Bush family

Summary

The Bush family, also known as the Bush dynasty, is an American political family that has played a prominent role in American politics since the 1950s, foremost as the first family of the United States from 1989 to 1993 and again from 2001 to 2009, during the respective presidencies of George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. They also played prominent roles in areas of American news, sports, entertainment, and business. They were also the second family of the United States from 1981 to 1989, when George H. W. Bush was vice president. The Bush family is one of four families to have produced two presidents of the United States by the same surname; the others were the Adams, Roosevelt, and Harrison families.

Bush
The Bush family in the Red Room of the White House (January 2005) seated from left to right: Marvin Bush, Laura Bush, George W. Bush, Barbara Bush, George H. W. Bush, Jeb Bush. Also pictured, from left: Georgia Grace Koch, Margaret Bush, Charles Walker Bush, Jenna Bush Hager, Doro Bush, Barbara Pierce Bush, Robert P. Koch, Pierce Bush, Maria Bush, Neil Bush, Ashley Bush, Sam LeBlond, Robert Koch, Nancy Ellis LeBlond, John "Jebby" Bush, Amanda Bush, George P. Bush, and Columba Bush.
Current regionTexas
Place of originNew Sweden
New York
New England
Midwestern United States
Estate(s)Walker's Point Estate (Kennebunkport, Maine)
Prairie Chapel Ranch (McLennan County, Texas)

Best known for their involvement in politics, family members have held various national and state offices spanning across four generations, including that of U.S. senator (Prescott Bush); governor (Jeb Bush and George W. Bush); and president (George H. W. Bush, who had previously served as vice president, and George W. Bush). Other family members include a National Football League (NFL) executive (Joe Ellis) and two nationally known television personalities (Billy Bush and Jenna Bush Hager).

The Bush family is of primarily English and German descent. The Bush family traces its European origin to the 17th century, with Samuel Bush being their first American-born ancestor, in 1647.[1] They also have Swedish ancestry.[2][3][4] The Swedish colonial society also says that the Bush family is very interested in this, since it is their oldest European roots going back ten generations to a Swedish farmer Måns Andersson who migrated from Gothenburg to New Sweden (Delaware).

Relatives edit

  • James Smith Bush (1825–1889), father of Samuel P. Bush
    • Samuel Prescott Bush (1863–1948), father of Prescott Bush and son of James Smith Bush
    • Flora Sheldon Bush (1870–1920), wife of Samuel P. Bush (married June 20, 1894) and mother to Prescott Bush
      • Prescott Sheldon Bush (1895–1972), Samuel P. Bush's son, served as a U.S. Senator from Connecticut; former chairman of the USGA.
      • Dorothy Wear Walker Bush (1901–1992), wife of Prescott, was a daughter of George Herbert Walker of the well-connected Walker family of bankers and businessmen, served as informal First Mother from 1989, her son's inauguration during the beginning of his presidency until her death in 1992, in her son's final year of the presidency. Her brothers are George Herbert Walker Jr. and John M. Walker
        • Prescott Sheldon "Pressy" Bush Jr. (1922–2010), Prescott Bush's eldest son, who served as chairman of the United States-China Chamber of Commerce; married to Elizabeth "Beth" Kauffman (19222014) on December 30, 1944[5][6]
          • Prescott Sheldon Bush III (19452009), son of Prescott Bush Jr.; married to Francesca Emerson Farr on June 28, 1970[7]
          • Kelsey Bush-Nadeau, daughter of Prescott Bush Jr.; married to Philip Gerald Nadeau on May 25, 1974[8][9]
            • Elizabeth Nadeau, daughter of Kelsey Bush-Nadeau
            • Katherine Nadeau, daughter of Kelsey Bush-Nadeau
            • William F. Nadeau, son of Kelsey Bush-Nadeau, USMC Captain
            • Prescott Nadeau, son of Kelsey Bush-Nadeau
          • James Laurence "Jamie" Bush, son of Prescott Bush Jr.; married to Susan C. "Sue" Bush
            • Sarah Bush Richey, daughter of James L. Bush; married to William "Drake" Richey
              • Draper Dennis Richey
              • George Laurence Richey
              • Beatrice
            • Samuel P. Bush, son of James L. Bush
              • Auden
              • Elliot
        • George Herbert Walker Bush (1924–2018), Prescott Bush Sr.'s second son; 41st president of the United States, 43rd vice president under Ronald Reagan, a Representative from Texas, 11th Central Intelligence Agency director under Gerald Ford, 2nd Chief of Liaison Office to People's Republic of China under Gerald Ford, Chair of RNC and 10th UN Ambassador under Richard Nixon.
        • Barbara Pierce Bush (1925–2018), wife of George H. W.; daughter of publisher Marvin Pierce, distant cousin of 14th U.S. President Franklin Pierce, Second Lady and later First Lady of the U.S.
          • George Walker Bush (born 1946), George H. W. Bush's eldest son, 43rd president of the United States and (earlier) 46th Governor of Texas
             
