Posted on 12/19/2011 11:54:26 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
..A new genealogical analysis of four Republican presidential candidates by the web site Ancestry.com finds that Perry is a first cousin (six times removed) of Sam Houston, the commander-in-chief of Texas revolutionary forces and twice-elected president of the Republic of Texas.
“Texans have that Texas pride,” said Anastasia Harman, lead family historian for Ancestry.com. “That Texas pride is obviously in his blood.”
Houston, Texas’ seventh governor, and Perry, the state’s 47th governor, are both related to Captain John Paxton, a hero of the U.S. Revolutionary War who survived the infamous winter encampment at Valley Forge with General George Washington. Paxton’s wife Phebe became a legendary figure of the revolution when she rode from their Virginia home to Valley Forge on horseback to bring food and clothing to her husband in Valley Forge.
Perry also has a U.S. president in his family tree. Like Sam Houston, it’s a feisty character: Harry Truman, the plain spoken, “given ‘em hell” populist is Perry’s fifth cousin (four times removed).
While Perry is related to a Democratic president, two Republican candidates – Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman – turn out to be distant cousins of the two Presidents Bush.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.chron.com ...
Sarah Palin and I both are related (along with many, many, many, many others) to Stephen Hopkins.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hopkins_%28settler%29
I’m related to a guy that had a fatal fall into a beer vat at the Brewery he worked at 75 years ago. I guess I shouldn’t run for President.
LOL
“I’m related to a guy that had a fatal fall into a beer vat at the Brewery he worked at 75 years ago.”
So am I! Was that in Colorado? Was he a German immigrant? If so, I think we’re related.
What a way to go, though, huh? ;-)
It seems the apple does fall far from the tree.
Austrian immigrant in PA. The story goes that there was a lot of drinking going on at the brewery. Apparently this was a common event back then. LOL.
Like women in a candy store eating candy, men in a brewery drinking beer: gotcha’.
So the candidates are related to a number of other people.
So what?
If you check the social security numbers, the incumbent actually IS a number of other people!
It’s just interesting.
I think that’s still okay.
“Ancestry.com found some unlikely kin in Barack Obama’s family tree, too. Among the president’s cousins: actor Brad Pitt, former Vice President Dick Cheney, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and radio talk show personality Rush Limbaugh.”
I’m sure Cheney, Palin, and Limbaugh are thrilled at that news! That would be one great family reunion!
It shows how interconnected we all are — and why family get-togethers can be “strained” when politics comes up.
The article states that Michele Bachmann isn’t related to past presidents — that she’s 100% Norwegian.
I was just joshing! Good post, thanks!
My grandparents came to western PA from Austria. Don’t think any of them fell into a Beer vat. On the other hand, I -—— Oh, never mind.
It took him 5 days to drown. There were 3 rescue attempts but he fought them off bravely. He got out 16 times to pee. He chose cremation and it took 3 days for the fire to burn out.
Interesting and proof that there remains a poignant desire in the European-American soul for the continuity of monarchy/royalty/aristocracy.
The tyrannical monarchies and aristocracies of yester-year have been replaced by a Governing elite - professional politicians; what the public might prefer is the gentle, classy Prince William type.
Don’ laugh yet!
The Roosevelts, Kennedys, Romneys, Gores, Clintoons, Bush’s and now the Pauls are proof of a desire for power by inheritance - aka Royalty.
Truman and Jackson are the only good Democrats to have held office.
We need a Truman or a Jackson.
Give 'em hell Perry!
Perry doesn't give them hell, he tells them the truth and they think it's hell.
Only famous kin -I am aware of is the shoe string distant relative Pearl S.Buck. And as posted in Houston C. “give ‘em H-—Ricky doesn’t sound quite like the original.But the interesting link is to Sam Houston. Having spent good times in the City named after him—I might be inclined to act like Beck and leave a note saying “Gone to Texas” having heard the call to the dance from one of Sam Houston’s seed.
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