A statue of a man delivering a public reading of the Declaration of Independence stands at Livingston Avenue and George Street in New Brunswick.
He is Michael Douglas’ fourth great-grandfather.
The actor says he had no idea about the statue or why the man is there in an upcoming episode of the celebrity genealogy series “Finding Your Roots.”
Oscar winner Douglas (“Wall Street,” “Fatal Attraction”) learns of his ancestor’s prominent role in the Revolutionary War, among other revelations.
In the episode, which airs Tuesday, April 2 on Thirteen/PBS and later this month on NJ PBS, Douglas traces his connection to the American Revolution.
John Neilson is that fourth great-grandfather whose place in history got him a statue at Monument Square Park in New Brunswick.
More: Dionne Warwick uncovers ‘amazing’ N.J. family history on ‘Finding Your Roots’
“On July 9, 1776, John stood on a table in front of a tavern in New Brunswick and read the Declaration of Independence out loud,” host Henry Louis Gates Jr. tells Douglas.
It was only the third official public reading of the document.
“I love him already,” Douglas, 79, says in the episode.
Moments later, the actor learns his ancestor, an early trustee of Rutgers University, was a slave owner. The bronze statue of Neilson was dedicated in 2017.
Douglas was born in the very city of his ancestor’s reading of the Declaration of Independence — New Brunswick — to actors Kirk Douglas and Diana Dill.
Part of the show’s investigation of Douglas’ past is devoted to his paternal side.
Kirk Douglas (”Spartacus,” “Champion,” “Lust for Life”) was 103 when he died in 2020. The prominent actor, born Issur Danielovitch in Amsterdam, New York in 1916 and known as Isadore Demsky, hailed from a Russian Jewish family whose original surname was Danilovich. The family came from Chavusy in the Russian Empire, which is now Belarus.
Michael Douglas’ deep New Jersey roots are found on his mother’s side. Diana Dill, also known as Diana Douglas (”Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “Love is a Many Splendored Thing”) was born in Bermuda and died in 2015. She was married to Kirk Douglas from 1943 to 1951 (Michael was born in 1944).
Dill’s father’s family had been in Bermuda since the 1600s, and because Douglas was familiar with those details, the show focused more on Dill’s mother’s side. Douglas’ maternal grandmother, Ruth Rapalje Neilson, was descended from Col. John Neilson, who fought in the Revolutionary War.
Claire Danes marvels at N.J. family history on ‘Finding Your Roots,’ Jersey’s Richard Kind discovers murder mystery
Neilson was born in Raritan Landing, New Jersey in 1745. The merchant served as colonel of a battalion of New Jersey militia during the war. Gates shows Douglas that in February of 1777, Neilson and his men pulled off a raid on a British stronghold near New Brunswick at the Battle of Bennett’s Island on the Raritan River.
The militia made it uphill through the snowy night to surprise and capture the British before returning to their quarters at Cranbury.
Gates presents a letter from Gen. George Washington himself to the Continental Congress praising Neilson’s victory.
N.J. actor Paul Rudd plumbs family history on ‘Finding Your Roots’
Douglas says he’s proud that his ancestor played an integral part “in helping start our new country.”
Then Gates takes it a step further and has Douglas read a 1778 letter sent direct from Washington to Neilson.
In the letter, there is talk of Neilson providing military intelligence on the movement of the British.
“I shall rely upon you to advise me constantly of their situation,” Washington tells him.
The future American president signs the letter “your most obedient servant.”
“To think that you’re a direct descendant of somebody of that heroic proportion is cool,” Douglas says.
But then Gates presents Neilson’s 1827 will, which shows he was a slave owner.
“What do you make of this contrast?” he asks Douglas.
“I mean, he’s inspirational other than the fact that he was still a slaveowner,” the actor says.
As for other relatives, a DNA analysis compared Douglas to other celebrities who have been on “Finding Your Roots.”
His “DNA cousin,” through Jewish communities in Eastern Europe:
Douglas is just the latest Jersey celebrity to get the “Finding Your Roots” treatment. Music icon Dionne Warwick also appeared in an episode of season 10 that aired in February.
The Michael Douglas episode of “Finding Your Roots,” titled “In the Blood,” airs 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, April 2 on Thirteen and 8 p.m. ET Thursday, April 25 on NJ PBS.
Stories by Amy Kuperinsky
Thank you for reading. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.
Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup.