Monday, May 5, 2014

52 Ancestor Challenge Week #18 - Edgar Allan Poe

When I was growing up my Grandmother Farley would often relay to us that Edgar Allan Poe was one of our ancestors.  Then I would ask her how was he related and she never really knew so lately I have been trying to find out IF there was a connection.  I have been puttering in genealogy for about 10 years - give or take and have never found any Poe connection.

Lately I have been working on my Rees/Reese ancestors and finally found the answer as to whether or not we have a connection  to Edgar Allan Poe.   The answer is yes BUT it is so far out there that I really hesitate to say he is an ancestor.

My 3rd great grandparents Daniel Evans & Ruth (Dawson) Reese had 15 children among them my great grandmother Maria Kenley Reese and an older sister Rebecca Reese.  Seems Rebecca was married to William E. Clemm and therein lies the connection to Edgar Allan Poe.  Rebecca's husband William E. Clemm was a half brother to Virginia Clemm who was married to Edgar Allan Poe.  Poe was also a cousin to Virginia Clemm but in neither line do we have a direct connection.  Sorry Nana it really doesn't count.

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