Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole on Capitol Records jazz mural, designed and painted by Richard Wyatt, photo by meunierd/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Nathaniel Adams Coles
Date of Birth: March 17, 1919
Place of Birth: Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
Date of Death: February 15, 1965
Place of Death: Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: African-American
Nat King Cole was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. His two most famous song peformances are likely “Unforgettable” and “The Christmas Song.”
He was the son of Perlina (Adams), a church organist, and The Rev. Edward James Coles, a Baptist pastor. Among his siblings were jazz musician Eddie Cole and jazz singer and pianist Freddy Cole. Nat was married to jazz singer Maria Cole, until his death. The couple had five children, including musician Natalie Cole. He was raised mostly in Bronzeville, Chicago, Illinois.
Nat’s paternal grandfather was named Edward Coles. Edward was born in North Carolina.
Nat’s paternal grandmother was named Catharine. Catharine was born in Virginia.
Nat’s maternal grandfather was named Robin Adams.
Nat’s maternal grandmother was named Mattie Adams (the daughter of Robin Adams and Mina). Mattie was born in Alabama.
Sources: Genealogies of Nat King Cole – http://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com
Correction. Found info on his father. Edward James Coles was the son of John Cole and Denise Augustine Cole. Thorough James Nat has English and Irish ancestry and through the Denise he has French Canadian ancestry. Through Denise he also has distant spanish and Portuguese ancestry as well.
Here’s a tree that details the Coles ancestry:https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/61026862/person/340080281789/facts
Here’s some info on Denise Cole’s family:https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/5578961/person/130101941100/facts
Is there any documentary proof that John and Denise were Cole’s paternal grandparents? Geni.com lists his grandparents as Edward and Catharine.
Yes thus is his father in the 1900 census living with his parents who are listed in the Coles tree http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1900usfedcen&indiv=try&h=9920308
It seems there was another Edward Coles who had the same father’s name and some people confused the two. The tree on the Coles is correct though Edwards father was Joseph Cole and his mother was Heater Douglass.
Hester Douglass not heater
So you’re now saying his grandparents were Joseph and Hester, rather than John and Denise? How do you know?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9DS-ZLK
https://www.geni.com/people/Nat-King-Cole/6000000008339022423
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=1336
R.I.P to his daughter Natalie
R.I.P to his wife Maria Cole who pass in July 2012