George H. W. Bush

Bush in 2008, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: George Herbert Walker Bush

Date of Birth: June 12, 1924

Place of Birth: Milton, Massachusetts, U.S.

Date of Death: November 30, 2018

Place of Death: Houston, Texas, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, small amounts (to varying degrees) of Scottish, German, Irish, Welsh, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Dutch, Swedish, Belgian [Flemish], and French

George Herbert Walker Bush was an American businessperson and politician. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 41st President of the United States, from January 20, 1989 to January 20, 1993. He was elected to the position in 1988. He was previously the 43rd Vice President of the United States, from January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989. He was elected to the position in 1980 and 1984. He was also a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas, from January 3, 1967 to January 3, 1971, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, from March 1, 1971 to January 18, 1973, Chairperson of the Republican National Committee, from January 19, 1973 to September 16, 1974, Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office to the People’s Republic of China, from September 26, 1974 to December 7, 1975, and Director of Central Intelligence, from January 30, 1976 to January 20, 1977.

He was the Republican Party’s nominee for re-election as President of the United States in 1992. He was also a candidate for the Republican Party’s 1980 presidential nomination.

President Bush was Time Magazine’s Person of the Year for 1990. He also founded the Points of Light Foundation, to promote volunteerism.

President Bush was the son of Dorothy (Walker) and Prescott Bush (Prescott Sheldon Bush), a politician and banker, who served as a U.S. Senator from Connecticut, from November 4, 1952 to January 3, 1963. His family was wealthy and upper-class, with many New England ancestors dating back to the 1600s. President Bush was married to Barbara Bush (born Barbara Pierce), until her death. Among their six children are George W. Bush (George Walker Bush), who was the 43rd President of the United States, from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009, and politician Jeb Bush (John Ellis Bush), who was Governor of Florida, from 1999 to 2007; and among his grandchildren is politician George P. Bush (George Prescott Bush) and teacher, author, and journalist Jenna Bush Hager (born Jenna Welch Bush). President Bush’s granddaughter, model and businessperson Lauren Bush, is married to businessperson David Lauren, who is the son of designer Ralph Lauren. Among President Bush’s siblings was environmentalist and political campaigner Nancy Walker Bush Ellis. His uncle, George Herbert Walker, Jr., was a businessperson, who co-founded the New York Mets.

President Bush was a devout Episcopalian. Much of President Bush’s ancestry was English, along with small amounts of Scottish, German, Irish, Welsh, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Dutch, Swedish, Belgian Flemish, and French, ancestry.

President Bush and his son were the second father-and-son U.S. president duo, after John Adams and John Quincy Adams. There was also a pair of U.S. Presidents who were grandfather-and-grandson, William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison.

President Bush’s paternal grandfather was Samuel Prescott Bush (the son of The Rev. James Smith Bush and Harriet Eleanor Fay). Samuel was born in Brick Church, New Jersey. The Rev. James was an Episcopalian minister, religious writer, and attorney, and was the son of Obadiah Newcomb Bush and Harriet B. Smith. President Bush’s great-grandmother Harriet was the daughter of Samuel Howard Fay and Susan Montfort/Montford Shellman.

President Bush’s paternal grandmother was Flora Sheldon (the daughter of Robert Emmet Sheldon and Mary Elizabeth Butler). Flora was born in Franklin County, Ohio. Robert was the son of Thomas H. Sheldon and Martha Uncles; Martha’s father was from Bradford, England. Mary was the daughter of Cortland/Courtland Philip Livingston Butler and Elizabeth Slade Pierce.

President Bush’s maternal grandfather was George Herbert “Bert” Walker (the son of David Davis “D. D.” Walker and Martha Adela Beaky). President Bush’s grandfather George was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and was a banker and businessperson. The Walker Cup of golf is named after him. David, a prominent businessperson, co-founded the clothing brand Ely & Walker, and was the son of George E. Walker, whose father was born in Clifton, Gloucestershire, England and whose mother was born in Scotland; and of Harriet Mercer. Martha was the daughter of Joseph Ambrose Beaky and Mary Anne/Ann Bangs.

President Bush’s maternal grandmother was Lucretia “Loulie” Wear (the daughter of James Hutchinson/Hutchenson Wear and Nannie/Nancy Eliza Holliday). Lucretia was born in St. Louis, Missouri. James was the son of William Gault Wear/Weir and Sarah Amanda/Armanda Yancey. Nancy was the daughter of John James Holliday and Lucretia Green Foree.

President Bush’s matrilineal line can be traced to Eliza Dawson. Eliza’s mother’s maiden name was Montjoy/Mountjoy.

Bush official photo

There is a claim on several web sites that one of President Bush’s maternal great-great-great-great-grandfathers, Victor Emanuel Bechi, was Italian. It is not clear if this claim is accurate. Victor Emanuel Bechi is described in one reference book as having come from “Strasburg in the Province of Alsace-Lorraine” (in “Americans of gentle birth and their ancestors,” Volume 1, Hannah Daviess Pittman, Genealogical Pub. Co., 1970). That suggests that Victor Emanuel Bechi may have been of ethnic German origin. The surname Bechi can be Italian.

President Bush was a sixth cousin of actress Lily James. President Bush’s paternal great-great-great-great-grandmother, Sarah Horton, was a sister of Lily’s paternal great-great-great-great-grandfather, Stephen Horton. Their parents were Comfort Horton and Joanna Wood.

President Bush was also a first cousin, three times removed, of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court David Davis. President Bush’s three times maternal great-grandparents, John Mercer and Rebecca Davis, were also Justice Davis’ maternal grandparents.

Sources: Genealogy of President Bush (contained within the genealogy of his son, George W. Bush) – http://www.wargs.com

Genealogies of President Bush – http://www.geni.com
http://www.wikitree.com
http://famouskin.com
http://www.findagrave.com

Marriage record of President Bush’s parents – https://www.familysearch.org