His birthplace is said to have been that of a descendant of Munekatsu DATE, the youngest child of Masamune DATE who was known for Date Sodo (the Date family disturbance); actually, however, he was a descendant of the Date family of Suruga Province, who moved out from the Date family of Mutsu Province in the old days and started a branch family.
生家は伊達騒動で知られる、伊達政宗の末子・伊達宗勝の後裔と伝えられるが、実際は古くに陸奥伊達家から分家した駿河伊達家の子孫。