An Updated Look at We're Related - Finding Our Ancestors

I have spent the last few evenings creating a spreadsheet with all the cousin connections I have to look into from the Ancestry App, We’re Related. Any serious researcher will tell you that these should not be taken seriously. Research must be completed to verify your lineage.

I have read a few blog posts over the past few evenings as well by Cousin Russ. I really appreciate how he laid out all of his information from the app to take the time to use the information as new clues in his family research. If you have time, I highly recommend you taking some time to read his blog posts on the this subject.

Once I created my spreadsheet (I started my own and quickly updated it to almost mirror Russ’ spreadsheet), it made it easier to look at the information that sits in front of my on the app.

I have 103 “cousins” to look into. Those 103 possible cousins come through only two of my family lines. Those being my grandfathers, William H. Richmond, Jr. and Ambrose Lawrence O’Connell. 30 of the connections run through the French – Canadian line of Ambrose and the balance (73) run through Williams early Virginia settlers.

I also thought it was pretty interesting to see how the “cousin connections” divide up by specific groupings.

15 Actors
13 Authors
2 Criminals
8 Entertainers
17 Facebook Friends
1 First Lady
2 Historical Figures
1 Journalist
15 Musicians
8 Politicians
10 Presidents / Vice Presidents
1 Religious Figure
1 Scientist / Inventor
6 Sports Figures

Today I looked at which common ancestor had the most cousin connections and that is John Walker (1705-1778). John is an ancestor that I connect to through William. I did not have to do much research to prove his connection. I had spent a lot of time of the Richmond family connections in the past.

Because I am only looking at my lines at the moment, assuming that the “cousin connections” lines are correct, I would definitely be cousins with the following people: