward I of England, King Henry III of England, King John Lackland of England, King Henry II of England, King Henry I of England, King William I of England (i.e. William "the Conqueror"0, Count Baldwin of Flanders and his daughter Matilda, Kinng Robert Capet I of France, King Louis I of France, and Charlemagne. Obama also shares a common descent with former President George Washington with Halfdan, King of Denmark and Sweden and Woden Oden. Obama also shares a common descent through Richard Eltonhead with Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain. His earliest known ancestor in America was Robert Hudson who arrived in Jamestown in 1622 on the ship "James." His mother's ancestors eventually migrated to the midwest, with his mother being from Wichita, Kansas. For a detailed family tree of his father's side, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/13052 For a detailed family tree of his mother's side, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/13053

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President Obama as a young boy with his mother, Stanley Ann Durham.

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President Obama's father, Barack Hussein Obama, Sr.

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Barack Obama with his wife Michelle and children.

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President Obama with his sister Maya Soetoro in Hawaii.

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF GEORGE W. BUSH, 43RD PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T20:06:00.000-08:00

George W. Bush was the first business school graduate to be elected President. Before being elected President, he was Governor of Texas and before that the managing partner of the Texas Rangers professional baseball team. He is the second son of a President to also be elected President as was his father, with the first father-son combination being John Adams and John Quincy Adams. George W. Bush was born July 6, 1946 in New Haven, Connecticut. His parents are President Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Pierce. Along with his father, George W. Bush is descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror", and numerous English kings, as well as sharing a common Spencer ancestry with President George Washington, Princess Diana and Sir Winston Churchill. Along with his father, George W. Bush shares a common descent from John Warren with President James Garfield. His grandfather on his father's side, Prescott Sheldon Bush, was an investment banker and a U.S. Senator. His great-grandfather, Samuel Prescott Bush, was President of Buckeye Steel Castings in Columbus, Ohio. As a result of supplying steel parts for the many railroads that the Harriman family owned, the Bush family became close to the Harriman family with Prescott Sheldon Bush going to work in investment banking with Averell Harriman as President of Brown Brothers Harrisman and Company in New York City. Another great-grandfather, George Herbert Walker, helped organize the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair as well as the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Walker Cup golf matches. George W. Bush shares a common descent from Samuel Hinckley, an early New England settlers, with President Barack Obama. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/1729

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF BILL CLINTON, 42ND PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T20:01:00.000-08:00

William Jefferson Clinton, known as Bill, was the first President to be a Rhodes Scholar. He was also the second President to have articles of impeachment issued against him by the U.S. House of Representatives, though he was acquitted by the U.S. Senate. During his two-term presidency, he presided over one of the most prosperous eras in U.S. history. Later, his wife Hillary Clinton, would run for President and, after being defeated by Barack Obama in the Democratic Party primary election, was appointed Secretary of State. In addition to being highly ranked as having two successful terms as President, Bill Clinton is viewed as having one of the most successful post-presidencies of any ex-U.S. President. Bill Clinton was born on August 19, 1946 in Hope, Arkansas three months after his father died in a car accident. His parents were William Jefferson Blythe and Virginia Dell Cassidy. His oldest traceable ancestors are his great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather Ephraim Farr who died in North Carolina in 1784 and his great-great-great-great-great grandfather Bryan Spradley who was born in Virginia around 1737. Another early ancestor was Adam Lockhart who was born on September 6, 1765 in Princess Anne County, Virginia. For a detailed family tree of his mother's side of the family, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/6422

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH, 41ST PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T19:38:00.000-08:00

At one point during the first Iraq war to push Iraq out of Kuwait, George H.W, Bush enjoyed one of the highest popularity ratings of any president, but lost his re-election bid to Bill Clinton when his popularity dropped because of a sagging economy. George H. W. Bush was born on July 12, 1924 in Milton, Massachusetts. His parents were Prescott Sheldon Bush and Dorothy Walker. Along with his son, President George W. Bush, he is descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror", and numerous English kings. Both President George H. W. Bush and his son George W. Bush also share a common Spencer ancestry with presidents George Washington, Calvin Coolidge, and Warren Harding as well as with Princess Diana and Sir Winston Churchill. Bush and his son also are descended from Mayflower passengers John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley. Bush and his son George W. Bush are also descended from Anne Hutchinson, who migrated and helped found the colony of Rhode Island after being banned from the Massachusetts Bay Colony because of her religious beliefs. Bush and his son also share a common Beekman ancestry with Eleanor Roosevelt and presidents Teddy Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt. President Bush and his son also share a common descent from Lucas Vanderburgh with President Gerald Ford. Also, President Bush and his son share a common descent from John Warren with President Garfield. Finally, President George H. W. Bush and his son George W. Bush both share a common descent from early New England settler Samuel Hinckley with President Barack Obama. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/1729

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF RONALD REAGAN, 40TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T19:29:00.000-08:00

At age 69, Ronald Reagan was the oldest individual to be elected President of the United States. He also was the first actor and the only individual to be divorced who served as President. During his first term, Reagan survived an assassination attempt. After his presidency, Reagan was diagnosed as having alzheimer's disease and retired out of public life. In presidential rankings, Reagan ranks near the top of America's presidents. Ronald Reagan was born on February 6, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois. His parents were John Edward Reagan and Nelle (Clyde) Wilson. His father's ancestors were of Irish descent while his mother's ancestors were of Scottish descent. On his father's side, his great-grandfather Michael Reagan migrated from Ireland to London, England during the great potato famine in Ireland, and then migrated to America in 1856 where he settled in Fairhaven, Illinois. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7042 For photos and more information about President Ronald Reagan, see http://presidentreagan.wordpress.com

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T18:28:00.000-08:00

Despite coming from a rural background, Jimmy Carter was our first U.S. President to be born in a hospital. Before entering politics, he studied nuclear physics at the U.S. Naval Academy and served as an officer aboard a nuclear submarine. Carter was elected President as a Washington outsider after the Watergate scandal of the Nixon administration. While only serving one term, Carter is credited with both negotiating a Middle East Peace Accord and modernizing the U.S. military with smart weapons and other advanced technology. After his Presidency, Carter founded the Carter Center in Atlanta and has helped in many peace negotiations and the monitoring of elections around the world. For his peace efforts, Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Jimmy Carter was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia. His parents were James Earl Carter and Lillian Gordy. Carter shares a common descent from John Carter, an early settler of Virginia and an ancestor of Robert "King" Carter who was the wealthiest man in colonial Virginia, with presidents William Henry Harrison and his son Benjamin Harrison. Through his descent from William Strother of Virginia on his father's side, Carter is descended from Charlemagne and William "the Conqueror", and numerous other English kings. Also descended from William Strother were presidents Zachary Taylor and John Tyler. Jimmy Carter also shares a common descent from Christopher Almy and Richard Morris with President Richard Nixon. Finally, President Carter shares a common descent from Adrian Gordy with President Obama (they are 8th cousins). For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/8040

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF GERALD FORD, 38TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T18:21:00.000-08:00

Upon assuming the office of President after the resignation of President Richard Nixon, he declared that "I assume the Presidency under extraordinary circumstances." In fact, Ford had never even been elected to the position of Vice President, having only been appointed to that office upon the resignation of Spiro Agnew. As such, Ford ascended to the office of President in the wake of two scandals and the resignation of a Vice President and a President. One of his first acts as President was to pardon former President Richard Nixon in what was to be the most controversial acts of presidency. While President, Ford escaped two assassination attempts on his life. Ford went on to become the oldest living president at the time he died. Gerald Ford was born on July 14, 1913 in Omaha, Nebraska. His parents were Leslie Lynch King and Dorothy Ayer Gardner. Originally named Leslie Lynch King, Jr., after his mother got divorced, Ford assumed the name of his new stepfather. Aftering starring on the University of Michigan football team, je rejected offers to play professional football and instead went to law school and eventually entered politics. On his mother's side, Ford is descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror", and from Arthur Howland, brother of Mayflower passenger John Howland and himself a passenger on the second ship to Plymouth, Massachusetts. President Ford also shares a common descent from Joseph Holley with President Barack Obama (is his 10th cousin). For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/5833

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF RICHARD M. NIXON, 37TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T18:14:00.000-08:00

