Updated June 2003

The Family Tree of Richard Brightwell

NOTE: My complete family tree database can be browsed at rootsweb.com

Contents

• Highlights of Famous Ancestors

• Online Family Scrapbook

• The 2003 Florida Family Reunion

Highlights of Famous Ancestors

What are the odds of having a famous ancestor? Pretty good if you can just go back far enough. After all you have 8 great grandparents and over 33 million 25th great grandparents, assuming there were no cousin marriages, although there probably were. Anyhow 33 million is a lot! The number exceeds 1 trillion by the time you reach the 40th generation. By the way this is said by some to be more people than have ever lived on the earth combined, so defiantly there were some cousin marriages somewhere! At any rate you can rest assured that you have some famous relatives even if your family tree is only 2 generations deep: Adam, Eve, Methuselah, and Noah. Every person on earth descended from them. Like I said... the odds are good if you go back far enough.

Once I reached the 1600's my family tree was built almost entirely on family trees by other genealogists. It is believed to be accurate but has not been personally verified by me. Some relationships I have labeled as "speculative" since it relies on ancient genealogies of famous people, who may have influenced their own genealogical records to suit their egos or political aspirations. None the less, there is usually some foundation in truth to most such tales.

Here are some famous people that I truly seem to be related to:

• Alfred the Great, King of England (my 45th Great Grandfather)
  b. 849 England d. 26 Oct 901 England
  First King of England.
  

• Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor (my 39th Great Grandfather)
  b.2 Apr 742 Aix La Chapelle,Austrasia d.28 Jan 813/814
  In response to an appeal from Pope Hadrian, Charlemagne fought and won a war against Lonbard Desiderius. He was then given the role of protector of the Church in all her temporal powers. On behalf of the Church he waged a bloody 53 campaigns to conquer and expand the influence of the Church in the name of Christianity.
  

• Constantine the Great (my 63rd Great Grandfather)
  b. 272 Moesia d. 337 Serbia
  Famous for changing the "christian" Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday, causing it to coincide with the Roman day of worship to the Sun-God Apollo. Also promoted use of the cross as a symbol of Christianity which was perviously more closely associated with European pagan traditions such as the Stoic and Celtic crosses. Convened the counsel of Nicaea in 325 in an effort to unify the Church and thereby the Empire. This counsel, convened to serve the political goals of Constantine, was the originator of Constantine's Nicean Creed, which declared that God was in fact three Gods in one. A concept that had more in common with Roman pagan gods than the God of the Jews and first century Christians.

• William the Conqueror, King of England (my 29th Great Grandfather)
  b. 1027 Normandy, France d. 1087 Rouen, France
  Invaded and conquered England, beginning the Norman rule of England. Another ancestor of mine, Warinis De La Strode (30th Great Grandfather), fought along side William in the Norman invasion, earning himself a position among the Norman rulers. His exact title is not known but sons for several generations were listed as Knights.

• Gaiseric - King of the Vandals (my 60th Great Grandfather)
  b. 410 Spain d. 477 Carthage, Africa
  Gaiseric was considered the genius of the Vandals. He invaded Africa in 428, captured Carthage in 439, and sacked Rome in 455. His conquests were so horrific and complete, that the name Vandal began to be associated with inflicting incredible damage. The word vandal today still means a person who inflicts damage on public or private property.

Some ancestors whose genetic relations are a bit more questionable include: Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Kings of Troy, Joseph of Arimathea, Mark Antony, Olde King Cole, and Julias Ceasar. Obviously Adam, Eve, and Noah are grandparents but the question is through which children.

