William Addams Reitwiesner
Encyclopedia
William Addams Reitwiesner (8 March 1954 - 12 November 2010) was a genealogist who traced the ancestry of United States political figures, European royalty and celebrities.
on 8 March 1954 and grew up in Aberdeen, Maryland
and Silver Spring
. His grandfather was a board member of the National Genealogical Society
and from the age of 5, Reitwiesner would explore his grandfather's library.
After graduating from Montgomery Blair High School
in 1972, Reitwiesner joined the Library of Congress
's Congressional Research Division as a cart pusher. He spent the rest of his working life in menial jobs at the Library of Congress so that he could devote his time pursuing his interest in genealogy
. Although much of his work was self-published on the internet, he acquired a reputation for meticulousness and accuracy and many genealogists cited him in their publications.
He died of cancer in Washington DC on 12 November 2010.
He prefaced his genealogy of Barack Obama with the text "The following material on the immediate ancestry of Barack Obama should not be considered either exhaustive or authoritative, but rather as a first draft." Most of his other Internet publications carry similar disclaimers.
Publications where his assistance or publications have been acknowledged include:
Biography
Reitwiesner was born in Havre de Grace, MarylandHavre de Grace, Maryland
Havre de Grace is a city in Harford County, Maryland, United States. Located at the mouth of the Susquehanna River and the head of the Chesapeake Bay, Havre de Grace is named after the port city of Le Havre, France, which was first named Le Havre de Grâce, meaning in French "Harbor of Grace." As...
on 8 March 1954 and grew up in Aberdeen, Maryland
Aberdeen, Maryland
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,842 people, 5,475 households, and 3,712 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,166.2 people per square mile . There were 5,894 housing units at an average density of 922.4 per square mile...
and Silver Spring
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
. His grandfather was a board member of the National Genealogical Society
National Genealogical Society
The National Genealogical Society is a genealogical interest group founded in 1903 in Washington, D.C.. Its headquarters are in Arlington, Virginia....
and from the age of 5, Reitwiesner would explore his grandfather's library.
After graduating from Montgomery Blair High School
Montgomery Blair High School
Montgomery Blair High School is a public high school located in unincorporated Silver Spring in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States...
in 1972, Reitwiesner joined the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
's Congressional Research Division as a cart pusher. He spent the rest of his working life in menial jobs at the Library of Congress so that he could devote his time pursuing his interest in genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
. Although much of his work was self-published on the internet, he acquired a reputation for meticulousness and accuracy and many genealogists cited him in their publications.
He died of cancer in Washington DC on 12 November 2010.
Works and publications
Genealogies that he published include:- The Ancestry of Catherine Middleton, now The Duchess of Cambridge, wife of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (published posthumously by the New England Historic Genealogical SocietyNew England Historic Genealogical SocietyThe New England Historic Genealogical Society is the oldest and largest genealogical society in the United States, founded in 1845. A charitable, nonprofit educational institution, NEHGS is located at 99-101 Newbury Street, in Boston, Massachusetts, in an eight-story archive and research center....
) - The Ancestry of Mary Donaldson, now The Crown Princess of DenmarkMary, Crown Princess of DenmarkMary, Crown Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, is the wife of Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark...
- The Ancestry of Camilla Parker Bowles, now The Duchess of Cornwall.
- Descendants of Bonnie Prince Charlie
- Ancestry of Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, Joe BidenJoe BidenJoseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
, George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, Dick CheneyDick CheneyRichard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
, Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, Al GoreAl GoreAlbert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
and many other US political figures. - Ancestry of David CameronDavid CameronDavid William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, Nicolas SarkozyNicolas SarkozyNicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
and other prominent European figures.
He prefaced his genealogy of Barack Obama with the text "The following material on the immediate ancestry of Barack Obama should not be considered either exhaustive or authoritative, but rather as a first draft." Most of his other Internet publications carry similar disclaimers.
Publications where his assistance or publications have been acknowledged include:
- Williamson's work on the ancestry of Diana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...