Richard M. Nixon is the only U.S. President to resign from office after facing otherwise almost certain impeachment and forced removal from office because of the Watergrate scandal. This involved a cover-up of an illegal break-in of the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, DC. Richard Nixon also previously served as Vice President under President Dwight Eisenhower. Richard Nixon was born on January 13, 1913 in Yorba Linda, California. His parents were Francis Anthony Nixon and Hannah Milhous. On his father's side, Nixon was of Scotch-Irish descent while on his mother's side he was of German-English-Irish descent. On his mother's side, Nixon is descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror", and Arthur Howland, a brother of Mayflower passenger John Howland who himself was a passenger on the second ship to Plymouth, Massachusetts. Nixon shares a common descent from Christopher Almy and Richard Morris with President Jimmy Carter. Nixon's daughter Julie married David Eisenhower, grandson of President Dwight Eisenhower. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/6106

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF LYNDON B. JOHNSON, 36TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as President about Air Force One following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Johnson was the first President to be sworn into office by a woman. Johnson is best remembered negatively for the escalation of the war in Vietnam while positively he is remembered for his Great Society and passage of the Civil Rights Act and Medicare. Lyndon Johnson was born on August 27, 1908 near Stonewall, Texas. His parents were Samuel Early Johnson, Jr. and Rebekah Baines. On his father's side, his great-great-great-great grandfather John Bunton moved from Scotland and settled in Rowan County, North Carolina in 1758. His great-great-great grandfather John Johnson was a veteran of the Revolutionary War from Georgia. His grandfather, Jesse Johnson, moved to Texas in 1848. He was a rancher-drover and Confederate army veteran. Finally, Johnson's father, Samuel Early Johnson, was a school teacher, farmer, trader and member of the state legislature. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7048

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF JOHN F. KENNEDY, 35TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T16:52:00.000-08:00

John F. Kennedy was our second youngest President (age 43) after Teddy Roosevelt, our first Roman Catholic President, and our fourth President to be assassinated. Major events of his presidency included the Cuban Missle Crisis and his initiation of the space program to land a man on the moon within ten years. During his presidency, his wife Jacqueline Kennedy refurbished the White House with many antiques and a decor from its early history, replacing most of the newer and cheaper furniture that had been installed by Harry Truman when he rebuilt the White House. John Kennedy was born on May 19, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. His parents were Joseph Patrick Kennedy and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald. Both of his parents were of Irish descent. On his father's side, Kennedy's first ancestor to come to America was Patrick Kennedy who came from Dunganstown, Ireland to Boston in 1823. His next Kennedy ancestor was elected to the Massachusetts legislature. On his mother's side, his granfather Honey Fitz was mayor of Boston. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7046

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, 34TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T16:41:00.000-08:00

During World War II, Dwight D. Eisenhower served as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe and was responsible for the planning of D-Day and the defeat of the Germans. As President, he is best remembered for the building of our Interstate Highway System and the sending of federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas to enforce school integration. Dwight Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas. His parents were David Jacob Eisenhower and Ida Elizabeth Stover. On his father's side, Eisenhower's great-great-great grandfather Hans Nicholas Eisenhauer emigrated from the Palatinate area of Germany to Philadelphia in 1741 and settled in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. In 1878, his great-grandfather Frederick Eisenhower moved the family to Abilene, Kansas. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7054

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF HARRY S. TRUMAN, 33RD PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T16:35:00.000-08:00

Harry S. Truman became President upon the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Upon hearing of Roosevelt's death he rushed to the White House where he asked Eleanor Roosevelt if there was anything he could do to help her. She replied that the question was whether there was anything she could now do to help Truman. At the time, the U.S. was still fighting World War II. Truman made the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan to help speed the end of the war and later was the first President to deal with the Cold War with the Soviet Union. His Truman Doctrine advocated a policy of containment of the spread of Communism. During his presidency, he had the White House interior gutted and replaced with a modern interior with steel girders and several basements. He also installed what is known as the Truman Balcony on the South Portico of the White House. Harry Truman was born on May 8, 1884 in Lamar, Missouri. His parents were John Anderson Truman and Martha Ellen Young. His father's ancestors were originally from Kentucky but moved to Westport Landing (now Kansas City), Missouri. On his mother's side, Truman is descended from Jacob Young, Jr. and Rachel Goodnight of Mecklenburg County, Virginia. President Truman shares a common descent from Michael Gutknecht with President Barack Obama (they are 7th cousins). For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7056

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, 32ND PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T16:21:00.000-08:00

Franklin Delano Roosevelt is generally ranked among the top three U.S. Presidents along with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. He is the only president to serve four terms in office, serving as President during the Great Depression and World War II. While President, Roosevelt had to use a wheelchair as he had been crippled by polio as an adult. After becoming crippled, his wife Eleanor Roosevelt helped him in giving speeches and other political activities. Franklin D. Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882 at Hyde Park, Dutchess County, New York. His parents were James Roosevelt and Sara Delano. Franklin Roosevelt was a fifty cousin of President Teddy Roosevelt and a sixth cousin of his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt. He is a descendant of John Howland, a Mayflower passenger. He shares a common Spencer ancestry with presidents George Washington, Calvin Coolidge, Warren Harding, George Herbert Walker Bush, and George W. Bush as well as Princess Diana and Sir Winston Churchill. On his father's side, he shares a common descent from Thomas Sheppard and Ann Tying with President John Quincy Adams. On his mother's side, he shares a common descent from Jonathan Delano and Mercy Warren with presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Calvin Coolidge. From Richard FitzAlan and his wife Elizabeth de Bohun, Franklin Roosevelt shares a common descent with Presidents Barack Obama, John Quicny Adams, James Madison, and Zachary Taylor. Like George Washington and mnay other presidents, Franklin Roosevelt is descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror" and numerous kings of England. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/1166

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF HERBERT HOOVER, 31ST PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

Herbert Hoover was one of the most successful businessmen and humanitarian of his age, but had the bad luck to be President when the Great Depression broke out. Herbert Hoover was born on August 10, 1874 in West Branch, Iowa. His parents were Jesse Clark Hoover and Hulda Randall Minthorn. Like many U.S. Presidents, Hoover is descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror", and numerous kings of England. He is also descended from Anne Bradstreet, author of the first book of poetry in America, and her father, Governor Thomas Dudley, second Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He also shares a common descent from Henry Sherman with Roger Sherman (signer of the U.S. Constitution), Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman and his brother U.S. Senator John Sherman, and Sir Winston Churchill. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7723

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF CALVIN COOLIDGE, 30TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T15:44:00.000-08:00

Calvin Coolidge is the only President to be sworn into office by his father. He also was responsible for lighting the first national Christmas tree in what has become an annual ceremony. Known as "Silent Cal," Calvin Coolidge was born July 4, 1872 in Plymouth, Vermont. His parents were John Calvin Coolidge and Victoria Josephine Moor. Calvin Coolidge shares a common Delano ancestry with presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ulysses S. Grant. He shares a common Littlefield ancestry with President Millard Fillmore. He shares a common Cogswell ancestry with presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams as well as with Herbert Hoover's wife Lou Henry. He shares a common descent from Henry Squire with presidents John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Millard Fillmore and William Howard Taft. He shares a common descent from William Talvas Le Despenser with presidents George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Warren Harding, George Herbert Walker Bush, and George W. Bush as well as with Princess Diana and Sir Winston Churchill. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/6231

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF WARREN G. HARDING, 29TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T15:21:00.000-08:00

Warren G. Harding is the only newspaper publisher to be elected and was the first President to speak over the radio. Unfortunately, the Harding presidency is best remembered today for its many scandals, including the Teapot Dome scandal. Warren Harding was born on November 2, 1865 in Corsica, Ohio. His parents were George Tyron Harding and Phoebe Elizabeth Dickerson. Warren Harding shares a common descent from William Talvas Montgomery Le Despenser, born in 1100 in Lincolnshire, England, with presidents George Washington, Calvin Coolidge, George Herbert Walker Bush, and George W. Bush as well as Princess Diana and Sir Winston Churchill. He is also descended from Charlemagne and several English kings. His great-grandmother was Elizabeth Madison, a relative of President James Madison. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7058

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF WOODROW WILSON, 28TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T15:12:00.000-08:00

