Did You Know #30

You never know what you will find out when you start digging into genealogy records. Every family will a few "skeletons in the closet," so what can you do? You can't change the past, so you just have to take "the good, bad, and ugly" and accept it. That being said, here's a family connection that is guaranteed to "make your day."

Clinton Eastwood, Jr. was born on May 31, 1930 in San Francisco, CA to Clinton Eastwood, Sr. and Margaret Ruth Runner. Clint worked as a lifeguard after graduating from High School and prior to serving in the military during the Korean conflict, where he served as a boot camp swimming instructor, a position he shagged when his plane crashed into the Pacific. Eastwood swam three miles to reach the shore. He moved to Los Angeles after his military service where he got a job digging swimming pools. Two of his army friends, David Janssen and Martin Milner, encouraged Clint to get into acting, and he started taking small acting jobs. He landed a conract with Universal Studios in 1954, but then was cut because they thought his adam's apple was too big (also fired by the same director, on the same day, was a little known stunt man named Burt Reynolds).


One day Eastwood was visiting a friend on the CBS lot when a movie executive spotted him and thought, "He looks like a cowboy!" He was asked to try out for the role of Rowdy Yates on the popular TV show "Rawhide," and the rest is history. He really hit the big time in movies with A Fistful of Dollars (1964); For a Few Dollars More (1965); and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). The 1970's brought Eastwood into another movie franchise with Dirty Harry (1971) and its popular sequels. Everybody has they favorite Eastwood movies. My personal favorites are The First Traveling Saleslady (1956, co-starred with James Arness), Hang 'Em High (1968), Coogan's Bluff (1968), Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970), Space Cowboys (2000), and Million Dollar Baby (2004). And who couldn't love Every Which Way But Loose (1978) with Clyde the orangutan?

Clint Eastwood is one of the greatest actors of all time, a wonderful director, and has served as mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA. His awards and honors are far more than can be detailed here.

So what is the family connection? Well, it depends. There are well over 60 different ways the relationship could be established reaching as high as 24th cousins. But the closest relationships are traced through the Hull family (Clint Eastwood's 6th great-grandmother was Sarah Hull). Sarah was the third cousin of our 7th great-grandfather Nathanial Hull.

Eastwood's great-great grandparents were Edward F. and Cordelia Kellogg Bartholomew. If you trace the connection through Cordelia Kellogg then Clint Eastwood and Dad are 11th cousins.

Thomas Hull & Joan Peson
Richard Hull b.1599 Dr. John Hull b.1640 Dr. Benjamin Hull b.1667 Sarah Hull b.1710 Samuel Hall IV b.1747 Hezekiah Hall Jane Hall Cordelia Kellogg b.1828 Sophia Amelia Bartholomew b.1859 Waldo Erroll Runner b.1882 Margaret Ruth Runner b.1909 Clinton Eastwood Jr. b.1930	George Hull b.1590 Lt. Cornelius Hull b.1628 Cornelius Hull b.1655 Nathaniel Hull b.1694 Nathaniel Hull b.1726 Ezekiel Hull b.1765 Platt Hull b.1787 Ezekiel Hull b.1813 Rebecca L. Hull b.1841 Frank Martin Bragg b.1867 Orval Bishop Bragg b.1895 Don Cicero Bragg b.1920

But, if you trace the connection through Cordelia's husband, Edward F. Bartholomew, then Clint Eastwood and Dad are 10th cousins, 1 time removed. The reason is because the married couple, Cordelia Kellogg and Edward F. Bartholomew, Clint Eastwood's great-grandparents, were both grandchildren of Sarah Hull (Edward F. Bartholomew was her great-grandchild while Cordelia Kellogg was her great-great grandparents).

Thomas Hull & Joan Peson
Richard Hull b.1599 Dr. John Hull b.1640 Dr. Benjamin Hull b.1667 Sarah Hull b.1710 Samuel Hall IV b.1747 Elizabeth Hall b.1790 Edward F. Bartholomew b.1828 Sophia Amelia Bartholomew b.1859 Waldo Erroll Runner b.1882 Margaret Ruth Runner b.1909 Clinton Eastwood Jr. b.1930	George Hull b.1590 Lt. Cornelius Hull b.1628 Cornelius Hull b.1655 Nathaniel Hull b.1694 Nathaniel Hull b.1726 Ezekiel Hull b.1765 Platt Hull b.1787 Ezekiel Hull b.1813 Rebecca L. Hull b.1841 Frank Martin Bragg b.1867 Orval Bishop Bragg b.1895 Don Cicero Bragg b.1920

Source:

Clint Eastwood, The Internet Movie Database
[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000142/]

Did You Know #29

The eighth day of August is a special day in our national, and even our world's history. Consider just a few of the reasons why this is true ...

