Underground Railroad Connection Combat: Harriet Tubman or Frederick Douglass?

Question

Following this week's "Underground Railroad" theme, our Connection Combat game features Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. Both are known for their tireless dedication to the cause of freedom and equality, with Tubman's remarkable efforts in leading over 300 slaves to freedom and Douglass's influential role as an abolitionist, writer, and orator inspiring countless people across generations.

Here's how the game is played:

1. Check your connection to Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass (click "Connection to Me" in each profile pull-down menu).
2. Click "Answer this post" below. Choose Team Tubman or Team Douglass and say how many degrees are in your chosen connection path.
3. Verify each relationship along your connection path with a reliable source [more explanation].
4. Post a comment below your answer here as soon as you're done.

The players with the closest verified connection wins!

There are seven additional ways to win and enter the Connection Combat Hall of Fame. These require clearing your path of all "WikiTree Weevils."

This game runs from February 20 - February 27. Winners will be announced on February 28.

Do you want to help others? We call this "combat" just for fun. It's really more about collaboration than competition. We help each other in this community. Please participate in your team's Aid Station and stop by when you have questions or problems.

• Team Harriet Tubman Aid Station
• Team Frederick Douglass Aid Station

You can also chat live on Discord. See the Connection Combat help page for more information.

Are you in?

Comments

P.S. Share the , spread the word!

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Answer 1

13 degrees from Frederick Douglas, no common ancestor 

19 degrees and 8th cousin 6 times removed from Harriet Tubman Harriet (Ross) Tubman (1822-1913) and Alexis (Lovelace) Nelson are both descendants of George (Henderson) Henderson IInd of Fordell (aft.1499-1547).

Answer 2

I worked on my connection to Frederick Douglass.  There was a connection at 18 degrees, but I had to re-route and ended up completing this chain at 19 degrees:

1. Frederick Douglass, Bailey-7481
2. Helen Pitts-1806
3. Gideon Pitts-1807
4. Gideon Pitts-1808
5. Abigail Richmond-1103
6. William Richmond-570
7. Elizabeth Richmond-759
8. Nathaniel Fisher-6966
9. Hannah Fisher-20770
10. Daniel Richards-14762
11. Jeremiah Richards-21212
12. Jeremiah Richards-21211
13. Erastus Richards-23278
14. Corydon Richards-21920
15. Irene Richards-17466
16. Stephen N Young-47189
17. Ida May Young-47045
18. Clarence Finch-7413
19. My Dad
20. Myself

Gideon Pitts-1807 mostly has a copy of an obituary as a biography, I added some more sources at the bottom and didn't want to disturb the managed profile.

Again, lots of interesting people to learn about.

Answer 3

21 degrees from Araminta Tubman
18 degrees from Frederick Douglass
11 degrees from John Bond
16 degrees from John Brown
24 degrees from Mary Cary
11 degrees from Levi Coffin
16 degrees from Ellen Craft
13 degrees from Ira Draper
29 degrees from Josiah Henson
17 degrees from Matilda Jackson
17 degrees from Thaddeus Stevens
24 degrees from William Still

Answer 4

I am 28 degrees from Frederick Douglass through his wife Helen while I am 34 degrees from Harriet Tubman. So I work on Team Harriet Tubman.

0. Araminta Ross.

1. Her Father, Ben Ross.

2. His father, Martin Ross.  His profile had been detached from his unverified father, Absalom Thompson.

3. His father, Absalom Thompson.

4. His father, Anthony Thompson.

5. His father, Anthony Thompson.

6. His sister, Margaret Thompson.

7. Her husband, Matthew Wallace.

8. His mother, Margaret Maxwell.

9. Her brother, Robert Maxwell.

10. His wife, Elizabeth Beaumont.

11. Her father, Francis Beaumont.

12. His sister, Mary Beaumont.

13. Her son, George Villiers.

14. His son, George Villiers.

15. His wife, Mary Fairfax.

16. Her father, Black Tom Fairfax.

17. His sister, Dorothy Fairfax.

18. Her son, Richard Hutton.

19. His wife, Beatrix Sale.

20. Her mother, Beatrice Richardson.

21. Her father, Richard Richardson.

22. His sister, Ellin Richardson.

23. Her son, Walter Cordingley.

24. His son, Richard Cordingley.

25. His son, Richard Cordingley.

26. His daughter, Rosamond Cordingley.

27. Her daughter, Alice Platt.

28.  Her daughter, Susannah Sugden.

29. Her son, David Taylor.

30. His daughter, Ellen Taylor.

31. Her son, Joshua Brooke.

32 His daughter, Edith Brooke.

33. My Mum.

34. Myself..

They had been detached.

