Scotch-Irish-L Archives

Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 2005-01 > 1105151894


From: "John Polk" <>
Subject: Re: [Sc-Ir] Chester Alan Arthur
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2005 21:38:35 -0500


That would mostly be Gary Boyd Roberts of the NE Historic and Genealogy
Society who published "Ancestors of American Presidents".

I have not seen this but am familiar with the related work which might be
of interest - "Presidential Families of The United States of America",
published by Burke's Peerage. I believe G. B. Roberts was also involved in
this, but no author is cited on the title page which I copied. The trouble
with the Burke is that it does not cite sources. By the List Admin's
standard this makes it HEARSAY. In the UK Burke's Peerage is right next to
the Bible, but it is rather unsatisfying to have to take things on faith in
genealogy. Burke didn't come down from Mt. Sinai.

I can comment on the article about James K. Polk in Burke since I have
spent a huge amount of time on this line myself. Burke traces President
Polk's line back to Ulster and Scotland, but adds the caveat that "The
first three generations of this lineage are in fact unproven, but appear
highly probable." I would like to know what is behind the "highly
probable" assertion, but that is all there is. I suspect "educated guess",
or even SWAG, might be nearer the truth. Part of the lineage just repeats
some long ago published Polk family genealogy, which I am familiar with and
quite sure is incorrect, but no source is actually cited. In addition there
are some factual errors on other points.

John Polk



> [Original Message]
> From: Linda Merle <>
> To: <>
> Date: 1/7/2005 1:39:44 PM
> Subject: Re: [Sc-Ir] Chester Alan Arthur
>
> Does anyone recall the name of the man here in Boston who
> has published a book or books on the ancestry of the
> American presidents?
>
> If I were attempting to find out what is known and is
> correct, I'd check him first as he's spent his life doing
> this work, not just a few hours in the evening, and he's
> a professional genealogist which means (in order to avoid
> being stoned to death by peers and clients) he has got himself
> edjeekated on how to do these thangs gooder than the rest of
> us.....
>
> One can rather quickly validate or invalidate what he's
> written as he'd provide sources (as a professional) and then
> move on to unknown territory which is, after all, where
> we SI prefer to be.
>
> I just can't remember his name or find it fast on the
> website (www.newenglandancestors.org) .
>
> My only known link is by marriage to the CLINTONS
> of New York and eventually Arkansas, but my link was in
> Ulster around 1700. Could be related to George W as my
> father's family is from the same locale in England. A chance
> encounter in the back hallway with one of the staff and
> voila! your blood is blue. I figure I'm related to the best
> families of England as we were from Stanhope, up in the
> mountains where the kings had their royal forest and you
> can't hunt in the dark.
>
> Linda Merle
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________________________________________
> Sent via the WebMail system at mail.fea.net
>
>
>
>
> ---
> [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus]
>



--- John Polk
--- Havre de Grace MD
---




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