Article No. 2090

Written by London swaminathan
Date : 21 August  2015
Time uploaded in London :– 15-18

It is a common belief that mankind evolved from the monkeys. But the fact of the matter is man did not evolve from apes like gorillas or chimpanzees but he shares a common ancestor with them. Since there many missing links in the evolutionary ladder, still it debated by the biologists. There are some interesting anecdotes about ANCESTORS.

Abraham Lincoln’s Ancestors

Speaking of his ancestry Lincoln once humorously remarked, “ I don’t know who my grandfather was, but I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.”

Alexandre Dumas and Baboon!

The elder Dumas was once interviewed by an enterprising reporter, who like many other admirers of the novelist, was curious about his ancestry. “Is it true that you are a quadroon, M.Dumas?”, he asked.

“I am, sir,” Dumas replied.

“So your father……….?”

“Was a mulatto”

“And your grandfather…………?”

“Was a negro.”

Dumas’ patience was running out but the reporter was a bold man. He continued: “And may I inquire who your great- grandfather was?”

“A baboon, sir!” thundered Dumas. “A baboon! My ancestry begins where yours ends!”

((Quadroon : a person who is one quarter black by descent.

Mulatto : a person of white and black ancestry.

Alexander Dumas was famous for his novels and stories such as Three Musketeers. His novels were translated into 100 languages. 200 feature films were on his stories. He wrote 100,000 pages in his life time.))

   CONGO – CIRCA 2008: stamp printed by Congo, shows Olive baboon, circa 2008

Mark Twain’s Ancestor!

The story is told that Mark Twain was once a guest of an Englishman who took him, with some pride, into a manorial hall hung with huge tapestry depicting the judging of King Charles the First. The host placed his fingers with great pride upon the figure of one of the obscure clerks of the court and said, “An ancestor of mine.

Twain, always offended by such ostentation, casually put his finger upon one of the judges seated on the tribunal and remarked, “An ancestor of mine but it is no matter, I have others.”

ROMANIA – CIRCA 1960: stamp printed by Romania show Mark Twain, circa 1960.

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To a man who had proudly said, “My ancestors came over in the Mayflower,” Will Rogers retorted, “My ancestors were waiting on the beach.”