1. Home
  2. News
  3. People

Elvis' Great-great Grandfather Deserted

Just for fun on this dull Monday: The largest online databank of personal records, ancestry.com, operated by the Mormons in Utah has recently added a large archive of military records. It seems to be that Elvis' great-great-grandfather Dunnan Presley Jr. (grandfather of 'Billy Goat Song' Jessy) deserted the army not once but twice. He got a fine for $300, a fortune at that time. You can look at Elvis' family tree through the link below.
Source: ElvisMatters / Updated: May 28, 2007 
Give Your Opinion

Related Links

Elvis Presley on: eBay, iTunes, Amazon, Sheetmusic

Reactions

Bill E. Burk (profile/ contact) wrote on Jun 25, 2007report abuse
The Dunnan Presley story, and quite a few others coming down the family tree line, were printed in our book, EARLY ELVIS: THE TUPELO YEARS, released in 1994 and still available in 4th printing. The book traces Elvis' roots back to Scotland in 1745. Since, we have gone as far back as the 1500s when the family name was Preslar and they lived in and around Hochstadt, Germany (still do).
byebye (profile/ contact) wrote on May 29, 2007report abuse
-Good point SeanRyan :)
Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on May 29, 2007report abuse
So what if Elvis's great grandad whatever deserted?? Im glad cause if he might have got killed then we would might not have had Elvis.
Rev. Gerhard (profile/ contact) wrote on May 29, 2007report abuse
That grandfather had deserted? Is this a bad or a good thing? Had it had some influence onto Elvis' music? Or could it explain why Elvis had been such a good soldier? Or perhaps should it had been exemplary to all those, who'd been in danger losing their lives in senseless wars.
dries (profile/ contact) wrote on May 28, 2007report abuse
Please keep arguing about Elvis his great great great great grandfather. Not Jessy 'Billy Goat". Oh man I hate that song, I really don't understand why they felt the need to release that song again. Does anyone have a gossip on Andrew Presley....it's the father of Elvis his great great great great grand father. Got my point?? "Just Pretend", When you don't get it. I do and I will try to explain. Elvis Matters always feel very strong about their source being mentioned (it's on every news item they publish). So I can understand Sylvain feels he's being had! And Lex please, websites not worth checking? Do you mean Elvis Memories, cause if you do I don't think that's fair. All Elvis fans are keeping the Legend alive!! Some people might think your site isn't worth checking, never forget that...! I don't think you would like to hear that now do you? Do you really think ancstry.com is worth checking every day? Don't tell me the president of Elvis Matters is reading it, neither will the others at Elvis Matters. They got the news from Sylvain, that's the way it is. But hey, keep on smiling guys, kiss and make up, ah well no, a handshake will do just fine.
JustPretend1975 (profile/ contact) wrote on May 28, 2007report abuse
ElvisMatters has ancestry.com as a source....so they do NOT pretend that they are the source...And i don't get it...because one site mention the news, another site can not make a note of it....if a plane strikes a tower in New York, nobody can mention it, because a guy with a forum with about 50 registered people had already wrote it on his 'site'....????? If a source is mentioned, it means that the one who places the article has used that site as a source....But whatever....
Lex (profile/ contact) wrote on May 28, 2007report abuse
Guess some sites are not worth to check regularly, and some are...
Turbo (profile/ contact) wrote on May 28, 2007report abuse
One other remark: this news came in on May 26th, so Elvis Matters is not only copying from others, making it their own news, but very also late in doing so. What is this crazy world all about? Elvis Matters does not seem to matter!!!
Sylvain (profile/ contact) wrote on May 28, 2007report abuse
That's right Turbo. Source: just another Elvis fan who wants to share the latest news.
Turbo (profile/ contact) wrote on May 28, 2007report abuse
Why is EM always mentioned as "source"?? Every fanclub received this news in their e.mail box, so the source in this case was someone else. Don't mess around guys. This news came from "webmonitor". See the original message below: Here is some more interesting ELVIS NEWS: Washington, May 26: U.S. military records spanning more than four centuries, from the 1600's to the Vietnam War, are now available online, according to the website Ancestry.com. Elvis Presley's great-great grandfather enlisted in the Confederate Army, but wound up deserting not once, but twice, after collecting the 300 dollars men were paid then for a year of service. Don't be foolish, news is news. It is not made by Elvis Matters!
Sylvain (profile/ contact) wrote on May 28, 2007report abuse
This was news on my website 2 days ago (dull saturday), Source: Elvis Memories Belgium
SuziB (profile/ contact) wrote on May 28, 2007report abuse
This has been known for years - both Goldman and Elaine Dundy mention it in their books
Jerome (profile/ contact) wrote on May 28, 2007report abuse
Billy Goat? That's where the HillyBilly Cat came from..
Dixieland Rock (profile/ contact) wrote on May 28, 2007report abuse
Jessie Vs JXL.
Dixieland Rock (profile/ contact) wrote on May 28, 2007report abuse
Speaking of the "Billy Goat Song", I wonder if there will be a 2007 Remix of it?....lol Just being silly.

Recently Added Shop Items