• DNA Matches

    From Mike Dippel@954:895/1 to All on Wednesday, December 17, 2025 10:04:26
    This week's focus is on famous people whose lives or legacies were impacted by DNA
    testing. That is, people who discovered new information via DNA testing. Per wikitree.com I am:

    16 degrees from Thomas Jefferson
    21 degrees from Sean Astin
    22 degrees from Jimmy Buffett
    30 degrees from Nicholaus Copernicus
    22 degrees from Henry Louis Gates
    23 degrees from Dwayne Johnson
    21 degrees from Sitting Bull Lakota
    19 degrees from Philip Mountbatten
    22 degrees from Conor Myles John O'Brien
    19 degrees from Patrick Sarsfield
    15 degrees from Joseph Smith
    19 degrees from Richard III of England

    More about them in this regard:

    Thomas Jefferson, US President whose relationship with the enslaved Sally Hemings and
    their descendants was confirmed through DNA testing.

    Sean Astin, actor whose biological father was identified through DNA testing.

    Jimmy Buffett, who learned through DNA testing that he is not related to Warren Buffett.

    Nicolaus Copernicus, mathematician and astrophysicist whose remains were confirmed
    as being those buried at St. Cross Altar tomb in Frombork Cathedral through DNA
    testing.

    Henry Lewis Gates, Jr., the first African-American to have his entire genome sequenced
    and who now uses DNA to help celebrities learn more about their family history.

    Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who has five new half-siblings in his family thanks to DNA
    testing.

    Sitting Bull, who has a living descendent who was confirmed using DNA extracted from
    hair preserved from the famous Lakota leader.

    Prince Philip, who provided Mitochondrial DNA to help verify the remains of the Russian
    Imperial family.

    Sir Conor Myles O'Brien, whose early support for DNA research helped to confirm his and
    others direct connection Brian Boru, King of Ireland.

    Patrick Sarsfield, for whom an archaeological dig is currently under way in Huy, Belgium
    in an attempt to find his remains, so that they can be identified using DNA evidence and
    repatriated to Limerick, Ireland, from where he fled after the sieges of 1690 and 1691.

    Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, who is the subject of
    genetic genealogy being used to attempt to identify or rule out potential descendants.

    Richard III, the King of England, whose place in history was understood differently
    following DNA testing of his remains.

    ----

    I have some ancestors that were actors, architects, astronauts, Afro-American, authors, bank robbers, boxers, comedians, detectives, ghosts, Indian chiefs, pro
    hockey players, singers and musicians, painters, physicians, politicians, poets,
    popes, writers, WW I heroes. I guess that I am a collection of all of them, as we ALL are.

    https://www.wikitree.com helps me gather this information with their weekly newsletters. It is totally free and very useful to genealogists.

    If you would like to find your connections to famous people, you can start by giving me some basic information by going to:

    https://www.hobbyline.com/genealogy_web_design.htm
    and click on the 'Request Form' link.

    I have researched the ancestry for many persons interested in their family history,
    and I would love to see how WE are related.

    Mike Dippel
    https://bbs-list.net
    List Your BBS For Free

    * Origin: The Hobby Line! BBS - hobbylinebbs.com (954:895/1)