So my grandmother always told me we were related to someone important but I never really believed her. Started doing ancestry research last month and turns out shes right. We trace back to Thomas Johnson, first Governor of Maryland, the guy who nominated George Washington! Not a direct descendant but definitely in the family tree. Anyone else discover cool connections to historical Thomas Johnsons?
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Thats actually incredible! Thomas Johnson was a genuinely important figure in the Revolution. He was also one of the first Supreme Court justices. Your family history just got a lot more interesting.
i know right? im planning to visit the thomas johnson high school in frederick md. named after him!
Be careful with those family connections though. A lot of people claim descent from famous figures without solid documentation. Make sure you can trace every generation with primary sources.
fair point. i have documents going back to my great-great-grandparents but gets murky before that
Try contacting the Maryland Historical Society. They might have records that could help verify the connection.
If you can prove direct descent you might be eligible for membership in the Sons or Daughters of the American Revolution. Worth looking into!
my family claims connection to the same thomas johnson! we should compare family trees. my line apparently went through his daughter ann who married into a virginia family. would be wild if we were actually related