Johnny Mathis
Mathis in 2007, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: John Royce Mathis
Place of Birth: Gilmer, Upshur, Texas, U.S.
Date of Birth: September 30, 1935
Ethnicity: African-American
Johnny Mathis is an American singer.
He is the son of Mildred (Boyd) and Clemmie Lorenzo Mathis. His parents were both black. A picture of Johnny with his parents can be seen here.
Johnny’s paternal grandfather was John Mathis (the son of Charles Mathis and Susan Pipkin). John was born in Texas, to parents from Mississippi.
Johnny’s paternal grandmother was Margaret “Maggie”/”Tax” Pierce (the daughter of Bass Pierce and Tempie/Timpie Ellis). Margaret was born in Texas.
Johnny’s maternal grandparents were also born in Texas. One of Johnny’s maternal great-grandmothers was named Melinda Montgomery. She was born, c. 1866, in Texas.
Sources: Johnny Mathis on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Partial genealogy, and obituary, of Johnny’s father – http://www.findagrave.com
Johnny’s father on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Johnny’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Johnny’s paternal great-grandparents, Charles Mathis and Susan Pipkin, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Charles Mathis and Susan Pipkin on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Johnny’s mother on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
John Mathis was listed as White in 1910, according to this: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MRQ9-D9S
Interesting how he’s listed as white while his wife is listed as black. Usually, couples are listed as the same race even when the race is incorrect.
*African-American, other
His brother Robert, living next door to him, is listed as black.
His father is definitely not white. lol https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=dea8dac3f91dbfe3&sxsrf=ACQVn0-LewLBRD33G1f683Eb97BLWulmzg:1709732093825&q=johnny+mathis+parents&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwjIju6w4N-EAxU2E1kFHWAUDQAQ0pQJegQIDRAB&biw=1920&bih=953&dpr=1#imgrc=BZZxy9e0eynZwM
Yes, but he resembles Giancarlo Esposito, who is half Italiam, half African-American. I think Johnny Mathis is passable as some sort of South Asian man.
Johnny’s paternal grandfather was John Mathis (the son of Charles Mathis and Susan Pipkin). John was born in Texas. His parents in Missisippi.
Johnny’s paternal grandmother was Margaret “Maggie”/”Tax” Pierce (the daughter of Bass Pierce and Timpie Ellis). Margaret was born in Texas.
I would love to see his DNA results. He definitely is part Native American, possibly some Spanish or Mexican or both. Texas has a very interesting racial history.
Or French, too, it was part of the Louisiana Purchase.
“Mathis” surname is French. It’s also interesting thar his father carried an Italian, or Spanish, middle name.
I doubt his father’s middle name, “Lorenzo”, had anything to do with him having Italian or Spanish ancestry. The name was common among English-speaking Americans in the 19th century.
There are many people named “Mathis” who are not of French origin.
“Mathis”: from French “Métis”= mixed race
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10751715