Woodrow Wilson is the only U.S. President to be buried at Washington National Cathedral. He is best remembered for serving as President during World War I. Afterwards, he unsuccessfully lobbied for the U.S. to join the newly-formed League of Nations. As President, Wilson signed the amendment to the U.S. Constitution giving women the right to vote. Woodrow Wilson was born on December 28, 1856 in Stanton, Virginia. His parents were Joseph Ruggles Wilson and Janet E. Wilson. On his father's side, Wilson is descended from the kings of Scotland and from Charlemagne and William "the Conqueror." His Scottish ancestors moved to Ireland and became part of the Scotch-Irish migration to America. Woodrow Wilson's second wife, Edith Bolling, was descended from both Pocahontas and from Peter Jefferson, the father of Thomas Jefferson, through Thomas Jefferson's sister. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7059

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT, 27TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T15:03:00.000-08:00

William Howard Taft is the only U.S. President to also serve as Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Because of his large size, a special bathtub had to be installed in the White House during his presidency. William Howard Taft was born on September 15, 1857 in Cincinnati, Ohio. His parents were Alphonso Taft and Louisa Maria Torrey. On his father's side, Taft is descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror", and Earl Gilbert de Clare. His father along with another individual formed the "Skull and Bones" secret society at Yale University. Later, his father was to serve as Attorney General of the United States and Secretary of War under President Ulysses S. Grant. On his mother's side, Taft is descended from Henry Squire, a common ancestor of presidents Calvin Coolidge, Millard Fillmore, John Adams, and John Quincy Adams. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/5791

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT, 26TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T14:47:00.000-08:00

Theodore Roosevelt was our youngest President (age 42) and was both the first American and the first President to win the Nobel Prize. He also was the first President to refer to the Executive Mansion as the White House. Before becoming President, he was a war hero, leading the Rough Riders in a charge up San Juan Hill in Cuba during the Spanish-American war. Teddy Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858 in New York City. His parents were Theodore Roosevelt and Martha Bulloch. His father was from a Dutch mercantile family that was one of the most prominent families in New York. On his mother's side, Roosevelt was of Scotch-Irish and French Hugenot, with his mother ancestors going back to Charlemagne and William "the Conqueror." Theodore Roosevelt was a fifth cousin to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was an uncle to Eleanor Roosevelt. He shares a distant relationship by marriage to President Martin Van Buren. For a more detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/6034

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF WILLIAM McKINLEY, 25TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

William McKinley was our last Civil War veteran to be elected President and our third President to be assassinated. He served as President during the Spanish-American which resulted in the U.S. acquiring vast overseas territories. William McKinley was born January 29, 1843 in Niles, Ohio. His parents were William McKinely and Nancy Campbell Allison. On his father's side, he was of Scotch-Irish descent. His great grandfather was from York County, Pennsylvania and fought in the Revolutionary War. His father was an iron manufacturer from Ohio. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7060

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF GROVER CLEVELAND, 24TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

Grover Cleveland was the only President to be elected to two non-consecutive terms. He also was the only President to be married in the White House and was the first President to have a child born in the White House. He dedicated the Statue of Liberty on October 28, 1886. Grover Cleveland was born on March 18, 1837 in Caldwell, New Jersey. His parents were Reverend Richard Falley Cleveland and Anne Neal. On his father's side, Grover Cleveland's ancestry can be traced back to Charlemagne and William 'the Conqueror." On his mother's side, Cleveland is descended from Abner Neal, a prosperous Irish merchant. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users.kristinhopper/3/data/5941

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF BENJAMIN HARRISON, 23RD PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T12:48:00.000-08:00

Benjamin had the first telephone installed in the White House and had electricity installed in the White House Benjamin Harrison was born on August 20, 1833 in North Bend, Ohio just outside of Cincinnati. His parents were John Scott Harrison and Elizabeth Ramsey Irwin. His grandfather was President William Henry Harrison and his great-grandfather was Virginia Governor Benjamin Harrison, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Benjamin shares a common ancestry from John Carter, an early Virginia settler, with President Jimmy Carter. He is also descended from William Livingston, a signer of the U.S. Constitution, and his son, John Cleves Symmes, who purchased much of the land around Cincinnati from the Old Northwest Territory. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/6141

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF GROVER CLEVELAND, 22ND PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T12:28:00.000-08:00

Grover Cleveland was born on March 18, 1837 in Caldwell, New Jersey. His parents were Reverend Richard Falley Cleveland and Anne Neal. On his father's side, Grover Cleveland's ancestry can be traced back to Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror," King John "Lackland" of England, King Henry III of England, King Edward I of England, Hugh Capet, King Robert II of France, King Robert I of France, and King Philippe I of France. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/5941

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF CHESTER A. ARTHUR, 21ST PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T12:23:00.001-08:00

Chester A. Arthur was sworn in as President after the assassination of President Garfield. A year after becoming President, Arthur was diagnosed with Blight's disease, a fatal kidney disease. Chester Arthur was born on October 5, 1829 in Fairfield, Vermont. His parents were William Arthur and Malvina Stone. Chester Arthur's father was a Baptist minister from Ireland who migrated to New York City. His mother, Malvina Stone, was from Vermont. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users.kristinhopper/3/data/7052

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF JAMES A. GARFIELD, 20TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

James Abram Garfield was our second President to be assassinated and was the last of seven Presidents to be born in a log cabin. James A. Garfield was born on November 19, 1831 in Orange, Ohio. His parents were Abram Garfield and Eliza Ballou. James A. Garfield was descended from John Billingham, a Mayflower passenger. He also shares a common descent from John Warren with presidents George Herbert Walker Bush and George W. Bush. For a more detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7050

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF RUTHERFORD B. HAYES, 19TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T22:40:00.000-08:00

Rutherford B. Hayes was our only President whose election was decided by a congressional commission. As President, he pulled federal troops out of the South, thereby ending Reconstruction after the Civil War. It was during his presidency that the White House Easter Egg Roll was initiated as a White House tradition. Rutherford B. Hayes was born on October 4, 1822 in Delaware, Ohio. His parents were Rutherford Hayes and Sophia Birchard. Tracing his family's genealogy back, Rutherford B. Hayes shares a common descent from Charlemagne and William "the Conqueror" as many other U.S. Presidents. On his father's side, his family was originally from Connecticut before moving to Ohio and before that was from Scotland and England. His great-great grandfather on his father's side, Captain Ezekial Hayes, fought in the Revolutionary War. On his mother's side, several of his ancestors migrated from England to Massachusetts and Connecticut in the 1600's. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencirlces.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/5759

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF ULYSSES S. GRANT, 18TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T22:25:00.000-08:00

Ulysses S. Grant was the commander of Union forces during the Civil War. At the time of his election as President, he was the most popular man in America. As President, he established Yellowstone as our first National Park. Prior to his death, Mark Twain published his autobiography, which was perhaps the most successful of all presidential autobiographies. Ulysses S. Grant was born on April 27, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Clermont County, Ohio. His parents were Jesse Root Grant and Hannah Simpson. Grant shares a common descent from Jonathan Delano with presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge. He also shares a common descent from Samuel Grant and Mary Porter with presidents Grover Cleveland and Gerald Ford. Grant is also descended from Francis Cooke and Richard Warren, both Mayflower passengers. Like numerous other presidents, Grant is descended from Charlemagne and William "the Conqueror." For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/6187

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF ANDREW JOHNSON, 17TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T22:22:00.001-08:00

Andrew Johnson was sworn in as President after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. He was the first President to be impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives but was not convicted by the Senate, and thus was not removed from office. Andrew Johnson was born on December 29, 1808 in Raleigh, North Carolina. His parents were Jacob Johnson and Mary McDonough. Jacob Johnson was a poor laborer who along with his wife worked at the Cassos Inn in Raleigh, North Carolina. Andrew Johnson's father died when Andrew was only four so he never had a chance to attend school. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7044

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, 16TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T22:09:00.000-08:00

