In a message dated 2/16/2008 4:26:42 PM Eastern Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > Gretchen, your Elizabeth LAING first married Robert ARCHIBALD. Her > sister Christian LAING married James ARCHIBALD, who were my gg > grandparents. Two sisters married two brothers. Jean, In this case, you and Gretchen are full 4th cousins (4C) as you share the same 3 x g-grandparents. As their two daughters married two brothers, the brothers' parents would also be your 3 x g-grandparents. "Double 4C"? I don't think there is an 'official' designation of the 'double' part. Toni Hi Toni, I think I am throwing a monkey wrench in this theory, but my gg-grandfather was Alexander Baptie who was Elizabeth Laing's 2nd husband after the death of Robert Archibald. I guess that would still make us cousins, but if you would, could you explain this relationship to me. Thanks, gretchen **************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living. (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/ 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)

----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 9:40 PM Subject: Re: [MIDLOTHIAN] LAING >> Gretchen, your Elizabeth LAING first married Robert ARCHIBALD. Her >> sister Christian LAING married James ARCHIBALD, who were my gg >> grandparents. Two sisters married two brothers. > > Jean, > > In this case, you and Gretchen are full 4th cousins (4C) as you share the > same 3 x g-grandparents. As their two daughters married two brothers, the > brothers' parents would also be your 3 x g-grandparents. "Double 4C"? I > don't think there is an 'official' designation of the 'double' part. > > Toni > > Hi Toni, > > I think I am throwing a monkey wrench in this theory, but my > gg-grandfather > was Alexander Baptie who was Elizabeth Laing's 2nd husband after the death > of > Robert Archibald. I guess that would still make us cousins, but if you > would, > could you explain this relationship to me. > > Thanks, > gretchen Forget the husbands for the moment. Elizabeth LAING (your 2 x g-gm) and Christian LAING (Jean's 2 x g-gm) were sisters. If they were sisters, the common ancestor(s) to you and Jean are their parents ~ your 3 x great-grandparents. 1) Elizabeth's and Christian's children were 1C to each other (at least one from each sister was your's and Jean's 1 x g-grandparent). 2) The children of the 1C were 2nd cousins to each other (you and Jean have a grandparent in the 2C group). 3) The children of the the 2C are 3C to each other (your Mum or Dad and Jean's Mum or Dad are 3C). 4) The children of the 3C are 4C to each other (you and Jean). I find it rather more easy than others to figure it out, for I grew up (almost next door) with 2nd cousins. One of them has grandchildren, as do I. Our grandchildren are 4C to each other. Plus back home we had close contact with cousins ranging from my father's and her mother's 2C to our own 4C and all the relationships in between (the 'removeds' I mean). I'm now part of a private Yahoo Group where our 25 members range (relationships to me) from my 1C to 4C with all the 'removeds' in each main cousin group (i.e. my Dad's 1C is one, so he is my 1C1R. Their 2C is also in the group, so she is 2C1R to me). It's loads of fun for the rest of us when a 'new found cousin' comes along and they try to keep each relationship straight! Some of my cousins in Glasgow on my Mum's side are often confused with these relationships, but <vbg> they become totally confused when the "half" is included; our grandfather had 3 wives, with 6, 1 & 5 children from the 3 ... and some are now great-grandparents (1 x G-GP)! There are a number of good relationship charts on the net. http://www.islandregister.com/cousin.html Print off and keep handy, remembering to begin with the common ancester (in the case with you and Jean, it would be your 3 x g-grandparents. Confusion often arises too, when you use GGG etc. Hard to keep count/track with all those Gs. Hope this has helped you understand how you relate to Jean. I don't know who the common ancestor is to the others who have this same family grouping, so I don't know how they relate to you and Jean. Have been following all the messages ... although I'm in no way connected myself, but I'm finding it all so very interesting (and am excited for all of you), so I hope you won't take your conversations off-list!! Also, remember nothing will be in the archives if you do - so won't be available for anyone else who may happen along months down the road. Good Luck to each of you researching this LAING Family! Toni

----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 9:40 PM Subject: Re: [MIDLOTHIAN] LAING > Hi Toni, > > I think I am throwing a monkey wrench in this theory, but my > gg-grandfather > was Alexander Baptie who was Elizabeth Laing's 2nd husband after the death > of > Robert Archibald. I guess that would still make us cousins, but if you > would, > could you explain this relationship to me. I guess I ought to have asked this first, but never thought of it (sorry) ... Is Elizabeth LAING your 2 x great-grandmother as well, or is she your step- 2 x great-grandmother? [From the above, it sounds as if you do not descend from Elizabeth.] If step-2 x g-gm, then you share _ no _ blood relationship with Jean. As you don't descend from Robert whose brother (hoping I have this bit correct) also married a LAING sister, you wouldn't be related on that side anyway. Sorry for the confusion! Toni