In my first post on the topic of cousins marrying cousins, I presented a list of cousins of mine who’ve married other cousins of mine. Lest they be tempted to sue me, let me restate emphatically that they are related to ME and not to each other.
That said, I have come across a few instances of my relatives who were 1st cousins to each other tying the knot. But is that so wrong?
According to the website CousinCouples.com, it isn’t. (Methinks they might be a bit biased.)
Twenty-six states allow first cousins to marry. Famous folks who’ve married their first cousins include Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein. I can imagine Darwin might have been trying to prove some evolutionary point but Einstein? That brings an entirely different meaning to his theory of special relativity and sheds new light on his famous equation.
Alternatively, “E = mc 2” might also have stood for “Einstein = marriage counseling 2“.
William McCracken, my 1st cousin, 7x removed, found his 1st cousin and my 6th great grandaunt, Abigail Ruth Holladay, so irresistible he married her. Apparently, their fellow Quakers were not amused and not as progressive as the folks behind CousinCouples.com because they summarily disowned the happy newlyweds at their monthly meeting.
No more oats for Mr. and Mrs. McCracken!
Kenfolk: Tranthams
Relation: It’s complicated
Common ancestors: The Fayles and Holladays of North Carolina
References:
http://www.cousincouples.com/?page=facts