ANCESTRY.COM Reveals Mitt Romney’s Presidential Genes: 2012 GOP Hopeful Is Related to Six Presidents

ancestry.com ^ | December 20, 2011 | ancestry.com

[Brown Deer]

Leading Family History Site also Links GOP Candidates Huntsman and Perry to Former Presidents and American Legends

PROVO, UTAH (December 20, 2011) - As Americans prepare to cast their votes in the 2012 Republican Presidential primaries and caucuses starting January 3 in Iowa, Ancestry.com today announced that several key Republican presidential contenders have historic political leaders in their genes – suggesting that the upcoming primaries are really one grand ol’ family party.

The world’s largest online family history resource has discovered that Mitt Romney leads the pack in presidential lineage with six former Commanders–in-Chief in his family history.  The former Massachusetts governor's family tree includes relations to Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Coolidge, Pierce, Hoover and both President George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

• Romney is connected to Presidents George W. Bush (10^th cousins, twice removed), George H. W. Bush (10^th cousins, once removed) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (8^th cousins, twice removed) through Ann Marbury Hutchinson, a key figure in the development of religious freedom in America and early settler of Rhode Island and New York.
• Romney is related to Presidents Calvin Coolidge (10^th cousins), Herbert Hoover (10^th cousins) and Franklin Pierce (6^th cousins, 4 times removed) through Thomas Richardson, an English landowner in the late 1500s from Hertfordshire.

Not far behind in presidential pedigree is former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, whose family tree boasts four former heads of state: Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Coolidge and both Presidents Bush.  

• Huntsman is related to Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt (8^th cousins, 3 times removed), George H.W. Bush (11^th cousins) and George W. Bush (11^th cousins, once removed) through Ann Marbury Hutchinson. 
• Huntsman and President Calvin Coolidge are 7^th cousins, 3 times removed, through William Goddard, who brought his family toMassachusetts colony in 1665, escaping London’s plague and searching for better opportunities. Goddard appears to have had a slight political slant himself – serving in the town government of Watertown, Mass.

The buck stops with Texas Governor Rick Perry, who can claim President Harry Truman and legendary Texas Governor Sam Houston in his tree.

• Fifth cousins, 4 times removed, Perry and Truman are related through Thomas Shipp, who was born in Virginia in the early 1700s, the son and grandson of early Virginia settlers.
• Governor Perry's home state pride is in his blood as Ancestry.com discovered he is first cousins, six times removed, from Sam Houston, former President of the Republic of Texas, Texas Governor and State Senator. Perry and Houston are connected through John Paxton, a Revolutionary War patriot. Although Houston resigned as Governor rather than swear allegiance to the Confederacy, Governor Perry has many other ancestors who fought on the side of the Confederacy during the Civil War.

“We find in these politicians’ family trees links to the foundations of the country – early settlers seeking freedom and opportunities, Revolutionary War patriots, and even American legends,” said Anastasia Harman, Lead Family Historian for Ancestry.com. “Time and again American politicians have family ties to our country’s founders and past leaders. It seems the traits that forged past leaders have been handed down through generations to our current and hopeful leaders.”  

[Hieronymus]

Maybe I should run for President.
When the blood-letting is finished you may be all we have left. Can you tell us your positions on the major issues?

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WFU—I would be interested as well. Last time I wrote in William Howard Taft and Palin (voting in Ohio, so it seemed fitting), but if Romney is the nominee, I would be happy to consider you. If worse comes to worse, there is always Bill the Cat.

[vae_victus]

Now the question is, “Was Mitt baptized for all of these ancestors?”
Oh that, and “Are Mitt’s magic underwear ‘boxers or briefs’?”

[varina davis]

Mitt’s grandfather fled to Mexico with his 4 wives (he married a 5th there) when polygamy was ruled out by the LDS in Utah so the territory could qualify as a state.

[mimaw]

I never heard Newt was adopted.

[Brown Deer]

Who was Mitt Ronmey's biological father ? I am NOT asking who was Mitt Romney's father by adoption. Again I am asking who was Mitt Romney's biological father and was his biological father a US Citizen at the time that Mitt Romney was born ?

He was adopted?

[af_vet_rr]

Let’s face it, Mormons are good at genealogy.

They do genealogy for all of the wrong reasons - to baptize your ancestors, my ancestors, even the ancestors of Jewish folks, into the LDS.

[wfu_deacons]

“When the blood-letting is finished you may be all we have left. Can you tell us your positions on the major issues?”

I’m kind of a Ron Paul guy without the nutty foreign policy.

[Mercat]

My 8th greatgrandfather is also a direct ancestor of Teddy Roosevelt, my husband’s 7th great grandfather is the grandfather of Mary Todd Lincoln, my something something great grandfather is the grandfather of George Washington’s sister in law, and I think I’m also related to James Madison. Sad that I know all this. I need to get a live.

[muawiyah]

John Adams is the winner for descendants. Even Bill Clinton was an Adams descendant, and I'd guess 10% to 15% of Freepers are also Adams descendants.

Notice these guys are using collateral relatives ~ cousins!

Heaven Forfend!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Brown Deer. Quibble:

Although Houston resigned as Governor rather than swear allegiance to the Confederacy...

Houston refused to go along with secession, and was removed from office by his fellow Democrats.

[muawiyah]

Here’s a logic question for you ~ would it be antisemitic to restrict abortion to Jewish women?

[bigheadfred]

Apropos of nothing. I am unrelated to ANY f***ing POTUS.

I couldn’t be happier.

[muawiyah]

Peronie's will keep you out.

I went to Basic Infantry Training with a company consisting of about 50/50 Brooklyn National Guard and Utah National Guard.

Mafioso and Mormons.

Never met another Mafia chil' nor a Mormon chil' during the rest of my tour of duty.

Now that didn't mean they weren't there, but the Mafia kids in my company had relatives in prison and the Mormon kids were kinda' special as well ~ I think the Church Authorities look after some people closer than others.

About the Peronies you need to ask one of them.

[SunkenCiv]

New England Historic Genealogical Society
www.americanancestors.org/

[SunkenCiv]

New England Historic Genealogical Society
http://www.americanancestors.org/

[Gabz]

Big whoop.

[SunkenCiv]

No one will ever be descended from Bill Clinton. ;’)

[Scoutmaster]

Mitt’s grandfather fled to Mexico with his 4 wives (he married a 5th there) when polygamy was ruled out by the LDS in Utah so the territory could qualify as a state.

Not quite correct. Mitt's great-great grandfather, Miles Park Romney, moved to the polygamous LDS colonies in Mexico in 1884, before the 1890 Manifesto (which wasn't enforced by the LDS church; hence the 1904 Manifesto and the Reed Smoot hearings), but after polygamy was illegal.

Miles Park Romney was a polygamist. So was another of Mitt's great-great grandfathers, Helaman Pratt (he's from the line related the the "celestial veggie" guy, above).

Gaskil Romney, Mitt's grandfather, fled Mexico during the Mexican Revolution in 1912 (Pancho Villa wasn't a nice guy) and returned to the U.S., but Gaskil wasn't a polygamist.

[Scoutmaster]

No one will ever be descended from Bill Clinton

That's the thing about the mumps.

[ansel12]

Ask who about what?