Porch Conversations
Porch Conversations
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
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As people everywhere remember the remarkable life of Dolly Parton, her passing this week has a special meaning for our family.
For as long as many of us can remember, we often heard that we were kin to Dolly through our grandmother — our “Mamaw,” Myrtle Medford McCracken. It was one of those family stories passed down through the years, but most of us never knew exactly how we were related.
Recently, Bradley Briggs began researching the family connection. His work led us back through Mamaw Myrtle's mother, Mary Ann Russell Medford, and into the Russell family of Western North Carolina. Following Bradley's research and checking the generations on both sides has confirmed what our family had heard for so many years:
Dolly Parton was our fourth cousin.
Our common ancestors were Robert Rogers Russell and Mary Ann “Polly” Allen of Haywood County, North Carolina. Their son David Manson Russell was our ancestor through Mamaw Myrtle. Another son, Lorenzo Dow Russell, was Dolly's ancestor.
From Lorenzo, the family line continued through Tennessee Russell Parton → William Walter Parton → Robert Lee Parton → Dolly Parton.
From David, our line continued through Mary Ann Russell Medford → Myrtle “Mamaw” Medford McCracken → the McCracken family.
It seems particularly meaningful to confirm this connection now, as the world says goodbye to a woman who never forgot her Appalachian roots. Dolly became an international star, but she remained closely identified with the mountain people, faith, family, humor and generosity that shaped her beginnings. Her legacy extended far beyond her music, particularly through her extraordinary commitment to children's literacy and the Imagination Library.
So, as we commemorate Dolly Parton, 1946–2026, we can also remember with a little family pride that the story handed down to us was true.
Mamaw really was kin to Dolly — and so are we.
And a special thanks to Bradley Briggs, whose curiosity and family research led us to finally document the connection.
Click here to see: Family Tree Document
From the Green Pastures Porch — remembering family, preserving our stories, and this week remembering a very special cousin.