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| English: A portrait of Stonewall Jackson (1864, J. W. King) located in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
All of us have some claim to fame with a celebrity or historical personage in our family trees. We might hear an allusion in rumors or detailed stories and pictures of a famous person who preceded us or even might be still living. It can be fun and even a source of a certain amount of pride to have bragging rights about so and so who did such and such. Especially when that person has a fairly reasonable amount of fame.
Among my familial precursors have been an officer in the Revolutionary War, a U.S. congressman, a federal judge, a state governor, and many other influential men and women who shaped the destiny of the United States. The city of Jackson Hole, Wyoming is named after one of my relatives. One of our greatest claims to fame is our relationship to the famous Confederate general Thomas Jonathan Jackson who is best known as "Stonewall" Jackson. A DNA test has verified that I descend from the same descendant as Stonewall.
I don't qualify. However, if I could pick an ancestor, Stonewall would be a good one. I have visited his home in Lexington, Virginia, and I've seen his horse (stuffed and on display!).
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool! I don't think there are any famous people in my family tree. They were just poor peasants from Italy. Nothing is known of my dad's family (South America, and before that, Isle of Madeira) as he was an orphan. I have heard that we might possibly be related to actors Penny & Garry Marshall (Laverne & Shirley, etc). My maternal grandfather's name was Masciarelli, Americanized to Marsh. Allegedly that is also the Marshalls' original name. They were from Brooklyn, my grandfather was from Yonkers, so not that far away. There were some family rumours that there was a rift between the 2 families and they never spoke. No idea if it's true. My mom thought Garry Marshall looked just like one of her uncles.
ReplyDeleteOk, that gives you a great role model to set your standards by. I remember hearing a lot about "Stonewall" Jackson, in my time in Georgia.
ReplyDeleteI don't know of any 'famous' relatives of mine, but hubs grandfather led the posse that captured Billy Miner, and we have a photo that appeared in the newspaper commemorating the event. (famous Robber/bandit in the old days, known in BC) His grandfather was an excellent trapper,and he got his man. . .he knew the area better.
Interesting info, Lee!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Miner - here's a bit about Bill or Billy Miner, an American criminal who traveled quite a bit, leaving a trail of robberies.
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While regrettably I am not related to Stonewall Jackson, my great grandfather Dixon Freeland helped design the Park Service Patch ... I like to toss that out as my claim to fame. Oh! And my great-grandparents missed the Titanic, so, you know ... good thing they did. For me anyway, as they were quite poor and most likely would have been lifeboat-less. I haven't explored my lineage yet, but am very interested what other tidbits await me ...
ReplyDeleteI'm related to a few writers. Charles C. Hall being one of them. 50 titles and some silent movies, too.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty cool, being related to Stonewall like that. Interesting group - connecting the past to the present in positive ways always intrigues me.
ReplyDeletePretty interesting. While no relation to Jackson, I am going to forward this to my family who are die-hard Civil War reinactors. My son, brother, niece and nephew all participate as Confederate mounted cavalry. Our family from Tennessee and Texas were all confederates and I am hard pressed to find a Yankee among them. Thanks for this interesting topic.
ReplyDeleteHi Lee ... interesting about Stonewall Jackson .. he is obviously still revered for his abilities.
ReplyDeleteI do have connections to the tobacco trade between the States and England, a bridge designer, the evolvement of a shipping fleet into the P&O shipping line ... but I'm not a member of any historical society. However I'd like to find out more about all four sides of my family ...
Cheers Hilary
Cool to have such a famous ancestor!
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