Cousin George Washington hanging out in the Family Tree

Those commercials on TV advertising Ancestry.com are telling the truth – it is surprising what you might find in your genealogy! Using some software called “Family Tree Maker” and connecting to Ancestry.com, I started tracing my family tree through Mom and Dad.

I already knew on my Dad’s side of the family our ancestors came from Ireland in the 1800’s (probably during the famine) and specifically from a guy named Alexander Farris. It appears he packed up his wife and 8 kids and moved everyone to South Carolina. From there the family migrated west and even married a Native American woman, which is where the Cherokee Indian features that are in my family come from. Sure enough, the records found through Family Tree Maker confirmed all of this and even added a few more details. Here’s a few pictures from my trip to Ireland in 2005…

But the exciting part – the part I did not know until now – is I’m not too far removed from a few famous people including George Washington!

Cousin George

On my mother’s side of the family, way down the line there are lots of ancestors from England including a Knight by the name of Henry Spencer and his wife Isabella gave birth to 3 sons. They must have had some excellent DNA because their 3 sons went on to produced Winston Churchill, FDR, Princess Diana, and several other famous people.

One of those sons was Thomas Spencer. Thomas begat William who begat Julian. Julian Spencer had 3 daughters – Anne who eventually produced George Washington, while her sister Marjory went on to eventually produce Joey & Ivy Dutton! 🙂

Here is the Spencer Line to George Washington

1 Henry Spencer Say 1420 – 1478 of Badby, Northamptonshire, England
…. +Isabella Lincoln Say 1420 – England
…… Son William Spencer’s lineage produced F. D. Rosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Princess Di
……..son John Spencer’s lineage produced Calvin Coolidge and George Bush 1 & 2.
…. 2 Thomas Spencer 1450 –
………. +Margaret Smith 1450 – England
……….. 3 William Spencer 1470 –
…………….. +Agnes Heritage 1470 –
……………… 4 Julian Spencer 1490 –
…………………… +William Wilmer 1490 –
…………………… 5 Anne Wilmer 1510 –
………………………… +Henry Thornton 1510 – 1583
…………………… 6 Anne Thornton 1540 – 1614 of Newnham, England
……………………… +William Dickens 1540 – 1583
…………………… 7 Anne Dickens 1570 – 1637 of Great Creaton, Northamptonshire, England
……………………… +John Twigden 1570 – 1610
…………………… 8 Amphyllis Twigden 1602 – 1655 Spratton, Northamptonshire, England
……………………… +Lawrence Washington 1602 – 1653 Sulgrave Manor, Northhamptonshire, England
…………………… 9 John Washington 1634 – 1677 Prob Purleigh, Essex Co, England
……………………… +Anne Pope 1634 – 1668
………………….. 10 Lawrence Washington 1659 – 1698 Westmoreland Co, Virginia
…………………….. +Mildred Warner 1671 – 1701 Prob Warner Hall, Gloucester Co, Virginia
………………….. 11 Augustine Washington 1694 – 1743 Wakefield, Westmoreland Co, Virginia
……………………… +Mary Ball 1708 – 1789 Lancaster Co, Virginia
………………….. 12 George Washington 1732 – 1799 Pope’s Creek, Westmoreland Co, Virginia

And here is the Spencer line to Ivy Dutton. So at step 5 above is where the tree branches off in a different direction.

1. Henry Spencer
2. Thomas Spencer
3. William Spencer
4. Julian Spencer
5. Marjory Wylmer (sister of Anne Wilmer in step 5 above, daugher of Julian Spencer at step 4)
6. Katherine Underhill
7. John Garner
8. Thomas Garner
9. John Gardner
10. Thomas Gardner
11. Parish Gardner
12. William Gardner
13. Mary Gardner (married James Downing)
14. Samuel Downing
15. James Downing
16. Jasper Downing or Manora “Nora” C Downing/Hendry (brother & Sister, not sure which is the parent)
17. Landus Earl Downing
18. Shirley June Downing (Dutton)
19. Joseph Dutton
20. Ivy Dutton Superstar

……………………………………………..

Here’s some cool links to the Spencer dynasty:
The Royal Families of England – Spencers
The Spencer Family
Genealogy of Spencers
Detailed article on Spencers
………………………………………………