The Bush Family - Political

powerhouses
The Bush family is an American family that is prominent in politics and business. Along with
many members who have been successful bankers and businessmen, across generations the
family includes two U.S. Senators, one Supreme Court Justice, two Governors and two
Presidents (one of the two presidents also served as Vice President). George Herbert Walker
Bush and Barbara Pierce Bush have been married for 70 years, holding the record for the
longest-married presidential couple. Peter Schweizer, author of a biography of the family,
has described the Bushes as "the most successful political dynasty in American history".
According to some online sources, the Bush family is of primarily English and German
descent.
Bushes have served in both the executive and legislative branches of the government. The
family provided the country with two U.S. presidents and two state governors. The Bush
family's net worth is estimated to be about $60 million.
Because of their close ties to Texas,
the Bushes are sometimes
perceived simply as oil tycoons, but
oil is just one industry in which the
Bush family profited; the family is
also prominent in the world of
investment banking, starting with
Samuel P. Bush, who helped found
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
During WWI his business ventures
enabled him to lay the foundation
for the family fortune.
Samuel's son Prescott became
The Bush Family in the White House, 2005
wealthy through finance, at Union
Banking Corp., and through oil, as a board member of oil equipment company Dresser
Industries, which is the company where his son George H.W. Bush got started. Dresser
merged with Halliburton at the end of the 20th century.
George H.W. married Barbara Pierce, had six children Pauline, Neil, Marvin, Dorothy,
John Ellis ("Jeb") and was elected president in 1988. His son George W. followed in 2000,
but not before starting and selling the struggling Arbusto Energy company, among other
successful ventures.
George W. had twin girls Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Bush Hager with his wife Laura
Welch Bush. Jenna serves as a special correspondent for NBC while dad George W. enjoys
retirement as a grandpa and, recently, an artist.