Which Indiana notable are you most closely connected to?

Question

Our most recent WikiTree Challenge focused on Indiana natives, to benefit the Indiana Genealogical Society, so we're looking at some notable Hoosiers in the Connection Finder this week. We start with the "King of Pop", Michael Jackson.

Here are other Indiana notables to check your connection to:

• William Beadle, US Civil War general
• Larry Bird, legendary NBA forward
• Katie Hall, US Representative
• Florence Henderson, singer and actress
• Michael Jackson, King of Pop
• Steve McQueen, actor
• Dennis Pennington, politician
• Col. Harland Sanders, founder Kentucky Fried Chicken
• Red Skelton, comedian
• Gene Porter-Stratton, author
• Stith Thompson, American folklorist

Which of these is closest to you on our single family tree? If you're one of the 30.6 million of us who are connected to each other on our big tree, you can check with the Connection Finder.

In addition to the above and our many Featured Connections, you can check your connections to any category on WikiTree, such as Basketball Hall of Fame, Famous Singers of the Twentieth Century, and US Representatives from Indiana. Click the green MyConnections button in the upper right hand corner of the category page.

Let us know how you're related below. If you want to share your connection on social media with cousins and friends, click the "get shareable image" below the results, e.g. Bob Barker and Larry Bird. Then just upload it along with the URL of your direct connection. (Please refrain from sharing your connection on the featured profiles themselves, though. It clutters conversations on research and collaboration. Thanks!)

Help us find and improve the profiles for next week's Famous James feature, in honor of Jimmy Buffett.

Answer 1

My closest relation is Steve McQueen, who is my 7^th cousin, 1x removed. My closest connection is Stith Thompson at 13 degrees.

Ancestors and Cousins

• 13 degrees from Stith Thompson  – 14^th cousin, 4x removed.
• 15 degrees from Dennis Pennington – 16^th cousin, 6x removed.
• 16 degrees from Steve McQueen – 7^th cousin, 1x removed.
• 16 degrees from Gene Porter-Stratton – 18^th cousin, 3x removed.
• 20 degrees from Florence Henderson – 17^th cousin.

Connections

• 18 degrees from Red Skelton – 5 branches (5-2-3-1-8)
• 19 degrees from William Beadle – 3 branches (1-10-9)
• 20 degrees from Larry Bird – 4 branches (11-4-2-4)
• 20 degrees from Michael Jackson – 4 branches (10-4-4-3)
• 21 degrees from Col. Harland Sanders – 8 branches (4-1-2-3-3-2-3-4)
• 38 degrees from Katie Hall – 12 branches (2-4-3-2-3-3-3-6-2-5-3-3)

Answer 2

I am most closely connected to William Beadle, Larry Bird, Col. Harland Sanders, Gene Stratton-Porter and Stith Thompson at 23 degrees.

Answer 3

14 degrees from Dennis Pennington. 4th cousin 6 times removed. MRCA Jane (Cole) George (1605 - abt 1670).

15 degrees from Gene Stratton-Porter. 14th cousin 3 times removed. MRCA Margery (Ludlow) Trussell (abt 1390 - bef 1448).

15 degrees from Stith Thompson. 7th cousin 1 time removed. MRCA Jane (Drury) Stith (abt 1625 - aft 1694).

17 degrees from Harland David Sanders.

17 degrees from Richard Bernard "Red" Skelton.

18 degrees from Steve McQueen. 9th cousin. MRCA Ann (Spilsby) Coleman (abt 1659 - bef 1717).

19 degrees from Michael Jackson. 17th cousin 1 time removed. MRCA Laurence (Cheyne) Cheney (abt 1396 - 1461).

19 degrees from William Beadle. 18th cousin 2 times removed of his wife, Ellen S. (Rich) Beadle. MRCA Otto (Bodrugan) de Bodrugan (1290 - 1331).

19 degrees from Larry Bird.

19 degrees from Florence Henderson. 10th cousin 2 times removed. MRCA Florence (Unknown) Brashears (abt 1600 - abt 1664).

37 degrees from Katie Hall.

