Five Famous People in my Family Tree

Anyone who knows that I've been researching my family tree knows that we have royalty in our blood, but here are five people that you may never have heard of:



1. Charles Coffin Jewett
Relation: 5th cousin 6x removed
Claim to fame: Librarian and Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in 1848 before becoming Superintendent of the Boston Public Library in 1858.
Interesting fact: Charles Jewett died after suffering an attack of apoplexy while working at his desk in the Boston Public Library.


 
2. Josiah Little Pickard
Relation: 2nd cousin 5x removed
Claim to fame: 6th president of the University of Iowa, 1878-1887.
Interesting fact: Josiah Pickard was also the superintendent of the Chicago public school system from 1864-1878.


 
3.  Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Relation: 1st cousin 25x removed
Claim to fame: He was the Holy Roman Emperor, King of the Romans, King of Italy, King of Burgundy
Interesting fact: Was excommunicated in 1215.

 
 4. Cecily Neville
Relation: 17th great grandmother
Claim to fame: Wife of Richard Plantagenet (2rd Duke of York) and mother of two English kings: Edward IV and Richard III

Interesting fact: Not only was she the mother of two English kings, she was the mother of several other important figures including the Duke of Clarence, Earl of Rutland, Duchess of Burgundy, and the Duchess of Suffolk.  Her great grandson was Henry VIII and was the great-great-great grand aunt of Catherine Parr (Henry VIII's sixth wife).  That's a lot of famous progeny.

 
5. Béla of Hungary
Relation: 28th great grandfather
Claim to fame: King of Hunary
Interesting fact: Béla was blinded by his uncle.