Bush family explained
The Bush family 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.
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] According to the Swedish Colonial Society, the Bush family also has Swedish ancestry, going back ten generations to a Swedish farmer named Måns Andersson who migrated from Gothenburg to New Sweden (Delaware).[2] [3]
Relatives
- 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 (–) on December 30, 1944[4] [5]
- Prescott Sheldon Bush III (–), son of Prescott Bush Jr.; married to Francesca Emerson Farr on June 28, 1970[6]
- Kelsey Bush-Nadeau, daughter of Prescott Bush Jr.; married to Philip Gerald Nadeau on May 25, 1974[7] [8]
- Elizabeth Nadeau, daughter of Kelsey Bush-Nadeau
- Katherine Nadeau, daughter of Kelsey Bush-Nadeau
- William F. Nadeau, son of Kelsey Bush-Nadeau
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Edward Finn Coyne (born August 4, 2024), son 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,[9] 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
- 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;[10] 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[10]
Ancestors
Patrilineal line
- John Bush Sr (1510–1590)
- John Bush Jr (1535–1595)
- Reynold Bush (1566–1602)
- John Bush III (1593–1670), born in Messing, Essex, England and the last English ancestor[11]
- Samuel Bush (1647–1733)[12]
Other notable relatives
- Robert Coe (1596–bef. 1690), American Puritan colonial and settler of Connecticut and New York states, is the eighth great grandfather of 43rd president George W. Bush through Barbara Bush's maternal line.[18] [19] [20]
- Winston Churchill (1874–1965), British Prime Minister, is the sixth great grandson of Robert Coe, making Churchill and George W. Bush seventh cousins twice removed.
- Edith Wilson (1872–1961), second wife of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was also descended from Col. Robert Bolling Sr. so therefore was distantly related to the Bush family.
- Wild Bill Hickok (1837–1876) was a second cousin three times removed of Prescott Bush.[21]
- Gov. Thomas Hinckley (1618–1706) was a Plymouth Colony governor, and a seventh generation great-grandfather of Prescott Sheldon Bush, so therefore a direct ancestor of all of his descendants including his son George H. W. Bush and grandson George W. Bush.[21]
- Mary Parker (1637–1692) was executed by hanging in 1692 for witchcraft in the Salem Witch Trials.[22] [23]
- Through John May and his wife Prudence Bridge (great-great-grandparents of Obadiah Newcomb Bush), the family is related to U.S. Attorney General Charles Bonaparte (1851–1921), U.S. Vice President Charles Gates Dawes (1865–1951), actress Blanche Oelrichs (who was also known by the pseudonym "Michael Strange") (1890–1950), and author Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888).[21]
- Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964), American five star general and Field Marshal of the Philippine Army who was the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in the Pacific theater during World War II was distantly related to the Bush family.[24]
Connections to other prominent families
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
- Richard Bush, m. Mary Fairbanks
- Timothy Bush, m. Deborah House
- Timothy Bush Jr., m. Lydia Newcomb
- Obadiah Newcomb Bush (1797–1851), m. Harriet Smith
- James Smith Bush, m. Harriet Fay
- Samuel Prescott Bush, m. Flora Sheldon
- Prescott Sheldon Bush, m. Dorothy Wear Walker
- Prescott Sheldon Bush Jr., m. Elizabeth Kauffman
- Prescott Sheldon Bush III, m. Francesca Emerson Farr
- Kelsey Bush-Nadeau, m. Philip Gerald Nadeau
- Elizabeth Nadeau
