Pages

Monday, January 17, 2011

Sir Francis Drake's 1st Cousin, 14 times removed?

In doing some amateur research on Ancestry.com, I have come across the proof that backs up my mother's claim that we're related to Sir Francis Drake.  Of course, this is still not a definite thing and I am sure a lot of people can trace their roots back to Sir Francis Drake.  But it is still very cool.  According to Wikipedia, through his cousins, Sir Francis Drake can trace his lineage back to other famous people, like Geoffrey Chaucer - sometimes called "the Father of English Literature."  Which makes my little literary heart skip a beat, though it doesn't specify which cousin.  I'm betting it's through his mother's family and not the Drake side, or it's a cousin's mother and is no direct relation to me at all.  sad.

My somewhat direct connection to Sir Francis Drake, John Drake(1474-1554?) & Margaret Cole(1476-1554?).  They had several children, but right now we are only concerned with two sons; Edmund Drake and John Drake(1500?) were brothers, apparently.  Edmund is the father of Sir Francis and John is the father of my direct line.  Which, according to Ancestry.com, makes Sir Francis Drake my 1st cousin, 14 times removed.

Though this will require more research before it can be fully confirmed in my mind.  I mean how many John Drakes do you think were hanging around England at this time?  Too many, I tell you.  I think the elder John Drake had a brother who named one of his kids, John.  So that might be my relative and not the brother of Sir Francis' father.  For now, though, I will enjoy this little moment and tell my mother that she was right after all.  Now if only I could figure out the Grimm side of her family I'd be able to find out whether or not Grandma is telling the truth about our Native American Roots.

No comments:

Post a Comment