Are you related to anyone famous?
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (38998)
September 24, 2023 11:05pm CST
I had never thought of it before I started chipping away and doing ancestor searches. I have no biggies I am related to that are alive now. I did discover, without looking, that I have a few from years gone by.
Arthur Middleton, who signed the Declaration of Independence, his fatther,the first Arthur Middleton was president of the Continental Congress, way back in the day. Middleton Place, a famous old plantation that is still used and can be viewed, in Charleston, SC. was built by a great-great-great...I forget how many greats. Anyway, a huge snarl of Middletons. A mess of Alstons, Pinkneys and Tradds that all held some offices in Charleston or some type of service. I was recently made aware of ties to John of Gaunt and the House of Lancaster. But....
But...
None of this makes any difference of course, it's just neat to know.. I don't live in a plantation home or an English castle, or do famous things. I have a friend from college who is a cousin to Elvis Presley--and oh, he is very proud of that. He has it documented and certified and shows the paper to anyone who wants to see it. My Uncle Ben, who I do remember, was the curator of the Smithsonian for years. He also was responsible for turning Graceland, Elvis's home, into the 'shrine' it is today, that people can visit.
So far, that's my big no-claim to fame. I imagine everyone has one, if you dig a bit to find your people.
I told you mine, you tell me yours, OK? 
16 people like this
18 responses
@DaddyEvil (137860)
• United States
25 Sep 23
Nope. Nobody famous... My sister did an ancestry search and wrote a book about our non-famous ancestors. 
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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25 Sep 23
I would think that you enjoyed reading the book. Hey, you never know. Maybe you or Pretty will be famous!
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137860)
• United States
25 Sep 23
@MarieCoyle No, honestly, I wasn't interested.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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25 Sep 23
@DaddyEvil
My sister and I had planned to write a book together, but then she got sick and passed away so young. I wish we could have. We were very close, and I will always miss her.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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25 Sep 23
Well, finding someone famous is fun, but then there are interesting people in everyone's family, famous or not
2 people like this
@kareng (62441)
• United States
26 Sep 23
@MarieCoyle Yes, it was fun. I did get to meet Dennis Quaid too! He was a nice guy and invited us all to his ranch to visit. My cousin's brother went, but I had small kids and we couldn't take off that long for work to go for 2 weeks, and we would have needed it driving because we could not have afforded airfare x 5!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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26 Sep 23
To my knowledge, we haven't had any actors in our family. But that' neat that you can watch him in the movie, Karen
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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26 Sep 23
@kareng
That would have been neat to be able to go, but who can take off two weeks from work? Not a lot of people who have children at home. That is neat that you got to meet him!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472213)
• Switzerland
25 Sep 23
If we call "famous" the man who made the tortellini famous around the world yes, I am related to someone famous "Telesforo FINI", the brother of my great grandfather. I have seen the FINI products in the American supermarkets, tortellini, Balsamic vinegar and other Italian specialties.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (472213)
• Switzerland
25 Sep 23
@MarieCoyle I remember that I have seen some of his products in some grocery stores in Los Angeles and in Florida. I learned from my grandmother (her niece) to make the tortellini when I went vacationing in Modena.
I remember that I have seen some of his products in some grocery stores in Los Angeles and in Florida. I learned from my grandmother (her niece) to make the tortellini when I went vacationing in Modena.2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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25 Sep 23
That's really neat, and I think I would celebrate him by having tortellini fairly often. I will have to look for the brand, I do not recall it but I occasionally go to a store that has food items the other stores do not have, so I will be looking.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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26 Sep 23
@LadyDuck
I am going to look for it, I'm always curious about foods.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (41812)
• United States
25 Sep 23
That's really cool! From an ancestry search my grandmother did (way before the internet), she discovered we had an Irish royal many generations ago.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (41812)
• United States
25 Sep 23
@MarieCoyle I said that explains why I'm the princess and the pea fairytale, lol. Everything hurts me. But then I realized it was from Fibromyalgia. 
