History Has Its Eyes On Hamilton: Who are you most closely connected to?

Question

This week's Example Profile of the Week is Alexander Hamilton, US founding father and title character in the blockbuster Broadway musical Hamilton. 

Featured alongside him are other historical characters important to the musical's narrative (and US history!):

• Aaron Burr
• Marquis de Lafayette
• John Laurens
• Maria Reynolds
• King George III
• George Washington
• Comte de Rochambeau Jean-Baptiste Vimeur
• Henry Knox

Who are you most closely connected to? If you're one of the 20,497,000 of us who are connected to each other on our big tree you can check with the Connection Finder.

You can also check for shared ancestors with the Relationship Finder. Are you a cousin to any of them?

Let us know below!

P.S. Help us choose and improve profiles for next week's feature: John Jay and US Supreme Court Justices.

Comments

I am closest to George Washington at 16 degrees. 6th Cousins

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My closest on the list is Aaron Burr at 14 degrees, as his wife Theodosia was my second cousin, 8x removed.

Second closest is George Washington at 15 degrees, through his sister-in-law.

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I am closest related to George Washington 14 Degrees, 8th cousin. Aaron Burr 15 Degrees, 6th cousin.  My grandfather wrote a book about Burr in 1931.  I don’t think he knew that Burr was an ancestor to his wife, my grandmother.

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Aaron Burr is my 3rd cousin 7x removed.

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George Washington is my second cousin 8 times removed. 

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Aaron Burr at 18 degrees

Answer 1

I am most closely connected to George Washington at 17 degrees.

Comments

George Washington at 15 Degrees here.

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14 degrees of separation from George Washington. 17 degrees from King George III, 18 degrees from both Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr.

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George Washington is 15 degrees, through his brother's wife.

Answer 2

Mary Mathieu (13), Aaron Burr (15), Henry Knox (15), John Laurens (16), George III (16), Alexander Hamilton (17), George Washington (17), Michael Butler (20), Gilbert du Motier de la Fayette (24), Jean-Baptiste Vimeur (29).

Answer 3

I am most closely connected to George Washington at 21 degrees.

Answer 4

My closest connection is Aaron Burr at 19 degrees.

All the rest are 20 degrees or higher.

Comments

Aaron Burr is 15 degrees from me.

Answer 5

Here are my degrees (Hamilton isn't listed above!) There would be no musical without him!

Aaron Burr (16) Maria Reynolds (16) Alexander Hamilton (17) George Washington (18) Henry Knox (18) John Laurens (19) King George III (21) Marquis de Lafayette (24) Comte de Rochambeau Jean-Baptiste Vimeur (32)

I have some ancestral ties:

Aaron Burr = 16 degrees; 4th cousins 7XR

Alexander Hamilton = 17 degrees; 16th cousins 3XR

George Washington = 18 degrees; 13th cousins 6XR

King George III = 21 degrees; 16th cousins 3XR

Michael Butler = 26 degrees; 19th cousins 1XR!

Comments

Hamilton may not be in the list, but he is linked at the bottom of the question, meaning he is one of the subjects.

The whole list would not have been made in the first place if it were not for Alexander Hamilton!!

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Thank you for pointing out the obvious, Robynne. I was stating it tongue in cheek.

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Sorry Carol.

It;s just that, at the time I wrote that, Hamilton was not linked as the notable of the week on the home page either. He is now.

My apologies.

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Hamilton is my 16th cousin, removed 3 times.

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No worries, Robynne! BTW, I like your profile page!

Answer 6

Mary Mathieu (Reynolds) is 15 Degrees (third cousins 8x via Adam Brouwer.)

Aaron Burr is 16 Degrees (was Mary Mathieu's divorce lawyer, 11 degrees from her)

George III Hanover is 18 Degrees

Henry Knox is 18 Degrees

Hamilton is 19 Degrees (9 Degrees from Mary)

John Laurens is 20 Degrees

Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette is 23 Degrees

Jean-Baptiste Vimeur is 30 Degrees 

Answer 7

Aaron Burr - 4th cousin 7x removed

George III - 12th cousin 6 x removed

George Washington - 8th cousin 7x removed (he was also the surveyor for the Virginia farms of a number of ancestral families, all recorded in his journals).

Answer 8

Aaron Burr (14 degrees, also 8th cousin 6x removed) John Laurens (15 degrees) George Washington (15 degrees, also 14th cousin, 3x removed) Alexander Hamilton (16 degrees,  also 18th cousin, 2x removed) Maria Reynolds (17 degrees) King George III (18 degrees, also 15th cousin, 3x removed) Henry Knox (19 degrees) Marquis de Lafayette (23 degrees) and Comte de Rochambeau (29 degrees)

Answer 9

I am most closely related to the traders Aaron Burr , Heny Knox and Mary Mathieu at 20 degrees

While only 21 degrees from His Excellency King George III

Answer 10

Relations: Aaron Burr 3C5R

Connections: Aaron Burr 12, Mary Mathieu 12

Answer 11

My closest connection this week is our Wikitreer Michael Butler at 17 degrees.

Next comes Alexander Hamilton and King George III at 18 degrees.

Answer 12

I don't think I'm directly related to anyone (haven't checked yet, so it's possible, I suppose)..but...

George Washington's brother's wife's sister's husband,  Reuben Lindsay, is my husband's 1st cousin 7x removed through their common ancestor Caleb Lindsay, which makes me connected to George Washington by 15 degrees. Whew! I just love the Connection Finder!

Answer 13

Aaron Burr 12 Degrees through one marriage. Or Fourth cousins five times removed.

Answer 14

• 11 degrees from George Washington
• 14 degrees from Aaron Burr
• 14 degrees from John Laurens
• 16 degrees from Mary Mathieu
• 18 degrees from Alexander Hamilton
• 18 degrees from Henry Knox
• 20 degrees from Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette
• 20 degrees from George III Hanover
• 30 degrees from Jean-Baptiste Vimeur

Answer 15

17 from Mary Mathieu

18 from George III and Michael Butler

19 from Aaron Burr

Answer 16

It's a tie with Hamilton and Burr closest at 19 degrees, followed by Maria Reynolds at 20 and Washington, Lafayette and George III all at 21.

It's a bit frustrating because I should "logically" be closer to Lafayette. So I'll work on this connection this week to see if it can be shortened. (stay tuned).

Comments

And done: I'm now 13 degrees from Lafayette.

Answer 17

I'm closest to King George III at 26 degrees.

Answer 18

It is a tie: Alexander Hamilton and Mary (Mathieu) Reynolds are both 14 steps from me. Mary is a 4th cousin, 7x removed.

Aaron Burr is 15 steps and also is a distant cousin.

Rochambeau is the most distant, at 28 steps.

Answer 19

I am 12 degrees from Alexander Hamilton (his wife Elizabeth (Schuyler) Hamilton is my 3rd cousin).

Answer 20

Winners are George Washington at 15 degrees, and John Laurens the same.