Joan Didion

Date of Birth: December 5, 1934

Place of Birth: Sacramento, California, United States

Date of Death: December 23, 2021

Place of Death: Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.

Ethnicity: German, English, Welsh, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, distant French Huguenot and Dutch

Joan Didion was an American essayist, memoirist, and novelist.

Joan was the daughter of Eduene (Jerrett) and Frank Reese Didion, a finance officer in the Army Air Corps. She was married to novelist, screenwriter, and literary critic John Gregory Dunne, until his death. The couple had a daughter, Quintana Roo Dunne, who was adopted. Her nephew, her late husband’s brother’s son, is actor Griffin Dunne.

Joan had German, English, Welsh, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and distant French Huguenot and Dutch, ancestry, including Colonial American roots.

Joan’s paternal grandfather was Joseph Francis/Frank Didion (the son of John F. Didion and Mary Jeanette Dreman). Joseph was born in California. John was born in Bavaria, Germany. Mary was the daughter of John Frederick Dreman, who was born in Hannover, Prussia, and of Ann Clarke/Clark.

Joan’s paternal grandmother was Ethel Mira Reese (the daughter of David D. Reese and Mira L. Kilgore). Ethel was born in California. David was born in Carmarthenshire, Wales, the son of John Rees and Elizabeth Anthony. Mira was the daughter of William H. Kilgore and Elizabeth Hanlon.

Joan’s maternal grandfather was Hermann/Herman Daniel Jerrett (the son of Daniel Jerrett and Clarinda Ellen “Clara” Farnsworth). Hermann was born in California. Daniel was the son of Robert Jerrett, whose father was born in Lancashire, England, and of Diadama Worden. Clarinda was the daughter of Seba Calvin Farnsworth, who was born in New Hampshire, and of Hulda Shaw.

Joan’s maternal grandmother was Edna Francena Magee (the daughter of James Bernard Magee and Sarah Elizabeth Geiger). Edna was born in Oregon. James was Irish. Sarah was the daughter of William Geiger, Jr. and Elizabeth C. Cornwall.

Sources: Genealogy of Joan Didion – https://www.geni.com

Genealogies of Joan’s parents – https://ancestors.familysearch.org

Genealogy of Joan Didion (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.findagrave.com