The Multiplicity of Theodore
The theme for Week 45 from Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is "Multiple". We have several sets of twins throughout my family tree. Some ancestors were married two or three times (and at least two couples even remarried each other after divorcing!). But my first thought was something else... Some families pass down secret recipes or heirlooms. Mine passed down a first name – eleven times . Think Aegon from the Game of Thrones series, except our family doesn’t have dragons – just a lot of confusion with the mail and incoming house phone calls. It all began with my paternal great-grandfather, the original Theodore Stewart (or Ted, or Teddy – no middle name). When his son was born, he passed it on, beginning a tradition that would ripple through the generations. My grandfather became Theodore Jr. (also called "Teddy"), who in turn named his own son (my father) Theodore III . My father kept the streak alive by naming my brother Theodore IV , and by t...
