Profile Text
Place of Birth: Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
Date of Birth: March 24, 1998
Ethnicity: English, as well as German, Scottish, French/French Huguenot, Franco-Germanic Labadist, Welsh, Swiss-German, and Irish, distant Dutch Frisian, Cornish, Belgian Walloon, and Catalan [Minorcan], remote Breton and Manx, possibly African-American
Ethel Cain, also known as Hayden Silas Anhedönia and White Silas, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and model. Following the release of her vinyl Preacher’s Daughter in 2025, she became the first ever openly trans artist to earn a top 10 album on the Billboard 200. Her music and lyrics are known for their ambient and Southern Gothic style.
Ethel is the daughter of Juliet, a waitress, and Scott Horner, a truck driver and deacon. Ethel and her siblings grew up in Perry, Florida, and were home-schooled. She was raised in a practising Southern Baptist family.
Ethel’s patrilineal line can be traced to Johannes George Horner, who was born, c. 1699, in Windischenbach, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany.
Ethel’s paternal grandfather was Leonard Edward Horner (the son of Charles Eugene “Gene” Horner and Bessie Estelle Allman). Leonard was born in Norman Park, Colquitt, Georgia. Charles was born in Quitman, Georgia, the son of Charles Otis “Charlie” Horner and Anna Louisa Seay. Ethel’s great-grandmother Bessie was born in Georgia, the daughter of John William Allman and Susan Marvela Nalls.
Ethel’s paternal grandmother was Norma Jean Wilson (the daughter of Luther Edwards Wilson and Zettie Lou Walters). Norma was born in Shady Grove, Taylor, Florida. Luther was born in Madison, Florida, the son of Willis Macon Wilson and Alice Neal Morgan. Ethel’s great-grandmother Zettie was born in Taylor, the daughter of Moses/Mose W. Walters and Leslie Anna Blanton. Moses’s maternal great-grandmother, Nancy Lettice Chavis, was seemingly labeled “Mulatto” on the 1950 U.S. Census. The historic Chavis family of the Carolinas are a well-known mixed race dynasty, who usually identify as Melungeon or Lumbee.
Ethel’s maternal grandfather was named Ralph Anderson.
Ethel’s maternal grandmother was Annette Head (the daughter of Hansel Claude Head and Violet Agnes Higginbotham). Hansel was born in Jacksonville, Duval, Florida, the son of Walter Floyd Head and Julia Elizabeth Bentley. Ethel’s great-grandmother Violet was born in Lake City, Columbia, Florida, the daughter of John Spicer Higginbotham and Abbie Edwards. Julia’s maternal great-grandmother, Emily “Millie”/Mollie Driggers, was said to have been a descendant of Thomas Driggers, who was born, c. 1644, in Northampton, Virginia, and was a freed slave. This line of descent is not substantiated.
Source: Genealogies of Ethel’s paternal grandparents, Leonard Edward Horner and Norma Jean (Wilson) Horner – https://www.findagrave.com