            George H. W. Bush picnics on the lawn of his Kennebunkport home with his family, 1988
          • Laura Lane Welch Bush (born 1946), wife of George W. and First Lady; earlier a librarian
            • Barbara Pierce Bush Coyne (born 1981), daughter of George and Laura Bush and twin sister of Jenna, health care activist and chair of Global Health Corps.; married to Craig Louis Coyne
              • Cora Georgia Coyne (born September 27, 2021), daughter of Barbara Bush Coyne
            • Jenna Welch Bush Hager (born 1981), daughter of George and Laura and twin sister of Barbara, NBC News correspondent; married to Henry Chase Hager, son of former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia John H. Hager
              • Margaret Laura "Mila" Hager (born April 13, 2013), daughter of Jenna Bush Hager
              • Poppy Louise Hager (born August 13, 2015), daughter of Jenna Bush Hager
              • Henry Harold "Hal" Hager (born August 2, 2019), son of Jenna Bush Hager
          • Pauline Robinson "Robin" Bush (1949–1953), George H. W. Bush's second child and first daughter; died of leukemia near school-age
          • John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (born 1953), George H. W. Bush's second son,[10] 43rd Governor of Florida; married to Columba Garnica Gallo
            • George Prescott Bush (born 1976), son of Jeb Bush, 28th commissioner of the Texas General Land Office from 2015 to 2023; married to Amanda Williams Bush
              • Prescott Walker Bush (born June 3, 2013), son of George P. Bush
              • John William Bush (born April 13, 2015), son of George P. Bush
            • Noelle Lucila Bush (born 1977), daughter of Jeb Bush
            • John Ellis "Jebby" Bush Jr. (born 1983), son of Jeb Bush; married to Sandra Mary Algudady
              • Georgia Helena Walker Bush (born August 13, 2011), daughter of Jebby Bush
              • Vivian Alexandra Columba Bush (born 2014), daughter of Jebby Bush
          • Neil Mallon Bush (born 1955), third son of George H. W. Bush; businessman; married Sharon Smith, & divorced in April 2003; married to Maria Andrews as of 2004
            • Lauren Pierce Bush (born 1984), daughter of Neil Bush and Sharon Smith; model for Tommy Hilfiger; married to David Lauren
              • James Richard Lauren (born November 21, 2015), son of Lauren Bush Lauren and David Lauren
              • Max Walker Lauren (born April 19, 2018), son of Lauren Bush Lauren and David Lauren
              • Robert Rocky Lauren (born April 10, 2021), son of Lauren Bush Lauren and David Lauren
            • Pierce Mallon Bush (born 1986), son of Neil Bush and Sharon Smith; married to Sarahbeth Melton
              • Adeline Grace Elizabeth Bush (born April 21, 2021), daughter of Pierce Bush
            • Ashley Walker Bush (born 1989), daughter of Neil Bush and Sharon Smith. Married to Julian LeFevre on March 2, 2019.
          • Marvin Pierce Bush (born 1956), fourth son of George H. W. Bush; venture capitalist; married to Margaret Conway (née Molster); adopted two children
            • Marshall Lloyd Bush (born May 14, 1986), adopted daughter of Marvin Pierce Bush. Married to Nick Rossi on November 21, 2015.
            • Charles Walker Bush (born December 12, 1989), adopted son of Marvin Pierce Bush. Married to Lora Benoit on November 24, 2020.
          • Dorothy Walker Bush Koch (born 1959), second daughter of George H. W. Bush; married to, and in 1990 divorced from, William LeBlond; married to Bobby Koch, wine lobbyist
            • Samuel Bush LeBlond (born 1984), son of Dorothy Bush Koch and William LeBlond; married to Lee Bobbitt
            • Nancy Ellis "Ellie" LeBlond (born 1986), daughter of Dorothy Bush Koch and William LeBlond; married to Nick Sosa
              • Dorothy Ann "Dotty" Sosa (born August 25, 2020)
            • Robert David Koch (born 1993), son of Dorothy Bush Koch and Bobby Koch. Married to Katherine “Kitty” Montesi on November 13, 2021.
            • Georgia Grace "Gigi" Koch (born 1996), daughter of Dorothy Bush Koch and Bobby Koch
        • Nancy Walker Bush Ellis (1926–2021), Prescott Bush Sr.'s third child and only daughter, widow of Alexander Ellis II (1922–1989), an insurance executive
          • Nancy Walker Ellis Black, daughter of Nancy Bush Ellis and Alexander Ellis II
          • Alexander Ellis III (born 1949), son of Nancy Bush Ellis and Alexander Ellis II
          • John Prescott Ellis (born February 3, 1953), son of Nancy Bush Ellis and Alexander Ellis II; media consultant; married to Susan Smith Ellis
            • Caroline Ellis
            • Jack Ellis
          • Josiah "Joe" Ellis (born 1958), son of Nancy Bush Ellis and Alexander Ellis II; President, Chairman and CEO of the Denver Broncos, two-time Super Bowl champion as a member of the Broncos' front office
            • Josiah Ellis
            • Zander Ellis
            • Catherine Ellis
        • Jonathan James Bush (1931–2021), Prescott Bush Sr.'s fourth child; banker; married to Josephine Bush (née Bradley)
          • Jonathan S. Bush (born March 10, 1969), son of Jonathan Bush, CEO of athenahealth; divorced from Sarah Selden; married to Fay Bush in September 2018
            • Lucas Bush, son of Jonathan S. Bush
            • Izzy Bush (born September 20, 1997), daughter of Jonathan S. Bush
            • Nicola Bush, daughter of Jonathan S. Bush
            • Anna Bush, daughter of Jonathan S. Bush
            • Oscar Bush, son of Jonathan S. Bush
            • Willa R. Bush (born January 2019), daughter of Jonathan S. Bush and Fay Bush
          • William Hall "Billy" Bush (born October 17, 1971), son of Jonathan Bush; a former Access Hollywood host; forced out of NBC-news job October 2016 in allegations about Donald Trump; divorced from Sydney Bush
            • Josie Bush (born August 29, 1998), daughter of Billy Bush and Sydney Bush
            • Mary Bradley Bush (born November 29, 2000), daughter of Billy Bush and Sydney Bush
            • Lillie Bush (born October 17, 2004), daughter of Billy Bush and Sydney Bush
        • William Henry Trotter "Bucky" Bush (1938–2018), Prescott Bush Sr.'s fifth child; married to Patricia Bush (née Redfearn, 1938–2015); banker and executive
          • William Prescott "Scott" Bush (born 1964), son of Bucky Bush;[11] married to Linsday Bush
            • Alex Bush (born December 29, 1996), son of Scott Bush
            • Kat Bush, daughter of Scott Bush
          • Louisa Bush McCall (born 1970), daughter of Bucky Bush[11]

