Featherston Family Genealogy & History

Katie Featherston is a renowned American actress, best known for her role as Katie in the Paranormal Activity horror film series. Born on October 20, 1982, in Arlington, Texas, she discovered her passion for acting during her high school years at Bowie High School. Featherston honed her craft at Southern Methodist University, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2005. Her breakthrough came with the 2007 film Paranormal Activity, which gained theatrical success in 2009. She continued to captivate audiences with her performances in subsequent sequels, including a cameo in Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones.

Winfield Scott Featherston, known as "Old Swet," was a prominent figure in 19th-century America, serving as a U.S. Representative from Mississippi and a Confederate brigadier general during the Civil War. His military career included leadership roles in the First Battle of Manassas and the Seven Days Battles, among others. Postbellum, Featherston was influential in Mississippi politics, opposing high taxes and wasteful spending, and served in the State House of Representatives. He later became a circuit court judge and participated in the 1890 State constitutional convention.

Born near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on August 8, 1820, Winfield Scott Featherston was the youngest of seven children to Charles and Lucy Featherston, who migrated from Virginia. He married Elizabeth McEwen in Holly Springs, Mississippi, where they raised a large family.

Isaac Earl Featherston, known as the Little Doctor, was a significant New Zealand politician renowned for his advocacy for self-government and provincial governance. Serving in the first four Parliaments, he represented the Wanganui and Rangitikei, and later the City of Wellington electorates. Featherston was also the first Superintendent of Wellington Province and the inaugural Agent-General in London. His involvement in the Taranaki Wars, where he led Māori auxiliaries despite health issues, earned him the New Zealand Cross for bravery. Notably, he engaged in a duel with Colonel William Wakefield, highlighting his fierce political stance. The town of Featherston and several streets are named in his honor, reflecting his enduring legacy.

Isaac Featherston was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, to Thomas Featherston and Jane (Earl) Featherston. He pursued academics alongside sports in his youth and qualified in medicine from the University of Edinburgh in 1836. He married Bethia Campbell Scott, daughter of Andrew Scott, in 1839. His family lineage includes eight daughters, among them Laetitia, Kate, and Frances, who married notable figures like James Menzies and William FitzGerald, thus extending his political legacy through familial ties.

William Ralph Featherston, a notable Christian hymnwriter, is best remembered for penning the beloved poem "My Jesus I Love Thee." Written at the tender age of either 12 or 16, this poem eventually gained widespread acclaim when Adoniram Gordon set it to music in 1876. Despite his brief life, ending before his 27th birthday, Featherston's contribution to hymnody remains significant. The hymn continues to be cherished in Christian worship, highlighting his enduring impact on religious music.