It's always interesting to me when I find a genealogical connection to a known celebrity, be it in the arts, politics or historical figure.
I was watching "Finding Your Roots" this past Tuesday evening and one of the guests was actor Billy Crudup. They mentioned his paternal grandmother was a woman named Priscilla Anne Parham, born 1922 in Henderson North Carolina.
Being as all my maternal ancestors are more or less from Virginia originally, going back to Jamestown, my ears perked up. Especially since I have direct ancestors with the surname of Parham.
We share a common direct ancestor in Thomas Parham Jr who was born about 1665 in Charles Citie, one of the eight original counties of the Virginia Colony and died in 1717 in Dinwiddie County, Virginia Colony. He may have also lived in Prince Georges County at some point and the place of his burial is unknown at this point. Thomas Parham Jr married Elizabeth "Jane" Branch in 1685 in Charles Citie County. Their known offspring are Amelia, Thomas III and William Parham. My line goes down from William Parham and his wife Anne Stith, and Billy Crudup's line goes down from Thomas Parham and his wife Mary Isham. As luck would have it I also have the surname Isham in my direct line(though I haven't fleshed out how we are related on that line)so that makes us double cousins! My most recent Isham ancestor is Mirah Dorcas Isham Foster(a widow with two sons by her first marriage), born 1587 in Hertfordshire England died 1670 in Lower Norfolk Count Virginia Colony married Bartholomew Hoskins, one of the "Ancient Planters" of Virginia, at St. Dunstan's Church 3 July 1628 in Stepney London before setting sail on the ship named the "Safety" in 1635 for Jamestown.
My most recent Parham ancestor is Jane Parham(1738-1804), the daughter of Ephraim Stith Parham(William's son). Billy's most recent Parham ancestor is his paternal grandmother Priscilla Anne Parham.
