Jon Meacham

Birth Name: Jon Ellis Meacham

Place of Birth: Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.

Date of Birth: May 20, 1969

Ethnicity: English, Scottish, Welsh, German, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish

Jon Meacham is an American writer, reviewer, historian, and presidential biographer. He is a contributing writer to The New York Times Book Review, and a contributing editor to Time magazine, and was an executive editor and executive vice president at Random House and an editor-in-chief of Newsweek. He has been Canon Historian of the Washington National Cathedral, since November 7, 2021.

Jon is a practicing Episcopalian.

Jon’s paternal grandfather was Ellis K. Meacham (Ellis Kirby Meacham, the son of Cowan White Kirby Meacham and Eunice Jean Ellis). Ellis was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and was a City Judge, attorney, and writer. Cowan was the son of Matthew Alexander Meacham and Alice Breckenridge Kirby. Eunice was the daughter of Samuel C. Ellis and Ida Roberta Mcleod.

Jon’s paternal grandmother was Jean Bevan Austin (the daughter of James B. Austin and Ethel Mae Hand). Jean was born in Missouri, and was an UTC professor and dean. James was born in Indiana, the son of George Austin, who was English, and of Katherine. Ethel was the daughter of Charles Louis Hand and Mary Virginia Kannapel.

Jon’s maternal grandfather was Elmer Eugene McBrayer (the son of Joseph Ernest McBrayer and Lola Cathcart). Elmer was born in Tennessee. Joseph was the son of Joseph Green McBrayer and Laura Dame. Lola was the daughter of John Oliver Cathcart and Nora Catherine Blackmon/Blackburn.

Jon’s maternal grandmother was Irene Isabel Barnes (the daughter of Morris Elijah Barnes and Carrie Lou Bentley). Irene was born in Tennessee. Morris was the son of Hugh Benjamin “Ben” Barnes and Elizabeth Delilah Gosnell. Carrie was the daughter of William Bentley and Nora Elizabeth Reed.

Sources: Obituary of Jon’s father (focusing on his own father’s side) – https://www.findagrave.com

Jon’s paternal grandmother, Jean Bevan Austin, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org