Malese Jow

Jow in 2016, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Elizabeth Melise Jow

Place of Birth: Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.

Date of Birth: February 18, 1991

Ethnicity:
*father – Chinese
*mother – English, Scottish, Cherokee Native American

Malese Jow, also credited as Melise, is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She played Emma Roberts’ character’s friend Geena Fabiano on the Nickelodeon series Unfabulous, and Anna on The CW’s series The Vampire Diaries.

Her father is Chinese. Her mother, Lanae, has English, Scottish, and Cherokee Native American ancestry.

Malese’s maternal grandfather was James Nay “Jiggs” Tillery (the son of Charles William Tillery, Sr. and Minnie Corine Welch). James was born in Oklahoma. Charles was the son of James Jefferson Tillery and Mattie/Martha Cora Ward. Minnie had Cherokee Native American and European ancestry, through both of her parents. She was the daughter of Marshall Ney/Nay Welch and Alice Gerusha West.

Malese’s maternal grandmother was Elizabeth Maxine Pharr (the daughter of Robert E. Pharr and Clara Louisa/Louise “Polly” Pool). Malese’s grandmother Elizabeth was born in Arkansas. Robert was the son of Robert Alfred Pharr and Cora Ianna Greer. Clara was the daughter of Campbell Gouley Pool and Lula Bell Lamons.

Sources: Malese’s maternal grandfather, James Nay “Jiggs” Tillery, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Malese’s maternal great-grandmother, Minnie Corine Welch, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Minnie Corine Welch on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Malese’s maternal great-great-grandparents, Marshall Ney/Nay Welch and Alice Gerusha West, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marshall Ney/Nay Welch and Alice Gerusha West on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy, and obituary, of Malese’s maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Maxine (Pharr) Tillery – https://www.findagrave.com