• In 1709 Bartolomeu de Gusmão demonstrated before the King of Portugal the power of hot air to lift.
• In 1863, just after the Union victory at Gettysburg, Gen. Robert E. Lee submitted his resignation to Confederate President Jefferson Davis (his resignation was not accepted).
• In 1911 Francis Holdton submitted would be the nation's 1,000,000th patent (it was for tubeless tires).
• In 1945 the Soviet Union declared war on Japan.
• Also in 1945, the United States joined the United Nations.
• In 1974 President Richard Nixon announced that he would resign the presidency at noon the following day.
• And in 2000 a submarine, the H. L. Hunley was raised from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Charleston, SC. The last time the Hunley had been seen was as it quietly pulled away from the shore on the evening that it successfully sank the Housatonic on February 17, 1864. The eight man crew's remains were recovered from the Hunley which had been their crypt for over 137 years.

August the eight has also seen the birth of some people who would eventually make their mark, especially on the entertainment industry ...

• In 1921 television producer William Asher was born. He would some of TV's most iconic shows such as I Love Lucy, Make Room For Daddy, and of course, Bewitched, in which his own wife, Elizabeth Montgomery starred.

• Also born in 1921 was the high diving actress Esther Williams.

• In 1922 western actor Rory Calhoun was born.

• In 1926 Richard Anderson was born. He played Steve Austin's boss Oscar Goldman, in The Six Million Dollar Man.

• 1932 witnessed the birth of M..M..Mel Tililis, country music superstar.

• Dustin Hoffman was born in 1937.

• Connie Stevens was born in 1938.

• CHiPs co-star Larry Wilcox was born in 1947.

• Keith Carridine, who shared hosting duties of Wild West Tech with his brother David, was born on this day in 1949.

• And Happy Days co-star Don Most (Ralph Malph) was born on August 8, 1953.

Two countries celebrate August the eighth as national holidays ...

• In Tanzania it is Farmer's Day.
• Taiwan celebrates Father's Day on August 8.

Although it is not recognized as such in the United States, for our family, August the eighth is father's day as well.

Don Cicero Bragg was born in Bruce, IL on August 8, 1920. Named in honor of his maternal grandfather, Cicero Gilbreath, he was the second child of Orval Bishop and Gladys Gilbreath Bragg. He, like so many of his ancestors before him, grew up a farmer. But there is so much more of him.

He is a hero, a patriot, serving our country in its time of greatest need in the 20th century in the Philippines and later in Japan, during World War II. Following his military service he returned to the states and began his family. Over the years he was a selfless provider for those he loved. He never sought special recognition, and, sadly, so few times was extended it.

Over the years he worked the good earth, was employed as a mechanic, sometimes a truck driver. Yet, he would take time to fish and play ball with us. My earliest memories of church are of joining he and Bonnie on warm Sunday mornings outside the Bruce Church, the family station wagon's rear facing the open door of the meeting house, and Bonnie on blankets in the back singing along with the hymns.

As I've grown older I've come to recognize Dad as a man of great courage. I was probably around eleven years old on my very first foray out of the Land of Lincoln. While it took somewhat of a caravan to carry it off, he led us across the Indiana border to Turkey Run. It was a wonderful trip.

Times have changed so much with the passing of time. Today, while our children live so far away from us, with modern technology we are still able to keep in touch quite easily. But it can still not compare with the "good old days" where family lived nearby and we could witness first-hand his care for his own parents.

When it came to the modern conveniences we have grown use to today, we knew nothing of in our day to day lives. No indoor bathroom facilities, air conditioning, or cable TV, and, and yes, even in those primitive conditions we had joy and love as we grew up. Dad's laughter filled our home.

Dad is a great example of what it means to love. Married 64 years, 13 children, life has brought many ups and downs. It is especially in the "down" times that his love always rose to the occasion. He and Mom led in offering the daily support Bonnie needed. While doctors gave her only five years to live, Mom and Dad gave her a real, meaningful life that brought immeasurable joy to our family. At the passing of both Bob and Bonnie, Mom and Dad provided strength to us all.

