Older Than Dirt

When my youngest daughter Katie was little, I was driving her to Grandma and Grandpa Baugh’s house and I mentioned that it was Grandpa’s birthday. She asked how old he was and I replied, “Oh,he’s older than dirt.” “No, he’s not!,” she rather forcefully explained. “Yeah, he’s older than dirt,” to which Katie even more…

For the Last Time, Newsom is Not Pelosi’s Nephew

For the Last Time, Newsom is Not Pelosi’s Nephew

Sometimes, genealogy can be used not only to prove family relationships, but also to disprove it. If you follow California wing nuts you have no doubt heard that our governor Gavin Newsom is Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s nephew. Uh, no. He’s not. Here’s the scoop. Gavin Christopher Newsom was born in 1967 to William Alfred Newsom…

I Am Not a Crook, But I Am Your Cousin

I Am Not a Crook, But I Am Your Cousin

While doing routine ancestry research one day on my own family tree, I discovered a rather significant and totally unexpected family connection on my mother’s side with the Quaker tradition. In doing so I also came across the surname Milhous, which I knew to be the middle name of the only Quaker American president, and began to put two and two together.