Ben Shepherd

Birth Name: Hunter Benedict Shepherd

Place of Birth: Okinawa, Japan

Date of Birth: September 20, 1968

Ethnicity: Cornish, English, German, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, one eighth French-Canadian [including small amounts of Belgian [Walloon] and Breton], one eighth Polish

Ben Shepherd is an American musician. He is the bassist for rock band Soundgarden. Other members of Soundgarden include or have included Matt Cameron, Chris Cornell, Jason Everman, Scott Sundquist, Kim Thayil, and Hiro Yamamoto.

Ben’s father, Henry Shepherd, worked in the Nike missile program, and was born in Camden, Texas. Ben’s mother, Gabrielle, is a book teller, from Seattle, Washington.

Ben’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to his fourth great-grandfather, Philip Sheppard.

Ben’s paternal grandfather was Calaup Bennett Shepherd (the son of William Bennett “Willie” Shepherd and Bertha Evora Smith). Calaup was born in Polk, Texas. William was the son of James Franklin Sheppard (later Shepherd) and Elizabeth Rebecca Magee. Bertha was the daughter of Jake B. Smith and Thena Thursia Youngblood.

Ben’s paternal grandmother was Louise Henrietta Kyle (the daughter of Hunter Henry Kyle and Lillian Louise Anita Sammons). Louise was born in Polk, Texas. Hunter was the son of Gaston Hunter Kyle and Jane Narcissus Ross. Lillian was the daughter of Hugh Mackdonel Sammons and English emigrant, Louise Emily Brown, of Holt, Wiltshire.

Ben’s maternal grandfather was Kenneth Ambrose McMullen (the son of John Edward McMullen and Clara Anne “Carrie” Forger). Kenneth was born in Washington. John was the son of Canadian emigrant, John Scanlon McMullen, of Kingston, Ontario, whose own parents, Bartley McMullen and Catherine Scanlon, were Scottish and Irish emigrants, respectively, though were likely both of Irish descent; and of Irish emigrant, Margaret Holland. Clara was the daughter of French-Canadian emigrant, Joseph Forget (Anglicized as Forger), of Joliette, Québec, and of Sophia Gagnier, who was also of French-Canadian descent.

Ben’s maternal grandmother was Cecilia Juanita Cummings (the daughter of Ira Ernest Cummings and Ione Anna Magdeline Kitowski). Cecilia was born in Minnesota. Ernest was the son of Alfred Benton “Fred” Cummings and Catherine Amanda Kennedy. Ione was the daughter of Polish emigrants, Tomasz Piotr, later Thomas Peter, Kitowski and Franciszka “Frances” Milanowska.

Sources: Marriage record of Ben’s parents – https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov

Divorce record of Ben’s parents – https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov

Obituary of Ben’s father – http://www.corriganfh.net

Death record of Ben’s paternal grandfather, Calaup Bennett Shepherd – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Ben’s paternal great-grandparents, William Bennett Shepherd and Bertha Evora Smith – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Ben’s paternal great-grandfather, William Bennett Shepherd – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Ben’s paternal great-great-grandparents, James Franklin Shepherd and Elizabeth Rebecca Magee – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Ben’s paternal great-grandmother, Bertha Evora (Smith) Shepherd – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Ben’s paternal grandmother, Louise Henrietta (Kyle) Shepherd – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Ben’s paternal great-grandparents, Hunter Henry Kyle and Lillian Louise Anita Sammons – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Ben’s paternal great-grandfather, Hunter Henry Kyle – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage records of Ben’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Hugh Mackdonel Sammons and Louise Emily Brown – https://www.familysearch.org
https://www.familysearch.org

Baptismal record of Ben’s paternal great-great-grandmother, Louise Emily Brown – https://www.familysearch.org

Ben’s mother on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage records of Ben’s mother – https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov (license)
https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov (certificate)

Marriage record of Ben’s maternal grandparents, Kenneth Ambrose McMullen and Cecilia Juanita Cummings – https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov

Ben’s maternal grandfather, Kenneth Ambrose McMullen, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage records of Ben’s maternal great-grandparents, John Edward McMullen and Clara Anne de Forger – https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov (return)
https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov (certificate)

Death record of Ben’s maternal great-grandfather, John Edward McMullen – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth record of Ben’s maternal great-grandmother, Clara Anne Forger – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of ben’s maternal great-grandmother, Clara Anne (Forger) McMullen – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Ben’s maternal grandmother, Cecilia Juanita (Cummings) McMullen – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Ben’s maternal great-grandfather, Ira Ernest Cummings – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Ben’s maternal great-grandmother, Ione Anna Magdeline (Kitowski) Cummings – https://www.familysearch.org