Kitty Wells

Birth Name: Ellen Muriel Deason

Date of Birth: August 30, 1919

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

Date of Death: July 16, 2012

Place of Death: Madison, Tennessee, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, small amount of Irish

Kitty Wells was an American county music singer. She was the first female to top the U.S. country charts, with her 1952 song “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.” She won top female vocalist award for fourteen consecutive years. In 1976, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Kitty was the daughter of Myrtle Belle (Street) and Charles Cary Deason. She was married to country music singer and songwriter, Johnnie Wright, until his death, with whom she had three children, including country music singers Ruby Wright and Bobby Wright.

Kitty’s paternal grandfather was Charles Pinkney/Pickney/Pinkey Deason (the son of Elijah Rushing Deason and Cynthia/Cinthy Susan/Sue Cooper). Charles was born in Tennessee. Elijah was born in Bedford, Tennessee, the son of Joel R. Deason and Elvira Eulith/Elurith Rushing. Cynthia was also born in Tennessee, the daughter of Joel Doyle Cooper.

Kitty’s paternal grandmother was Ida J. Jamison (the daughter of Joshua S. Jamison and Martha Blanton). Ida was born in Tennessee.

Kitty’s maternal grandfather was William Thomas Street (the son of William Montfort Street and Cassandra A. Williams). Kitty’s great-grandfather William was born in Tennessee, the son of David Brown Street and Minerva W. Jones. Cassandra was also born in Tennessee, the daughter of David Hicks William Jr. and Catherine L. Spicer.

Kitty’s maternal grandmother was Robert/Roberta Eleanor/Ellen Choate/Choat (the daughter of Joseph D. “Joe” Choate/Choat and Mary James England). Robert was born in Tennessee. Joseph was the son of James Choate and Nancy Matlock.

Sources: Genealogies of Kitty Wells – https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com

Death record of Kitty’s maternal grandmother, Robert/Roberta Eleanor/Ellen (Choate/Choat) Street – https://www.familysearch.org