Subj: Re: [VAROOTS] That Cousin Stuff Date: 1/29/2002 4:38:04 PM Central Standard Time From: Ms2001@aol.com Reply-to: VAROOTS-L@rootsweb.com To: VAROOTS-L@rootsweb.com Hello omega84@ev1.net (R&S Patterson), In reference to your comment: è It explains all those è mysterious "5th cousin twice removed" kinds of è things. Actually the 'cousin stuff' is very simple. I had this posted on several websites but I think they have all 'bit the dust' over the years. Of course I can't find the original explaination now so here goes - Abe and Betty are married and have 2 kids - Charlie and Donna - who are of course brother and sister. Charlie marries Ethel and they have George Donna marries Fred and they have Hazel (don't ya love the ABCs here?) Charlie and Ethel are aunt and uncle to George and Hazel - that's the easy part. George and Hazel are first cousins and their spouses will also first cousins (none of the once removed stuff yet). Let's jump down one more generation. George has a son, Igor, and Hazel has a son, Jack. Now here goes the seconds and removes - Jack and Igor are second cousins. George and Jack and first cousins once removed. So are Hazel and Igor The first, second, third etc relationships show the same number of generations down from the common ancestor (good ole Abe and Betty). When the number of generations from the common ancestor are different, the 'removes' kick in. So we have: Abe/Betty - Charlie - George - Igor Abe/Betty - Donna - Hazel - Jack Adding another generation - Abe/Betty - Charlie - George - Igor - Lee Abe/Betty - Donna - Hazel - Jack - Mary which gives us - Common Ancestor - siblings - first cousins - second cousins - third cousins The relationship between a first cousin and a second cousin is a first cousin once removed. The relationship between a first cousin and a third cousin is a first cousin twice removed. The relationship between a second cousin and a third cousin is second cousin once removed. The 'removes' simply mean that the generations are not even from the common ancestor. I hope this helps someone make some sense of all those things great Aunt Betty told you ..... Bev