Profile Text
Bennington in 2012, photo by kathclick /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Chester Charles Bennington
Date of Birth: March 20, 1976
Place of Birth: Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Date of Death: July 20, 2017
Place of Death: Palos Verdes Estates, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: English, smaller amounts of Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, German, Welsh, and Scottish, distant Dutch and French
Chester Bennington was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He was part of several rock bands, as the frontman for Linkin Park, the lead singer for Dead by Sunrise, and, from 2013 to 2015, the frontman for Stone Temple Pilots. Other members of Linkin Park are Rob Bourdon , Brad Delson , Dave Farrell , Joe Hahn , and Mike Shinoda . Other members of Stone Temple Pilots include/included Dean DeLeo , Robert DeLeo , Eric Kretz, and Scott Weiland . Ryan Shuck was also a member of Dead by Sunrise.
Chester was the son of Susan Elaine (Johnson) and Lee Russell Bennington. He was married to model Talinda Ann Bentley, until his death. He two children with his former partner Elka Brand; a son with his former wife Samantha Marie Olit; and three children with Talinda.
Chester’s paternal grandfather was Chester Carl/Karl Bennington (the son of Russell Taylor Bennington and Anna Della Saunders). Chester’s grandfather Chester was born in Ohio. Russell was the son of John Bennington and Mary Jane Miller. Anna was the daughter of Joseph W. Saunders and Mary Stivers.
Chester’s paternal grandmother was Marjorie Marie/Marvin John (the daughter of Herbert Henry John and Bertha Florene Webb). Marjorie was born in Ohio. Herbert was the son of The Rev. Robert Neuman/Newman John and Frances Adelia Snow. Bertha was the daughter of Andrew Jackson Webb and Barbara Jane Nye.
Chester’s maternal grandfather was Charles Henry Johnson (the son of George Russell Johnson and Gertrude Elizabeth Elmendorf/Elmendorff). Charles was born in California. George was the son of George H. Johnson and Minnie B. Brown. Gertrude was the daughter of Charles L. Elmendorf and Alinda F./T. Schall, whose parents were German, her father from Kassel, Hesse and her mother from Baden-Württemberg.
Chester’s maternal grandmother was Anita Faye Wells (the daughter of Reginald Lester Wells and Myrtle Bell Sebourn/Seabourn). Reginald was the son of Benjamin Lafayette Wells and Annie/Anna Elvira Prater. Myrtle was the daughter of William Preston “Bill” Sebourn and Mary Ann “Doll” Pense.
Sources: Genealogies of Chester Bennington – http://assets.luginbuel.com https://www.geni.com https://www.wikitree.com
Chester’s maternal grandfather, Charles Henry Johnson, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Birth record of Chester’s maternal great-grandfather, George Russell Johnson – https://familysearch.org
Marriage record of Chester’s maternal great-grandfather, George Russell Johnson, to Mildred Adelaide Lewin – https://familysearch.org
Chester’s maternal great-grandmother, Gertrude Elizabeth Elmendorf/Elmendorff, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org