My roommate claims to be a direct descendant of George Washington. I think he's full of it. Should I call him on it?

Not a piece of candy wrote:

Leslie King wrote:

No known connection between GW and Gerald Ford.

Yes there is, President Ford's actual surname is King and his mother's maiden name was Gardner. Both of his parents are likely distant relatives of George Washington.

Possible or even likely, but the only one not proven.

Some are only related through marriage, so that doesn't count the same

I distinctly remember this news story.

And apparently Martin Van Buren (Dutch) is related to George Washington too:

So all the Presidents are related to George Washington.

I had a threesome with descendants of Betsy Ross and Molly pitcher. Good times.

Serial Patriot Digger wrote:

He's catching her on the rebound...word is that she just broke up with Sam Adams' great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandson.

Weird Roomie wrote:

This kid has always been a little bit loopy. Anyway, last night he picked up a girl by telling her about how he can trace his lineage back to George Washington. Today I told him how good that story/pickup line was. He told me he wasn't lying. I have a really hard time believing he can actually trace his lineage back to George Washington, though. He is middle class. I mean, wouldn't he be pretty wealthy if he was related to the first ever president?

This is a fantastic thread. If it's not a troll, you're roommate sounds like a cool dude. Why does picking up girls make him a weirdo? If this is a troll, nice job. And thank you.

considering that George Washington had no children of his own, no one is his direct descendant.

Maybe he meant George Jefferson?

It is a statement of fact that George Washington was infirtile because he caught the scarlett fever, or whatever it is that his brother died from. That said, he was still more a man than you or I could ever hope to be.

hisoricity wrote:

It is a statement of fact that George Washington was infirtile because he caught the scarlett fever, or whatever it is that his brother died from. That said, he was still more a man than you or I could ever hope to be.

It was smallpox. He and Martha never had a child because he was sterile. They raised two of her children from a previous marriage.

Give the kid an F for his knowledge of American history.

Had George Washington and friends decided to make the US a monarchy instead of a democracy, then George would have been our first king. That means your roommate might have been in line to be our king. Treat him with respect.

To those who have stated that George Washington was unable to have children have got it wrong. A simple typo caused the confusion. George Washington was IMPORTANT, not IMPOTENT.

Perhaps he's not a direct descendant but via back door from someone like this fella:

"Rev Laurence Washington who was the great-great grandfather of George Washington, first President of the United States of America."

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=2310544

http://www.findagrave.com/php/famous.php?page=cem&FScemeteryid=2310544

On a somewhat unrelated note someone I met last week in DC told me that George Washington was the president of his college. I told him that he was probably confusing his school with the country but he seemed pretty adamant.

Weird Roomie wrote:

Anyway, last night he picked up a girl by telling her about how he can trace his lineage back to George Washington.

Was she in a nursing home?

800 dude wrote:

Seeing as George Washington didn't have any children, it's pretty unlikely.

You sure he did not have a lot of brown slave kids running around, the result of master/slave rape?

hisoricity wrote:

It is a statement of fact that George Washington was infirtile because he caught the scarlett fever, or whatever it is that his brother died from. That said, he was still more a man than you or I could ever hope to be.

You apparently don't know anything about Washington.

He was a cheat and a thief

I believe your roommate more than some anonymous message board rat like you

sho was wrote:

What's wealth got to do with it?

_________________________

Exactly.

You or anyone can claim to be a descendent from anyone. All you have to do is make one slight change in your family's tree from four or five generations ago.

Frederick Douglas is my great great great uncle.

Yeah but I heard she's already sent him three selfies, and we all know what that means.

Serial Patriot Digger wrote:

He's catching her on the rebound...word is that she just broke up with Sam Adams' great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandson.

Hutre wrote:

Klondike55 wrote:

You sure he did not have a lot of brown slave kids running around, the result of master/slave rape?

Your confusing him with Thomas Jefferson. Learn some history.

You effin think Jefferson was the only rich white slave owner raping his slaves?

Weird Roomie wrote:

he can trace his lineage back to George Washington.

Trace his lineage or direct descendant (like your subject says)?

He can be a blood relative without being a descendant.

Like how my kids are blood relatives to my dad's first cousin. They are not descendants of him but they can trace their lineage to him.

He may be a direct descendant of one of George Washington's cousins.