I come from a long line of poor, white farmers. Based on my own genealogical pursuits, I’m a direct descendant of a signer of the Magna Carta. That’s going quite a ways back, though.
Oliver Cromwell, who died naturally but his body was then hanged, his head chopped off and his body mutilated. He was also famous for starting a British civil war in the 1600s
Most of my ancestors were southern preachers. Pretty much every male ancestor before my great grandfather for as far back as I can track.
Apparently a couple were kind of notable traveling preachers. One of them was a blacksmith before becoming a minister and was noted for being a very big, intimidating man. I like the image in my head of a big ass blacksmith preaching fire and brimstone at some poor country folk in the 1800s.
Robert E. Lee, Civil War general.
One of my great-great grandmothers was a nanny to Winston Churchill when he was growing up. Also my girlfriend’s cousin is the lead singer of a semi-famous band called Litany!