Mama Didn’t Raise No Fool, But She May Have Raised a Wilson
One of the things I tell clients and those interested in family history and genealogy is to be prepared for what you might find. Case in point: me.
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
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.
The Begatin’ Man
Based on family oral history it is highly likely that I am related to William Jennings Bryan but exactly how is still not quite clear from the documentary evidence. This points out an important factor to consider when doing genealogy research, namely that one cannot sit in front of a computer and expect perfect, full, and complete answers.