Abraham Lincoln was our first President to be assassinated. He was President during the Civil War and is perhaps best remembered for his Emancipation Proclamation which freed the slaves in the states in rebellion. His Gettysburg Address is the most famous of all presidential speeches. In most polls of the best U.S. Presidents, he is ranked first or second along with George Washington. Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Sinking Spring, Hodegenville, Hardin County, Kentucky. His parents were Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. Abraham Lincoln is descended from Robert Lincoln who died in Hingham, Norfolk, England in 1543. His ancestor, Samuel Lincoln, migrated to Massachusetts in the 1600's. Abraham Lincoln is also descended from Obadiah Holmes who migrated from Lancashire, England to Rhode Island in the 1600's. Little is known about the ancestry of his mother, Nancy Hanks. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/6256

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF JAMES BUCHANAN, 15TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T22:05:00.000-08:00

James Buchanan was our only President to never marry and he was one of the oldest, age 65, at his inauguration. James Buchanan was born on April 23, 1791 in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania. His parents were James Buchanan and Elizabeth Speer. Both of his parents were of Irish descent. Buchanan was the first son and second child in a family of ten. He was born in a log cabin in 1791 His father was a storekeeper and a farmer. During his presidency, his neice Harriet Lane served as the White House hostess. As a philanthropist, she was to later found the Johns Hopkin children's hospital. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7039

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF FRANKLIN PIERCE,14TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T21:57:00.000-08:00

Franklin Pierce is the only President to come from New Hampshire. He is also the first President to have a Christmas tree in the White House. A close family friend was author Nathianel Hawthorne. Franklin Pierce was born on November 23, 1804 in Hillsboro, New Hampshire. His parents were Revolutionary War General Benjamin Pierce and Anna Kendrick. Franklin Pierce shares a common Pierce ancestry with President George W. Bush and his mother, First Lady Barbara Bush. He also shares a common descent from Thomas Richard and Katherine Duxford with presidents George W. Bush, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover. On his mother's Kendrick side, Franklin Pierce is descended from Charlemagne and William "the Conqueror." For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/5720

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF MILLARD FILLMORE, 13TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T21:50:00.000-08:00

Millard Fillmore was sworn in as President upon the death of Zachary Taylor. He was the last president to be born in the 18th century. Millard Fillmore was born on January 7, 1800 in Locke, Cayuga, New York. His parents were Nathaniel Fillmore and Phoebe Millard. On his mother's side, Millard Fillmore shares a common descent from Henry Squire with presidents John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Calvin Coolidge, and William Howard Taft. He shares a common Littlefield ancestry with President Calvin Coolidge. He is also descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror" and various other English kings. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/6254

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF ZACHARY TAYLOR, 12TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T20:52:00.000-08:00

Zachary Taylor was an army hero during the Mexican-American War. Prior to becoming President, he had never voted in any election. He was the second President to die in office. Zachary Taylor was born on November 24, 1784 at Montebello, Orange County, Virginia. His parents were Richard Taylor and Sarah Dabney Strother. Zachary Taylor's earliest Taylor ancestor, whome he shares with James Madison and James Polk, was John Taylor (1478- ), a cloth maker from Rothbury, Northumberland, England. His son, Reverend Rowland Taylor, attended Cambridge University and married Margaret Tyndale whose uncle was William Tyndale, the first person to translate the Bible into English. On his father's side, Zachary Taylor is also descended from Colonel Richard Lee, the ancestor of the Lee's of Virginia, including Civil War General Robert E. Lee. Zachary Taylor's great-grandmother was the daughter of Isaac Athertone, a Mayflower passenger and Fear Brewster, daughter of William Brewster, leader of the Pilgrims. Zachary Taylor's mother, Sarah Dabney Strother, shares a common descent from Anthony Savage with presidents James Madison and John Tyler. Anthony Savage, in turn, was descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror" and various other English kings. Zachary Taylor also shares a common descent from Richard FitzAlan and Elizabeth de Bohun with Presidents Barack Obama, Franklin Roosevelt, James Madison, and Zachary Taylor. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/5913

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF JAMES POLK, 11TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T20:46:00.000-08:00

James Polk was the first President to have news of his inauguration to be relayed by telegraph. As President, he acquired territories from Mexico as a result of the Mexican-American War, thus extending the boundaries of the United States to the Pacific. James Polk was born on November 2, 1795 in Mechlenburg County, North Carolina. His parents were Major Samuel Polk and Jane Knox. James Polk shares a common descent from Reverend Rowland Polk with presidents James Madison and Zachary Taylor. Reverend Rowland Polk was married to the daughter of the brother of William Tyndale, the first person to translate the Bible into English. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7037

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF JOHN TYLER, 10TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T20:36:00.001-08:00

John Tyler was the first Vice President to ascend to the presidency upon the death of the President. He did not make an inaugural speech and was never elected President. During the Civil War, he was elected to the Confederate Congress. He had the most children of any President. He also started the tradition of the playing of "Hail to the Chief" when the President enters a room. His plantation home was named Sherwood Forest. John Tyler was born on March 29, 1790 in Charles City County, Virginia. His parents were Virginia Governor John Tyler and Mary Marot Armistead. John Tyler shares a common descent from Anthony Savage with presidents James Madison and Zachary Taylor. Anthony Savage, in turn, was descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror" and various other English kings. John Tyler also shares a common ancestry from William Strother with presidents Zachary Taylor and Jimmy Carter. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7035

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, 9TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T20:26:00.001-08:00

William Henry Harrison was our first President to die in office and served the shortest period of time of any President. William Henry Harrison was born on February 9, 1773 at Berkeley Plantation, Charles City County, Virginia. His father was Benjamin Harrison V, Governor of Virginia and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, who in turn was a descendant of Robert "King" Carter, the richest man in colonial Virginia. His mother was Elizabeth Bassett, with the Bassett family being another prominent family in colonial Virginia. From his father's side, William Henry Harrison is descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror" and various other English kings. William Henry Harrison's grandson, Benjamin Harrison, was also elected President of the United States. From the first John Carter to migrate to Virginia, William Henry Harrison and his grandson Benjamin Harrison share a common ancestry with President Jimmy Carter. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/6137

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF MARTIN VAN BUREN, 8TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T20:20:00.000-08:00

Martin Van Buren was the first President to be born after the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. The term "OK" was originated in reference to his nickname "Old Kinderhook." He is the only President for which English was not his primary language, with Van Buren being raised in a Dutch family where Dutch was the primary language. Martin Van Buren was born on December 5, 1782 in Kinderhook, New York. His parents were Abraham Van Buren and Maria Hoes. Martin Van Buren shares a common descent from Dutch ancestor Cornelis Laurens with President Theodore Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7033

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF ANDREW JACKSON, 7TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T20:15:00.000-08:00

Andrew Jackson was our first President to be born in a log cabin and was the first President to be elected while living west of the Appalachian Mountains. He was also our first President to ride on a train. Known as "Old Hickory," before becoming President he was a famous military hero and Indian fighter. During the War of 1812, he defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans. One of his most controversial acts as President was the removal of all Indians east of the Mississippi, including the Cherokee, resulting in the infamous "Trail of Tears." Andrew Jackson was born on March 15, 1767 in Waxhaws, South Carolina. His parents were Andrew Jackson and Elizabeth Hutchinson. Both of Andrew Jackson's parents were from Ireland. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencirclels.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/7031

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, 6TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T20:06:00.000-08:00

John Quincy Adams was the first son of a President to also be elected President. He also was our only President to be elected to Congress after serving as President. As President, he regularly swam nude in the Potomac River. One of his most important acts as President was the creation of the Smithsonian Institution. John Quincy Adams was born on July 11, 1767 in Braintree, Massachusetts. His parents were John Adams, 2nd President of the United States, and Abigail Smith. From his father, John Quincy Adams shares a common ancestry from Henry Adams, a prominent early New England settler, with presidents Calvin Coolidge and William Howard Taft and from Hannah Bass with President Ulysses S. Grant. From his mother, Abigail Smith Adams, John Quincy Adams shares a common ancestry from Thomas Shephard and Ann Tying with President Franklin Roosevelt. He shares a common Cogswell ancestry with presidents Calvin Coolidge and John Adams. John Quincy Adams is also descended from Charlemagne and William "the Conqueror." For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/5971

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF JAMES MONROE, 5TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T19:58:00.000-08:00