Since this blog was established I have presented some interesting family connections of people who obviously had no real knowledge of our family's existence. As much as I enjoyed watching Larry Bird play with the Boston Celtics, Henry Fonda's performance in The Ox-Bow Incident, or even watching James Arness' portrayal of Marshal Matt Dillon (and even have a personally autographed picture of him), I'm under no delusion that he knows us. To us, the biggest star of them all was born on August 8, 1920, and he is our Dad.

Happy 90th Birthday Dad!!

On Sunday, August 8, 2010 Dad will turn 90 years old.

Dad, thank you for all that you have done and continue to do. We love you more than words can express. I hope this video will say what is in our hearts.

Did You Know #28

NOTE: I wanted to comment on the previous Did You Know entry, number 27. Upon further reflection I was somewhat struck by the fact that I was really excited about the link to James Arness and Peter Graves, it never really hit me to think it of interest to see a clear link with English royalty. Sometimes, even if by accident, we do have a way of getting our priorities right. Curiosity got the best of me about who these people were that I'd passed over without giving them a thought.

John of Gaunt¹ (20th great grandfather) was born in AD 1340 to King Edward III of England and Queen Philippa in Ghent, Belgium (hence his moniker, "Gaunt"). In 1342 he became Earl of Richmond, a knight in 1355, and first married to his cousin Blanche (the daughter of Duke of Lancaster) in 1359 leading to his becoming.the Earl of Lancaster in 1361, and Duke of Lancaster in 1362. He, along with his brother Edward the Black Prince, waged war with France leading the English forces in 1370. While engaged in this war his wife, Blanche, died and John remarried the daughter of Pedro the Cruel, Constance. This marriage empowered John to seize the title of king of Castile and Leon. Now that he had the title, he just needed a kingdom. After 16 years of fruitless pursuit he returned to England where the demands of the national government awaited.

Turmoil enveloped John as he did battle with Parliament, defended the religious leader John Wycliffe, saw his nephew crowned King Richard II, and while guarding the border of Scotland his palace was burned in the peasant's revolt in June 1381. With his attention directed to Scotland, and then France, John was building a tradition of military failure. In the arts he showed great taste, becoming the patron of Geoffrey Chaucer, whose work Boke of the Duchesse was a lament for John's first wife, Blanche.

John married a third time (following the death of Constance in 1394, taking Catherine Swynford² (20th great grandmother) as his bride. She was the daughter of Sir Payne de Roet. With a reputation of great beauty, Catherine had been raised in a convent after the death of her parents early in her life. When she was 16 she was called back to the royal court where she became the wife of Sir Hugh Swynford.

Catherine is the ancestor of at least 5 Ameican presidents, Queen Elizabeth II, and Princess Dianna. It was following his death that she married John of Gaunt. Prior to their marriage the couple had already become the parents. Their extra-marital children bore the name Beaufort, who following John and Catherine's marriage were given a legitimate status. John died on February 3, 1399. His remains rest in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, England. His wife, Catherine (or Katherine de Roet) outlived John by only four years.

King Edward III (also known as Edward Plantagenet), the father of John of Gaunt, is our 21st great grandfather. He was born in 1312 at Windsor, Berkshire, England to King Edward II and Isabella of France. King Edward III reigned as King of England for fifty years (1327-77). He was made Earl of Chester in 1320, and Duke of Aquitaine in 1325. Edward spent much of the late 1320's in France with his uncle Charles IV.

Edward was crowned King in 1327, although his mother, and her lover Roger Mortimer actually reigned in his name. He was married to Philippa, the daughter of the Count of Hainaut, the next year. In 1330 he set into motion a plan that resulted in the arrest and execution of Mortimer, and taking his rightful place as monarch of England. Following the death of Scotland's Robert the Bruce, Edward took advantage of the new king's youthfulness and invaded Scotland in 1332. He fought with France in what has come to be known as the Hundred Years' War. Another blow to England during his reign was the plague, or Black Death.

While over his long reign Edward's "main ambition was military glory, he was not a bad ruler of England. He was liberal, kindly, good-tempered and easy of access."³ King Edward III died of a stroke on June 21, 1377 in Surrey, England. His body was interred in London's Westminster Abbey.

Sources:

¹ John of Gaunt [http://www.nndb.com/people/826/000094544/]

² Isabella [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_of_France]

³ King Edward [http://www.nndb.com/people/315/000093036/]