The U.S. has seen father-son pairs in the White House, and even one grandfather-grandson duo, but as of 2020, Franklin D. Roosevelt has the most presidential relatives in his family tree.
According to both History.com and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, genealogists have determined that FDR was distantly related to at least 11 previous U.S. presidents; 5 by blood and 6 by marriage.
Most Americans are probably aware that Franklin Delano Roosevelt (the 32nd U.S. president) was a fifth cousin of Theodore Roosevelt (26th president). In addition, FDR was related to ten other former presidents. On the Roosevelt side, there were just two; Teddy and Martin Van Buren. On the Delano side, he was related to nine more; John Adams, James Madison, John Quincey Adams, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Benjamin Harrison, and William Howard Taft. (In addition he was also related to George Washington by marriage.)
Roosevelt’s family tree extended even further than the White House. His roots can be traced to several other historical figures, including British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Douglas MacArthur, and two famous Confederate leaders; Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee.
If your Thanksgiving or Christmas leftovers look sort of blah, it's time for a leftover makeover! No worries, we've found an easy, freezer-aisle shortcut way to turn those leftovers into a tasty favorite that's way more fun to eat than a plain old turkey sandwich. Our Leftover Poppers take just 15 minutes, which makes them a good idea if you're in a hurry to go shopping!
- 2 (7.5-ounce) cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
- 1/2 cup prepared stuffing
- 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
- 1 cup diced, cooked turkey or chicken
- 1 egg, beaten
- Preheat oven to 400º. Separate dough into biscuits. Flatten each biscuit into thin, round circles.
- On center of each circle, place 1 teaspoon each of stuffing and cranberry sauce and a few pieces of turkey. Bring edges together and pinch tightly to close. Shape into a round roll and place on baking sheet seam side down; repeat with remaining dough
- Brush tops of biscuits with egg. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
On December 29th, National Hero Day honors the people we look up to and who inspire us to be the best person we can possibly be.
If asked to define the word hero, many of us will name the qualities that demand a person rise above, the qualities that genuinely drive a person to be stronger, smarter, kinder and more than the average human being. They are the people who give when they have nothing to give. Heroes act before anyone else realizes there’s a problem. They volunteer to put someone else before them.
Our heroes may be the first responders who save us from a dangerous situation. They may be a mentor, like a parent or a teacher. As role models, heroes guide us through the examples they set. They live their lives in such a way that we’re honored to know them and hope to live up to their example.
And heroes, real-life heroes, rarely get recognized. That’s why National Hero Day encourages you to recognize the heroes in your life.
Heroes All Around Us
Some wear uniforms, like Christy McIntosh of Pensacola, FL who served in the U.S. Army Reserves. Or like high-school football player Zac Clark of Ohio whose quick thinking and strength lifted a Volkswagen off of his neighbor, saving his life.
Other heroes spur us to action or to lead a better life. They may do this through their words like Jim Cook of Oklahoma who wrote to columnist Jim Priest, teaching him a little something about character and love. A real-life hero might take us on a journey we can only imagine taking. Like Dr. Garrett Reisman, a former NASA astronaut and engineer who later joined SpaceX.
Another kind of hero makes things happen. Whether it’s filling a need or making the impossible happen, some heroes go to amazing lengths to get a job done. For example, Donald Harris of New Jersey who by day was a real estate manager but at Christmastime answered a letter to Santa via the U.S. Postal Service’s Letters to Santa program. His answer to a request to make a father’s life easier was to enlist his associates in obtaining a townhouse for the family at a much lower rent.
Heroes come in many forms, you see. They rescue us, inspire us, and most of all, they believe in us.