As President, James Monroe refurbished the White House after it was burnt during the War of 1812 largely out of his own funds. It was as a result of his refurbishment that the White House was furnished with many of the French furniture and style that we associate with the White House today. James Monroe is perhaps best remembered as President, however, for the Monroe Doctrine he issued as President, opposing any European involvement in the Western Hemisphere. James Monroe was born on April 28, 1758 at Monroe's Creek, Westmoreland County, Virginia. His parents were Spence Monroe and Elizabeth Jones. James Monroe is descended from James Stewart IV, King of Scotland, and his wife, Margaret Tudor. From James Stewart, Monroe is descended from the kings of Scotland while from Margaret Tudor he is descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror" and numerous other kings of England. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/6008

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF JAMES MADISON, 4TH PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T19:51:00.000-08:00

James Madison was one of two Presidents (the other being George Washington) who signed the U.S. Constitution, with Madison having authored the Virginia Plan that proposed many of the provisions later adopted as the U.S. Constitution. He also was author of the Bill of Rights. James Madison was born on March 16, 1751 at Port Conway, King George County, Virginia. His parents were Colonel James Madison and Eleanor Rose Nellie Conway. James Madison shares a common ancestry from Anthony Savage with presidents John Tyler and Zachary Taylor. Anthony Savage, in turn, was descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror", Duncan I of Scotland, and various other royalty. As such, James Madison shares more common ancestors with George Washington, who also had extensive royal ancestors, than any other U.S. President. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/5903

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF THOMAS JEFFERSON, 3RD PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T19:35:00.000-08:00

Thomas Jefferson is perhaps best known as being the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. He was also a leading spokesman for religious liberty. As President, he approved the purchase of the Louisiana Territory and the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore the west. After retiring as President, Jefferson founded the University of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 at his family's Shadwell Plantation in Albemarle County, Virginia. His parents were Colonel Peter Jefferson and Jane Randolph. From his mother's side of the family, Jefferson shares a common "Randolph" ancestry with Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall and with Peyton Randolph, First President of the Continental Congress - with the Randolph family being one of the most prominent families in colonial Virginia. From his Randolph side of the family, Thomas Jefferson is descended from Charlemagne and William "the Conqueror." Meanwhile, DNA evidence has revealed that somewhere among Jefferson's ancestors was a Phoenician ancestry. Finally, Thomas Jefferson's sister Martha married John Bolling, a descendant of Pocahontas and an ancestor of Edith Bolling, President Woodrow Wilson's second wife. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/5669

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF JOHN ADAMS, 2ND PRESIDENT

2010-12-01T14:07:00.000-08:00

John Adams was one of the giants among American patriots in the events leading up to and during the American Revolution. In addition to serving as our nation's second President, he served as our nation's first Vice President under George Washington. John Adams was born to John Adams, a cordwainer and farmer, and Susanna Boylston on October 19, 1735 in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts. He was the eldest of three sons. His father was a deacon in the local Congregational church and was also at times the town's tax collector, selectman, constable, and lieutenant of the local militia. His father was a descendant of Henry Adams, a prominent early settler of New England who emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636 (and who is also the ancestor of presidents Millard Fillmore, Calvin Coolidge, and William Howard Taft). He also was descended from both John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, Mayflower passengers, as well as another prominent New England settler, Henry Squire from whom presidents Millard Fillmore, Calvin Coolidge and William Howard Taft are also descended. He shares a common Cogswell ancestry with presidents Calvin Coolidge and John Quincy Adams. Finally, he is the first President whose son, John Quincy Adams, was also elected President. For a detailed family tree, see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/5970

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, 1ST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

2010-12-01T13:02:00.000-08:00

Known as the "Father of His Country," George Washington was the indispensable man during and after the American Revolution. Not only did he serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the Revolution, but afterwards he served as President of the Federal Convention of 1787 which drafted the U.S. Constitution and was then unanimously elected as the first President of the United States. In surveys ranking the Presidents, he is consistently ranked first or second. At the time George Washington was elected President, there were no precedents to follow and the executive branch consisted only of himself and his Vice President, John Adams. One of George Washington's greatest attributes was his recognition of talent, with Washington organizing the most impressive Cabinet of any President, including Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State and Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury. George Washington also selected the site for and helped plan our nation's capitol and helped design the U.S. Capitol and the White House. He is also our only President to have led troops in battle during his presidency, which Washington did in putting down the Whiskey Rebellion. George Washington was born on February 22 (new calendar) or February 11 (Julian or old style calendar), 1732 at Pope's Creek, Wakefield Plantation, Westmoreland County, Virginia. After serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, Washington retired to his Mount Vernon home. Despite his reluctance, Washington agreed to serve as President of the Federal Convention of 1787 which drafted and adopted the U.S. Constitution. Washington then went on to serve two terms as the first President of the United States. With respect to his ancestry, George Washington has one of the most extensively documented royal genealogies of all the Presidents, with his ancestry traced back to William "the Conqueror" and Charlemagne and most of the kings of England, Scotland, France, Spain, Denmark and even the Prince of Kiev (Russia). He is also descended from most of the Magna Carta surety barons (i.e. barons of England that signed the Magna Carta). George Washington is also shares a common descent from William Talvas Montgomery Le Despenser, born in 1100 in Lincolnshire, England, with presidents Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, George Herbert Walker Bush, and George W. Bush as well as Princess Diana and Sir Winston Churchill. Also, George Washington shares a common descent with Barack Obama from Halfdan, King of Denmark and Sweden and also from Woden Oden. Also, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain shares a common descent from George Washington's great-grandfather Colonel Augustine Warner and his great-grandmother Mildred Reade. With former U.S. Presidents John Quincy Adams, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Woodrow Wilson, Zachary Taylor, John Tyler, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama, George Washington shares a common descent from King Edward I of England, King Henry III of England, King John I "Lackland" of England, King Henry II of England, King Henry I of England, William "the Conqueror," Count Baldwin of Flanders and his daughter Matilda, King Robert I Capet of France, King Louis I "Pious" of France, and Charlemagne. George Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis and they had no children of their own, though George Washington raised the children and grandchildren of Martha from her previous marriage as his own. George Washington was the eldest son of his father, Augustine Washington, by his second marriage to Mary Ball. George Washington was close to his older half-brother Lawrence Washington, who acted as a mentor for young George when his father died. He was also close to his sister Betty and his brothers Charles, Samuel and John Augustine. For more information about George Washington and his immediate ancestors and to see the most extensive collection of portraits of George Washington on the internet, including the ancestral Washington home in England, see http://presidentgeorgewashington.wordpress.com/ For more information about the royal ancestry of George Washington and the other U.S. Presidents, see below postings. For a detailed family tree of George Washington see http://www.gencircles.com/users/kristinhopper/3/data/4673

Augustine Washington - George Washington's Father

2010-12-01T12:53:00.000-08:00

George Washington's father was Augustine Washington with his second wife, Mary Ball. Augustine Washington was prominent in Virginia politics and was owner of the first iron furnace in Virginia. Like his son George Washington, he was known for his height and strength. Augustine Washington's grandfather was John Washington, the first Washington to emigrate to Virginia from England. The Washington family was descended from Scot royal lineage going back to Duncan I, King of Scotland. Over the generations they financial wealth and political influence diminished, even though on several occasions they married into the English royal family.

Mary Ball - George Washington's Mother

2010-12-01T12:45:00.000-08:00

George Washington's mother was Mary Ball. She was the daughter of Captain Joseph Ball and Mary Bennett Johnson and the second wife of Augustine Washington. While little is known of her mother, the Balls were a prominent Virginia family. Orphaned when she was young, Mary Ball Washington was raised by her uncle. Like her son George Washington, she was an excellent horse rider, teaching her son the love of horses. After her husband Augustine Washington died, she raised her children on her own with the help of her eldest son, George Washington. She lived at Ferry Farm outside of Fredericksburg, Virginia until she became elderly and moved to a house in Fredericksburg. Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia is named after her.

George Washington's Paternal Grandparents - Captain Lawrence Washington and Mildred Warner

2010-12-01T12:38:00.000-08:00

On his father's side, George Washington's grandparents were Captain Lawrence Washington and Mildred Warner. It was Captain Lawrence Washington's father, John Washington, who first emigrated to Virginia from England and married Ann Pope. Lawrence Washington served as a justice of the peace and a captain in the militia from Westmoreland County, Virginia. He is buried in the Washington family cemetery at Wakefield Plantation, Bridges Creek, Westmoreland, Virginia. His wife, Mildred Warner, was the daughter of the powerful Colonel Augustine Warner, Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses.

