Helping with Homework

Ah, the homework assignment Aunt Kim LOVES to help with!!!!

Nephew's Homework Assignment

Hopefully I did not overwhelm the nephew with information overload.  :)  With any luck, this will peak some interest in genealogy from the next generation. <fingers crossed>

I took some pity on him - I limited it to 3x great grandparents and the one set of 4th great grandparents who immigrated to the US, and did not get as far as the 10th and 12th cousins I know!

Of course, I did have to include a separate chart showing his cousinship to Buzz Aldrin. I didn't have that last year for the older nephew. Who knows what more I will learn before the niece has her turn?!?

A Famous Swedish Cousin

My new found 10th cousin 2x removed tells me that I have another "Swedish" cousin: astronaut Buzz Aldrin!! A 5th cousin 2x removed, if I've done the math correctly. And that's just the closest of something like 5 relationships....how cool is that?!?! 

I'll be checking that out shortly. And I am totally wearing my NASA shirt today.  (Yes, I have a NASA shirt.  Doesn't everyone?!?)

My NASA Shirt

 
Update 3/19/2014: I've found records that connect the Spångberg line of smiths that I already had to a line of Aldrin smiths. Now I need to trace that line forward and see where it leads!

Update 3/20/2014: Success! A Swedish 4th cousin found the book 24 Famous Swedish Americans and their Ancestors published in 1996 by The Federation of Swedish Genealogical Societies.  It contains a list of Buzz's ancestors, and it matches the paper trail I've found. Buzz Aldrin is our 5th cousin 2x removed!