I got an email from FamilySearch letting me know that I am related to someone famous. This is the first time I’ve discovered a relationship to a celebrity. Maybe Henry Louis Gates, Jr’s team could find others. But FS found that I am related to Wilbur Wright. Why not Orville? I wondered . . . .
We are many generations removed, but it is interesting that FS took my line back further than I had.
Wilbur is found by traveling back through my maternal grandfather’s family. Grandpa is Adrian Zuidweg, at the bottom of the following image. Wilbur is contemporary with Grandpa’s mother, Jacoba Wilhelmina DeKorn Zuidweg, or Cora, as she was called.
See on Wilbur’s side, the right side of the image above, that Wright and Reeder have lost their Dutch names, but this is a Dutch line, and above Reeder is the name Van Cleve. Wilbur’s Dutch relatives came to the United States way before mine. In fact you have to go back to Grietje Cornelis van Ness, born about 1626 in the Netherlands in Wilbur’s family. I am guessing that his family were some of the first Dutch settlers in America, settling in the New York and New Jersey area. Whereas mine came in the 1800s and early 1900s and went straight to Michigan.
The point at which Wilbur’s and my relatives shared the same father is back even further. See the next image.
Hendrick Gerritsen van Nes (born 1580) and Margrieta Claase Kemp (born 1574) had children that spawned the lines of my family and of Wilbur’s. I think they are my tenth greats, but don’t quote me on that. Interestingly, Hendrick was born in Noordeloos in South Holland and died in New Amsterdam in America. But Margrieta sadly passed away in the Netherlands and never made the trip to the New World.
At least now I can say I am related to someone famous. And who knew Wilbur Wright was part Dutch?
The Family Kalamazoo 
What fun!
Isn’t it?!
Whew! Did you ever figure out how you can be related to Wilbur but not his brother?
I am thinking that because this is sort of a gimmick, but one that is useful for this long line it opened up, that they just choose some famous people and look for matches. So maybe they just used Wilbur and not Orville.
Okay, I could see that as the explanation. Ancestor bait!
LOL!!!!!
😁
Wonderful new information for your tree. Thanks for posting.
Thank You for posting about your new find. This will probably open up many more branches for your family tree.
Nice to hear from you, Jose! I haven’t been over here for a long time! Yes, I think it really does help. And so cool to have another branch that goes back into the 1500s!
Wow Luanne, that was a wild read to follow but I love that they discovered someone famous in your tree. How fun!
Do you have famous people in your tree? It’s been so long since I’ve been reading genealogy!
I’ll bet that was fun for you to learn about and trace back!
I’m going to check out the line after I already have it documented, but they may have resources I don’t have. so I’ll try to figure it out.
How cool is that! Maybe Orville was adopted and his blood line is from a different family! 😂Not really, I’m just kidding. I think it’s what you said about them just picking a person and looking for matches. But how fun that you now know more about your family tree! 😀
LOL I doubt it! Yes, I think Orville just isn’t one that they chose. I never would have guessed we had a connection. And years ago when I read Edith Wharton’s books and the mention of the old Dutch money hahah it sure didn’t feel like a connection to my family!
Hi, to be honest, I would not be to convinced because there is ample information left from that time in Nl. And I have seen mistakes in all the years that I am busy. So my question is, did they send you original copies from e.g birth, or land transactions?
Yes, I understand. this was kind of just for fun. But what they have as far as I know it (so far) is correct.
Hi cuz. This is very cool. Does this now mean you can get a friends and family discount
Jeane! How are you?! Email me sometime!!!! haha, you are funny!
You’re right (or Wright) – this was fun! You are officially Super Cool, Luanne!! I loved it…I would have definitely picked someone other than a Wright brother but it’s a great surprise!!
I know. You were probably thinking of Bonnie or Clyde ;). It is funny since I have a fear of heights.
Well, at least you got to add some new ancestors! IF you think it’s accurate—do you? And I assume FS is FamilySearch??
What they have that I already have is correct. I’ll try to nose around to see if I can find out if the rest is correct.
I got an email to say that I am related to Elvis Presley, apparently he is my 13th cousin once removed! This is yet to be proven, but I’m interested to find out.
I’m happy to finally find you again. Don’t ask me how we became disconnected! 😏 Thanks to Joy’s post this morning, I found you!
Happy you are over here! I haven’t been posting much because of health issues. I hope to get on some kind of schedule before TOO much longer.
Sorry to hear about that, but glad you are now on the mend!