Ancestors edit

 
Barbara Bush, Jeb Bush, George H. W. Bush, Laura Bush, George W. Bush and Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller watch tee ball on the White House lawn

Patrilineal line edit

Other notable relatives edit

Connections to other prominent families edit

 
Former presidents George W. Bush and George H. W. Bush in Houston, Texas, 2009

George Herbert "Bert" Walker (1875–1953) was a wealthy American banker and businessman. His daughter Dorothy married Prescott Bush, making him the maternal grandfather of the 41st President George H. W. Bush and the great-grandfather of the 43rd President George W. Bush. He is also the namesake of the Walker Cup, a men's amateur golf trophy contested in odd-numbered years between a U.S. team and a combined Great Britain and Ireland side.

Flora Sheldon, wife of Samuel P. Bush, was a distant descendant of the Livingston, Schuyler, and Beekman families, prominent New Netherland merchant and political patrician families.

Barack Obama is the 10th cousin once-removed of George W Bush, through Samuel Hinkley of Cape Cod.

Family tree edit

Sources:[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]

Awards and honors edit

Sports edit

Politics/public service edit

Military edit

Family Network edit

Associates edit

Businesses edit

Charities, Colleges & Nonprofit Organizations edit

Political offices held edit

 
The Bush family are among four American families (Adams, Harrison, and Roosevelt being the others) to have had multiple members serve as U.S. President.
 
George P. Bush represents the fourth generation of the Bush family to have held elected office after becoming Texas Land Commissioner in 2015

President edit

Vice President edit

  • George H. W. Bush (43rd) – 1981–1989

U.S. Congress edit

  • Prescott Bush (Senator from Connecticut) – 1952–1963
  • George H. W. Bush (Representative from Texas) – 1967–1971