- Katherine Nadeau
- William F. Nadeau, m. Lydia Jean Strickland
- Prescott Nadeau
- James Laurence "Jamie" Bush, m. Susan C. "Sue" Bush
- Sarah Bush Richey, m. William "Drake" Richey
- Draper Dennis Richey
- George Laurence Richey
- Beatrice
- Samuel P. Bush
- Jenna Welch Bush (b. November 25, 1981), m. Henry Chase Hager
- Margaret Laura "Mila" Hager
- Poppy Louise Hager
- Henry Harold "Hal" Hager
- Pauline Robinson "Robin" Bush
- John Ellis "Jeb" Bush, m. Columba Garnica Gallo
- George Prescott Bush (b. April 24, 1976), m. Amanda Williams
- John Ellis "Jebby" Bush Jr. (b. 1983)
- Georgia Helena Walker Bush
- Vivian Alexandra Columba Bush
- Noelle Lucila Bush (b. 1977)
- Neil Mallon Bush, (m./div. 1st) Sharon Smith ; (m. 2nd) Maria Andrews
- Lauren Bush (b. June 25, 1984), m. David Lauren
- James Richard Lauren
- Max Walker Lauren
- Pierce Mallon Bush (b. March 11, 1986), m. Sarahbeth Melton
- Ashley Walker Bush (b. February 7, 1989)
- Marvin Pierce Bush, m. Margaret Molster
- Marshall Lloyd Bush (b. May 14, 1986)
- Charles Walker Bush (b. December 12, 1989)
- Dorothy Walker Bush, (m./div. 1st) William LeBlond ; (m. 2nd) Robert P. Koch
- Samuel "Sam" LeBlond (b. 1984)
- Nancy Ellis "Ellie" LeBlond (b. 1986), m. Nick Sosa
- Robert David Koch (b. 1993)
- Georgia "Gigi" Koch (b. 1996)
- Nancy Walker Bush, m. Alexander B. Ellis II
- Jonathan James Bush, m. Josephine Bradley
- Billy Bush, m. Sydney Davis
- Josie Bush
- Mary Bradley Bush
- Lillie Bush
- Jonathan S. Bush
- Nicola Bush
- Isabelle Bush
- Lucas Bush
- Anna Bush
- Oscar Bush
- Willa Bush
- William Henry Trotter Bush
- William Prescott Bush
- Louisa Bush
- Robert Sheldon Bush
- Mary Eleanor Bush
- Margaret Livingston Bush
- James Smith Bush
Sources:
Awards and honors
Sports
Politics/public service
- Three-time Time Person of the Year
- George H. W. Bush (1990)
- George W. Bush (2000, 2004)
- Two-time Silver Buffalo Award winners
- George H. W. Bush (1990)
- George W. Bush (2002)
- Seven statues
- George H.W. Bush – three (Houston, TX, Rapid City, SD, Washington, D.C.)[25]
- George W. Bush – three (Rapid City, SD, Hamilton, OH, Fushe Kruje, Albania)[26]
- George H.W./George W. Bush (shared) – one (Dallas, TX)
- 1989: Jersey Street in College Station, TX renamed George Bush Drive in honor of George H.W. Bush
- 1997: George Bush Intercontinental Airport named in honor of George H. W. Bush
- 2007: Ronald Reagan Freedom Award – George H. W. Bush
- 2010: Presidential Medal of Freedom – George H. W. Bush
- 2013: Portion of U.S. Highway 75 in Dallas, TX renamed George W. Bush Expressway
Military
Family Network
Associates
Businesses
Charities, Colleges & Nonprofit Organizations
Political offices held
thumb|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.thumb|George P. Bush represents the fourth generation of the Bush family to have held elected office after becoming Texas Land Commissioner in 2015
President
- George H. W. Bush (41st) – 1989–1993
- George W. Bush (43rd) – 2001–2009
Vice President
- George H. W. Bush (43rd) – 1981–1989
U.S. Congress
- Prescott Bush (Senator from Connecticut) – 1952–1963
- George H. W. Bush (Representative from Texas) – 1967–1971
Governor
- George W. Bush (Texas) – 1995–2000
- Jeb Bush (Florida) – 1999–2007
Other
- 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
Further reading
- American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush (2004), Kevin Phillips.
- The Bushes: Portrait of a Dynasty, Peter Schweizer
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: President George W Bush Genealogy & Family History .
- Web site: 2006-04-03 . President Bush has Swedish ancestors . 2023-07-15 . Hindustan Times . en.
