1735-1826
Second President 1797-1801

John Adams is my
2nd cousin
10 times removed

John Adams & John Quincy Adams, US Presidents
Great-grandson and Great-great-grandson of patriarch Henry Adams, of Braintree, MA, John Adams and John Quincy Adams each served terms as US Presidents.

John Adams was the colonial lawyer who successfully defended the British soldiers who fired on an angry mob during the famous "Boston Massacre". He was soon persuaded to full support of American Independence and is considered one of America's Founding Fathers. Although Adams was perceived as egotistical and unpleasant, he nonetheless showed a soft side in his journals and writings to his wife, Abigail. He served two terms as Vice President under George Washington, and later went on to follow George Washington as the second President of the United States. Learn more about John Adams and John Quincy Adams.

"By my constitution, I am but an ordinary man. The times alone have destined me to fame-and even these have not been able to give me much."
--John Adams, Autobiography

1722-1803

Samuel Adams is my
2nd cousin
10 times removed

Samuel Adams, American Patriot
From the same Adams line as John and John Quincy, Samuel Adams early eschewed careers in religion and law, and settled, with his Harvard education, on becoming a businessman. He promptly lost the money his father had given him to set himself up, and was reduced to working in his father's brewery.

But what Samuel lacked in business sense, he made up for with his ability to inspire patriotism in men's hearts. Known as "The Father of the Revolution", he was selected as a representative from the Massachusetts Legislature to both the First and Second Continental Congresses. He was instrumental in the decision of the colonies to declare independence and he remained involved after the revolution by serving as Governor of massachusetts from 1793-1797. Learn more about Samuel Adams.

1767-1845
Seventh President 1829-1837

Andrew Jackson is my
1st cousin
7 times removed

Andrew Jackson, US President
Born to Irish immigrant parents into the poverty of backwoods South Carolina, Andrew Jackson grew up accustomed to hard living. Despite his lack of early education and perhaps because of his volatile temper, he managed to become a succesful lawyer in Tennessee. His career and fortunes prospered and he was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives and Senate. His service in the American army and his defeat of the British at New Orleans in 1812 is the stuff of legend.

Jackson was elected president by popular vote, and sought to represent the common man in his presidency. He was the first to recommend the abolition of the Electoral College, and opposed the bestowing of political offices as favors. He rarely brooked objection to his point of view, and used the power of veto to win his arguments. Forthright and outspoken in his politicas and personal affairs alike, Jackson's colorful personality made for a colorful presidency. Learn more about Andrew Jackson.

1898-1947

Grace Moore is my 3rd cousin twice removed & 5th cousin twice removed through my maternal grandmother & maternal grandfather, respectively.

Grace Moore, Opera Singer and Actress
Called the Tennessee Nightengale, opera star and actress Grace Moore was born in Cocke County, TN in 1898. After briefly attending Ward-Belmont College in Nashville, Grace moved to Maryland to study music at the Wilson-Greens School of Music. She made her public singing debut in 1919 at the National Theatre in Washington DC and performed on Broadway in 1920. She continued her vocal training in New York City and later pursued operatic training in Paris. In 1923 she returned to Broadway to star in Irving Berlin's "Music Box Revue". She debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1928 and continued to perform there until her death. In 1934 she was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in "One Night of Love". She was killed in a 1947 plane crash in Copenhagen, Denmark where she had performed for an audience of over 4000 people. In 1953 actress Kathryn Grayson portrayed Grace in an biographical movie, "So This is Love". Learn more about Grace Moore.

Detail of painting by Walter Haskell Hinton. Click the image to see an enlargement showing a chain bearer.

George Washington, US President
George Washington lost his father and his beloved elder brother while still relatively young. Taken under the wing of Thomas, Lord Fairfax (see next entry), George was a frequent guest among the Fairfaxes and a fixture at the Land Office at Greenway Court. By the time he was seventeen, through a combination of his own merit and the influence of Lord Fairfax, George was able to garner a coveted (and high paying) commission as a surveyor. According to local legend, in July of 1749 he surveyed the town of Little Washington, Virginia.* Assisting him in the carrying of the surveying chains were John Lonem and Edward Corder. A historical marker in the town of little Washington bears all three names. I do not at this time know (and may never know) if the marker refers to Edward Corder Senior (about fifty years old at the time) or Junior (about 20 years old in 1749).

It is known that John Lonem and Edward Corder accompanied George Washington on at least eleven of his 1749 surveys, most of them accomplished in November of that year. Although Washington kept scrupulous (and often very humorous) records of his 1747 adventures "over the Blue Ridge", I have been unable to find journal entries for 1749. If you would like to learn more about Washington's early years, the Library of Congress has an exceptional online collection of his diaries in their series of George Washington Papers. Part of their American Memory Collection, the database is enhanced with photos and supplemental footnotes and is fully searchable.

Edward Corder Senior is my 6th gr. grandfather, Edward Corder Junior is my 5th.

George Washington is shown on several online pedigree charts to be a cousin through my paternal grandfather (Charles Henderson) through both the Balls and the Washingtons, but I have not been able to verify either claim to my satisfaction.

*Note that no documentation of the Little Washington, VA survey has ever been produced, however, there are other surveys by George Washington in the Library of Congress which do bear our ancestor's name as accompanying chain bearer.

Thomas, Lord Fairfax, Lord Proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia
Lord Proprietor and master of Greenway Court Manor, dispensed land grants and leases from the land office headquarters on his plantation (located near modern day White Post, Virginia). He is rumored to have come to America after having been left at the altar by a gold-digging bride who found, at the last minute, a greater fortune to marry. He settled near Winchester, Virginia, in the middle of the 18th century and lived the life of a rustic country bachelor until his death (shortly after the American Revolution). Edward Corder was a tenant on Fairfax's plantation and paid a token rent of one fat turkey every Christmas in exchange for his lease for life on the property.

Edward Corder is my 6th gr. grandfather.

George Calvert
First Lord Baltimore
13th great uncle

George Calvert, First Lord Baltimore
George Calvert was born in Kiplin, Yorkshire, England about 1580 to a family of modest country gentility. He graduated from Oxford University in 1597 and spent some time on the continent, where he became acquainted with Robert Cecil, English Secretary of State. After his return to England, Calvert was made private secretary to Lord Cecil. This was to be the first in a succession of increasingly powerful appointments Calvert would receive in the English government, including member of Parliament and ultimately, Secretary of State. Calvert was a favorite of King James and was knighted in 1617. In 1624 he converted to Catholicism and resigned his position of Secretary of State. He purchased what amounted to a colony in Newfoundland, but a war with France damaged his interests there, and the poor climate caused him to set his sights further south on Virginia. Due to his religion, Calvert was not warmly received in Virginia. His request for a land grant in Virginia was contested by the Virginia Company so Lord Baltimore finally settled for a grant northeast of the Potomac. Before the land transaction could be finalized, the first Lord Baltimore passed away (1632) and the grant was issued instead to his son, Cecil, who became Lord Proprietor of the colony of Maryland.