Barbara Pierce (Bush)
Barbara PIERCE (Bush) is the wife of former U.S. president George H.W. BUSH, and the mother of Texas Governer George W. BUSH . In an earlier version of this Web page Barbara PIERCE was incorrectly identified as the 9th great-granddaughter of Nathaniel1 MERRILL 1601-1654/5, as follows:
Nathaniel1 MERRILL 1601-1654/5 m. Susanna UNKNOWN d.1672/3 Nathaniel2 MERRILL ill (1633/4-1682/3) m.1661 Joanna NINIAN d.1717/8 John3 MERRILL (1662/3-1705) m. Lucy WEBSTER 1664-aft.1718 Abel4 MERRILL (prob.1690-1753) m.(1) Sarah BODWELL abt.1696-1737 Elizabeth5 MERRILL b.1727/8 m.(1) Benjamin PIERCE 1726-1764 Benjamin6 PIERCE (1757-1839) m.(2)1790 Ann KENDRICK 1768-1838 ??? PIERCE (b.abt.1785?-) Gen. James PIERCE Jr. 1810-1874 m.1839 Chloe HOLBROOK b.1816 Jonas James PIERCE 1839-1913 m.1865 Kate PRITZEL b.1841 Scott PIERCE 1866-aft.1930 m.1891 Mabel MARVIN 1869-aft.1930 Marvin PIERCE 1893-1969 m.(1)1918 Pauline ROBINSON 1896-1949 Barbara PIERCE 1925- m.1945 George Herbert Walker BUSH 1924- George Walker BUSH 1946- m.1977 Laura WELCH 1946-
The source was Don Merrill dmerrill@gte.net, who stated in an article "Nathaniel in the White House," in The Merrill Newsletter (
http://merrill.wwh.net/TMN), Vol.1, No.2, pg.5 (October 1991): "President Franklin Pierce is Barbara Bush's third great uncle and therefore (she) is descended from Franklin Pierce's brother (??? Pierce b.abt.1785?) whose grandmother (Elizabeth b.1727/8) was a Merrill." Don Merrill's statement implies the Merrill ancestry listed above, which is incorrect. Don's source was a Prodigy genealogy bulletin board posting approximately 1994, from unknown sources.According to Pierce Genealogy, Frederick Clifton Peirce, Esq., 1882, provided 11/10/99 by Richard L. Pierce
rlpierce@bkb.com and corrected by Barb Petty b.petty@home.com 1/7/01, Barbara Bush's Pierce correct ancestry is as follows:Thomas1 PIERCE 1583-4? -1666 m. Elizabeth WORTINGTON b.1595-6 Thomas2 PIERCE 1618-1683 m.1635 Elizabeth COLE d.1688 James3 PIERCE 1659-1742 m.(1)abt.1687 Elizabeth PARKER d.1715 James4 PIERCE 1690-1773 m.(2)bef.1711 Phebe UNKNOWN d.1776 Joshua5 PIERCE 1722-1771 m(2)1753 Esther RICHARDSON 1727-1819 James6 PIERCE 1768-1849 m.1795 Mary STACY 1774-1847 Gen. James7 PIERCE Jr. 1810-1874 m.1839 Chloe HOLBROOK 1816-1886 Jonas8 James PIERCE 1839-1913 m.1865 Kate PRITZEL 1841-1931 Scott9 PIERCE 1866-aft.1930 m.1891 Mabel MARVIN 1869-193? Marvin10 PIERCE 1893-1969 m.(1)1918 Pauline ROBINSON 1896-1949 Barbara11 PIERCE 1925- m.1945 George Herbert Walker BUSH 1924- George Walker BUSH 1946- m.1977 Laura WELCH 1946- and President Franklin Pierce's ancestry is as follows: Thomas1 PIERCE 1583-4? -1666 m. Elizabeth WORTINGTON b.1595-6 Thomas2 PIERCE 1618-1683 m.1635 Elizabeth COLE d.1688 Stephen3 PIERCE 1651-1733 m.1676 Tabitha PARKER d.1742 Stephen4 PIERCE 1679-1749 m.1707 Esther FLETCHER 1681-1767 Benjamin5 PIERCE 1726-1764 m.1746 Elizabeth MERRILL b.1727/8 Gen. Benjamin6 PIERCE 1757-1839 m.(2)1790 Anna KENDRICK 1768-1838 Pres. Franklin7 PIERCE 1804-1869 m.1834 Jane M. APPLETON 1806-1863
So Barbara PIERCE Bush 1925- is a fourth cousin four times removed (4C4R) of President Franklin PIERCE 1804-1869, and not a third great grandniece as reported by Don Merrill. Since the latest common ancestor is Thomas2 PIERCE 1608[?]-1683 who predates Elizabeth MERRILL b.1727/8, Barbara PIERCE Bush 1925- does not have (known) Merrill ancestors.
Sources:
MERRILLs from Merrill Memorial, Samuel Merrill, 1928.
PIERCEs from Pierce Genealogy, Frederick Clifton Peirce [sic], Esq., 1882;
Burke's Presidential Families of the United States (2nd edition) page 265,
cited by Kees van den Berg, kkees@worldonline.nl,
emails of 11/20/99 and 12/2/99;
back to Genealogy of Deane Whitney Merrill, Jr. (1938-)
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