Lon Chaney

Birth Name: Leonidas Frank Chaney

Date of Birth: April 1, 1883

Place of Birth: Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.

Date of Death: August 26, 1930

Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, French, German, Irish

Lon Chaney was an American stage and film actor, make-up artist, director, and screenwriter. He was known as “The Man of a Thousand Faces.”

He was the son of Emma Alice (Kennedy) and Frank H. Chaney. Lon was married to chorus girl Hazel Bennett Hastings, until his death. He had a son, actor Lon Chaney, Jr., with his former wife, singer and stage performer Frances/Francis Cleveland (Creighton).

Lon’s paternal grandfather was named James H. Chaney (the son of John Chaney). James was born in Ohio. John Chaney was a Democratic politician, who was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio, from March 4, 1833 to March 3, 1839. He was the son of Nathan Cheney and Susanna.

Lon’s paternal grandmother was named Caroline Uffner. Caroline was born in Virginia.

Lon’s maternal grandfather was Jonathan Ralston/Ralstin Kennedy (the son of William Hugh Kennedy and Margaret Jane Ralston). Jonathan was born in Ohio. He founded the Colorado School for the Education of Mutes, later renamed the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind. William was the son of William Hugh Kennedy, II and Sarah Canada. Margaret was the daughter of Jonathan Ralston and Elizabeth Pitzer.

Lon’s maternal grandmother was named Mary E. Jones. Mary E. was born in Ohio.

Sources: Genealogies of Lon Chaney – http://www.geni.com
http://freepages.rootsweb.com