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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26 Sep 23
@1creekgirl
I know the pain can be horrific, Vicki. I'm so sorry you have to go through this.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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25 Sep 23
I have been told I have an Irish royal, too. Haven't figured out that line yet, but I hope to this winter.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23412)
• United Kingdom
25 Sep 23
No I am not related to anyone famous or infamous thankfully!
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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25 Sep 23
Hmm...infamous. Had not thought of the possibility of finding that out.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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26 Sep 23
@garymarsh6
Yes, I don't imagine anyone wants to be related to a serial killer or somesuch. I'm sure it happens, but I haven't found anyone like that, at least not to my knowledge.
@snowy22315 (182646)
• United States
25 Sep 23
Nobody famous in our lineage,,,the only person who even made an impact as far as far as I know is my great grandfather who discovered something inventive with buttermilk curds...wow...lol. Somebody I knew online was related to Alexander Graham Bell though..and someone I knew in real life was a direct descendent of John Alden.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (182646)
• United States
26 Sep 23
@MarieCoyle Yeah, it's interesting
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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26 Sep 23
My few were so long ago, but since they were a part of history, I find that interesting. It's neat to find out about people related to us making a mark somehow, or even people we know.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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25 Sep 23
Other than my connection to the Middletons, I was not aware of any of my ancestors with the exception of people my own family remembered and told me about. A person never knows I guess, until they start digging. It's fun to look.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220625)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Sep 23
@MarieCoyle I think it is too.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130213)
• Israel
26 Sep 23
@MarieCoyle
I wish I had someone famous to tell you about but to me I do not have any to report that I know of. Someone helped me with my ancestors that is on the site but never did a deep search.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130213)
• Israel
26 Sep 23
@MarieCoyle
I learned from a Facebook friend at one time about my family but what I actually wanted was family here in Israel but did not find that. It was interesting what I learned and when I went back to find it I could not and only remembered some. She no longer could help me so I left it at that.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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26 Sep 23
@Hannihar
Ancestry is available all over the world, you could check into it if you are curious.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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26 Sep 23
I wasn't really looking for anyone famous, I was surprised to find anyone like that. I was just searching my roots. It's fun to find out.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (182533)
• United States
25 Sep 23
Interesting. No one famous in my background that I know of. I am first-generation American; and my great-grandmother was in Italy. Have not traced anything past my grandmother and grandfather. Have a good week.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (182533)
• United States
26 Sep 23
@MarieCoyle Yes, it's amazing how much information is just out there on the net.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (182533)
• United States
27 Sep 23
@MarieCoyle I'd like to find my parents' grave. Thanks.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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26 Sep 23
@LindaOHio
I have used a site called Find A Grave as well, a lot of free information is out there.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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25 Sep 23
My paternal grandparents were both Irish. It's all fascinating to me.
2 people like this
@spiritedgal (94)
• Indonesia
25 Sep 23
I thought i haven't relate to anybody famous, but when my dad passed away it turns out that there's a former mayor who came to my house. I was surprised, then i just found that he is my father's friend.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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25 Sep 23
It seems that looking usually brings surprises to us, it's very interesting.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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25 Sep 23
Times were a lot different several generations ago. I knew I had a lot of military people in my family, but have discovered a lot more than I thought I had..
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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25 Sep 23
I’m impressed, Judy! That’s quite an impressive list!
2 people like this
@LeaPea2417 (37396)
• Toccoa, Georgia
25 Sep 23
I have an ancestor on my Mom's side that fought in the American Revolutionary War. I don't think he was ever famous.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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26 Sep 23
I found both Confederate and Union soldiers in mine. I hope they didn't fight each other, but I have heard of that happening before in the Civil War.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (81006)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
26 Sep 23
I got my poetry writing talent from my dad who was a well-known Latvian poet and writer Eriks Raisters. I always wished that he could have returned to his homeland one more time before he passed on.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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26 Sep 23
That is really neat, Rasma. I imagine you are very proud of him. I recall my grandparents wanting to go back to Ireland, but their health would not allow it. I was young then, didn't realize how important it was to them until my Dad told me when I was a bit older.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38998)
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26 Sep 23
I found a few more but they go back really, really far. We never know for sure.
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