My (Grand) Uncle “Sonny” tells the delightful tale of how a misunderstanding lead to the unusual combination of his first and middle names. Most assuredly, when my great grandfather told the doctor’s assistant to (just) give his tenth child the doctor’s name for a first name, he meant he should be given the doctor’s first name. (Or did he?) In great grandpa’s defense, I… More →

The path leading to John R. Deason‘s parents is strewn with circumstantial evidence and 30+ DNA cousins who seem to all be pointing in the same direction. While I would prefer an irrefutable “smoking gun” proving what I am about to put forth, one doth not yet exist. Nevertheless, it appears that the most likely and logical candidates for John’s parents are William… More →

So I am passing through Raleigh, North Carolina airport security this morning and the TSA agent looks at my ID and says: “We have a James Trantham who works here. Are you related?” “Yes.” Kenfolk: Tranthams Relation: Distant Cousin Common ancestor: Martin Trantham who came to North Carolina before 1755

Presidents, governors, lieutenant governors, city council-people, animal control controllers. I feel a bit obliged to recognize my cousins who served in a public office. One such individual was Thomas Ward Veazey, my 3rd cousin, 6x removed. Thomas was the governor of Maryland from 1836 to 1839. He was the last governor who was not elected by the people – the legislature put him in office three years in a… More →

George W. Bush, my half 8th cousin, 1x removed, and his father account for two of the three presidents who appear in my family tree. The third is Martin Van Buren, the eighth President of the United States. Genealogically speaking, he is most likely my 4th cousin, 6x removed – give or take a generation. To get to Cousin Martin,… More →

Returning to the Eastern Shore of Maryland this morning, I ventured south to Dorchester County, having visited Cecil County on the northern end just a few weeks ago. The Fitzhugh, or Fitzchew, branch of my family tree was the purpose of the trip. Samuel Fitzhugh, my 6th great grandfather, was born in Dorchester County in 1765. His daughter, Polly, married James Turbeville in 1809. They would become the parents of Lydia… More →

Country music legend “Kitty Wells” was born Ellen Muriel Deason. A Nashville native, Kitty’s paternal lineage goes back to the Deasons who landed in Maryland and then migrated south into North Carolina and Tennessee around 1800. My 4th great grandfather, John R. Deason, was born about 1809 in North Carolina. He married Lydia Ann Turbeville in the early 1830s, most likely in Bedford County, Tennessee… More →

Might as well get this post out of the way. My mother would not be amused. She might have even whacked me over the head for posting this where anyone could find it. There’s a very strong probability my mother married a distant cousin of George Herbert Walker Bush. And she gave birth to three distant cousins of George W. Bush. Her grandchildren are also distant cousins of both father and… More →

“Cherry Grove” is the homestead of my Veazey ancestors. Located in Cecil County, Maryland, the land was acquired by John Veazey, my 8th great grandfather, about 1670. It remained in the Veazey family for more than 100 years. Many of the early Veazeys are buried in a family cemetery located somewhere on the property. It is believed (logically) that John is buried here too. Today, the land is privately… More →