Answer 4

Closest to Gene Porter-Stratton at 26 degrees. Most others follow closely with 27 or 28, but Katie Hall is at a staggering 49! Hope she'll be brought closer during this week of her being featured.

Answer 5

Ancestors and Cousins

• 20 degrees - Dennis Pendington
  • 16C8R -- MRCA - Anna Kellet (abt. 1228), Thurstan (Holand) de Holland (abt. 1222 - abt. 1275)
• 20 degrees - Gene Stratton-Porter
  • ​​​​​​​18C6R -- MRCA - Roesia Pantulf (1228 - 1294), William Trussell (abt. 1226 - 1277)
• 20 degrees - Stith Thompson
  • 18C4R --MRCA - Thomas Giffard (abt. 1344 - 1394)
• 21 degrees - Steve McQueen
  • 14C7R -- MRCA - Eleanor Spine (abt. 1380 - 1467), John Throckmorton MP (abt. 1382 - abt. 1445)
• 22 degrees - Michael Jackson
  • 21C2R -- MRCA - Elizabeth Samlesbury (abt. 1253 - aft. 1311), Robert (Holand) de Holland (abt. 1253 - bef. 1305)
• 24 degrees - Florence Henderson
  • 17C3R -- MRCA - Joane Bruley (abt. 1396 - aft. 1469), John Danvers MP (abt. 1390 - 1449)

Connections

• 18 degrees - William Beadle
• 20 degrees - Larry Bird
• 20 degrees - Red Skelton
• 21 degrees - Col. Sanders
• 41 degrees - Katie Hall

Answer 6

Ancestors & Cousins 

• Florence Henderson - 9th cousins 2x removed, and 20 degrees
• Michael Jackson - 18th cousin and 21 degrees
• Steve McQueen - 15th cousins 3x removed, and 20 degrees
• Dennis Pennington - 15th cousins 9x removed, and 17 degrees 
• Col. Harland Sanders - 11th cousins 2x removed, and 18 degrees 
• Gene Porter-Stratton - 16th cousins 4x removed, and 13 degrees 
• Stith Thompson - 8th cousins 3x removed, and 17 degrees 

Connections

• William Beadle - 17 degrees 
• Red Skelton - 19 degrees 
• Larry Bird - 20 degrees 
• Katie Hall - 38 degrees

Answer 7

I am 17 degrees from each of Larry Bird, Dennis Pennington, Gene Stratton-Porter and Stith Thompson.  The last is the closest relative - a 6th cousin, 4 times removed.

When I was in law school at Bloomington in the early 1980's, many of my friends were still lamenting Larry Bird's decision to leave IU less than a month into his freshman year.  They figured there would have been some other basketball national titles if he had stayed,

Answer 8

16 degrees from Dennis Pennington (16th cousins, 7x removed)
17 degrees from William Beadle
17 degrees from Richard Skelton (10th cousins, 2x removed)
17 degrees from Gene Stratton-Porter (18th cousins, 5x removed)
17 degrees from Stith Thompson (17th cousins, 2x removed)
18 degrees from Steve McQueen (13th cousins, 1x removed)
18 degrees from Michael Jackson (17th cousins, 1x removed)
19 degrees from Larry Bird
20 degrees from Harland Sanders (8th cousins, 4x removed)
20 degrees from Florence Henderson (17th cousins, 1x removed)
37 degrees from Katie Hall

Answer 9

!5 degrees from Dennis Pennington and 16 degrees from Steth Thompson. Usually up in the 20s and never related to any of the celebrity profiles

Answer 10

15 degrees Geneva Grace (Stratton) Stratton- Porter, Stratton-1776, three branches (9-3-4), 18th cousin three times removed MRCA John (Botetourt) de Botetourt (abt. 1267-1324), Botetourt-9, Maud (FitzThomas) Botetourt (1270-abt.1329), FitzThomas-13

15 degrees Dennis Pennington, Pennington-640, four branches (11-2-2-1), 14th cousin five times removed MRCA Ellen (Langfield) Radcliffe (1326-), Langfield-2, William Radcliffe (abt.1310-1360), Radcliffe-87

16 degrees Stith Thompson, Thompson-86271, two branches (10-7), 6th cousin three times removed MRCA Adrianna Polhemius (1644-1702), Polhemius-1, Jan Roeloffsen Seubering (1631-1703), Seubering-14

16 degrees William Beadle, five branches (4-3-3-6-1)

18 degrees Florence Henderson, Henderson-10238, three branches (7-10-2), 17th cousin once removed MRCA Eleanor (Neville) Lumley (abt.1365-1447), Neville-178, Ralph (Lumley) de Lumley (abt. 1360-1400), Lumley-45

19 degrees Richard "Red" Skelton, five branches (4-5-3-4-4)

19 degrees Terrence Steven McQueen, McQueen-764, five branches (6-2-3-4-5), 15th cousin once removed MRCA Walter Tailboys (1387-1444), Tailboys-26, Ranulph Mainwaring (abt. 1363-1457), Mainwaring-11

20 degrees Col. Harland Sanders, Sanders-4037, two branches (10-11), 11th cousin once removed MRCA Alice (Unknown) Wheeler (bef. 1508-abt. 1539), Unknown-286435, Henry Wheeler (abt. 1503- bef. 1557), Wheeler-1039

20 degrees Larry Bird, three branches (7-3-11)

20 degrees Michael Jackson, Jackson-150, three branches (9-5-7), 18th cousin once removed MRCA Richard (Waterton) de Waterton (bef. 1335-), Waterton-114, Juliana (Unknown) Waterton (aft. 1392), Unknown-512872), his wife, Lisa Marie Presley, Presley-139, three branches (9-4-8), 15th cousin twice removed MRCA Agnes (Wentworth) Constable (-1496), Wentworth-7, Robert Constable (1423-1488), Constable-49

39 degrees Kathie Beatrice (Green) Hall, eleven branches (6-1-5-8-3-3-3-2-3-4-2)

Answer 11

Ancestors and Cousins:

17 degrees - Dennis Pennington (16C, 6xR) - 2 branches (7-11)
17 degrees - Gene Porter-Stratton (21C, 4xR) - 4 branches (6-5-6-1)
18 degrees - Stith Thompson (10C, 3xR) - 3 branches (8-4-7)
19 degrees - Caroline Verworn (9C) - 1 branch (19)
19 degrees - Florence Henderson (8C, 1xR) - 2 branches (9-11)
19 degrees - Steve McQueen (12C) - 3 branches (8-2-10)
20 degrees - Michael Jackson (17C, 1xR) - 2 branches (1-20)

Connections:

17 degrees - Col. Harland Sanders - 3 branches (9-1-8)
18 degrees - Richard Skelton - 4 branches (5-2-3-9)
20 degrees - William Beadle - 4 branches (1-4-9-7)
20 degrees - Larry Bird - 4 branches (1-7-8-5)
39 degrees - Katie Hall - 9 branches (2-4-3-2-3-3-3-6-14)

Answer 12

I am most closely connected to Dennis Pennington at 13 degrees of separation.

Cousins:

• 20 degrees from Steve McQueen (13C, 4R)
• 13 degrees from Dennis Pennington (13C, 7R)
• 14 degrees from Stith Thompson (15C, 2R)
• 19 degrees from Michael Jackson (15C, 2R)
• 18 degrees from Gene Stratton-Porter (15C, 4R)
• 17 degrees from Florence Henderson (17C, 1R)

No Relationship Found:

• 15 degrees from Richard Skelton
• 19 degrees from Harland Sanders
• 20 degrees from William Beadle
• 21 degrees from Larry Bird
• 38 degrees from Katie Hall

Answer 13

I figured since I'm from Indiana, I'd have to have SOMEONE I'm reasonably close to. Here goes...

12 degrees from Dennis Pennington

15 degrees from Florence Henderson

16 degrees from Harland Sanders, Stith Thompson

17 degrees from Steve McQueen, Gene Stratton-Porter

18 degrees from William Beadle, Larry Bird, Richard Skelton

19 degrees from Michael Jackson

And WOW - 36 degrees from Katie Hall

Comments

And I guess now I'll have to find out just WHO Dennis Pennington is... lol (politician - I know).

