Ben Shepherd

Soundgarden – “Marvel’s The Avengers” Los Angeles Premiere – Arrivals – El Capitan Theatre – Hollywood, CA, USA, 2012 – 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, one eighth French-Canadian [including small amounts of Belgian [Walloon] and Breton], one eighth Polish

Ben Shepherd is an American musician. He is 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 Shepherd, worked in the Nike missile program, and was born in Camden, Texas. Ben’s mother, Gabrielle, 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). Calaup was born in Polk, Texas. 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). Louise was born in Polk, Texas. 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). Kenneth was born in Washington. 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). Cecilia was born in Minnesota. 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 –

Divorce record of Ben’s parents –

Obituary of Ben’s father –

Death record of Ben’s paternal grandfather, Calaup Bennett Shepherd –

Marriage record of Ben’s paternal great-grandparents, William Bennett Shepherd and Bertha Evora Smith –

Death record of Ben’s paternal great-grandfather, William Bennett Shepherd –

Marriage record of Ben’s paternal great-great-grandparents, James Franklin Shepherd and Elizabeth Rebecca Magee –

Death record of Ben’s paternal great-grandmother, Bertha Evora (Smith) Shepherd –

Death record of Ben’s paternal grandmother, Louise Henrietta (Kyle) Shepherd –

Marriage record of Ben’s paternal great-grandparents, Hunter Henry Kyle and Lillian Louise Anita Sammons –

Death record of Ben’s paternal great-grandfather, Hunter Henry Kyle –

Marriage records of Ben’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Hugh Mackdonel Sammons and Louise Emily Brown –

Baptismal record of Ben’s paternal great-great-grandmother, Louise Emily Brown –

Ben’s mother on the 1940 U.S. Census –

Marriage records of Ben’s mother – (license)
(certificate)

Marriage record of Ben’s maternal grandparents, Kenneth Ambrose McMullen and Cecilia Juanita Cummings –

Ben’s maternal grandfather, Kenneth Ambrose McMullen, on the 1920 U.S. Census –

Marriage records of Ben’s maternal great-grandparents, John Edward McMullen and Clara Anne de Forger – (return)
(certificate)

Death record of Ben’s maternal great-grandfather, John Edward McMullen –

Birth record of Ben’s maternal great-grandmother, Clara Anne Forger –

Death record of ben’s maternal great-grandmother, Clara Anne (Forger) McMullen –

Death record of Ben’s maternal grandmother, Cecilia Juanita (Cummings) McMullen –

Death record of Ben’s maternal great-grandfather, Ira Ernest Cummings –

Death record of Ben’s maternal great-grandmother, Ione Anna Magdeline (Kitowski) Cummings –