John Heard

John Heard – “Homecoming” Los Angeles Premiere, 2016 –  Photo Credit: Guillermo Proano / PR Photos 

Date of Birth: March 7, 1946

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

Date of Death: July 21, 2017

Place of Death: Palo Alto, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: Irish, English, one quarter Ashkenazi Jewish

John Heard was an American actor.

He was the son of Helen (Sperling) and John Heard. One of his siblings, sister Cordis Heard, is also an actor. The Heard family is said to have settled in the Ipswich, Massachusetts, area, in 1640. His father was of English and Irish descent. His mother was of half Ashkenazi Jewish (from her father) and half English/British Isles (from her mother) descent.

John was raised Catholic.

John had three children, including a son with his former partner, actress Melissa Leo.

John’s paternal grandfather was John L. Heard (the son of John Heard and Alice “Abbie” Leeds). John’s grandfather John was born in Massachusetts. John’s great-grandfather John was the son of George Washington Heard and Elisabeth Ann Farley. Alice was the daughter of George C. Leeds and Caroline Treadwell.

John’s paternal grandmother was Grace Irene Clifford (the daughter of Theodore J. Clifford and Mary Ellen O’Connell/Cornel/Connel). Grace was born in Massachusetts. Theodore was born in Massachusetts, the son of Irish parents, Jeremiah J. Clifford, from Kerry, and Mary A. Fenton. John’s great-grandmother Mary Ellen was also born in Massachusetts, and was also the daughter of Irish parents, Phillip/Philip O’Connell and Margaret.

John’s maternal grandfather was Harry Louis Sperling (the son of Jacob Sperling and Rebecca/Rebeka Roth/Rock). Harry was born in New York, to Jewish parents, his father from Dobrzyń, Poland, and his mother from Barcza, either in Hungary or Poland. Jacob was the son of Mayer/Meyer/Myer Josef/Joseph Sperling and Hani/Hannah/Hanna. Rebecca was the daughter of Solamon Roth and Rozi.

John’s maternal grandmother was Elizabeth A. “Ebeth” Burton (the daughter of William Stancil Burton and Eliza E. Hayes). John’s grandmother Elizabeth was born in Washington, D.C. William was the son of Allen C. Burton and Elizabeth Ann Holmes. William’s brother, John’s great-great-uncle Joseph R. Burton (Joseph Ralph Burton), was a Republican U.S. Senator from Kansas, from 1901 to 1906.

Sources: Genealogy of John Heard – https://www.geni.com

Marriage record of John’s paternal great-grandparents, Theodore J. Clifford and Mary Ellen O’Connell/Cornel/Connel – https://familysearch.org

John’s paternal great-grandparents, Theodore J. Clifford and Mary Ellen O’Connell/Cornel/Connel, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of John’s maternal great-grandparents, Jacob Sperling and Rebecca/Rebeka Roth/Rock – https://familysearch.org

John’s maternal great-grandparents, Jacob Sperling and Rebecca/Rebeka Roth/Rock, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Jacob Sperling and Rebecca/Rebeka Roth/Rock on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Jacob Sperling and Rebecca/Rebeka Roth/Rock on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Jacob Sperling and Rebecca/Rebeka Roth/Rock on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

John’s maternal grandmother, Elizabeth A. “Ebeth” Burton, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

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