Here is how I am releated to these famous Ancestors:

Richard Brandon Brightwell
son of Patricia Ellen Blaxland, daughter of Robert Blaxland
son of Tommy Lee Brightwell

Tommy Lee Brightwell
son of Edgar Lee Brightwell, GGson of John James Brightwell (1819)
son of Fannie Mae Rutledge

Fannie Mae Rutledge
4GGdaughter of James Rutledge (1711)
4GGdaughter of George Adms (1708)
4GGdaughter of Strangeman Hutchins (1707)
6GGdaughter of William Vestal (1667)
5GGdaughter of Margery Mendenhall (1658)

Margery Mendenhall (1658)
2GGdaughter of John Mendenhall (1560)
4GGdaughter of William Upton (1435)
7GGdaughter of Hugh Leversedge (1330)
21GGdaughter of Warinis De La Strode (1020)
13GGdaughter of Simon De Montecute, 1st Lord of Montagu (1250)

Simon De Montecute, 1st Lord of Montagu (1250)
4GGson of Drogo De Montagu (1040)
7GGson of Hamon Aux Dents, Lord of Creully (1045)
8GGson of Siegfried, Count of Luxemburg (918)
4GGson of Henry I, Beaucleric, King of England (1068)

Henry I, Beaucleric, King of England (1068)
son of William the Conqueror, King of England (1027)
8 7GGson of Olaf Gudrodsson, King of Jutland (800)
12GGson of Radbard, King of Russia (638)
11GGson of Alfred The Great, King of England (849)
10GGson of Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor (742)

Alfred the Great, King of England (849)
12GGson of Gaiseric, King of the Vandals (410)
17GGson of Flavius Valerius Constantius Constantine, Constantine the Great (227)
68GGson of Judah
60GGson of Solomon, King of Israel, son of David, King of Israel

Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor (742)
27GGson of Augustus Ceasar, Imperator of the Roman Empire
27GGson of Francus, King of the Franks (100 B.C.)

Francus, King of the Franks (100 B.C.)
48GGson of Judah

Judah
son of Jacob (Israel)
GGson of Abraham
12GGson of Noah
13GGson of Methusela
22GGson of Adam
22GGson of Eve

For detailed information about my family tree please visit my Family Tree database at RootsWeb

My Online Family Scrapbook

Below are links to some pictures and notes about more recent relatives.

• Richard Brandon Brightwell (me)
• Tommy Lee Brightwell
• Edgar Lee Brightwell
• Fannie Mae Rutledge
• Gracie Ingram (Brightwell)
• Walter Elijah Brightwell

The 2003 Florida Family Reunion

Here are some of the pictures from the July 4, 2003 family reunion in Lakeland, Florida. My wife and I had a great time! It was wonderful to meet so many new relatives. We had great company, great food, and thanks to Brenda and Jim's hospitality we had a beautiful palce to get together. To see the pictures click here.

To figure out the family relationships I've come up with this table based upon our common ancestors Walter Elijah Brightwell and Rosabelle Francisco.

A sampling of family members (not just those at the reunion) as they relate to me would be:

Walter Elijah Brighwell - My Great Grandfather

Children of Walter Elijah Brighwell

Gracie Ingram - my Great Aunt
Claude Brightwell, Sr. - My Great Uncle
Caroll Brightwell - My Great Uncle
Edgar Lee Brightwell (d. 1986) - My Grandfather

Grandchildren of Walter Elijah Brightwell

Brenda, Regina, Cliff, Donnie, Richard, and Charles Ingram - My 1st Cousins once removed
Claude Brightwell Jr. and Rosalee Brightwell - My 1st Cousins once removed
Jessie Jr., David and Barbara Brightwell - My 1st Cousins once removed
Tommy Lee Brightwell - My Father
Betty Lou Brightwell (at one time named Betty Lou Horton) - My Aunt

Great Grandchildren of Walter Elijah Brightwell

Thomas and Christina Ingram - My 2nd Cousins
Jimmy Ogle - My 2nd Cousin
Bill and Jeff Horton - My Cousins
Lisa Ellen Whitaker (Brightwell) - My Sister
Me

Great Great Grandchildren of Walter Elijah Brightwell

B.J., David, and Rachel Horton - My 1st Cousins once removed
Brenda Ogle's Grandchildren - My 2nd Cousins once removed
If my sister had kids - My Niece or Nephew

Copyright 2003 Richard B. Brightwell. All rights reserved.