SELF RELATIONSHIPS OF BRENT J. BELNAP
Perhaps most everyone residing outside Appalachia is concerned about inbreeding.  However, if we trace our ancestry back far enough, each of us is related to ourselves---many times over.  Such known "self relationships" (sometimes also referred to as "consanguine," "duplicate," "double" relationships or ancestors or a "collapsed" or "collapsing" pedigree) are not uncommon, especially for Americans with extensive and well-documented family trees extending into the colonial New England era and the royal houses of Europe.
For example, Queen Elizabeth II is a direct descendant of Sir Robert Belknap at least seven different ways.  Her daughter-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales, is a direct descendant of Sir Robert Belknap at least 3 different ways.  Therefore, both Princes William and Harry are "Belknaps" through 10 known separate lines of descent.
If we were able to identify all of our ancestors for 25 generations (back about 900 years), each of us would have over 16 million ancestors---more than the entire population of most countries that existed back then.  Certainly, many of those 16 million+ ancestors would be duplicates.  Go back just five more generations---to 30 generations or about 1,000 years ago---and the total number of one's ancestors would equal over half a billion, more than the entire then-existing world population!
NOTE:  Calculating degrees of consanguinity through "self relationships" becomes particularly confusing where additional duplicate ancestors, as found below, are found among an already self-shared ancestry.
Known Self-Relationships (showing most recent duplicate ancestors organized by generation):
10th Generation from Brent Jay Belnap = 2 known duplicates
Henry Lee (1686-1745) and Rebecca Heywood (1689-1725)
11th Generation from Brent Jay Belnap = 10 known duplicates
Nathaniel Mowry (1644-1718) and Joanna Inman (1646-1718)
John Lapham (1635-before 1710) and Mary Mann (1640-1710) [connects with 10th Generation]
Ebenezer Allen (1659-1725) and Abigail Hill (chr. 1670-unknown)
12th Generation from Brent Jay Belnap = 24 named/2 unnamed = 26 known duplicates
Francis Griswold (1635-1671) and Mary Tracy (about 1633-unknown)
Joseph Morse (1637-1677) and Susanna Shattuck (1643-1716)
John Mead (about 1634-1699) and Hannah Potter (about 1638-after 1700) [connects with 11th Generation]
13th Generation from Brent Jay Belnap = 42 named/20 unnamed = 62 known duplicates
William Backus (about 1606-1664) and Elizabeth ____ (before 1610-1643)
Thomas Tracy (1610-1685) and Mary Mason (about 1612-unknown) [parents of Mary Tracy in 12th Generation]
~ Thomas Tracy (1610-1685) [same as above; through different wife]
Edward Griswold (about 1607-1691) and Margaret Hicks (about 1609-1670) [includes self-relationship within SR]
John Fiske (about 1572-1632/1633) and Anne Lawter (Lantersee) (about 1580-1636/1637)
Joachim Sonnenberg (unknown-after 1556) and [unknown]
William Potter (about 1608-1684) and Frances (1610-unkn) [possibly connects twice--connects with 12th Gen]
14th Generation from Brent Jay Belnap = 39 named/__ unnamed = __ known duplicates
Robert Husted (about 1596-after 1652) and Elizabeth Miller (1614-1652) [connects with 13th Generation]
Georg (Juergen) Smiterlow (1521-1571) and Gertrud Moller (unknown-1591)
[Scudder family]
15th Generation from Brent Jay Belnap
[no known new self-relationships in this Generation; but see 16th Generation]
16th Generation from Brent Jay Belnap
Magdalene Quant (unknown-unknown) [through 2 different husbands; connects with 15th Generation]
William Spencer (about 1552-unknown) and Jenet Watkinson (unknown-unkn) [connects with 15th Generation]
17th Generation from Brent Jay Belnap
Albert Gyldenhusen III (about 1419-before 1475) and Wobekke Pustow (unknown-unknown) [includes self-relationship within self-relationship; connects with 16th Generation]
[MORE TO COME]
Known Self-Relationships (showing first known self-related direct ancestor):
Duplicate ancestors of David Knight (1721-1804) (6th great grandfather)
William Backus (about 1606-1664) and Elizabeth ____ (before 1610-1643)
Duplicate ancestors of Rodolphus Knight (1768-1809) (4th great grandfather)
Francis Griswold (1635-1671) and Mary Tracy (about 1633-unknown)
Duplicate ancestors of Betty Waterman (1724-1791) (6th great grandmother; grandmother of Rodolphus Knight)
Thomas Tracy (1610-1685) [through separate spouses]
Duplicate ancestors of Rizpah Lee (1774-1853) (4th great grandmother)
Henry Lee (1686-1745) and Rebecca Heywood (1689-1725)
Duplicate ancestors of Hannah Morse (1720-1750) (6th great grandmother; grandmother of Rizpah Lee)
Joseph Morse (1637-1677) and Susanna Shattuck (1643-1716)
Duplicate ancestors of Abigail Mead (1770-1854) (4th great grandmother)
John Mead (about 1634-1699) and Hannah Potter (about 1638-after 1700)
Duplicate ancestors of Enos Mead (1721-after 1794) (6th great grandfather; grandfather of Abigail Mead)
Robert Husted (about 1596-after 1652) and Elizabeth Miller (1614-1652)
Duplicate ancestors of Emer Harris (1781-1869) (3rd great grandfather)
Nathaniel Mowry (1644-1718) and Joanna Inman (1646-1718)
Duplicate ancestors of Rhoda Lapham (1759-1849) (4th great grandmother; mother of Emer Harris)
John Lapham (1635-before 1710) and Mary Mann (1640-1710)
Duplicate ancestors of Melchior Ludwig Bluth (1698-1791) (5th great grandfather)
Joachim Sonnenberg (unknown-after 1556) and [unknown]
Duplicate ancestors of Ilsabe Klinkow (about 1658-after 1707) (6th great grandmother; mother of Melchior Ludwig Bluth)
Georg (Juergen) Smiterlow (1521-1571) and Gertrud Moller (unknown-1591)
Magdalene Quant (unknown-unknown) [through 2 different husbands]
Albert Gyldenhusen III (about 1419-before 1475) and Wobekke Pustow (unknown-unknown) [includes self-relationship within self-relationship]
Duplicate ancestors of Gordon Leslie Belnap (1929-living) (father)
John Fiske (about 1572-1632/1633) and Anne Lawter (Lantersee) (about 1580-1636/1637)
Duplicate ancestors of Gladys Joy McArthur (1932-living) (mother)
Ebenezer Allen (1659-1725) and Abigail Hill (chr. 1670-unknown)
Duplicate ancestors of Brent Jay Belnap (1961-living) (self)
Edward Griswold (about 1607-1691) and Margaret Hicks (about 1609-1670) [includes self-relationship within SR]
William Potter (about 1608-1684) and Frances (1610-unknown) [possible duplicate connection]
Duplicate ancestors of children of Brent Jay Belnap (1961-living) and Lorinda Goff (1965-living)
Richard Newton (unknown-1701) and Anne or Hannah Loker (1605-1697)
Duplicate ancestors among Royalty/Nobility
[TO COME--numerous instances]
Last update: 17 Jul 2012
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