J. D. Salinger

Birth Name: Jerome David Salinger

Date of Birth: January 1, 1919

Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Death: January 27, 2010

Place of Death: Cornish, New Hampshire, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*Ashkenazi Jewish (father)
*English, Irish, German (mother; who may have converted to Judaism)

J. D. Salinger was an American author. He is famous for writing The Catcher in the Rye (1951).

J. D.’s father, Sol Salinger, was born to a Lithuanian Jewish family. J. D.’s mother, Marie (Jillich), had English, Irish, and German ancestry. After marrying J. D.’s father, J. D.’s mother considered herself Jewish and was renamed Miriam. It is not clear if J. D.’s mother formally converted to Judaism. J. D. was raised Jewish and had a Bar Mitzvah ceremony.

J. D. was married to nurse Colleen O’Neill, until his death. He had two children, including actor and producer Matt Salinger, with his former wife, psychologist Claire Douglas. Matt played Captain America in the 1990 film.

J. D.’s paternal grandfather was Simon F. Salinger (the son of Hyman Joseph Salinger and Dora “Doris” Shereshevsky). Simon was born in Taurogen, Lithuania, and was a rabbi for the Adath Jeshurun congregation, in Louisville, Kentucky. Hyman was the son of Solomon Salinger and Sarah. Dora was the daughter of David Shereshevsky and Fannie.

J. D.’s paternal grandmother was Fannie Copland (the daughter of Morris Kaplan/Copland and Ida/Chaya Telser). Fannie was born in Berrincki, Lithuania. Ida was the daughter of Yankel Telschitz and Pesha.

J. D.’s maternal grandfather was George Lester Jillich, Jr. (the son of George Lester Jillich and Mary Jane Bennett). J. D.’s grandfather George was born in Ohio or Iowa. J. D.’s great-grandfather George was the son of John V. Jillich and Anna.

J. D.’s maternal grandmother was named Nellie F. McMahon. Nellie was born in Missouri.

Sources: Genealogies of J. D. Salinger – http://www.geni.com
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com

J. D. Salinger on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
J. D. Salinger on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

J. D.’s father on the 1900 U.S Census – https://familysearch.org

J. D.’s maternal grandfather, George Lester Jillich, Jr., on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

J. D.’s maternal great-grandfather, George Lester Jillich, on the 1860 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org