The (Distant) Ties between the Deans and Zebulon Baird Vance

Zebulon Baird Vance, digitalheritage.org

I was "backfilling" the Baird family on wikitree.com (meaning I was adding in the siblings of those who were direct ancestors of mine), when I noticed a Zebulon Baird. Immediately, I thought, "That name sounds familiar." Indeed. Zebulon Baird Vance was a Confederate military office, twice the governor of North Carolina in the post-war years, and a U.S. senator. While he's not exactly a connection I'm thrilled to own, I try to recognize both the positives and negatives of the (very extended) family.

Zebulon Baird Vance and I are third cousins, six times removed. John Baird was Zebulon's great-great grandfather through his mother. That same John Baird is my eight great grandfather along the Dean line.