George Washington's Great Grand-parents Col. Augustine Warner and Mildred Reade - and Royal Ancestry of George Washington

2010-12-01T12:27:00.000-08:00

The parents of George Washington's grandmother, Mildred Warner, were the powerful Colonel Augustine Warner, Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses, and Mildred Reade. It was from his great-grandmother Mildred Reade that George Washington derives most of his royal ancestry (see postings below for details - tracing George Washington's royal ancestry back to William "the Conqueror" and Charlemagne, as well as most of the kings of England, France, Scotland, Spain and even the Prince of Kiev (Russia). Meanwhile, Colonel Augustine Warner was the son of Augustine Warner, for a time the Acting Governor of Virginia. Above is a painting of Colonel Augustine Warner. The ancestors of Mildred Reade leading back to her royal ancestry were:

father - Colonel George Reade

grandmother - Mildred Windebank

great grandmother - Francis Dymoke

great great grandmother - Anne Tailboys

great great great grandmother - Elizabeth Gascoigne

great great great great grandmother - Margaret Percy

great great great great great grandfather - Henry Percy IX, Earl of Northumberland

great great great great great great grandmother - Eleanor Neville

great great great great great great grandfather and grandmother - Ralph de Neville and Joan Beaufort (see postings below to pick up genealogy with them)

Ralph de Neville - George Washington's 11th Great-Grandfather

2010-12-01T12:18:00.001-08:00

Ralph de Neville was George Washington's 11th great-grandfather. He was the 1st Earl of Westmoreland and was the Lord of Raby Castle, Durham, England. He was the son of John de Neville, 3rd Lord of Neville Raby and Maud de Percy, daughter of Henry de Percy, 2nd Baron de Percy.

Joan Beaufort - 11th Great-Grandmother of George Washington

2010-12-01T12:10:00.000-08:00

Joan Beaufort, 11th Great-Grandmother of George Washington, was the daughter of John of Gaunt and a descendant of William "the Conqueror" and Charlemagne. She was born at Beaufort Castle in Anjou, France. She married Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmoreland. They lived at Raby Castle, Raby, Durham, England - where the Washington family was also from.

John of Gaunt - Ancestor of George Washington

2010-12-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

John of Gaunt, Plantagent, Duke of Lancaster, ancestor of George Washington, was a son of Edward III, King of England. In addition to being an ancestor of George Washington through his mistress Katherine Roet , he was an ancestor of U.S. Presidents Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, John Quincy Adams, Herbert Hoover, Woodrow Wilson, Zachary Taylor and Jimmy carter. He was the father of Henry IV, King of England.

Edward III, King of England - Ancestor of George Washington

2010-12-01T11:38:00.001-08:00

Edward III, King of England was an ancestor of George Washington. His claim to the throne of France began the Hundred Years War. He is also famous for having founded the Order of the Garter of knights. He married Phillippa of Hainault. He was the son of Edward II Plantagent, King of England, and was a descendant of William "the Conqueror" and Charlemagne. One of his sons was John of Gaunt from whom George Washington is descended.

Edward II, King of England - Ancestor of Presidents George Washington, Both Roosevelts, JQAdams, Hoover, Wilson, Taylor, Tyler and Carter

2010-12-01T11:24:00.001-08:00

Edward II, King of England was the 15th great-grandfather of George Washington. He was also the ancestor of U.S. Presidents Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Woodrow Wilson, John Quincy Adams, Zachary Taylor, John Tyler, and Jimmy Carter. Edward II was the son of Edward I "Longshanks", King of England and a descendant of William "the Conqueror" and Charlemagne. He married Isabella, the daughter of King Phillipe IV of France and Joan, Queen of Navarre.

Henry III Plantagent, King of England - George Washington's 14th and 16th Great-Grandfather

2010-12-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

Henry III, King of England, was George Washington's 14th and 16th great-grandfather. he married Eleanor Berenger, sister of Simon de Montfort, whose statue is in the U.S. Capitol for having call the first English Parliament. Henry III was the son of John "Lackland" and was a descent of William "the Conqueror", Charlemagne, Alfred "the Great", and Duncan I of Scotland. George Washington is descended from two of his sons: Edward I "Longshanks", King of England; and Earl Edmund Plantagenet "Crouchback."

John I "Lackland", King of England - George Washington's 15 and 17th Great-Grandfather

2010-12-01T10:58:00.000-08:00

John I "Lackland", King of England was the son of King Henry II "Curtmantle" and Eleanore of Aquitaine. He was George Washington's 15 and 17th great grandfather. He was King of England when the barons forced him to sign the Magna Carta. Not only is George Washington descended from John "Lackland", but he is also descended from many of the Magna Carta surety barons. He married Isabella de Taillefer.

Henry II "Curtmantle", Plantagenet, King of England - George Washington's 19th Great-Grandfather

2010-12-01T10:47:00.000-08:00

Henry II "Curtmantle", King of England was George Washington's 19th great-grandfather. He was the son of Geoffrey d'Anjou and the grandson of Henry I "Beauclerc", King of England. He married Eleanore of Aquitaine, one of the most important women in world history, who was descended from Charlemagne and who had previously been married to Louis VII Capet, King of France. As heir to the kingdom of Aquitaine, Eleanore was one of the richest women in Europe. Together Henry II and Eleanore of Aquitaine were to have the following children: Richard "the Lion-Hearted", King of England; John "Lackland", King of England" (and an ancestor of George Washington and Zachary Taylor); and Eleanor Plantagenet, George Washington's 18th great-grandmother who married Alfonso VIII, King of Castile (i.e. Spain).

Geoffrey d'Anjou V, Plantagenet - George Washington's 17-20 Great-Grandfather

2010-12-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

Geoffrey d'Anjou V, Plantagenet, Count of Anjou was George Washington's 17-20 great-grandfather. He was the son of Fulk V, Count of Anjou and King of Jerusalem. He married Matilda, daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" of England and Matilda Atheling, Princess of Scotland. His son Henry II "Curtmantle" Plantagenet founded the Plantagenet line of English kings.

Henry I "Beauclerc", King of England - George Washington's 18-21st Great-Grandfather

2010-12-01T10:30:00.000-08:00

Henry I "Beauclerc", King of England, was the son of William "the Conqueror." He was George Washington's 18-21st great-grandfather through several lines of descent. He married Matilda Atheling, Princess of Scotland, daughter of Malcolm III "Caenmore", King of Scotland and Margaret Atheling. As a result, George Washington is also descended from the kings of Scotland including Duncan I, the father of Malcolm III. Meanwhile, Margaret Atheling was the daughter of Edward Atheling "the Exile", son of Edmund II "Ironsides", Anglo-Saxon King of England. Edward Atheling married Agatha of Hungary, daughter of St. Stephen, King of Hungary. As a result, George Washington is also descended from these individuals and their ancestors.

William "the Conqueror", King of England - George Washington's 19-22nd Great-Grandfather

2010-12-01T10:17:00.001-08:00

William "the Conqueror", King of England, was George Washington's 19-22nd great-grandfather from the several lines from which George Washington is a descendant of William "the Conqueror." George Washington is also descended from many of the English Barons that were later to sign the Magna Carta (known as the surety barons), with most of them being descendants of the Normans who accompanied William "the Conqueror" in the Norman invasion and conquest of England. Prior to the Norman Conquest in 1066, William had been the Duke of Normandy. He was the bastard son of Robert I "the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy, who in turn was descended from Rollo, a Viking who attacked France and eventually reached a peace with the French and became the first Duke of Normandy. William "the Conqueror" married Matilda, the daughter of Baldwin V, the powerful Count of Flanders, who supported William in his conquest of England.

Matilda, Queen of England - George Washington's 19-21st Great Grandmother

2010-12-01T10:05:00.000-08:00

Queen Matilda was the wife of William "the Conqueror." Queen Matilda was George Washington's 19-21st great grandmother, with Washington being a descendant of hers through several lines. She was the daughter of Baldwin Forster V, 7th Count of Flanders and Adele Capet, daughter of Robert I, King of France. Baldwin Forster V was a descendant of Charlemagne through his son Louis "the Pious" and his grandson Charles "the Bald." He also was a descendant of Alfred "the Great", the first Anglo-Saxon king of England as well as the royal families of Luxemburg, Italy, Tuscany, Saxony, and Vermandois. Like her ancestor Judith, Princess of the Franks, Queen Matilda was one of the most important women in world history.

