Sunday, March 23, 2008

Holy Crap!

Okay, so I've been working on my family tree some more lately and came across some famous people. Most of these are through marriage. No big deal. These are through my gr-gr-gr-gr grandfather. They're very distant relatives. So most are through marriages and shit.

Benjamin West (1738-1820)
American Painter
Benjamin West is known for his paintings of historical scenes set in and around the time of the American Revolution. His most famous painting "The Death of General Wolfe" is more than 5 feet tall and more than 7 feet long! West was also commissioned by King George III to paint royal portraits.
Relationship: 2nd Cousin 3 times removed

Richard M Nixon (1913-1994)
37th President of the United States of America
Richard Milhous Nixon was the first U.S. President to resign from office. His resignation came from impeachment caused by the Watergate Scandal.
Relationship: 3rd Cousin 3 times removed

John Milton (1608-1674)
English Poet
John Milton is famous for his epic poem "Paradise Lost." The poem is written in blank verse and consists of twelve books. Paradise Lost follows the biblical story of the fall of man.
Relationship: 1st Cousin 7 times removed

Francis Lightfoot Lee (1734-1797)
Virginia Representative
Francis Lightfoot Lee was a radical patriot during the revolution. He worked with Patrick Henry to oppose the Stamp Act. He later signed the Declaration of Independence.
Relationship: 3rd Cousin 3 times removed

Doc Holliday (1851-1887)
American Outlaw
John Henry "Doc" Holliday was an American dentist and gunfighter in the Old West. He was a key player at the Gunfight at the OK Corral.
Relationship: 5th Cousin

William Henry Harrison (1773-1841)
9th President of the United States of America
William Henry Harrison is famous for having the longest inauguration speech and shortest term of any president. He was the first president to die in office; he died of pneumonia only 30 days into his term.
Relationship: 4th Cousin 2 times removed

John Wesley Hardin (1853-1895)
American Outlaw
John Wesley Hardin was an outlaw and gunfighter in Texas. He was reported to be the meanest man alive, once killing a man just for snoring. Most of his gunplay was a result of his short temper.
Relationship: 5th Cousin 1 times removed

Mark Twain (1835-1910)
American Author
Samuel Langhorne Clemens thought of his pen name, "Mark Twain," while working on a riverboat. This humorist's works include Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
Relationship: 5th Cousin 1 times removed

Emmett Ashford (1914-1980)
Baseball Umpire
Emmett Littleton Ashford was the first African American umpire to work in Major League Baseball. He dressed impeccably and exaggerated his calls with gestures.
Relationship: 5th Cousin 2 times removed

Lucy Ware Webb Hayes (1831-1889)
First Lady
Lucy Ware Webb Hayes convinced her husband, Rutherford B. Hayes, to fight in the Union army and to oppose slavery. He later became an influential part of the abolitionist cause.
Relationship: 6th Cousin

Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901)
23rd President of the United States of America
Grandson of President William Henry Harrison, Benjamin Harrison was the 23 President of the United States. During his term 6 states joined the United States and the Sherman Antitrust Act, an act which prohibited monopolies, was passed.
Relationship: 6th Cousin

O. Henry (1862-1910)
American Writer
Born William Sydney Porter, O. Henry's famous endings known for their clever surprises, coined the phrase "the O. Henry ending."
Relationship: 5th Cousin 2 times removed

Lou Henry Hoover (1874-1944)
First Lady
Lou Henry Hoover, wife of Herbert C. Hoover created a period style sitting room with furniture owned by James Madison. She also restored Abraham Lincoln's study so her husband could use it.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 1 times removed

John Peters Ringo (1850-1882)
American Outlaw
John Peters "Johnny" Ringo became a legend of the Old West because of his alleged involvement in the gunfight at the OK Corral and his association with the Clanton Gang.
Relationship: 5th Cousin 3 times removed

Robert Laird Borden (1854-1937)
Former Prime Minister
Robert Laird Borden was the 8th Prime Minister of Canada. He was the first Canadian Prime Minister to attend a British cabinet meeting.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 1 times removed

Davy Crockett (1786-1836)
Frontiersman
Davy Crockett (David Crocketagne) has been called the "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in Congress and fought at the Battle of the Alamo.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 1 times removed

John Browning (1855-1926)
Gunsmith
John Browning was a firearms designer who developed a variety of weapons, cartridges, and gun mechanics.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 1 times removed

William C. Durant (1861-1947)
Founder of General Motors
William Durant worked with Louis Chevrolet to design a new brand of motor car and helped to found the Chevrolet Company.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 1 times removed

Mary Harrison McKee* (1858-1930)
First Lady
Mary Scott Harrison McKee was the First Lady to her father, Benjamin Harrison, when her mother passed away.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 1 times removed

Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822-1893)
19th President of the United States of America
Rutherford B. Hayes was known for his honesty and military involvement in the American Civil War. After the scandal ridden years of the Grant administration, Hayes restored trust to the presidency and ended Reconstruction during his term.
Relationship: 5th Cousin 3 times removed

William Ellery (1727-1820)
Rhode Island Representative
A successful merchant from Rhode Island, William Ellery was the only representative from Rhode Island to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Relationship: 5th Cousin 3 times removed

Ida Saxton McKinley (1847-1907)
First Lady
Ida Saxton McKinley suffered very poor health and many seizures during her time as First Lady to President William McKinley. She hosted her guests seated in a blue velvet wheel chair.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 2 times removed

Lucille Ball (1911-1989)
American Actress and Comedian
Lucille Desiree Ball was the comedic star of the 1950s TV show I Love Lucy. Often called, "The Queen of Comedy," Ball has acted in Broadway productions, motion pictures, and TV shows.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 2 times removed

Raymond Massey (1896-1983)
Canadian Actor
Raymond Hart Massey became famous from his traditional American roles even though he was Canadian. He starred in films such as Abe Lincoln in Illinois and How the West Was Won.
Relationship: 5th Cousin 4 times removed

Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003)
American Actress
Four time Academy Award winning actress Katharine Hepburn maintained a successful acting career for over 70 years. Her notable performances in The African Queen and On Golden Pond, as well as countless other films, contributed to her title as the AFI's Greatest American Female Star.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 2 times removed

Florence Kling Harding (1860-1924)
First Lady
Florence Mabel Kling Harding was the wife of President Warren G. Harding. Though she had struggled to support herself and her young son, she thrived as the hostess of the White House.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 2 times removed

Elvis Presley (1935-1977)
American Entertainer
Elvis Aaron Presley is often called "The King of Rock and Roll", or simply "The King". He starred in movies but is best known for his music which includes over 100 top 40 songs including "Blue Suede Shoes", "Hound Dog", "Love Me Tender", "Don't Be Cruel", and "Jailhouse Rock".
Relationship: 6th Cousin 3 times removed

Barbara Pierce Bush (1925-)
First Lady
Barbara Bush, wife of George H. W. Bush, was a strong advocate for literacy and education, having had several schools named for her.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 3 times removed

Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947-)
First Lady
Hillary Rodham Clinton is the wife of former President Bill Clinton. She was the first First Lady to be elected to public office. She remains committed to women's rights and children's issues.
Relationship: 5th Cousin 5 times removed

Joan Crawford (1905-1977)
American Actress
Lucille Fay LeSueur changed her name to Joan Crawford after a studio chief decided her name sounded too much like "sewer." Her big break came in the film Our Dancing Daughters, and Crawford is best known for her award winning role in the film Mildred Pierce.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 3 times removed

Caesar Rodney (1728-1784)
Delaware Representative
Active in political beginnings of the United States of America, Caesar Rodney signed the Declaration of Independence as a representative of Delaware. He was also a member of the Continental Congress and President of Delaware during the Revolutionary War.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 4 times removed

Desi Arnaz (1917-1986)
Cuban American Performer
Desiderio Alberto Arnaz was a Cuban-American musician, comedian, and actor. He performed with his wife, Lucille Ball, for several years before their divorce.
Relationship: 6th Cousin 4 times removed

Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
English Poet
Alfred, Lord Tennyson is remembered for his classical poetry. "Idylls of the King", written in 1885 is a work derived from the legend of King Arthur and is one of Tennyson's most famous pieces of writing.
Relationship: 8th Cousin

Laurence Olivier (1907-1989)
British-born Actor, Director and Producer
Laurence Kerr Olivier was an Academy Award-winning actor, director, and producer. He acted in such films as Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, and Spartacus. Olivier also appeared in many plays throughout his career.
Relationship: 8th Cousin 2 times removed

Robert Graves (1895-1985)
English Author
English scholar, poet, and novelist; Robert Graves produced over 140 works. His famous works include The Long Week-End.
Relationship: 9th Cousin 1 times removed

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Racism

I'm watching the Tyra Banks show right now. Yeah I know. The show is about names and how they're judged even before meeting the person.
I don't understand. I'm constantly baffled by people's fears. I know people who are so paranoid about getting on a plane that has Muslims on it. I don't even think twice about it. Most of the time I don't even notice.
I can't even put to words about how I feel about the things these people are saying.
And what's with constantly saying Obama's middle name?! It's a fucking name. Someone actually said, "Obama... I don't know. I don't trust him. His name rhyms with Osama." Seriously? People are crazy.