Ginger Rogers

Birth Name: Virginia Katherine McMath

Date of Birth: July 16, 1911

Place of Birth: Independence, Missouri, U.S.

Date of Death: April 25, 1995

Place of Death: Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: Scottish, Welsh, English, Irish, German

Ginger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Kitty Foyle (1940). Her films also included 42nd Street, Gold Diggers of 1933, The Gay Divorcee, Top Hat, Swing Time, Stage Door, Vivacious Lady, Bachelor Mother, Primrose Path, The Major and the Minor, I’ll Be Seeing You, The Barkleys of Broadway, Monkey Business, and Tight Spot. She often worked with Fred Astaire.

Ginger was the daughter of Lela Emogene (Owens), a reporter, scriptwriter, and movie producer, and William Eddins McMath. She took on the surname of her stepfather John Logan Rogers. She was a maternal cousin of socialite, writer, publisher, and actress Phyllis Fraser.

Ginger’s paternal grandfather was James G. “Jay” McMath (the son of James McMath and Almira Lawrence). Ginger’s grandfather James was born in Coshocton County, Ohio. Ginger’s great-grandfather James was the son of James McMath, whose father was Scottish, and of Hannah Keller. Almira was the daughter of Jesse Lawrence and Susanna/Susannah Farwell.

Ginger’s paternal grandmother was Louise Eddins (the daughter of William Joseph Eddins and Elizabeth Whitsett Pearson). Louise was born in Glasgow, Missouri. Elizabeth was the daughter of Alonzo Pearson and Eliza W. Sappington.

Ginger’s maternal grandfather was Walter Winfield Owens (the son of Edward W. Owens and Mary Ann Josephine Moore). Ginger’s grandfather Walter was born in Wood, Mason, West Virginia. Edward was Welsh. Mary Ann was born in Pennsylvania, the daughter of Irish parents, John Moore and Mary Dowling.

Ginger’s maternal grandmother was Sophronia W. Ball (the daughter of William Marion Ball and Catharine Masterson). Sophronia was born in Iowa. William was the son of Dennis Ball and Mary Ann Modley.

Sources: Genealogies of Ginger Rogers – http://famouskin.com
http://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com