Friday, March 31, 2017

This Week's We're Related Relationships - 31 March 2017

I received 8 new cousin relationships on the We're Related mobile app over the last week, which is based on Ancestry Member Trees.  The new relationships, and my initial evaluation of them, are:

1)  Margaret Cheney - Facebook friend, 9th cousin, common ancestor is Sarah Silsbee (1646-1682).

My line to Sarah Silsbee is through her Sarah Collins (1678-1757).  Margaret's line is through Anne Collins (1673-1754), who married Nathaniel Ingalls.  My judgment is that this relationship is Very Likely.

2)  Michael McCormack -- Facebook friend, 9th cousin, common ancestor is Eleanor Smith (1652-1722).

My line to Eleanor Smith is through her daughter Elizabeth Arnold (1684-1758).  Michael's line is through Jeremiah Arnold (1700-1774), brother of my Elizabeth Arnold.   My judgment is that this relationship is Very Likely.

3)  Linda McCauley -- Facebook Friend, 9th cousin, common ancestor is Eleanor Smith (1652-1722).

My line to Eleanor Smith is through her daughter Elizabeth Arnold (1684-1758).  Linda's line is through Jeremiah Arnold (1700-1774), brother of my Elizabeth Arnold.   My judgment is that this relationship is Very Likely.

4)  Margaret Atwood -- Author, 9th cousin, common ancestor is Mary Snow (1630-1704).

My line to Mary Snow is through her son, John Paine (1660-1731).  Margaret's line goes through Thomas Paine (1657-1721), brother of my John Paine.  My judgment is that this relationship is Very Likely.

5)  Sam Walton -- Business magnate, 7th cousin 2x removed, common ancestor is George Lawrence (1637-1708).

My line to George Lawrence goes through his daughter Hannah Lawrence (1662-1707).  Sam's line goes through Martha Lawrence (1681-1723), sister of my Hannah.  My judgment is that this relationship is Very Likely.

6)  David Decker -- Facebook friend, 9th cousin, common ancestor is Christofel Breise (1643-1700).

My tree on Ancestry.com follows Devier Smith's (1839-1894) adoptive family back to Christofel Bresee, so that is not my genetic line.  My judgment is that this relationship is Wrong, but it's my fault.

7)  John Newmark -- Facebook friends, 8th cousin 1x removed, common ancestor is Daniel Pierce (1640-1723).

The app says my line to Daniel Pierce goes through his daughter, Martha Pierce (1681-1759).  However, I have evidence that Martha's father was Joseph Pierce (1647-1713), brother to Daniel Pierce, and son of Anthony Pierce (1611-1678) of Watertown, Mass.  John's line to Daniel Pierce is through daughter Elizabeth Pierce (1665-1737).  If John's line is correct, then we are 9th cousins 1x removed.  My judgment is that this relationship is Likely.

8)  Emily Dickinson -- Author, 7th cousin 3x removed, common ancestor is Rowland Clark (1570-1638).

My line to Rowland Clark is through  Elizabeth Clarke (1620-1683).  My information is that Elizabeth Clarke's father was Thomas Clarke (1568-1638).  Emily's line goes through Rebecca Clarke (1610-1680), who I have as a sister to my Elizabeth Clarke.  So the app probably has the wrong parent to Elizabeth and Rebecca, but my judgment is that the relationship is Likely. 

My count is up to 205 famous or Facebook cousins provided by the app.  This week, my judgment is that 6 of the 8 cousin relationships are Likely or better.

The app may be right -- I don't know for sure -- and I can't really find out because the app provides no source material to back up their assertions.  If there was authoritative information for my end-of-line ancestors, I would add it.  None of the "Unlikely" or "Wrong" relationships have been convincing to me yet.


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Copyright (c) 2017, Randall J. Seaver

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