Melissa Etheridge

Etheridge in 2010, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Melissa Lou Etheridge

Place of Birth: Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S.

Date of Birth: May 29, 1961

Ethnicity: English, some Scottish, one eighth French-Canadian, distant Dutch

Melissa Etheridge is an American singer, songwriter, musician, guitarist, and activist.

She is the daughter of Elizabeth and John Dewey Etheridge. She is married to actress, writer, and producer Linda Wallem. She has had two children with her former partner, film director Julie Cypher; and two children with her former domestic partner, actress Tammy Lynn Michaels. Her children with Julie were conceived with a sperm donation from singer and songwriter David Crosby.

Melissa’s paternal grandfather was Dewey Ulysses Etheridge (the son of James Matthew Etheridge and Nancy Bernetta Pigg). Dewey was born in Missouri. Matthew was the son of William G. Etheridge. Nancy was the daughter of Olivia Ann Bridges.

Melissa’s paternal grandmother was Golda/Goldie Martha Janis (the daughter of James Felix Janis and Ella Mae Gilkerson). Goldie was born in Wayne County, Missouri. James was the son of Jewell/Jewel R. Janis, who was of French-Canadian descent, and of Martha E. Vandevelde. Ella was the daughter of Alsinas Sue Gilkerson and Anna Brown.

Melissa’s maternal grandfather was Earl Thomas Williamson (the son of Matthew Williamson and Addie Elmina Mowery). Earl was born in Louisiana.

Melissa’s maternal grandmother was Annie Lou Bolding (the daughter of Henry Turrentine Bolding and Lucy Ellen Gathright). Annie was born in Arkansas. Henry was the son of Thomas Senter Bolding and Eleanor Anne Wilson. Lucy was the daughter of James Hardy Gathright and Ildee Gertrude Stallings.

Sources: Melissa on Who Do You Think You Are?, 2015 – http://www.huffingtonpost.com
http://ancestraldiscoveries.blogspot.com

Genealogy of Melissa Etheridge – http://www.geni.com

Genealogy of Melissa Etheridge (focusing on her father’s side) – http://www.wikitree.com