Both Bush, Kerry have royal roots

With the presidential election nearly upon us, it’s interesting to ponder some of the roots of those running for office.

George W. Bush, like many Americans, is related to Queen Elizabeth II, Henry III and Charles II of England.

But John Kerry, through his mother Rosemary Forbes Kerry, has more royal connections than anyone who has served as president so far.

Interestingly, both Bush and Kerry are descended from Henry II and from Charlemagne. One Web site I saw listed the two candidates as 16th cousins, three times removed. That’s not a very close relation, and they’re probably glad of it.

One of the places you can check for the roots of notables is on www.cyndislist.com, under her Famous People category.

If you have trouble pulling up the pedigree chart for a prominent person, try a different browser. I found that in one case I couldn’t get into a chart using Netscape, but I could do so using Explorer.

John Adams is a descendant of Pilgrims John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, and Franklin Roosevelt is a descendant of Francis Cooke.

The great-grandparents of President George W. Bush are chiefly from Ohio and Missouri, but if you go back two more generations, you find New England roots, too:

. Samuel Howard Fay, b. 1804, Cambridge, Mass., married Susan Shellman.

. Thomas H. Sheldon, b. 1818, Providence, R.I., married Martha Uncles.

. Elizabeth Slade Pierce, b. 1822, Providence, R.I., married Courtland Philip Livingston Butler.

. Gen. James Pierce, b. 1810, Swanzey, N.H., married Chloe Holbrook.

Speaking of elections, it’s time to dig out the button that says “I’m Voting in Honor of a Veteran …” and then has my dad’s name on it.

I sent for the button in 2000, I think, when Secretary of State Dan Gwadosky came up with the idea as a “Promote the Vote” initiative.”

You can still order a button free in honor of a relative or friend who was or is a veteran by going online at www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/voterinfo/veteran

When you do, be sure to include the name of your veteran.

Also online, you can read pages from the book that was published in conjunction with the initiative, “Maine Remembers Those Who Served.”

Even better, you can add a few lines of tribute to your own veteran online. I did that very thing recently for my dad, who served in the Pacific in World War II.

Wouldn’t you like to honor a veteran? And do remember to vote on Nov. 2.

Calvin L. Craig has published the second edition of his “Early Families of ‘The Mackadavy.'” The book covers settlers during and following the Loyalist period in the Magaguadavic Valley, Parish of St. George, Charlotte County, southwestern New Brunswick.

Included in its 500 pages are: background and land grants, history and notable characters, selected chronology, and village histories of St. George, Bonny River-Second Falls, Lee Settlement and Piskahegan.

Primary family names included Ash, Beney, Bliss, Bonney, Brockway, Campbell, Clinch, Corning, Cox, Craig, Davidson, Dawson, Dillman, Essensa, Frost, Garnett, Gillmor, Goss, , Grearson or Grierson, Harmon, Lee, Moreland, MacKay, Milne or Mylne, Munson, Nash, Neal or Neil, Nichols, O’Neill, Pratt, Radley, Sherwood, Spinney, Stewart, Sunderland, Waltman and Williamson.

The cost is $35 in U.S. funds, mailing included, send to Calvin Craig, 1104 Rte. 770, Bonny River, New Brunswick, Canada E5C 1E1. You also may contact him at (506) 755-6800, or craigcb1104@hotmail.com.

Allow approximately two weeks for delivery. He also asks that you include your phone number and e-mail address.

This evening, at 7, I’ll be speaking at the Hampden Historical Society, which meets at the Kinsley House on Main Road in Hampden. My topic will be census records.

3296. SKINNER-JORDAN. Seeking information on John E. Skinner and wife Catherine (Jordan) Skinner. John b. Dec. 27, 1749. Do not have Catherine’s birthdate. She d. Jan. 19, 1832, Lewiston. N.L. Smith, 68 Connecticut Ave., Millinocket, ME 04462.

Send genealogy queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or send e-mail to familyti@bangordailynews.net.