Re: note for Bannockburn and Gilbert de Clare

[MSiperek@aol.com]

Sinclair and all,
  To the contrary, although the 1st cousin 4 times removed may seem very 
remote- consider this: The 1st common relative of Thomas Saint Clair and 
Gilbert DeClare (b 1291) is Richard DeClare and Maud DeLacy.  Richard DeClare 
and Maud DeLacy are Thomas Saint Clair's 
great-great-great-great-grandparents; as each person had 64 
great-great-great-great-grandparents that would mean that in reference to his 
great-great-great-great-grandparents-Thomas Saint Clair has 1/64 Saint Clair 
blood, 1/64 DeClare blood unless there is repitition in the gene pool.  We 
tend to associate with our surname so strongly that we often forget that our 
genetic makeup reflects an equal portion of each and every grandparent in our 
past.  Of course, there are exceptions that skew the percentage- like having 
more than one Sinclairs/SaintClairs in our direct lines, and artificial 
genetic manipulations. 
   It is this that keeps genealogist looking for one more generation; we find 
one ancestor and then have two new one to look for....  

Marilyn