Ancestry of
Ben Affleck
Movie Actor
Who is Ben Affleck?
Ben Affleck is an American movie actor, director, screen writer and producer. Two of his films have won Academy Awards. In 1997 Good Will Hunting won for best original screenplay. He shared this Oscar with Matt Damon. In 2012 he producedArgo which won Best Picture. He also has won numerous other awards including three Golden Globes. In 2005 he married movie actress Jennifer Garner.
Family Facts
The Great Swamp Fight
Ben Affleck's 8th great-grandfather is Nathaniel Richardson. In December 1675 during King Philip's War, Nathaniel Richardson was serving as a member of Capt. Prentice's troop of horse. On December 19, 1675, on what was a bitterly cold and stormy day, the colonists attacked a fort occupied by Narragansett Indians in what became known as the Great Swamp Fight. The fort was protected by a swamp that on this bitterly cold day was frozen over. This allowed the attack to take place. It is said that over 300 Narragansett Indians perished, while about seventy colonists were killed and over twice as many wounded. Nathanial Richardson was one of those who were wounded, but he would survive those wounds and live for another four decades.
Queen Anne's War
Another 8th great-grandfather of Ben Affleck also saw conflict with the Native Americans. In 1709 during Queen Anne's War, Jedediah Strong, Jr. was a member of an expedition led by Col. Francis Nicholson that had set out against French interests. On October 12, 1709, Jedediah was killed by Indians in a battle at Wood Creek, New York. In the end, the expedition was called off as Nicholson's army was ravaged by dysentery and smallpox. The survivors of Nicholson's army burned their canoes and headed back to Albany.
Famous Kin
Ben Affleck has a number of famous cousins, including America's most well known spy from the American Revolution, Nathan Hale. Another Patriot from the time of the revolution is William Williams, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Mormon founder Joseph Smith and American legend Johnny Appleseed are also cousins.
Kinships to fellow actors include Humphrey Bogart, Raquel Welch, Kyra Sedgwick, Glenn Close, Mark Wahlberg, Brooke Shields, Shirley Temple and childhood friend Matt Damon. Ben also has a royal connection with a kinship to Princess Diana.
Brickwalls
Henry Woodward
One of the ancestors that Ben Affleck shares with Princess Diana is his 10th great-grandfather Henry Woodward. Henry was an innkeeper whose wife was named Elizabeth. Henry was born about 1607 and is believed to possibly be the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Tynen) Woodward of Much Woolton, Lancashire, England. Thomas and Elizabeth Woodward's son was baptized on March 22, 1606/7, at Childwall, Much Woolton, Lancashire, England. Thomas Woodworth and Elizabeth Tynen were married at Much Woolton on May 23, 1592. More evidence is needed to determine if Henry Woodward is the son of Thomas Woodworth and Elizabeth Tynen.
Sally Platt
Sally Platt, wife of Rodolphus Dewey, is the 4th great-grandmother of Ben Affleck. She is said to be the daughter of Ebenezer Platt and Abigail Trubee, daughter of Ansel Trubee. Evidence is needed to support this claim.
Some of the most recently added connections of famous kin for Ben Affleck
George Herbert
8th Earl of Carnarvon
Owner, Highclere Castle (aka Downton Abbey)
12th cousin
via Thomas French
John French
(c1610 - 1645/6)
Great Migration Immigrant 1637
1st cousin 12 times removed
via Jacob French
View entire list of famous kin for Ben Affleck
Please note: The ancestor reports on this website have been compiled from thousands of different sources, many over 100 years old. These sources are attached to each ancestor so that you can personally judge their reliability. As with any good genealogical research, if you discover a link to your own family tree, consider it a starting point for further research. It is always preferable to locate primary records where possible. FamousKin.com cannot and does not guarantee the accuracy and reliability of these sources.