Feist

Feist – WITNESS’ 20th Anniversary Focus for Change Benefit – Roseland Ballroom – New York City, NY, USA, 2012 –  Photo Credit: Marco Sagliocco / PR Photos

Birth Name: Leslie Feist

Place of Birth: Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada

Date of Birth: February 13, 1976

Ethnicity: German, English, French, French-Canadian, Luxembourgish, Irish, Belgian Flemish

Feist is a Canadian indie pop singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She is a member of indie rock band/musical collective Broken Social Scene. Emily Haines is also a member of Broken Social Scene.

Feist is the daughter of Lyn and Harold Feist. Her father is American, and is an abstract expressionist painter, who also taught at colleges. He is of German, English, Irish, French, and Belgian Flemish descent. Her mother is from Saskatchewan, Canada, and is a ceramics artist. She is of German, Luxemburgish, French-Canadian, and English descent. She was raised partly in Regina, Saskatchewan, and then Calgary, Alberta, where she spent most of her childhood. She has dual Canadian-U.S. citizenship.

Feist has a daughter, who is adopted.

Feist is a second cousin, once removed, of American actor Seamus Dever. Feist’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Martin John Fulton and Sophia Margaret Borsch, are also Seamus’ maternal great-grandparents. Seamus is also said to be related to actress Jeanne Arnold.

Feist’s maternal uncle was musician and record producer Dan Achen. He was the guitarist of Canadian rock band Junkhouse.

Feist’s paternal grandfather was Elmer Frank Feist (the son of Frank Joseph Feist and Mabel Charlotte Fulton). Elmer was born in Illinois. Feist’s great-grandfather Frank was born in Illinois, the son of Frank Joseph Feist, who was from Alsace, France, and was of German descent; and of Mary Agnes Hildebrandt, whose own father was German, and whose own mother was an ethnic German, from Alsace. Feist’s great-grandmother Mabel was born in Illinois, the daughter of Martin John Fulton/Falton, whose father was French, and whose mother was of Flemish Belgian descent; and of Sophia/Sophie Margaret Borsch, who was of German descent.

Feist’s paternal grandmother was Ruth Frances Cronan (the daughter of George Leslie Cronan and Etta Mae Benjamin). Ruth was born in Missouri. George was born in Missouri, the son of Daniel Webster Cronan, whose parents were Irish, and of Vianna/Vina A. Weller, whose father was English. Etta was born in Missouri, the daughter of John L. Benjamin and Flora Belle Dixon.

Feist’s maternal grandfather was Linden Hilary Achen (the son of Johann George “John” Achen and Katherina/Katharine Smith). Linden was born in Iowa. Johann was born in Germany, the son of Mathias Achen and Catharina Werner. Feist’s great-grandmother Katherina was born in Iowa, to Luxembourgish parents, Hilar/Heller/Hillarius Smith and Catherine “Kate” Sauser.

Feist’s maternal grandmother was Phyllis Marjorie Morin (the daughter of Philip Morin and Florence Woodruff). Phyllis was born in Saskatchewan. Philip was born in the Northwest Territories, and likely was French-Canadian. Florence was born in Ontario, and was listed as “English” on the 1926 Canada, Prairie Provinces Census.

Sources: http://www.haroldfeist.com

Feist’s paternal grandfather, Elmer Frank Feist, on the 1920 U.S. Census – http://www.familysearch.org

Feist’s paternal grandmother, Ruth Frances Cronan, on the 1930 U.S. Census – http://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Feist’s maternal uncle Dan Achen – https://www.legacy.com

Obituary of Feist’s maternal grandmother, Phyllis Marjorie (Morin) Achen – https://www.legacy.com