J. Edgar Hoover

official photo of J. Edgar Hoover in 1961, by Marion S. Trikosko, U.S. News & World Report collection at the Library of Congress.

Birth Name: John Edgar Hoover

Date of Birth: January 1, 1895

Place of Birth: Washington, D.C., U.S.

Date of Death: May 2, 1972

Place of Death: Washington, D.C., U.S.

Ethnicity:
*father – German, English, possibly other
*mother – Swiss-German

J. Edgar Hoover was an American law enforcement administrator. He was Assistant Director of the Bureau of Investigation, from August 22, 1921 to May 9, 1924; and Director of the Bureau of Investigation, from May 10, 1924 to June 30, 1935, and then of its immediate successor, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), from June 30, 1935 to May 2, 1972, his death.

J. Edgar was the son of Anna/Annie Marie and Dickerson Naylor Hoover, a platemaker, and then chief of the printing divsion of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.

J. Edgar’s mother was of entirely Swiss immigrant descent, with all four of her own grandparents having been born in Switzerland. J. Edgar’s father had German and English roots. There is some dispute as to whether J. Edgar’s father had African-American ancestry, although it appears that no African-American ancestors have been explicitly and verifiably identified for J. Edgar’s father.

J. Edgar’s paternal grandfather was John Thomas Hoover (the son of William Hoover and Elizabeth Ann Huff/Hough). John was born in Washington, D.C. William was the son of William/Michael Hoover and Maria Barbara Zell.

J. Edgar’s paternal grandmother was Cecilia/Cecelia/Cecilia Jane Naylor (the daughter of Dickerson Naylor and Ellen Frank/Eleanor A. Lindsay). Cecilia was born in Washington, D.C. Dickerson was the son of Harriett/Harriet Elizabeth Arrington.

J. Edgar’s maternal grandfather was Jacob Scheitlin (the son of Johann Joachim Scheitlin and Juditha Holzer). Jacob was born in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

J. Edgar’s maternal grandmother was Margaret Hitz (the daughter of Hans/Johannes “John” Hitz and Anna Kohler). Margaret was born in Virginia, to Swiss parents, from Klosters, Graubünden. J. Edgar’s great-uncle, John Hitz, was a Swiss honorary consul general to the U.S. Hans was the son of Hans Landamman Hitz and Christina/Christine Brosi. Anna was the daughter of Abraham Kohler and Anna Margadant/Margadantin.

Sources: Genealogies of J. Edgar Hoover – http://www.wargs.com
http://www.geni.com
http://www.findagrave.com
https://www.wikitree.com