- News: 2006-04-03 . George W Bush har svenska rötter . George W Bush has Swedish roots . 2023-07-15 . . sv.
- Web site: Prescott Sheldon Bush, Jr. - Obituary - Hingham, MA - PYNE KEOHANE FUNERAL HOME - CurrentObituary.com. CurrentObituary.com. www.currentobituary.com. 10 January 2019.
- Web site: Beth Bush, 91; Community Activist, Widow of Prescott Bush II. 3 March 2014. Greenwich, CT Patch. 10 January 2019.
- News: Francesca Farr Is Bride Of Prescott S. Bush 3d. The New York Times. 28 June 1970. 10 January 2019.
- News: May Bridal Set By Miss Bush, Philip Nadeau. The New York Times. 17 March 1974. 10 January 2019.
- News: Philip Gerald Nadeau Marries Kelsey Bush. The New York Times. 26 May 1974. 10 January 2019.
- Web site: Cirilli. Kevin. Blunt Barbara Bush tells Jeb: You're not my favorite son. The Hill. 20 June 2015. February 12, 2016.
- Web site: November 15, 2015 . The Hartford Courant . 2024-02-12 . Patricia Bush obituary.
- News: Hugh Peskett, genealogist described as the 'Sherlock Holmes of the family tree' – obituary. The Telegraph. 13 March 2020. Obituaries. Telegraph.
- Web site: Samuel Bush. geni_family_tree. 7 May 1647 . 10 January 2019.
- Web site: Richard Bush. geni_family_tree. 1695 . 10 January 2019.
- Web site: Captain Timothy Bush, Sr.. geni_family_tree. June 1728 . 10 January 2019.
- Web site: Timothy Bush, Jr.. geni_family_tree. April 1766 . 10 January 2019.
- Web site: Obadiah Newcomb Bush. geni_family_tree. 28 January 1797 . 10 January 2019.
- Web site: Rev. James Smith Bush. geni_family_tree. 15 June 1825 . 10 January 2019.
- Book: Page, Susan . The matriarch: Barbara Bush and the making of an American dynasty . 2019 . Twelve . 978-1-5387-1364-8 . First . New York . on1032584246.
- Book: Taraborrelli, J. Randy . Grace & steel: Dorothy, Barbara, Laura, and the women of the Bush dynasty . 2021 . St. Martin's Press . 978-1-250-24871-8 . First . New York.
- Book: Bartlett, J. Gardner . Robert Coe, Puritan . Published for private circulation . 1911 . 9780598765826.
- Web site: Ancestry of George W. Bush . 11 Sep 2014 . Reitwiesner . William Addams . William Addams Reitwiesner.
- http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu:8090/saxon/servlet/SaxonServlet?source=salem/texts/bios.xml&style=salem/xsl/dynaxml.xsl&chunk.id=b42&clear-stylesheet-cache=yes Kelly, Jacqueline. "The Untold Story of Mary Ayer Parker: Gossip and Confusion in 1692."
- Robinson, Enders A. "Salem Witchcraft and Hawthorne's House of Seven Gables." pp. 251–5. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books. 1992.
- Web site: Family relationship of George W. Bush and General Douglas MacArthur via John Gallop Jr... famouskin.com.
- Web site: U.S. Senate: 404 Error Page. www.senate.gov. 10 January 2019.
- News: Albanian town thanks George W. Bush with statue. Reuters. 6 July 2011. 10 January 2019. www.reuters.com. Cika. Leon.
- Web site: Order of St John | the Gazette.
- News: 2018-03-01 . William H.T. Bush, Brother and Uncle of Presidents, Dies at 79 . . 2023-06-12.
- Book: Meacham, Jon . Jon Meacham . Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush . 2015 . Random House . 978-1-4000-6765-7 . 92–93.
- News: Swasy . Alecia . Triguax . Robert . September 20, 1998 . MAKE THE MONEY AND RUN . Tampa Bay Times . 2023-06-12.
- News: 2018-06-26 . LehmanBush joins forces with Fanfare in Strategic Partnership . Fanfare Global . 2023-06-12.
