J. K. Simmons

Simmons in 2014, photo by PrPhotos

Birth Name: Jonathan Kimble Simmons

Place of Birth: Grosse Pointe, Michigan, U.S.

Date of Birth: January 9, 1955

Ethnicity: English, as well as small amounts (to varying degrees) of Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, German, distant Welsh, Scottish, Irish, and Cornish

J. K. Simmons is an American actor. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Whiplash (2014). His roles also include the Spider-Man universe, television’s Oz, Law & Order, The Closer, Counterpart, and Night Sky, and the films The Mexican, Hidalgo, The Ladykillers, Thank You for Smoking, The Astronaut Farmer, Juno, Burn After Reading, I Love You, Man, Jennifer’s Body, Dark Skies, Men, Women & Children, The Meddler, Zootopia, La La Land, The Accountant, Patriots Day, Justice League, The Front Runner, Palm Springs, The Tomorrow War, and Being the Ricardos, among many other works.

J. K. is the son of Patricia and Donald William Simmons. When he was ten, his family moved to Worthington, Ohio, and at eighteen, to Missoula, Montana, where his father was the University of Montana’s director of the School of Music. He is married to Michelle Schumacher, with whom he has two children.

J. K.’s paternal grandfather was Guy Simmons (the son of William Martin Simmons and Lucinda/Lucina Evalina/Evelina Meachum/Meacham). Guy was born in Warren County, Illinois. William was the son of Alfred Washington Simmons and Sarah Anne Moulton. Lucinda was the daughter of William Meachum/Meacham and Mary M. Griffith.

J. K.’s paternal grandmother was Mamie C. Keister (the daughter of William Cooney Keister and Lydia/Liddie Catherine Smith). Mamie was born in Linville, Rockingham, Virginia. William was the son of John Davis Keister and Elizabeth A. Bodkin. Lydia was the daughter of Joseph Smith and Rebecca F. Cook.

J. K.’s maternal grandfather was Ralph Archibald Kimble (the son of Ralph Grierson Kimble and Ellen/Nellie Jemima Stote). J. K.’s grandfather Ralph was born in Kansas City, Wyandotte, Kansas. J. K.’s great-grandfather Ralph was the son of Bernard DeWitt Kimble and Delia/Delila Porter. Ellen was born in Portsea Island, Hampshire, England, the daughter of The Rev. Amos Hall Stote and Angelina Therese/Theresa Read.

J. K.’s maternal grandmother was Ruth Hazen (the daughter of Lewis Jacob Hazen and Emma Broaddus Lewis). Ruth was born in Galesburg, Knox, Illinois. J. K.’s great-grandfather Lewis was the son of Sedgwick Russell Hazen and Mary Isabel/Isabelle Barr. Emma was the daughter of Samuel Mathews Lewis and Sarah Elvira/Elivra Broaddus.

Sources: Genealogies of J. K. Simmons – http://www.wikitree.com
https://www.geni.com
https://famouskin.com

Marriage records of J. K.’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Joseph Smith and Rebecca F. Cook – https://www.familysearch.org
https://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy of J. K. Simmons (focusing on his mother’s side) – http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com