Fun family fact: this guy was my wife’s cousin. Her family lived nearby on Long Island, and her mom and grandmother always were strict with the family about not having anything to do with them. Even going by the house was “forbidden” (as much as anything can be in an old Italian family). Of course that’s the first thing I did when we started dating, lol. (Respectfully of course, I just drove down the street to say that I had. There was no gawking.)
One of my ancestors was either African or Native American and decided to move to NZ via Australia (allegedly smuggling himself out of the USA on a sheep boat) in the early-mid 19th century. He ended up making a bit of money after catching a bushranger in Aus, before moving to Invercargill a few years after it was founded where he opened a pub and had a bunch of kids, including one daughter that I’m descended from.
One of his sons is known as the “kiwi Rambo” because during WWI he’d frequently get drunk and disorderly, end up in jail, then would do some heroic shit to get out before getting drunk and repeating the whole cycle. He was nominated for several VCs but didn’t get any because he was a brown dude who liked alcohol and did not respect authority. Robin Hyde, an important saffa/kiwi novelist/journalist/poet ended up writing multiple books inspired by his life, including Passport to Hell which is still occasionally studied in uni-level history classes round here.
My great, great uncle was Levi Coffin. He was a conductor on the Underground Railroad. His home is now a museum and is known as “the Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad. Dude risked everything he had to assist those most in need. edit: grammar
Whoa! Now that is impressive.
There’s family lore that some of our distant relatives in Denmark smuggled weapons to the partisans during WWII, but there’s no details. Who knows if it’s true?
As an amateur historian, I quite like stories of resistance to the Nazis. Perhaps if we take their antifascist torch and run with it, it will become true enough.
That’s cool as hell, man. What an awesome family legacy to have.
Thank you and agreed. I ask myself what actions he would take facing the injustices we see today.
My great (some more greats) uncle is Alferd Packer, known also as “The Colorado Cannibal”. There’s a musical about him and the University of Colorado Boulder has a memorial grill named after him.
You mean Cannibal! The Musical, the Trey Parker / Matt Stone classic?
That’s the one! I’ve yet to actually see it, but have plans to watch it with some friends in the next month or so. Quite excited, it’s long overdue.
My great, great uncle was Gene Krupa, a popular/influential swing drummer in the 1920s through 1940s. By contrast, i have absolutely zero musical talent.
My third cousin, once removed (that is, my father’s third cousin) is Mike Shanahan, the former head coach for the Denver Broncos
Not a family relation, but someone famous I know… I taught a Roller Derby clinic alongside Erin Jackson, who won the Gold Metal at the most recent Olympics in speed skating
Honestly, I put little stock into these relationships. They’re little more than personal trivia at this point
My ex-wife was in Attack of the Killer Refrigerator.