Governor edit

  • George W. Bush (Texas) – 1995–2000
  • Jeb Bush (Florida) – 1999–2007

Other edit

  • George H. W. Bush
    • UN Ambassador (1971–1973)
    • RNC Chairman (1973–1974)
    • Ambassador to China (1974–1975)
    • CIA Director (1976–1977)
  • Jeb Bush
    • Florida Secretary of Commerce (1987–1989)
  • George P. Bush
    • Texas Land Commissioner (2015–2023)
  • Walker Stapleton
    • Colorado State Treasurer (2011–2019)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "President George W Bush Genealogy & Family History".
  2. ^ Swedish American Genealogist. Swedish American Genealogist. 2004.
  3. ^ "President Bush has Swedish ancestors". Hindustan Times. 2006-04-03. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  4. ^ Nyheter, S. V. T. (2006-04-03). "George W Bush har svenska rötter". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  5. ^ CurrentObituary.com. "Prescott Sheldon Bush, Jr. - Obituary - Hingham, MA - PYNE KEOHANE FUNERAL HOME - CurrentObituary.com". www.currentobituary.com. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  6. ^ "Beth Bush, 91; Community Activist, Widow of Prescott Bush II". Greenwich, CT Patch. 3 March 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Francesca Farr Is Bride Of Prescott S. Bush 3d". The New York Times. 28 June 1970. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  8. ^ "May Bridal Set By Miss Bush, Philip Nadeau". The New York Times. 17 March 1974. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  9. ^ "Philip Gerald Nadeau Marries Kelsey Bush". The New York Times. 26 May 1974. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  10. ^ Cirilli, Kevin (20 June 2015). "Blunt Barbara Bush tells Jeb: You're not my favorite son". The Hill. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  11. ^ a b "The Hartford Courant". Patricia Bush obituary. November 15, 2015. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  12. ^ Obituaries, Telegraph (13 March 2020). "Hugh Peskett, genealogist described as the 'Sherlock Holmes of the family tree' – obituary". The Telegraph.
  13. ^ a b "Samuel Bush". geni_family_tree. 7 May 1647. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  14. ^ "Richard Bush". geni_family_tree. 1695. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  15. ^ "Captain Timothy Bush, Sr". geni_family_tree. June 1728. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  16. ^ "Timothy Bush, Jr". geni_family_tree. April 1766. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  17. ^ "Obadiah Newcomb Bush". geni_family_tree. 28 January 1797. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  18. ^ "Rev. James Smith Bush". geni_family_tree. 15 June 1825. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  19. ^ a b c Reitwiesner, William Addams. "Ancestry of George W. Bush". Retrieved 11 Sep 2014.
  20. ^ http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=glencoe&id=I607[dead link] Ancestry.com
  21. ^ Kelly, Jacqueline. "The Untold Story of Mary Ayer Parker: Gossip and Confusion in 1692." Archived February 2, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Revised for presentation at the Berkshire Conference. June 2005.
  22. ^ Robinson, Enders A. "Salem Witchcraft and Hawthorne's House of Seven Gables." pp. 251–5. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books. 1992.
  23. ^ "Family relationship of George W. Bush and General Douglas MacArthur via John Gallop Jr." famouskin.com.
  24. ^ Herskowitz, Mickey (2003), "Bush Family Tree", Duty, Honor, Country: The Life and Legacy of Prescott Bush, Thomas Nelson, p. 9, ISBN 9781401600099
  25. ^ Harrison, Bruce (2005), The Family Forest Descendants of Lady Joan Beaufort, Kamuela, Hawaii: Millisecond Publishing Company, Inc.[permanent dead link]
  26. ^ Kelley, Kitty (2004), "Bush / Walker / Pierce / Robinson / Family Tree" (PDF), The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty, Random House, ISBN 9781407095691
  27. ^ Philadelphia, Desa (August 7, 2000), Republican Convention: The Family Tree, Time, archived from the original on April 1, 2008
  28. ^ Phillips, Kevin (2004), "The Bush–Walker Family Tree", American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush, Penguin Books, ISBN 9780143034315
  29. ^ Roberts, Gary Boyd; Otto, Julie Helen (1995), Ancestors of American presidents, New England Historic Genealogical Society / C. Boyer, 3rd, ISBN 9780936124193
  30. ^ Rechcigl, Mila, Czech Roots of President Bush, Washington, D.C.: Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences, archived from the original on September 14, 2015, retrieved June 11, 2012
  31. ^ Weisberg, Jacob (2008), "The Bush Family Tree", The Bush Tragedy, Random House, ISBN 9780812978353
  32. ^ "U.S. Senate: 404 Error Page". www.senate.gov. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  33. ^ Cika, Leon (6 July 2011). "Albanian town thanks George W. Bush with statue". Reuters. Retrieved 10 January 2019 – via www.reuters.com.
  34. ^ "Order of St John | the Gazette".
  35. ^ "William H.T. Bush, Brother and Uncle of Presidents, Dies at 79". The New York Times. 2018-03-01. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  36. ^ Meacham, Jon (2015). Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush. Random House. pp. 92–93. ISBN 978-1-4000-6765-7.
  37. ^ Swasy, Alecia; Triguax, Robert (September 20, 1998). "MAKE THE MONEY AND RUN". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  38. ^ "LehmanBush joins forces with Fanfare in Strategic Partnership". Fanfare Global. 2018-06-26. Retrieved 2023-06-12.

Further reading edit

  • American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush (2004), Kevin Phillips. ISBN 0-670-03264-6
  • The Bushes: Portrait of a Dynasty, Peter Schweizer

External links edit