US Presidents, and their Douglas connections.

[William Douglas]

The Douglas brothers were merchants who went to America and made their fortunes.  But it appears that they were also good at building relationships where it mattered.

Taking Sir William Douglas of Castle Douglas as a starting point, his uncle 'Parson Douglas', the Rev William Douglas, was tutor to Thomas Jefferson.

Parson Douglas' daughter, Margaret married into the Meriwether family, where, in a previous generation, Elizabeth Meriwether's niece, Mildred, married a brother of George Washington, Samuel Washington (who died bankrupt).

Sir William's brother, George, had a daughter, Betsy Mary, who married James Monroe, the nephew and adopted son of James Monroe.

So it is just not what you know that matters; who you know is probably more important.