(Or infamous, or at Least Noteworthy) PEOPLE NAMED "RALSTON"
This page documents notable individuals bearing the surnames Ralston, Rolston, Roulston, Raulston, and related variants. Where possible, known lineages are identified, and any confirmed or potential Y-DNA connections to the Ralston Project are noted.
Inclusion on this page does not imply genealogical connection. Lineage identifications reflect current research and may be revised as new documentary or genetic evidence emerges.
CONTENTS
CELEBRITIES (Actors/Actresses/Authors/Artists/Athletes)
BUSINESS, FINANCE, INDUSTRY
RALSTON IN NAME ONLY
⚖️ POLITICS, LAW, JUDICIARY
Samuel M. Ralston (December 1, 1857 – October 14, 1925) was a Democratic politician, the 28th Governor of and a United States Senator from the U.S. state of Indiana. Born into a large impoverished family, he took many jobs as a child including working in a coal mine. He taught school and studied law, becoming a prominent state lawyer. (Wikipedia.org)
In 1924 the Democratic presidential nomination was virtually Ralston's for the accepting after a long, complex battle in the convention, but Ralston stunned the convention by withdrawing his name. His reason, though unexplained at the time, was his precarious health. (www.in.gov)
Lineage:
- Samuel Moffett Ralston (1857–1925) Tuscarawas County, Ohio, USA
- John Ralston (1812–1882) York Springs, Adams, Pennsylvania, USA
- David Ralston (1786–1814) York Springs, Adams, Pennsylvania, USA
- Andrew W Ralston (1753–1827) Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
- John Ralston (1726–1762) Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Y-DNA Status:
No known Y-DNA connections to Ralston Project members:
William Rolleston
William Rolleston (1831 –1903) was a New Zealand politician, public administrator, educationalist, and Canterbury provincial superintendent. Rolleston was born on September 19, 1831, at Maltby, Yorkshire, as the 9th child of the Rev. George Rolleston and Anne Nettleship. His brother was the physician and zoologist George Rolleston.
After saving his money from a tutoring job, William left England and arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand, in 1858. In 1868 he was elected to the New Zealand Parliament, where he served until 1899. He served as Minister of Justice in the government of Premier John Hall from December 1880 to April 1881. He was also appointed Minister of Native Affairs in January 1881 after the resignation of John Bryce.
In 1891 he was elected unopposed as Leader of the Opposition.
In 1893 he supported women's suffrage and subsequently claimed the credit in the 1893 election.
(Wikipedia.org)
Lineage:
- William Rolleston (1831–1903) Maltby, Yorkshire, England
- George Rolleston (1792–1868) Gainsborough, Lincoln, England
- Robert Rolleston (1747–1826) Derbyshire, England
- John Rolleston (1705–1770) Greasley, Nottinghamshire, England
- Christopher Rolleston (1680–unk) Nottinghamshire, England
Y-DNA Status:
There are two descendants of William Rolleston who are Group 5 - Midlands Rolleston - in the Ralston Project.
🎖️ MILITARY
Colonel James Raulston/Roulston
Colonel James Raulston was born on 16 June 1778 in Augusta County, Virginia. He was the son of Matthew Raulston and Martha "Polly" Moore. James Raulston operated an inn in the Chestnut Mound section of Jackson County, now Putnam County, Tennessee, that became known as Raulston's Stand. He was a delegate to Knoxville in 1801 and was instrumental in enacting the necessary legislation to create the county of Jackson. He was married to Jane Simmons.
The website brazoriaroots.com states, “James met Jane Simmons about 1801 when he was working on his Uncle George's newspaper, the Knoxville Gazette.” [NOTE: James’ father was Matthew Raulston, son of William Roulston 1708-1767. George could not have been the son of William, and therefore, could not have been an uncle to James. However, this account does give credence to there being a connection between James Raulston and George Roulstone. Some believe that William Roulston was originally from Boston, which is where George Roulstone is purported to have been born. Some sources indicate William Roulston’s father to be John Roulstone, 1684–1744, of Boston. Other sources show this same John Roulstone to be George Roulstone’s great-grandfather.]
A document at ajlambert.com states that George was [James’ father] Matthew’s cousin. In Matthew’s will, the family name was spelled “Roulstone”. The name of James’ grandfather, William, is spelled by various locations “Roulston”, “Roulstone”, or “Rolstone”.
In 1809 James was commissioned into Andrew Jackson's army to fight against the Creek Indians. In 1812, Jackson again called him to serve in command of the 3rd Regiment of Tennessee. He became Colonel Raulston and served with General William Carroll in the Battle of New Orleans.
Colonel Raulston found that his log cabin was located on the line between Tennessee and Alabama when the area was surveyed in 1817. He first moved his bedroom to the Tennessee side of the cabin so that he could stay involved in Tennessee politics; then in 1828 he moved his bedroom to the other side of the cabin, declared his home to be in Alabama, and became a prominent member of the state legislature of Alabama. He died in 1844.
Lineage:
James Raulston (1778–1844) Henrico, Virginia
Matthew Raulston (1742–1800) Bedford, Virginia
William Roulston/Rolstone (c1708–1767) unknown, lived in Botetourt, Virginia
Y-DNA Status:
There is a Y-DNA connection with a descendant of James Raulston to Group 1 - Ulster of the Ralston Project.)
Major Orville Alfred Ralston (1894-1942) was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. He returned to service for World War II, only to die in a B-17 crash.
Ralston joined the United States Army Air Service after attending Peru State College but was attached to the Royal Air Force for seasoning in combat. He flew a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a in "Mick" Mannock's flight of 85 Squadron, and gained his first two victories there, destroying a Fokker D.VII each on 24 July and 22 August 1918. He then returned to American aviation, becoming a Sopwith Camel pilot with the 148th Aero Squadron. He teamed with fellow ace Elliott White Springs and two other pilots for his next win, and then independently destroyed two more D.VIIs—one each on 26 September and 3 October 1918.
He was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross in 1921. After the war, Orville was a dentist in Ainsworth, Nebraska, and served a term as mayor. An intelligence officer during WWII, he died in a stateside plane accident in December 1942.
(Wikipedia.org)
Lineage:
- Orville Alfred Ralston (1894-1942) Cass, Nebraska
- Charles Alexander Ralston (1859-1908) Adair, Iowa
- David W Ralston (1827-1883) Christian, Kentucky
- Samuel R Rolston (1799-1889) Virginia
- David John Rolston (1775-1856) Augusta, Virginia
- Samuel David Roulston (c1740-1807) Botetourt, Virginia
- William Roulston/Rolstone (c1708+1767) unknown, lived in Botetourt, Virginia
Y-DNA Status:
A descendant of Orville Alfred Ralston is a member of the Group 1 - Ulster group.