Profile Text
Jackson – “Mildred Pierce” New York City Premiere, 2011 – Photo Credit: Mario Santoro / PR Photos
Birth Name: Cheyenne David Jackson
Place of Birth: Spokane, Washington, U.S.
Date of Birth: July 12, 1975
Ethnicity: English, German, Irish, smaller amounts of Scottish
Cheyenne Jackson is an American actor, singer, and songwriter. He is known for his acclaimed and considerable stage work, and for his roles on television’s 30 Rock , American Horror Story , American Woman , Descendants 3 , Watchmen , Julie and the Phantoms , and Call Me Kat , and in the films United 93 , The Green , Lola Versus , Mutual Friends , Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks , Love Is Strange , A Beautiful Now , Hello Again (2017), Hurricane Bianca: From Russia with Hate , and Werewolves Within .
Cheyenne is the son of Sherri and David Robert Jackson. He was named by his father after the 1950s western series Cheyenne . A picture of Cheyenne’s father can be seen here . A picture of Cheyenne with his father can be seen here . Cheyenne was raised in Oldtown, Idaho, and then Spokane, Washington.
Cheyenne is married to actor Jason Landau, with whom he has two children.
Cheyenne has said :
[My father]’s a Native American, Vietnam vet, body builder man…
[My father]’s a Native American, Vietnam vet, body builder man…
Cheyenne has referenced having Native American ancestry on several other occasions. It is not clear if this Native American ancestry has been verified/documented. Cheyenne’s recent paternal ancestors are listed as “White” on United States censuses.
Cheyenne’s father took on the surname of his own stepfather, Robert Joseph Jackson.
Cheyenne’s paternal grandfather was George Russell McGillen, Jr. (the son of George Russell McGillen and Effie May York). Cheyenne’s grandfather George was born in Billings, Montana, and had deep roots in the U.S. Cheyenne’s great-grandfather George was the son of Freeman Erastus Derby and Sarah Elizabeth Barnes; George took the surname of his own stepfather, Andrew Nelson McGillen. Effie was the daughter of George Enos York and Nancy Irene “Nannie” Dabney.
Cheyenne’s paternal grandmother was Dolores Veda Barnett/Barnette (the daughter of John Rex Barnett/Barnette and Rebecca Shirer). Dolores was born in Isabella, Pennsylvania. John was born in Pennsylvania, the son of Thomas Dennis Barnett, who was born in England, to Irish parents, from County Cork; and of Mary Estella Snyder, who had deep roots in Pennsylvania. Cheyenne’s great-grandmother Rebecca was the daughter of Charles Michael Shirer, who was of mostly Pennsylvania Dutch (German) descent; and of Nina Louise Yates.
Cheyenne’s maternal grandfather likely was James Wilson Kemper (the son of Alvin Aaron Kemper and Marguerite Wilson). James was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Alvin was the son of George Henry Kemper and Anna Katherine Turner/Thoerner, who were born in Indiana, both of them to German parents. Marguerite was the daughter of Legh C. Wilson and Maria M. “Mattie” Savage, whose grandparents were all Irish.
Sources: https://playbill.com
Genealogy of Cheyenne Jackson – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Cheyenne’s father – https://www.mccormickandson.com
Cheyenne’s paternal grandparents, George Russell McGillen, Jr. and Dolores Veda Barnett/Barnette, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Cheyenne’s paternal grandfather, George Russell McGillen, Jr., on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org George Russell McGillen, Jr. on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Cheyenne’s paternal great-grandparents, George Russell McGillen and Effie May York, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Cheyenne’s paternal great-grandfather, George Russell McGillen, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Cheyenne’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Freeman Erastus Derby and Sarah Elizabeth Barnes, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Cheyenne’s paternal great-grandmother, Effie May York, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Cheyenne’s paternal great-great-grandparents, George Enos York and Nancy Irene “Nannie” Dabney, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org George Enos York and Nancy Irene “Nannie” Dabney on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Cheyenne’s paternal grandmother, Dolores Veda Barnett/Barnette, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Jackson in 2009, photo credit: cybermelli