Cousin Daniel Webster

Daniel WEBSTER was a prolific statesman from New Hampshire, born 18 Jan 1782 to Ebenezer and Abigail (EASTMAN) WEBSTER. I had known that he was some kind of distant relative, but didn't realize how many lines we're connected on.

Specifically, we're cousins through each of his four grandparents:

1. Through his paternal grandfather Ebenezer WEBSTER, we're both descended from Thomas WEBSTER and Sarah BREWER. They were my 8th great-grandparents and Daniel's 2nd great-grandparents, making Daniel my 3rd cousin six times removed on this line.

Through Ebenezer, we're also both descended from Joel JUDKINS and Mary BEAN-- 8th great-grandparents to me and 2nd great-grandparents to Daniel-- and making us again 3rd cousins six times removed.

2. Daniel's paternal grandmother Susannah BACHELDER was a great-great-granddaughter of prominent English immigrant Stephen BACHELDER and his wife ANNE BATES... who were Daniel's 3th great-grandparents and my 10th great-grandparents. By this line Daniel is my 4th cousin seven times removed.

Susannah BACHELDER's great-grandparents through her mother Susannah PAGE were Robert PAGE and Lucy WARD-- 3rd great grandparents to Daniel and 9th great-grandparents to me. Here, I am Daniel's 4th cousin six times removed.

3. Roger EASTMAN, Daniel's maternal grandfather, was the great-grandson of Roger EASTMAN and Sarah SMITH; Daniel's 3rd great-grandparents and my 9th great-grandparents; again, we are 4th cousins six times removed.

Huldah KINGSBURY was the mother of Daniel's grandfather Roger EASTMAN the younger. Her grandparents were Henry KINGSBURY and Susannah GAGE-- making Henry and Susannah (GAGE) KINGSBURY Daniel's 3rd great-grandparents and my 10th; Daniel was my 4th cousin seven times removed on this line.

4. Daniel WEBSTER'S maternal grandmother Jerusha FITTS was a granddaughter of Abraham FITTS and Rebecca DAVIS, who were my 8th grandparents and Daniel's 2nd great-grandparents. This makes us 3rd cousins six times removed yet again.

Isn't genealogy fun?

Of course it was also discovered awhile back, quite by chance, that I'm also a distant cousin on several lines to a far less noble New Hampshire native-- murderer Joel CLOUGH.