Don Henley

Henley in 2009, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Donald Hugh Henley

Place of Birth: Gilmer, Texas, U.S.

Date of Birth: July 22, 1947

Ethnicity: English, some Scottish and Irish, distant German

Don Henley is an American singer, songwriter, drummer, and producer. He is a founding member, drummer, and co-lead vocalist of rock band Eagles. Other members of the group include/have included Don Felder, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner, and Joe Walsh.

Don is the son of Hughlene and Con Junell “C. J.” Henley. He is married to Sharon Summerall, with whom he has three children.

Don’s patrilineal line can be traced to John Hendley, who was born, c. 1350, in Cranbrook, Kent, England.

Don’s paternal grandfather was Ollie Haywood Henley (the son of Edmund/Edmond Matthews Henley and Sarah Martha Elizabeth “Mattie” Page). Ollie was born in Texas. Edmund was the son of Abner Haywood Henley and Mary Helvey. Sarah was the daughter of John Johnson Page and Sarah Elizabeth Kennamer.

Don’s paternal grandmother was Giula/Guilda Frances “Fanny”/”Fannie” Junell/Janell (the daughter of William A. “Bill” Junell and Mary Frances Taylor). Giula was born in Texas. William was the son of Robert Douglas Junell and Mary “Polly” Long. Don’s great-grandmother Mary Frances was evidently the daughter of Alexander Smith Taylor and Margaret Hays Davis.

Don’s maternal grandfather was Hugh Hall McWhorter (the son of John Dicks McWhorter and Nancy Hall). Hugh was born in Mississippi. John was the son of William McWhorter and Frances Dicks. Nancy was the daughter of Hugh Hall and Mary Ann Brown.

Don’s maternal grandmother was Eula Estelle Davenport (the daughter of William Lawson Davenport and Rosa S. Morris). Eula was born in Texas. William was the son of William Davenport and Isabella Henderson. Rosa was the daughter of Benjamin Morris and Rebecca H. Holland.

Don evidently once stated:

I want to go to Como because my grandmother had Italian roots and her ancestors emigrated from Genoa to America and settled in a tiny town in Texas called Como… My father was born in Como, but Como is one in Texas… That’s why I want to see Lake Como, the real one.

Don may have been misquoted. All Don’s traceable ancestors were born in Texas, Tennessee, or Arkansas. He has no documented Italian ancestry.

Don was a half-sixth cousin of dietitian and church leader Gwen Shamblin Lara. Don’s paternal great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, Darby Henley, Jr., was also Gwen’s paternal five times great-grandfather.

Sources: http://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com

Genealogies of Don Henley – http://www.genefiend.org
https://gw.geneanet.org

Genealogies of Don’s parents – http://www.findagrave.com