Barbara Bush and Our Ancestry Connection to the Bush Dynasty

Barbara Bush died today. 🙁

What an awesome women she was! Even though she was born in NYC, she seems have fully become a strong, tough Texas woman. She got married to George while still a teen (17 or 18, I think) and raised 6 kids together, with a husband and two of her sons becoming Presidents of the USA and Governors of Texas and Florida.

As the media reported on her death at her home on the west side of Houston, I was reminded that not only does she live near us here in Houston, but we’re also cousins to some (far) degree, but didn’t remember exactly how. It propelled me to dust off the ancestry.com membership and explore the family tree once again.

Long story short, here the lineage from George W Bush via his MOTHER Barbara Pierce-Bush to Edumnd Dutton, our shared Great Grandfather on my MOTHER’S side of the family.

Edmund had two sons – Peter and Hugh. Hugh is my great grandfather, while Peter is the Bush’s great grandfather . The genealogy gets confusing right here become BOTH Hugh and Peter had sons named John. Whaaaat? Why did they do that? I don’t know. But John #1 is my great grandfather, while John #2 is George Bush’s great grandfather. Here is the straight line from GWBush to John Dutton #2, and here’s the straight line from us (Ivy and myself) to Edmund Dutton, our main intersection with the Bush family.

Mother’s Side:

• Edmund Dutton
• Hugh Dutton (brother Peter Dutton)
• John Dutton (not the same John Dutton as Barbara Bush’s great grandfather, which is Peter Dutton’s son with the same name John Dutton)
• Peter Dutton
• Peter Dutton
• Eleanor Dutton-Brereton (mother of William Brereton executed with Anne Boleyn)
• Elizabeth Brereton
• Margaret Mainwaring
• Sir George Mainwaring (member of Parliment)
• Margaret Mainwaring
• John Baker
• Robert Baker
• Joseph Baker
• Joseph Baker
• Hannah Baker
• Margaret Talbot
• Thomas Grisell
• Euphemia Grisell Townsend
• Elizabeth Watson
• Captain George Walker (fought in the rebellion against the British)
• Jesse Walker
• Jesse John Walker
• Melissa Walker
• Polk Walker
• Virgil Walker
• Mabel Walker-Downing
• Shirley June Downing (mom)
• Joseph Dutton
• Ivy Dutton

Along the way, I discovered a couple of notable people in my family tree including Captain George Walker who fought in the revolutionary war against the British (here is his will and some more info), and Sir George Mainwaring who was a knight and a member of Parliment of England.
Also, in the family tree is Eleanor Dutton-Brereton who is mother of Elizabeth (my 19th Great Grandmother) and William Brereton who lost his head! He was one of the guys accused of having an affair with Anne Boleyn and executed.

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Interestingly enough, it turns out we’re related to George H. Bush as well.

Here is George W Bush’s straight-line lineage via his FATHER George H. Bush all the way back to his 17th Great Grandfather Henry Spencer.

And here is my line to Henry Spencer:

1. Henry Spencer
2. Thomas Spencer – brother John, —> Bush lineage goes here.
3. William Spencer
4. Julian Spencer
5. Marjory Wylmer
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

Henry Spencer is my 16th great grandfather. He had several children including John and Thomas. Thomas is my 15th great grandfather, whereas John is where George Bush 1 & 2 come from. I’ve published this straight-line lineage in a previous blog here.

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And back in the present day and time, I just made this little map showing where we live in relation to George and Barbara Bush in Houston. They live about 5 miles from our house, and just right down the street from where Holly works (she could probably see their house from one of the upper floors in her building). I drive through there frequently as I go to the YMCA, so it is a familiar territory for me, although it is a very wealthy neighborhood and some of it is gated. Coincidentally, this is the same neighborhood that Lady Gaga rented a house for $10,000 as she stayed and performed during SuperBowl 2017. I wonder if she waved hello to her neighbors George and Barbara?