Posted By:
Brad Green
How exactly were you related to him? Based on the fact that he died when you were 4 years old, I'm guessing that he was a first cousin or second cousin, once or twice removed. For a long time, my mom and dad told me that Lefty Grove and I were third cousins. When I was old enough to understand about the idea of being "removed", I figured out that Lefty and I were actually first cousins, twice removed. I guess my mom didn't wanted to confuse me, so she just said that we were third cousins. (Lefty and my grandmother were first cousins. Since I am two generations removed from my grandmother, that makes Lefty and I first cousins, twice removed.)
First cousins shared the same grandparents. Second cousins share the same great-grandparents. Third cousins shared the same great-great-grandparents. etc, etc, etc.