Now I am 48 degrees from Harriet Tubman.  So I decided to withdraw from Team Tubman.

Comments

Great effort, Chris! Thanks for battling.

Answer 5

Team Douglass for me!

Comments

0. Frederick Douglass ✔
1. Helen Pitts (his wife) ✔
2. Gideon Pitts (her father) ✔
3. Gideon Pitts (his father) ✔
4. Abigail Richmond (his mother) ✔
5. William Richmond (her father) ✔
6. Mary Richmond (his sister) ✔
7. Bezaleel Loring (her son) ✔
8. Bezaleel Loring (his son) ✔
9. Catherine Loring (his daughter) ✔
10. Catherine Paterson (her daughter) ✔
11. Edward Taylor (her husband) ✔
12. George Taylor (his father) ✔
13. Edward Taylor (his brother) ✔
14. Edward Taylor (his son) ✔
15. Jim Taylor (his son) ✔
16. Rose Taylor (his daughter) ✔
17. Richard Tresidder (her husband) ✔
18. Theophilus Tresidder (his father) ✔
19. Fanny Bull (his mother) ✔
20. Edmund Bull (her brother) ✔
21. Yvonne Bull (his daughter) ✔
22. William Colelough (her husband) ✔
23. James Colclough (his father) ✔
24. William Colclough (his father) ✔
25. John Colclough (his brother) ✔
26. John Colclough (his son) ✔
27. Patricia Colclough (his daughter) ✔
28. Living (her daughter) ✔
29. Living (her daughter) ✔
30. Feargal Hennigan (her son) ✔

---

Done @ 30 degrees.

Answer 6

Since I'm only 15 degrees from Mr. Douglass, I'm going to work on this line.

0. Frederick✔️ 

1. Helen Pitts (his wife)✔️ formatted sources

2. Jane Wells (her mother))✔️

3. Anna Munson (her mother)✔️ add sources

4. Annorah Hale (her mother) ✔️ was pretty much unsourced. added biography and sources

5. Mercy Gillett (her mother)✔️ add sources

6. Joseph Gillett (her brother))✔️ expanded bio, add sources

7. Benoni Gillett (his son)✔️ formatted sources and bio.

8. Lester Gillett (his son)✔️ add biography

9. Orlin Gillett (his son)✔️ expanded bio, add sources

10. Mary Gillett (his daughter)✔️ expanded bio

11. Floyd Lyon (her son)✔️ expanded bio

12. Betty Lyon (his daughter)✔️ expanded bio

13. Living person✔️

14. Living person ✔️

15. Me

Comments

Great job, Emma! Thanks for battling with us!

Answer 7

22 degrees from Frederick Douglas

Answer 8

I am not related particularly closely to either: 18 degrees to Frederick Douglas, via my mother-in-law, and 21 degrees to Harriet Tubman, via my mother's brother's wife. However, my cousin 5 times removed (on my maternal side), John Winebrenner (Winebrenner-126), who started the Church Of God, was an abolitionist, and is said to have had Frederick Douglas to speak in his church.

Also, my three-greats grandparents (on my paternal side), Steven and Ruth Mosher (Mosher-1385) had a "stop" on the Underground Railroad, in Ohio. They were Quakers. My great-great grandmother, Esther Mosher (Mosher-1490), would sometimes bring their food to their hiding place, according to family legend.

I had 2 great grandfathers and a great-great grandfather who fought in the War to Free the Slaves (as my grandfather called it). One of those great grandfathers enlisted with his brother and 3 cousins, and was the only one to come back alive.

Here are my connections for the week's featured connections:

• 21 degrees from Araminta Tubman
• 18 degrees from Frederick Douglass
• 14 degrees from John Bond
• 15 degrees from John Brown
• 24 degrees from Mary Cary
• 13 degrees from Levi Coffin
• 17 degrees from Ellen Craft
• 16 degrees from Ira Draper
• 28 degrees from Josiah Henson
• 13 degrees from Matilda Jackson
• 16 degrees from Thaddeus Stevens
• 25 degrees from William Still

Comments

What an interesting bunch of ancestors, Amanda!

---

Thank you! I think so myself. And that's only a small part of my interesting ancestors. I also had the good fortune to have a mother, grandfather, and a couple cousins who told a lot of stories about their lives and childhoods, and a great aunt and a couple distant cousins who studied our genealogy.

