Waylon Jennings

Birth Name: Waylon Arnold Jennings

Date of Birth: June 15, 1937

Place of Birth: Littlefield, Lamb, Texas, U.S.

Date of Death: February 13, 2002

Place of Death: Chandler, Arizona, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, German, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Irish, more distant Dutch, French, Swiss, Welsh, Luxembourgish, Belgian Flemish, Manx, possibly remote Native American [Cherokee, Comanche, Powhatan], and/or Black Dutch/Melungeon/Lumbee, African-American, Romanichal, and Scottish Romani/Traveller

Waylon Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He was a member of country music supergroup The Highwaymen, with Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson; which was a major force in independent, outlaw country. He was also known as Hoss, Chief, Watasha, and Waymore.

Waylon was the son of Lorene Beatrice and William Albert Jennings. His brother was country musician Tommy Jennings. He was married to country music singer Jessi Colter (born Mirriam Johnson), until his death. He had four children with his former wife Maxine Caroll Lawrence; a daughter, who was adopted, with his former wife Lynne Jones; and a son, singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer Shooter Jennings, with Jessi. Shooter has two children with his former partner, actress Drea de Matteo. Among Waylon’s grandchildren were country singer Whey Jennings and rapper Struggle Jennings (born William Curtis Harness, Jr.).

Waylon’s paternal grandfather was Gus Jennings (the son of William Albert Jennings and Celia Ragsdale). Gus was born in Brown, Texas. William was born in Russell County, Kentucky, the son of Elijah Jennings and Elizabeth Jane Bradshaw. The family is said to have partly descended from Black Dutch/Melungeon ancestors. Celia was born in Texas, the daughter of Ellis Saunders Ragsdill and Zilpha Smith.

Waylon’s paternal grandmother was Tempie Armenta Reed (the daughter of Elkin/Elkins Clay Reed and Martha “Mattie” Biggs). Tempie was born in Throckmorton, Texas. She was said to have had a small amount of Powhatan Native American ancestry. Elkin was the son of James B. Reed and Nancy Jane Miller. Martha was the daughter of James Biggs and Caroline Bell Winborne.

Waylon’s maternal grandfather was Alfred Blevins Shipley, Jr. (the son of Alfred Christopher Blevins Shipley and Delilah/Delila Brown). Waylon’s grandfather Alfred was born in Leon, Love, Oklahoma. Waylon’s great-grandfather Alfred was born in Tennessee, the son of Thomas Christopher Shipley and Nancy Jane Wattenbarger. He was said to have been of partial Cherokee and Comanche Native American descent, as well as having Romanichal, Scottish Romani, and African-American ancestry. Waylon’s great-grandmother Delilah was born in Texas, the daughter of Samuel Scott Brown and Nancy Jane “Macy” Cook Colbough.

Waylon’s maternal grandmother was Dessie Bell West (the daughter of Wiley Matt West and Nora Green). Dessie was born in Oklahoma. Wiley was the son of Joseph A. West and Isabella “Belle” Emmerson/Emerson. Nora was the daughter of Jasper Newton Green and Nancy S. McGlothlin.

Sources: Genealogies of Waylon Jennings – https://www.familysearch.org
https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com
http://www.wargs.com