Jeb Bush

Bush in 2013, photo by Gage Skidmore

Birth Name: John Ellis Bush

Place of Birth: Midland, Texas, U.S.

Date of Birth: February 11, 1953

Ethnicity: English, some German, small amounts of Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, Irish, French, Dutch, Swedish, and Belgian [Flemish], and 1/256th Moravian

Jeb Bush is an American businessperson and politician. A Republican, he served as the Secretary of Commerce of Florida, from January 6, 1987 to September 9, 1988, and as the Governor of Florida, from January 5, 1999 to January 2, 2007.

He was a candidate for the Republican Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 2016.

His nickname “Jeb” is the acronym for his full name John-Ellis-Bush. He is the son of Barbara Bush (born Barbara Pierce) and George H. W. Bush (George Herbert Walker Bush), who was the 41st President of the United States, from January 20, 1989 to January 20, 1993, as well as Vice President of the United States, from January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989; and the brother of George W. Bush (George Walker Bush), who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009. His family was wealthy and upper-class, with many New England ancestors dating back to the 1600s.

Jeb’s wife, born Columba Garnica Gallo, is Mexican (born in León, Guanajuato, Mexico). Jeb was raised an Episcopalian. He converted to Columba’s Catholic faith in the mid 1990s. The couple has three children, including politician George P. Bush (George Prescott Bush). His niece is journalist Jenna Bush Hager (born Jenna Welch Bush).

Jeb is largely of English ancestry, with some German roots, and a small amount of Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, Irish, French, Dutch, Swedish, and Belgian [Flemish], and 1/256th Moravian, ancestry.

Jeb’s paternal grandfather was Prescott Sheldon Bush (the son of Samuel Prescott Bush and Flora Sheldon). Jeb’s grandfather Prescott was born in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio, and was a politician and banker, who served as a U.S. Senator from Connecticut, from November 4, 1952 to January 3, 1963. Samuel was the son of The Rev. James Smith Bush, an Episcopalian minister, religious writer, and attorney, and of Harriet Eleanor Fay. Florence was the daughter of Robert Emmet Sheldon and Mary Elizabeth Butler.

Jeb’s paternal grandmother was Dorothy Wear Walker (the daughter of George Herbert “Bert” Walker and Lucretia “Loulie” Wear). Dorothy was born in Maine, near Walker’s Point, York County. Jeb’s great-grandfather George was a banker and businessperson. The Walker Cup of golf is named after him. He was the son of David Davis “D. D.” Walker, a prominent businessperson, who co-founded the clothing brand Ely & Walker, and of Martha Adela Beaky. Lucretia was the daughter of James Hutchinson/Hutchenson Wear and Nannie/Nancy Eliza Holliday.

Jeb’s maternal grandfather was Marvin Pierce (the son of Scott Pierce and Mabel Marvin). Jeb’s grandfather Marvin was born in Sharpsville, Mercer, Pennsylvania, and was the president of McCall Corporation, a publisher of women’s magazines McCall’s and Redbook. Scott was the son of Jonas James Pierce, who was born in Swanzey, Cheshire, New Hampshire, and of Kate Pritzel, who was born in Zweizel, Bavaria, Germany, to a German father and a French mother, from Toulon. Jeb’s great-grandmother Mabel was the daughter of Jerome Place Marvin and Martha Ann Stokes.

Jeb’s maternal grandmother was Pauline Robinson (the daughter of James Edgar Robinson and Lula/Lulu Dell Flickinger). Pauline was born in Richwood, Union, Ohio. Jeb’s great-grandfather James was an Associate Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, from 1919 to 1932. James was the son of John Welch Robinson, Jr. and Sarah Coe. Lula was the daughter of Jacob Marion Flickinger and Sarah Haines.

Jeb’s matrilineal line can be traced to Mary Jane Sprague, who was born, c. 1824, in Ohio.

There is a claim on several web sites that one of Jeb’s paternal great-great-great-great-great-grandfathers, Victor Emanuel Bechi, was Italian. It is not clear if this claim is accurate. Victor Emanuel Bechi is described in one reference book as having come from “Strasburg in the Province of Alsace-Lorraine” (in “Americans of gentle birth and their ancestors,” Volume 1, Hannah Daviess Pittman, Genealogical Pub. Co., 1970). That suggests that Victor Emanuel Bechi may have been of ethnic German origin. The surname Bechi can be Italian.

Jeb is a sixth cousin, once removed, of actress Lily James. Jeb’s paternal great-great-great-great-great-grandmother, Sarah Horton, was a sister of Lily’s paternal great-great-great-great-grandfather, Stephen Horton. Their parents were Comfort Horton and Joanna Wood.

Jen is also a first cousin, four times removed, of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court David Davis. Jeb’s four times maternal great-grandparents, John Mercer and Rebecca Davis, were also Justice Davis’ maternal grandparents.

Sources: Genealogies of Jeb Bush (through Jeb’s brother, President George Walker Bush) – http://www.wargs.com
http://famouskin.com

Genealogies of Jeb Bush – http://www.geni.com
http://www.wikitree.com

Pictures and genealogies of Jeb’s family – http://www.findagrave.com

Marriage record of Jeb’s paternal grandparents, Prescott Sheldon Bush and Dorothy Wear Walker – https://www.familysearch.org

Some notes on the Moravian roots of Jeb Bush – http//www.svu2000.org