Twins & Triplets

Identical twins do not run in families, but fraternal twins do.  Identical twins come from a single egg while fraternal twins and triplets come from different eggs released at the same time.  The tendency to release multiple eggs in a cycle is a trait that can be passed down from mother to daughters and through sons to granddaughters. 

Most of the twins below are fraternal.  There are some twins that may have been identical when the twins are the same sex, but there is no information in the genealogical record and no extant photographs. 

The Colclasure / Fitzgerald clan is infamous for multiple births:

Robert L. & Roberta L.  were born in 1929 the children of Dellace & Itha (Fitzgerald) Allen

Fay & Ray were born in 1915 children of ? & ? (Fitzgerald) Atchison

Clarence & Marybelle (Fitzgerald) Colclasure had two sets of twins:

• Dolores & Lowell born in 1916
• Ada Genelle & Edward Dale born 1928

Jacob & Mary (Trinkle) Colclasure had a set of twins and a set of triplets!

• Richard & William born ca. 1831
• Nancy, Rachel & unnamed child born 1837

Philip Ray & Phyllis May were born in 1937 the children of John & Helen (Hutson) Fitzgerald

Loren W. & Oren A. were born in 1916 the children of John & Laura (Fitzgerald) Woods

Abraham & Louisa were the children of John & Elizabeth (Colclasure) Randall

The Lathrop family has produced some twins:

1741 - Rev. Ephraim & Samuel the children of Rev. Ephraim & Deborah (Lathrop) Avery

1884 - Cora Mae & Dora M. the children of Corbin & Charlotte (Lathrop) Irwin

Nathan & Rachel children of Daryl & Gina (Stephenson) Austin

Kacey Joe & Kelsea Rae the children of Della Downey

Joseph & Anne (Fitch) Bradford had three sets of twins:

• 1702 Joseph & Priscilla
• 1704 Alithea & Irene - both died before the end of the month
• 1715 Alithea & Irene - named for their older sisters

There are several sets of twins in the Robertson clan.

George & Nancy the children of John & Sarah (Campbell) Robertson born in 1850

Velma & unnamed daughter of John & Rose (Moore) Robertson born in 1916

Jesse & Lesse sons of Clair & Hester (Robertson) Bertoch

Robert & Thomas sons of Conrad & Delores (Shaw) Johnson

Lana L. & Lisa L. daughters of Gerald & Patty (Robertson) Legg

Chaton Terrance & Chogan Daniel sons of Steve & Abby (Robertson) Koontz

Beverly Kaye & Bonnie Faye Wiggns daughters of Chester & Marjorie (Shaw) Wiggins born in 1943.

Erkman twins include:

• John Gottlieb & unnamed daughter of Jacob & Fredericka (Probst) Erkman born 1882
• Wilburn Ray & Wilma Fay children of John & Anna (Heady) Erkman

Franklin & Mary (Dove) Withrow's children give the Colclasure/Fitzgeralds a good run for their money.  This trait may come through the Withrows as there are not multiple births recorded in the Dove family:

• George Mosley & Ruby the children of Bill & DeEtta (Withrow) Smallwood
• Lloyd & Boyd sons of Elmer & Alice (Martindale) Withrow
• Joy Lee & Mary Delight the daughters of Elmer & Alice (Martindale) Withrow
• Roddie Linn & Ronnie sons of Tillman & Susie (Hale) Withrow

The remaining twins seem to be one offs and may be identical twins:

1657 Rowland & unnamed daughter children of Rowland & Isabelle (Button) Powell

1843 Hiram George Washington & John sons of William & Polly (?) Gurley

1869 Effa & Elzora daughters of Oliver & Phoebe (Harbert) Draper

1884 Arthur & Luther sons of John & Elizabeth (Turner) Morehead

1911 Eugene & Gene sons of Charles & Jennie (Druliner) Miller

Billie Gene & Bobby Dean Snell sons of Lindell & Magdelene (Smith) Snell

Revised 1/17/2024