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Soundgarden – “Marvel’s The Avengers” Los Angeles Premiere – Arrivals – El Capitan Theatre – Hollywood, CA, USA – Photo Credit: Andrew Evans / PR Photos
Birth Name: Hunter Benedict Shepherd
Place of Birth: Okinawa, Japan
Date of Birth: September 20, 1968
Ethnicity: Cornish, English, German, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, 1/8th French-Canadian (including small amounts of Belgian [Walloon] and Breton), 1/8th Polish
Ben Shepherd is an American musician. He is known as the bassist for the American rock band Soundgarden. Other members of Soundgarden include or have included Matt Cameron, Chris Cornell, Jason Everman, Scott Sundquist, Kim Thayil, and Hiro Yamamoto.
Ben’s father, Henry Bennett Shepherd, worked in the Nike missile program, and was born in Camden, Texas. Ben’s mother, Gabrielle Karen “Gay” (McMullen) Shepherd-MacKenzie, is a book teller, from Seattle, Washington.
Ben’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to his fourth great-grandfather, Philip Sheppard.
Ben’s paternal grandfather was Calaup Bennett Shepherd (the son of William Bennett “Willie” Shepherd and Bertha Evora Smith). William was the son of James Franklin Sheppard (later Shepherd) and Elizabeth Rebecca Magee. Bertha was the daughter of Jake B. Smith and Thena Thursia Youngblood.
Ben’s paternal grandmother was Louise Henrietta Kyle (the daughter of Hunter Henry Kyle and Lillian Louise Anita Sammons). Hunter was the son of Gaston Hunter Kyle and Jane Narcissus Ross. Lillian was the daughter of Hugh Mackdonel Sammons and English emigrant, Louise Emily Brown, of Holt, Wiltshire.
Ben’s maternal grandfather was Kenneth Ambrose McMullen (the son of John Edward McMullen and Clara Anne “Carrie” Forger). John was the son of Canadian emigrant, John Scanlon McMullen, of Kingston, Ontario, whose own parents, Bartley McMullen and Catherine Scanlon, were Scottish and Irish emigrants, respectively, though were likely both of Irish descent; and of Irish emigrant, Margaret Holland. Clara was the daughter of French-Canadian emigrant, Joseph Forget (Anglicized as Forger), of Joliette, Quebec, and of Sophia Gagnier, who was also of French-Canadian descent.
Ben’s maternal grandmother was Cecilia Juanita Cummings (the daughter of Ira Ernest Cummings and Ione Anna Magdeline Kitowski). Ernest was the son of Alfred Benton “Fred” Cummings and Catherine Amanda Kennedy. Ione was the daughter of Polish emigrants, Tomasz Piotr (later Thomas Peter) Kitowski and Franciszka “Frances” Milanowska.
Sources: Marriage record of Ben’s parents – https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov
Divorce record of Ben’s parents – https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov
Obituary of Ben’s father – http://www.corriganfh.net
Death record of Ben’s paternal grandfather, Calaup Bennett Shepherd – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Ben’s paternal great-grandparents, William Bennett Shepherd and Bertha Evora Smith – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Ben’s paternal great-grandfather, William Bennett Shepherd – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Ben’s paternal great-great-grandparents, James Franklin Shepherd and Elizabeth Rebecca Magee – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Ben’s paternal great-grandmother, Bertha Evora (Smith) Shepherd – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Ben’s paternal grandmother, Louise Henrietta (Kyle) Shepherd – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Ben’s paternal great-grandparents, Hunter Henry Kyle and Lillian Louise Anita Sammons – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Ben’s paternal great-grandfather, Hunter Henry Kyle – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage records of Ben’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Hugh Mackdonel Sammons and Louise Emily Brown – https://www.familysearch.org
https://www.familysearch.org
Baptismal record of Ben’s paternal great-great-grandmother, Louise Emily Brown – https://www.familysearch.org
Ben’s mother, Gabrielle Karen “Gay” McMullen, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage records of Ben’s mother, Gabrielle Katherine (McMullen) Shepherd, to Douglas Ian MacKenzie – https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov (license)
https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov (certificate)
Marriage record of Ben’s maternal grandparents, Kenneth Ambrose McMullen and Cecilia Juanita Cummings – https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov
Ben’s maternal grandfather, Kenneth Ambrose McMullen, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage records of Ben’s maternal great-grandparents, John Edward McMullen and Clara Anne de Forger – https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov (return)
https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov (certificate)
Death record of Ben’s maternal great-grandfather, John Edward McMullen – https://www.familysearch.org
Birth record of Ben’s maternal great-grandmother, Clara Anne Forger – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of ben’s maternal great-grandmother, Clara Anne (Forger) McMullen – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Ben’s maternal grandmother, Cecilia Juanita (Cummings) McMullen – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Ben’s maternal great-grandfather, Ira Ernest Cummings – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Ben’s maternal great-grandmother, Ione Anna Magdeline (Kitowski) Cummings – https://www.familysearch.org
