Sam Waterston

Waterston in 2013, photo by PrPhotos

Birth Name: Samuel Atkinson Waterston

Place of Birth: Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.

Date of Birth: November 15, 1940

Ethnicity: English, Scottish

Sam Waterston is an American actor, director, and producer.

His father, George Chychele Waterston, was an immigrant from Leith, Scotland, and was of Scottish and English descent. His mother, Alice Tucker (Atkinson), born in Brookline, Massachusetts, was of English descent. He has three children with his wife, model Lynn Louisa Woodruff, including actress Katherine Waterston (Katherine Boyer Waterston); and a son with his former wife, photographer Barbara Rutledge, actor James Waterston.

Sam is an Episcopalian.

Sam’s paternal grandfather was George Waterston (the son of George Waterston and Agnes Mackie Wyse Millidge). Sam’s grandfather George was Scottish, from a family from Midlothian. Sam’s great-grandfather George was the son of George Waterston and Jane Peat. Agnes was the daughter of Edwin Millidge and Sarah Wyse.

Sam’s paternal grandmother was Ellen Louise Giles (the daughter of William Brantingham Giles and Louisa/Louise Rebecca Simons). Ellen was born in Hackney, London, England. William was the son of William Giles and Ellen Gray. Sam’s great-grandmother Louisa was the daughter of Robert Simons and Eliza Rebecca Hammon.

Sam’s maternal grandfather was Robert Whitman Atkinson (the son of Edward Atkinson and Mary Caroline Heath). Robert was born in Massachusetts. Edward was the son of Amos Atkinson and Anna Greenleaf Sawyer. Mary Caroline was the daughter of Charles Heath and Caroline Penniman.

Sam’s maternal grandmother was Elizabeth Bispham Page (the daughter of Edward Augustus Page and Josephine Augusta Bispham). Elizabeth was born in Pennsylvania. Edward was the son of Gilbert Page and Atlanta/Atlantic French. Josephine was the daughter of Joseph Bispham and Susan Ridgway Tucker.

Sources: Genealogies of Sam Waterston – http://www.wargs.com
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com

Immigration record of Sam’s father – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Sam Waterston (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com