Cousins, Cousins and More Cousins

I haven’t participated Saturday Night Genealogy Fun lately but I came across this one and it seemed interesting so here is a tally of my 1st cousins, 2nd cousins and several degrees of removed cousins. I am several weeks late but you can find the original challenge at the link above. 

1) Take both sets of your grandparents and figure out how many first cousins you have, and how many first cousins removed (a child or grandchild of a first cousin) you have.

My Paternal Side

The Cleage family about 1930 in front of their house on Scotten. From L to R Henry, Louis, (My grandmother) Pearl, Barbara, Hugh, Gladys, Anna, Albert Jr (My father) and (My grandfather) Albert Sr.
The Cleage family about 1930 in front of their house on Scotten. From L to R Henry, Louis, (My grandmother) Pearl, Barbara, Hugh, Gladys, Anna, Albert Jr (My father) and (My grandfather) Albert Sr.

My father had 6 siblings.

His three brothers had no children.
His oldest sister had one son.
His second sister had four children.
His youngest sister had two daughters. 
I have seven first cousins on this side.

cleage_cousins
My sister Pearl in the blue. Cousin Jan in the red. Behind Jan, Warren. Front right, Dale. Behind Dale, Ernie and behind him, me. About 1958.
shreveshenryblairgammiexmas
Front are my other 3 cousins. In zipped coat on left, Maria. Center, Blair. On right, Anna.  Aunts & uncles in background.
  • Warren has two daughters. They have a total of seven children.
  • Jan has three daughters and one son. They have a total of five children.
  • Ernest has two children. No grandchildren.
  • Anna has four children and three grandchildren.
  • Maria has two children. No grandchildren.
  • Dale has one child. Unknown number of grandchildren.

I have 14 first cousins once removed on this side and 15 cousins twice removed here.

My Maternal Side

grahams+with+mershall_2
Mershell holding my mother Doris, Fannie Graham in front Mershell Jr. and Mary Virginia. 1927

My mother had three siblings. Both of her brothers died as children. Her sister had 3 daughters.

daughters_grandaughters_'56
My mother Doris & her sister Mary V with their children – Cousins Dee Dee, Barbara & Marilyn with dark hair. Sister Pearl and myself with braids.
  • Dee Dee has three children. They have eight children.
  • Barbara has two children. They have five children.
  • Marilyn has one son, who has two children.

I have three first cousins on this side, six cousins once removed and 15 cousins twice removed. 

This makes a grand total for me of  ten first cousins, 22 first cousins once removed and 24 cousins twice removed.

2) Extra Credit: Take all four sets of your great-grandparents and figure out how many second cousins you have, and how many second cousins once removed you have.

Second Cousins are the children of your parent’s 1st cousin and the grandchildren of your grandparent’s siblings (your granduncles/grandaunts).

Howard and Jennie (Allen) Turner – Maternal great grandparents

My maternal grandmother had two sisters. Neither of them married or had children. 

"Jennie Allen Turner and Daughters"
Fannie, Jennie (mother) Alice. Daisy standing.

William and Mary (Jackson) Graham – Paternal Great grandparents.

My maternal grandfather’s sister Annie Graham
Annie Graham’s children.

My maternal grandfather, Mershell Graham, had four siblings.
Crawford and William disappeared from the records after 1880.
Jacob and Abraham died childless.
Annie had 4 children.  My mother had four first cousins.  That gives me four first cousins once removed.  Between them they had 20 children, giving me 20 second cousins.

Buford Averitt and Anna Ray Reed

header_Annas_Family

My paternal grandmother Pearl Reed Cleage had 7 siblings.

  • Josephine had two children. Unfortunately the family lost contact with those children after 1900.
  • Sarah had nine children. Between them, they had 14 children.
  • Louise had two children.  Between them they had six children.
  • Hugh had four children. Between them they had 13 children.
  • Minnie had 12 children. Between them they had 30 children.
My father and his brothers with Uncle Hugh Reed Averetts sons.
Two Reed cousins.  My father and his brothers with Uncle Hugh Reed Averett’s sons. Front are Henry and Hugh Cleage. Back are my father Albert Cleage, Hugh Averett, Thomas Averett and Louis Cleage.
Mullins cousins

My father had 29 first cousins on his mother’s side. He had 63 first cousins once removed on his mother’s side.  Josie’s Branch disappeared.  That gives me 63 known second cousins on this side.

Louis and Celia (Rice) Cleage

cuzcleages
Cleage Cousins – some of  Albert, Henry and Edwards children.

My paternal grandfather Albert B. Cleage had four siblings.
Henry had four children. They had a combined total of three children.
Edward had six children. They had a combined total of seven children.
Josie had five children.  They had a combined total of 22 children.

My father had 15 first cousins on his father’s side.  He had 29 first cousins once removed. That gives me 29 second cousins on this side.

So, on my father’s side I have 43 first cousins once removed and 93 second cousins.  On my mother’s side I have 4 first cousins once removed and 20 second cousins making a combined total of 47 first cousins once removed and 113 second cousins.

How Many Second Cousins Once Removed?

Then I realized that all of my parents second cousins were my second cousins once removed. So, I have been updating and looking at my ancestry tree. I think I’m about ready to take a count.

5 thoughts on “Cousins, Cousins and More Cousins

  1. Quite an exercise … I think I will try it. Not sure I can name them all but won’t know until I have at it ….LOL Are your Graham cousins here in Indy … if so I think I know a few of them (Mershell is not a common name). Thanks for the model and sharing I truly enjoyed.

    1. I couldn’t go any further without asking some cousins or using a chart.

      We lost touch with all my grandfather’s people so I don’t know where they are. You know a Mershell Graham? Maybe you know my long lost cousins!

  2. I’m impressed that you were able to calculate these numbers. I agree with Mary–It is quite an exercise. I love the picture of you holding the dolls. Your were adorable.

  3. A wonderful family record, especially with having the photographs, and I ency you having so many relations. Although both my parents came from families of 5 + children, I have only 5 first cousins and lost contact with some of them, though in recent years have discovered through my blog 2 third cousins and 2 second cousin.

  4. We were the only grandchildren on both the paternal and maternal sides. I didn’t have first cousins. Your pictures are beautiful treasures.

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