Profile Text
VanderWaal in 2018, photo by Starfrenzy /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Grace Avery VanderWaal
Place of Birth: Lenexa, Kansas, U.S.
Date of Birth: January 15, 2004
Ethnicity: * father – Dutch * mother – Scottish, German, English, distant Irish, Welsh, and Scots-Irish/Northern Irish
Grace VanderWaal is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She stars in the Stargirl films. She was the winner of the eleventh season of America’s Got Talent .
Grace is the daughter of Tina and David VanderWaal.
Grace’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to her seventeenth great-grandfather, Jan van Driel, of Zwijndrecht, South Holland.
Grace’s paternal grandfather was John Anthony VanderWaal (the son of James Robert VanderWaal and Christine Elizabeth Terlouw/Ter Louw). John was born in Kirkville, Wapello, Iowa. James was born in Black Oak Township, Mahaska, Iowa, the son of Antonie van der/vander Waal, whose parents were from South Holland, Netherlands; and of Dirkje van Zante, whose parents were from Herwijnen, Gelderland, Netherlands. Grace’s great-grandmother Christine was born in Sand Ridge, Lee, Iowa, the daughter of John Terlouw/Ter Louw, whose own parents, Jan “John” Terlouw and Stijntje Christina Korver, were Dutch emigrants, from Hoogblokland, South Holland and Vinkeveen, Utrecht, respectively; and of a Dutch emigrant mother, Annigje “Anna” Kool, of Hagestein, Utrecht.
Grace’s paternal grandmother was Ackie Ruth Vogelaar (the daughter of Benjamin “Ben” Vogelaar and Gertrude/Gerritje van Ommen). Ackie was born in Iowa. Benjamin was born in Pella, Marion, Iowa, the son of a Dutch emigrant, Teunis Vogelaar, of Sint Anthoniepolder, South Holland; and of Neeltje Akkerman, whose own parents, Jan Akkerman and Anna Lee Ellerbroek, were also Dutch emigrants, from Bovenkarspel and Venhuizen, respectively, both in North Holland. Grace’s great-grandmother Gertrude was born in Pella, the daughter of Dutch emigrants, Barend/Berend van Ommen and Dirkje/Derkje Fransen, both of Heerde, Gelderland.
Grace’s maternal grandfather was James Franklin Armstrong (the son of James Roy Armstrong and Odessa Leahnora Sloan). Grace’s great-grandfather James was born in Taylorville, Christian, Illinois, the son of George Armstrong, whose father was born in Cumberland, England; and of Myrtle C. Lathrop. Grace’s great-grandmother Odessa was born in Beecher City, Fayyette, Illinois, the daughter of George Willis Sloan and Anna Elizabeth Hervey.
Grace’s maternal grandmother was Wanda Redders (the daughter of Dwight Arthur Redders and Viola Hattie Tesch). Wanda was born in Madison, Dane, Wisconsin. Dwight was born in Madison, the son of Henry Fredrich Redders and Edith Johanna Francisca Beitz, who were born in Wisconsin, both of them to German parents, with Edith’s parents having been from Pommern, Prussia. Grace’s great-grandmother Viola was born in Ogema, Price, Wisconsin, the daughter of Frank Julius Herman Tesch, whose parents were German; and of Alvina Caroline Krolow, who was also a German emigrant, from Pommern.
Source: Genealogy of Grace VanderWaal (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Birth announcement of Grace’s maternal grandfather, James Franklin Armstrong – https://www.newspapers.com
Obituary of Grace’s maternal grandmother, Wanda (Redders) Chow – https://obituaries.pvtimes.com