Charles II "the Bald", King of France - George Washington's 26-29th Great Grandfather

2010-12-01T07:43:00.000-08:00

Charles "the Bald" was the son of Louis "the Pious" and was King of France and Holy Roman Emperor. He married Ermentrude, Countess of Orleans. Through several lines of descent Charles "the Bald" is George Washington's 26-19th Great Grandfather and is the ancestor of a number of other U.S. Presidents. His daughter Judith, Princess of the Franks and Queen of England, is one of the most important woman in world history. She was married three times: (1) to Aethelwulf, King of England; (2) to Ethelbald, son of Aethelwulf and also King of England; and (3) to Baldwin 1, Count of Flanders, with their son Baldwin II marrying Elftrude, the daughter of Alfred "the Great", King of England - and with their great-great-great grandson Baldwin Forster V marrying Adele de Capet, daughter of Robert I, King of France - and with their great-great-great-great grandaughter Matilda marrying William "the Conqueror" and thus becoming the ancestor of the subsequent kings of England; (2)

Louis I "the Pious", King of France and Holy Roman Emperor - George Washington's 27-30th Great Grandfather

2010-12-01T07:38:00.001-08:00

George Washington's 27-30th Great Grandfather was Louis I "the Pious," son of Charlemagne and both King of France and Holy Roman Emperor. He married Judith "the Fair" of Bavaria.

Charlemagne - George Washington's 28-31st Great Grandfather

2010-12-01T07:15:00.000-08:00

Charlemagne is credited with uniting Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire and inventing the medieval form of government. He also is credited with defeating the various Barbarian tribes from the east such as the Tartars that were threatening to overrun Europe and with re-discovering the classics of Greece and Rome and with founding the first university in Europe, which was to lead to the Carolingian Renaissance. Supporting the Pope of Rome, Charlemagne is also credited with the spread of Christianity throughout Europe. About a half of the U.S. Presidents can trace their ancestry back to Charlemagne with some, such as George Washington, able to trace their ancestry through several lines back to Charlemagne. According to the oral and written traditions of the Franks, they were descended from the Trojans and had migrated westward into the area east of the Danube and eventually further west to the areas that now include Belgium, France and Germany. One of the cities they founded was Paris, named after the famed Paris of the Trojan War.

YOU ARE RELATED TO PRESIDENT OBAMA

2009-01-26T18:31:00.000-08:00

Genealogists have mathematically demonstrated how all Americans of European descent must be related to Charlemagne. In this regard, genealogists have established the exact lines of descent from Charlemagne for 14 U.S. Presidents. Two of these are President George W. Bush and his father President George H.W. Bush. Other Presidents whose descent from Charlemagne have been traced include: George Washington, Ulysses Grant, Franklin Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt, and Gerald Ford. To demonstrate how we are all related, the New England Historical Society has researched the genealogy of Barack Obama and determined that on his mother's side he is related to six other previous presidents: George W. Bush, George H. W. Bush, Lyndon Johnson, Harry Truman, Gerald Ford, and James Madison. Presumably, if Barack Obama's ancestry on his mother's side could be traced far enough back, he also would be shown to be descended from Charlemagne. Meanwhile, on his father's side, we are all related to President Barack Obama since anthropologists have determined that all modern humans are descended from a common African ancestor.

2009-01-24T20:04:00.000-08:00

President Obama making a phone call in the White House Oval Office immediately after his inauguration.

2009-01-21T08:36:00.000-08:00

Photograph of the inaugural swearing-in ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in front of the west wing of the U. S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2009 as the first African-American to be elected as a U.S. President.

2009-01-20T21:27:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2009 before a crowd of over a million people to become the first African-American and first individual born in Hawaii to become President.

2009-01-18T23:51:00.000-08:00

PRESIDENTS WHOSE FATHERS DIED WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG - Barack Obama is the most recent U.S. President whose father died or left when he was young, with the consequence that he was primarily raised by his mother and grandparents. Other Presidents who were primarily raised by their mothers included: (1) President George Washington; (2) President Thomas Jefferson; (3) President Andrew Jackson; (4) President Andrew Johnson; (5) President Rutherford B. Hayes; (6) President James Garfield; (7) President Franklin D. Roosevelt; (8) President Gerald Ford; and (9) President Bill Clinton.

2009-01-03T23:16:00.000-08:00

Above is a photograph of Barack Obama's half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng with her husband, Konrad Ng, and their daughter. He teachers media and film at the University of Hawaii.

2009-01-03T23:12:00.000-08:00

Above is a photograph of Barack Obama's half-brother Mark Ndesandjo who lives in Shenzhen, China. He teaches piano at an orphanage and runs an internet, WorldNexus, that helps Chinese companies set up websites to market to foreign customers.

2009-01-03T23:02:00.000-08:00

Above is a photograph of Barack Obama (second on left, top row) with his half-brother Malik Obama (third from left, top row), with his half-brother Abo Obama (second from right, top row), with his half-brother Bernard Obama (far right, top row), half-sister Auma (far left, front row), stepmother Kezia (second from left, front row), and step grandmother Sarah (second from right, front row).

2009-01-02T20:32:00.000-08:00

Above is a photograph of Barack Obama with his sister Maya who lives in Hawaii.

2008-12-28T21:41:00.000-08:00

GENEALOGIES OF THE U.S. PRESIDENTS - Above is a photograph of incoming President Barack Obama with out-going U.S. President George W. Bush. One of the miracles of the U.S. system of government is the peaceful transfer of power from one President to another. The purpose of this blog is to share interesting facts about the genealogies of the U.S. Presidents, including of President-Elect Barack Obama. Please be sure to visit my companion blog site http://presidentialstudies.blogspot.com/ . PLEASE CLICK ON "OLDER POSTS" AT BOTTOM OF PAGE TO SEE PREVIOUS PAGES.

2008-12-28T21:26:00.000-08:00

GENEALOGY AND ANCESTRY OF BARACK OBAMA's FATHER - Above are photographs of Barack Obama's father, Barack Hussein Obama Sr., and Barack Obama's mother, Stanley Ann Durham (holding the young Barack Obama). Barack Obama's father was born in in 1936 in Nyangoma-Kogelo, Siaya District, Kenya and was killed in 1982 in car crash in Nairobi, Kenya. He met Barack Obama's mother, Stanley Ann Durham, when he was attending the East-West Center at the Manoa Campus of the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii. They were subsequently divorced when he moved back to Kenya. He had four different wives, so that Barack Obama has a number of half-siblings and other relatives living in the United States, England and Kenya. Barack Obama's father was descended from a line of tribal chiefs from Kenya who can be traced back for several generations. Barack Obama is the first U.S. President to be descended from a father born in Africa, while Barack Obama himself is the first U.S. President to be born in Hawaii.

2008-12-28T21:10:00.000-08:00

BARACK OBAMA'S ANCESTRY ON HIS MOTHER'S SIDE - Above is a photograph of Barack Obama with his grandparents on his mother's side, Stanley Armour Durham and Madelyn Lee Payne Durham. His grandmother's side of the family can be traced back to my common ancestor, Robert Hudson, who arrived in Jamestown on the ship James in 1622. His grandfather's side of the family came to America some time before 1639 since his ancestor, Jonathan Singletary, was born in Newbury, Massachusetts January 17, 1639. On his grandfather's side, Barack Obama shares a common descent from Samuel Hinckley, who lived in Cape Cod in the 1600's, with President George W. Bush. Obama also shares a common ancestor with Vice President Dick Cheney.

