Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[Ingrid]

Hello,

I posted a link to a website that contains several Oprah clips with Lisa and Priscilla in the cupcake thread under "In His Words"
(http://www.presleyspride.com/)

In one of the clips, where Lisa shows Oprah around Graceland and they have dinner, Oprah says that she´s a distant relative of Elvis.

However, I´ve read an interview with Lorina Bolig, who is a genealogist and did extensive research on the subject and also wrote a book on Elvis´ancestry. And according to her research, Elvis and Oprah are not related. I like Oprah, so I don´t post this to point a finger at her, it´s just very interesting stuff.

Here is the link to the interview and exerpts:

http://www.elvisinfonet.com/interview_lorinabolig.html

[...]

EIN: Elvis’ family tree has been somewhat of a grey area. There have been claims and counterclaims around his ancestry. For instance, we’ve heard that Oprah Winfrey and a number of US presidents are related to Elvis. What did your research uncover about these claims?

LB: I have found Elvis’ ancestors to never have owned slaves, and that is what the claim says that Oprah is related to Elvis through an indiscretion with a Presley slave. The records show Thomas Presley did not own slaves. I will attach the transcribed records to my web site so that others can see this for themselves. Many would be surprised if they researched it themselves. According to my research Oprah and Elvis are not related.

[...]

EIN: Allan Morrison has written a book called “The Presley Prophecy”, an historical novel about Elvis’ Scottish ancestor, Andrew Presley. What can you tell us about “Scotsman” Andrew Presley and his genealogical tie to Elvis?

LB: I am not sure where Allan got his documentation. I have not seen it. My research has shown the proof of Elvis’ German heritage. There is not any connection to Allan’s Andrew. Elvis may have had Scottish roots but not through Andrew. Andrew was Palatine German; He came to New York with his father in 1709-1710. On my web site I have links to the history of Elvis ancestors. Here is some of the information I have shared on my site. The sources and links to them are listed on my web site.

My web site is http://Elvisancestors.0catch.com

Johannes Valentine Bressler/Bresler/Preslar/Pressler/Pressley/Presley (Spelling Variations) was in fact from Palatine Germany.

Between May and November of 1709 Elvis' ancestors arrived in London. From there they came to New York. Thirty years of war and devastation caused the Palatine’s to gather their belongings and cross the ocean, hoping for a better future.


Johannes Valentine Bressler his wife, 3 sons, and 2 daughters came to New York on a ship. The name of the ship was Fame. The Captain of the ship was Walter Houxton. The ship arrived June 14, 1710 from London to New York.

Johannes Valentine and his family are on the ships New York - German Passenger Lists, 1710, Third List. Hunter number 82. Johann Valentin Bressler, 41, Anna Christiana, 36, Anna Elisabetha, 14, Anna Gertrud, 12, Andreas, 6, Antoni, 4, (son), 1 1/2 Presler, Bresseler; Roman Catholic; 1st arrivals in London.

The passenger list is based on the first part (75 names) of the 1 July 1710 subsistence list along with any who appear to have been part of their households. Johann Adolph Arthopoeus, a passenger listed below, was the listmaster on the ship Fame which arrived 14 June 1710 indicating most of these passengers were probably on that ship. This list was taken during the voyage from London to New York.

There is further evidence of Andrew being a Palatine German. His father Valentine Presler, is listed in "The Book of Names Especially Relating to The Early Palatines and the First Settlers in the Mohawk Valley Compiled and Arranged by Lou D. MacWethy. Published by The Enterprise and News, St. Johnsville, NY., 1933".

[...]

EIN: Is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?

LB: All of us are related, Even if it is just one or several ancestors, In some way we are all related. Be kind to each other. Love they brother as thy self, because the person standing next to you is your family. What do you think Elvis would do???

[...]

I like what Lorina said at the end of this interview... so true!!

Happy Sunday!!

Ingrid

[Amanda Viola]

Most interesting Ingrid. THANK YOU for bringing it here.

I loved very especially the last reflexion. Wish everybody would share it!

[Rainbow Light]

Fascinating, Ingrid! Many thanks for posting the information and links here and for bringing to our attention!

I loved very especially the last reflexion. Wish everybody would share it!

AMEN!!

[Blue Moon]

I'm a bit confused on what to believe about Elvis' ancestors because it seems going back far enough there are differing accounts.

I could swear I remember reading Elvis saying, I think to Wanda, that he believed one of his ancestors owned slaves, but the above account says that was not the case. I wonder how sure Elvis was of his family tree having had slaves.

Wanda, can you add anything to this?

[Ingrid]

Dear Blue Moon,

Wanda wrote a bit about that yesterday in the Cupcake-Thread (In His Words) where we had a little discussion on that subject.

Then I had the idea to start a new thread on the ancestors subject, so it wouldn´t get burried in another thread where it would be a bit off-topic...

Sorry about the confusion

Ingrid

[Blue Moon]

Thanks Ingrid. I will go there and read it.

[Golden Sky]

Elvis's first ancestor to reach America was named Johannes?

Well now I'm REALLY glad I named my son that!

Thank you Ingrid for re-posting that here for us all to learn by.

[FairyTale]

Thanks Ingrid, very interesting! FairyTale!

[MaryInTheMorning]

All of us are related, Even if it is just one or several ancestors, In some way we are all related. Be kind to each other. Love they brother as thy self, because the person standing next to you is your family. What do you think Elvis would do???

I loved very especially the last reflexion. Wish everybody would share it!

AMEN from me too sweet Amanda!! Thank you so much dear Ingrid for sharing this with us as it was very interesting to read and learn about!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEO7uu1Pp8I

[Golden Sky]

Just wanted to post here that Elaine Dundy's book Elvis and Gladys has a long geneology (perhaps flawed, in light of what Ingrid found out) and some interesting details of the closer relatives' lives. If you haven't read that yet, I highly recommend it.

There's also a great section of photographs of Elvis's more immediate ancestors: grandparents, great-grandparents. It's amazing to me how handsome his mother's father was. I know his father's father was reputed to be stunning (an older Tupelo woman is quoted in the book saying Elvis's looks were nothing compared to his grandfather JD.) His mother's father is also very, very good looking: high cheekbones and shiny black hair revealing the American Indian ancestry.

Beautiful!

[Ingrid]

I totally agree with you Trish , the Elaine Dundy book is a very good one, and I recommend it, too, when someone wants to find out about Elvis´family!

Elaine is a really interesting woman, she was an actress and never an Elvis fan, actually. She said something like she was totally able to live her life without really taking notice of the Elvis phenomenon, but became rather obsessed with him after his death. That´s why she wrote a biography about his mom, because she recognized the significant role Gladys played in his life. "Elvis and Gladys" was first published in the mid 80s I think.

The author spend a lot of time in Tupelo and Memphis, talking to people who knew the Presleys when Elvis was little, and even though her research doesn´t go that far back ancestor-wise, it´s very interesting to find out about what life was like at that time, in that place.

Ingrid

[Blue Moon]

As I recall, Elaine Dundy's book focuses primarily on Elvis' ancestry through his mother's family line.
I don't think she went into the Presley family tree through his father's line much beyond a few generations.
At least that is what I remember.
So this might explain why Ingrid's info above was not included in Elaine's book,
as that would have been through his father's line.

But I'm not sure what to believe - whether the immigrant Presely was from Scotland or Germany,
as there appear to be books surporting both opinions.