Answer 9

0.            Araminta Ross

1.            Ben Ross

2.            Martin Ross

3.            Anthony Thompson

4.            Nancy Thompson

5.            Jane Whitsett

6.            Mary Harris

7.            John Love

8.            Annie Love

9.            Drury Scruggs

10.         Maria Scruggs

11.         John Camp

12.         Rachel Jefferies

13.         John Jefferies

14.         Mary Allen

15.         Woodward Allen

16.         Sarah Allen

17.         John Drummond

18.         Walt Drummond

19.         Nancy

20.         Nanette Campbell

 

For Frederick Douglass:

0.            Frederick Bailey

1.            Helen Pitts

2.            Jane Wells

3.            Paoli Wells

4.            Levi Wells

5.            Mary Newton

6.            James Newton

7.            Hannah Newton

8.            Joseph Woodruff

9.            Nathaniel Woodruff

10.         Joseph Woodruff

11.         Elizabeth Woodruff

12.         Sarah Allen

13.         John Drummond

14.         Walt Drummond

15.         Nancy

16.         Nanette Campbell

Answer 10

Team Douglas. I am 23 degrees from Harriet, aka Araminta, Tubman in a far-back way that needs verification through her Maryland Thompsons of colonial Maryland via an immigrant from Scotland which would take me a long time to verify (Maryland sources are far and few!).There is also a "spurious pedigree" warning on one of her Scotland Thompsons (Thompson-490) This would be a headache for me as I have no experience with Scottish research.

My.Douglas connection I haven't finished verifying but it looks solid at 14 degrees through the Pitts.

Answer 11

I'm listed as 5C4R to Helen PITTS, so I'll be checking the sources quoted.  I have several DOUGLASS lines; which I see aren't connected, besides themselves bringing in mythological Scots connections.

Comments

My connection to Helen appears correct.  I added sources for a birth and christening on her side, and a marriage and death on my side, so I could mark more (but not all) of the relationships confident.

Answer 12

15 degrees Thaddeus Stevens, three branches (5-3-8)

15 degrees Ira Draper, three branches (2-5-9), 18c, 7r, mrca Grey-496, Beke-10

15 degrees John Brown, three branches (1-7-8), 12c, 3r, mrca Wentworth-7, Constable-47

15 degrees Levi Coffin, three branches(3-4-9)

17 degrees Matilda (Hicks) Jackson, four branches (1-3-3-11), her husband, John Wright Smith Jr., Smith-180424, 14c, 2r, mrca Freville-10, Willoughby-3

18 degrees Ellen (Smith) Craft, four branches (2-10-3-4)

18 degrees Frederick Douglass, five branches (1-2-5-3-8), his wife, Helen (Pitts) Douglass, Pitts-1806, 9c, 4r, mrca Browne-196, Overton-42.  *23 degrees from his wife, Helen (Pitts) Douglass, Pitts-1806, to her husband, Frederick Douglas, Bailey-7481. See below for his connection.

23 degrees Araminta Harriet Tubman, six branches (6-2-4-5-3-4), 17c, 6r, mrca Brus-114, Clavering-13. See below for her connection.

25 degrees Mary Cary, seven branches (6-2-4-2-5-3-4)

26 degrees William Still, seven branches (2-2-5-8-3-1-6)

30 degrees Josiah Henson, seven branches (1-4-2-4-2-8-10)

Team Frederick Douglass, Bailey-7481, 23 degrees, and Team Harriet (Ross) Tubman, Ross-9405, 23 degrees.

0. Helen (Pitts) Douglass, Pitts-1806

1. her husband, Frederick Douglass, Bailey-7481

2. his brother, Perry Bailey, Bailey-25220

3. his sister, Lucretia (Anthony) Auld, Anthony-4015

4. her husband, Thomas Auld, Auld-1204

5. his father, Lieutenant Hugh Auld, Auld-941

6. his father, Edward Auld, Auld-937

7. his brother, James Auld, Auld-84

8. his wife, Rosa (Piper) Auld, Piper-271

9. her husband, Howes Goldsborough, Goldsborough-111

10. his brother, Judge William Goldsborough, Goldsborough-106

11. his wife, Henrietta (Tilghman) Goldsborough, Tilghman-83, 1c, 9r, mrca Neale-64, Lloyd-452