Answer 14

Steven is

• 19 degrees from Dennis Pennington
• 19 degrees from Gene Stratton-Porter
• 20 degrees from Stith Thompson
• 20 degrees from William Beadle
• 22 degrees from Steve McQueen
• 23 degrees from Larry Bird
• 23 degrees from Harland Sanders
• 24 degrees from Michael Jackson
• 24 degrees from Richard Skelton
• 24 degrees from Florence Henderson
• 43 degrees from Katie Hall

and 22 degrees from our Member of the Week, Caroline Verworn on our single family tree.

No genetic relationships found.

Answer 15

Ancestors and Cousins

• 17 Degrees to Geneva Grace (Stratton) Stratton-Porter (1863 - 1924) 16C 2xR
• 17 Degrees to Dennis Lark Pennington (1776 - 1854) 16C 7xR
• 18 Degrees to Stith Thompson (1885 - 1976) 14C 3xR (Uncertain)
• 18 Degrees to Harland David Sanders (1890 - 1980) 12C 4xR (Uncertain)
• 19 Degrees to Terrence Steven McQueen (1930 - 1980) 17C 2xR
• 20 Degrees to Florence Agnes Henderson (1934 - 2016) 20C 1xR (Uncertain)
• 20 Degrees to Michael Joseph Jackson (1958 - 2009) 20C (Uncertain)

Connections

• 16 Degrees to Larry Bird
• 18 Degrees to William Henry Harrison Beadle (1838 - 1915)
• 19 Degrees to Richard Bernard Skelton (1913 - 1997)
• 38 Degrees to Katie Beatrice (Green) Hall (1938 - 2012)

Answer 16

Cousins (Other Connection)
Stith Thompson - 8C3R - (20 degrees)
Steve McQueen - 15C5R - (24 degrees)
Dennis Pennington - 16C7R - (19 degrees)
Gene Stratton-Porter - 16C7R - (19 degrees)   
Florence Henderson - 17C2R- (24 degrees)
Michael Jackson - 18C2R - (24 degrees)

Connections
William Beadle - 20 degrees   
Harland Sanders - 22 degrees   
Richard Skelton - 23 degrees   
Larry Bird - 24 degrees   
Katie Hall - 42 degrees   

Answer 17

Red Skelton-8c1r

F Henderson-8c3r

King of Cool McQueen- 13c3r

Dennis Pennington-5c6r

Answer 18

19° from Michael Jackson

19° from W. H. H. Beadle

22° from Larry Bird

40° from Katie Hall

22° from Florence Henderson

21° from Steve McQueen

18° from Dennis Pennington

19° from Colonel Sanders

19° from Red Skelton (also my half 9×cousin 3×removed)

16° from Gene Stratton-Porter (my 5×cousin 5×removed, definitely one of the closest featured cousins I've had)

17° from Stith Porter

Answer 19

Stith Thompson is only 15 degrees away, and a 6th cousin twice removed through a New Netherlands ancestor.

Although Florence Henderson was born in Indiana, she grew up in my hometown of Owensboro, Kentucky.  I just learned that her best friend in high school, and perhaps for much of her life, was my next door neighbor for some years when I was a teenager.  Small world.

Florence's sister Anna married a Wathen, a name which has been prominent in Owensboro.  I added some of his ancestors, connecting to existing profiles on WikiTree.  I haven't found a connection to the Wathens I had in mind, at least so far.  It also didn't connect me any more closely to Florence Henderson (17 degrees) but perhaps it will have that effect for others.

Answer 20

I am 23 degrees from Dennis Pennington (25 cousins once removed)

25 degrees from Stith Thompson (25th cousins)

25 degrees from William Beagle

25 degree from Gene Stratton - Porter (26th cousins)

27 degrees from Steve McQueen (25th cousins once removed)

28 degrees from Richard Skelton

28 degrees from Florence Henderson  (25th cousins three times removed)

28 degrees from Harland Sanders

28 degrees from Caroline Verworn (very diistant cousins)

29 degrees from Michael Jackson

29 degrees from Larry Bird

47 degrees from Katie Hall