2008-12-28T20:43:00.000-08:00

PARENTS OF PRESIDENT ULYSSES S. GRANT - Above are photographs of Grant's father, Jessie Root Grant, and Grant's mother, Hannah Simpson. The Grant genealogy is an example of how we define a President as being from one state or another, but often their family genealogies show a continuing westward migration that parallels the growth and expansion of the United States. The story of the Grant family genealogy also demonstrates how compressed history actually is (i.e. the periods of our history only vary from one or two generations) and often our Presidents share a common ancestry. In Grant's case, his father was born on January 23, 1794 (during the presidency of George Washington) in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. His father migrated to Ohio where outside of Cincinnati he operating a tannery that, for a time, employed John Brown (of John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry). Ironically, John Brown was to be captured by U.S. army troops led by future Confederate General Robert E. Lee (whose wife was a great-granddaughter of Martha Washington) after John Brown had taken Augustine Washington, another relative of George Washington's, captive. As further irony, it was then Ulysses S. Grant that led the Union Army that defeated the Confederate Army led by Robert E. Lee during the Civil War. After the Civil War, the Grant family continued its westward migration with one of Grant's son, Jesse Root Grant Jr., migrating and dying is Los Altos, California while a granddaughter of Grant married became a princess when she married a Russian nobleman (see below). To demonstrate how often the U.S. Presidents have shared a common ancestry, Ulysses S. Grant shares a common descent from Jonathan Delano and Mercy Warren with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Like many other Presidents, Grant is also descended from Charlemagne and William "the Conqueror." He is also a Mayflower descendant, being descended from Mayflower passengers Francis Cooke and Richard Warren. When we think of Mayflower descendants, I think we often think of fairly well-to-do and/or prominent families from New England. But many of these families moved to Ohio and other parts of the Midwest to seek other opportunities and land. There, they often encountered hardship in settling this new wilderness. This is the story of Grant's father, Abraham Lincoln's ancestors, and ancestors of many of our Presidents, including the ancestors of Barack Obama on his mother's side, who migrated from both New England and Virginia to the Midwest.

2008-12-28T20:33:00.000-08:00

PRINCESS JULIA GRANT CANTACUZENE - A further example of how families migrate is the story of Julia Grant, granddaughter of President Ulysses S. Grant. She married Prince Michael Cantacuzene, who was descended from the rulers of the Byzantine Empire during the later centuries of its existence. Afterwards, the Cantacuzene's moved north and became noblemen of Russia under the Tsar. In 1899 shortly before she married, she met William Lyon Mackenzie King, the future Prime Minister of Canada, and carried on a correspondence with him until his death, sharing a common interest in spiritualism and efforts to contact the dead. She died in 1975.

2008-12-28T19:46:00.000-08:00

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT'S FATHER - was Alphono Taft, who served as both Attorney General and Secretary of War under President Ulysses S. Grant. It was this alliance between Grant and Taft that created the strong Republican party in the State of Ohio and the Taft political dynasty based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Alphonso Taft was born on November 5, 1810 in Townshend, Vermont and died on May 21, 1891 in San Diego, California. He graduated from Yale College in 1833 where he had co-founded the secret Skull and Bones Society that the Bush family along joined. Not only did the Taft family become dominant in Cincinnati and Ohio Republican politics, but they also went on to found the Taft broadcasting and publishing business empire. The Cincinnati Art Museum, one of the pre-eminent art museums in the United States, is named after the Taft family, from which it has received a significant endowment. The art museum was once the home of Nicholas Longworth, the first millionaire in Cincinnati and father of the American wine industry. His granddaughter, Maria Rives Longworth, was the founder of Rookwood Pottery, while his great-grandson, Nicholas Longworth, became Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and married Alice Roosevelt, daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt. It is because of the influence of the Taft and Longworth/Roosevelt families that Cincinnati remains today a strong Republican voting area.

2008-12-28T19:37:00.000-08:00

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT'S MOTHER - Above is a photograph of President William Howard Taft as a baby with his mother, Louis Marie Torrey. She was born on September 11, 1827 in Boston, Massachusetts and died on December 7, 1907 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

2008-12-28T19:13:00.000-08:00

WOODROW WILSON'S FATHER - was a Presbyterian minister named Joseph Ruggles Wilson. He was born on February 28, 1822 in Steubenville, Ohio. He moved with his family to Staunton, Virginia to assume a ministry there shortly before Woodrow Wilson's birth. On his father's side, Woodrow Wilson was descended from John Stewart, founder of Rosslyn Chapel (of the movie "The Da Vinci Code" and Knights of the Templar fame). John Stewart was the son of James Stewart I, King of Scotland. This is an ancestry that Woodrow Wilson shares with Presidents James Monroe and Teddy Roosevelt. Wilson's second wife, Edith Bolling, was descended from Pocahontas of Jamestown fame.

2008-12-28T19:09:00.000-08:00

WOODROW WILSON'S MOTHER - was Janet (or Jessie or Jeannie) E. Woodrow. She was born on December 20, 1826 in Carlisle, England and died on April 15, 1888 in Clarksville, Tennessee.

2008-11-20T21:42:00.000-08:00

An exploration of the genealogy of George Washington illustrates the key to studying genealogy. If one traces his Washington ancestry in a straight line back from his Washington ancestors from Northumbia and even further, one can determine that Washington was descended from Malcolm III, King of Scotland. But if one traces the ancestry of Washington's maternal side at each generation, one discovers that the Washington males married well and repeatedly established relationships with the English royalty. Hence, George Washington is also descended from Charlemagne, William "the Conqueror", Henry I "Beauclerc", and is even descended from the French, Spanish, and Russian royal families. For this reason, at the end of the American Revolutionary war, a delegation went to Washington and asked that he become king of the new nation. Washington, however, refused and walked away from power. Later, he helped lead the effort for the drafting and adoption of the U.S. Constitution which established the position of President instead of a monarch, with Washington then being elected as our nation's first president. After two terms, Washington resigned and again walked away from power, breaking with the European tradition for centuries that power was hereditary and passed down through the next in line of the ruling family. But there is another lesson from studying the genealogy of George Washington. It turns out that, mathematically, every individual of European ancestry has to be descended from Charlemagne and probably other European royalty. The difficulty is establishing one's ancestry far enough back to discover such links. But all of us, whether of European origin or not, can probably claim some royal ancestors. So I think the ultimate lesson is not that one person has a better pedigree and thus is better than anyone else, but that instead we are all related! This is what I find fascinating about genealogy - as another way of studying history and all its interconnections.

2008-11-14T03:17:00.000-08:00

According to the New England Historic Genealogical Society as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times and the New York Times on October 21, 2007, Barack Obama from his mother's side shares a common ancestry (11th cousin) with George W. Bush from Samuel Hinckley who lived in Cape Cod in the 1600's. They also stated that Barack Obama is related to presidents George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Lyndon Johnson, Harry Truman, and James Madison and is related to such other notables as Sir Winston Churchill, Robert E. Lee, and Vice President Dick Cheney (9th cousin once removed).

2008-11-14T01:36:00.000-08:00

Eight of the U.S. Presidents are descendants of passengers on the Mayflower. These are: John Adams and John Quincy Adams (descendants of John Alden, William Mullins, Alice Mullins, and Priscilla Mullins), Zachary Taylor (descendant of Isaac Allerton and William and Mary Brewster), Ulysses S. Grant (descendant of Richard Warren), James Garfield (descendant of John and Francis Billington), Franklin Roosevelt (desendant of John Tilley, Joan Hurst Tilley, Elizabeth Tilley, John Howland, Isaac Allerton, Mary Norris Allterton, Mary Allterton, Degory Priest, John Cooke and Francis Cooke), George Herbert Walker Bush (descendant of Francis Cooke, John Howland, John Tilley, Joan Hurst Tilley, and Elizabeth Tilley), and George W. Bush (descendant of Francis Cooke, John Howland, John Tilley, Joan Hurst Tilley, Elizabeth Tilley, and Henry Samson).

2008-11-12T18:30:00.000-08:00

Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain has dined with 10 different U.S. Presidents, the most recent being with President and Mrs. Bush. Did you know that Queen Elizabeth is a direct descendant of George Washington's great-grandfather, Colonel Augustine Warner, Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses? Typically, whenever Queen Elizabeth travels to America, she puts a wreath of his grave in the Washington family cemetery in Westmoreland County, Virginia.

2008-11-11T06:11:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Barack Obama shares a common ancestors with several of the previous U.S. Presidents? Also, did you know that 14 of the past U.S. Presidents share a common ancestry? This site is designed to share interesting facts and stories posted by myself and others about the genealogy of the U.S. Presidents. What is your story or interesting tidbit?