12. her mother, Anna ( Lloyd) Tilghman, Lloyd-1147, 8th great-grandaunt

13. her sister, Mary (Lloyd) Waters, Lloyd-122, 8th great-grandmother

14. her son, Thomas Weathers, Weathers-170, 7th great-grandfather

15. his son, William Weathers, Weathers-171, 6th great-grandfather

16. his daughter, Sarah (Weathers) McKinney, Weathers-143, 5th great-grandmother

17. her daughter, Nancy McKinney, McKinney-8155, 4th great-grandmother

18. her son, Daniel Crowder, Crowder-2603, 3rd great great grandfather

19. his daughter, Elizabeth Francis (Crowder) Morrison, Crowder-2005, 2nd great-grandmother

20. her daughter, Martha Elizabeth (Morrison) West, Morrison-13595, great-grandmother

21. her daughter, Elva Mildred (West) Wheeler, West-18061, grandmother

22. her son, Mr. William Keith Wheeler, Wheeler-18911, Father

23. his daughter, Mildred Lorraine (Wheeler) Gillett, Wheeler-18799

0. Harriett (Ross) Tubman, Ross-9405, 17c, 6r, mrca Brus-114, Clavering-13

1. her father, Benjamin (Ross) Stewart, Ross-24

2. his father. Martin Ross, Ross-17839

3. his brother, Anthony Thompson, Thompson-28326, 15c, 8r, mrca Brus-114, Clavering-13

4. his wife, Mary (Pattison) Thompson, Pattison-585

5. her son, Edward Brodess, Brodess-6

6. his wife, Elizabeth Ann (Keene) Brodess, Keene-1147

7. her father, John Keene, Keene-1148

8. his father, John Keene, Keene-1149

9. his mother, Mary (Travers) Keene, Travers-445

10. her mother, Elizabeth (Hooper) Travers, Hooper-1160

11. her mother, Elizabeth (Denwood) Hooper, Denwood-4

12. her brother, Levin Denwood Sr., Denwood-6

13. his wife, Priscilla (Waters) Denwood, Waters-2597, mrca ancestor, William Waters, Waters-222, my 9th great grandfather

14. her brother, and my 8th great grandfather Thomas Waters Sr., Waters-225

15. his son, Thomas Weathers, Weathers-170, 7th great-grandfather

16. his son, William Weathers, Weathers-171, 6th great-grandfather

17. his daughter, Sarah (Weathers) McKinney, Weathers-143, 5th great-grandmother

18. her daughter, Nancy (McKinney) Crowder, McKinney-8155, 4th great-grandmother

19. her son, Daniel Crowder, Crowder-2603, 3rd great-grandfather

20. his daughter, Elizabeth Francis (Crowder) Morrison, Crowder-2005, 2nd great-grandmother

21. her daughter, Elva Mildred (West) Wheeler, West-18061, grandmother

22. her son, Mr. William Keith Wheeler, Wheeler-18911, Father

23. his daughter, Mildred Lorraine (Wheeler) Gillett, Wheeler-18799

Comments

Wow, great job Mildred! Thanks for battling this week!

Answer 13

Team Frederick Douglass - he is 18 degrees from me

Answer 14

Removed answer posted to wrong thread

Answer 15

Team Douglas! (But checking Tubman connections as well...38 degrees there)

Frederick Douglass is 16 Degrees from Loretta Buckner (through marriage):

*16 Frederick Bailey→

*15 Helen Pitts( his wife)→

*14 Jane Wells (her mother)→

*13 Anna Munson (her mother)→

*12 Jared Munson(her father)→

*11 Jesse Munson (his brother) →

*10 Augustine Munson (his son)→

*9 Marion Munson (his son)6th cousins five times removed, both descendants of Anna (Jordan) Cross (abt.1615-1677).→

*8 Lorinda Munson (his daughter)7th cousins four times removed, both descendants of Anna (Jordan) Cross (abt.1615-1677). Notable→

*7 Fitch Bryant (her son)→(I call this guy "Hitch Fitch" - quite an interesting and well-connected fella) 8th cousins three times removed

*6 Bertha Cookingham (his wife)→

*5 Mary Cookingham (her sister)→

*4 Horace Coons (her husband)→

*3 Alfred Coons (his brother)→

*2 Erwin Coons (his son)→

*1 Anita Coons (his daughter) →

*0 Me (her daughter)

Comments

Nicely done, Loretta! Thanks for battling!

Answer 16

Matilda Jackson (Hicks) is my 5th Great Grandmother on my mothers Mother side

Answer 17

I am 22 degrees from Frederick Douglass!

Answer 18

I'm 41 degrees from Tubman and 22 degrees from Douglas. I'm on Team Douglas.

Answer 19

A bit late to the game, but I'll see what happens tonight -- Frederick Douglas! (16 degrees)

Karen