Rue McClanahan
photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: Eddi-Rue McClanahan
Date of Birth: February 21, 1934
Place of Birth: Healdton, Oklahoma, U.S.
Date of Death: June 3, 2010
Place of Death: New York City, New York, U.S.
Ethnicity: English, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, German, 1/64th Choctaw Native American, distant French-Canadian, Dutch, remote Portuguese
Rue McClanahan was an American actress. She is known for her role as Blanche Devereaux on the sitcom The Golden Girls.
Rue was the daughter of Dreda Rheua-Nell (Medaris) and William Edwin “Bill” McClanahan. She had English, some Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, German, 1/64th Choctaw Native American, distant French-Canadian, Dutch, and remote Portuguese, ancestry. Her Portuguese ancestor is Domingo Medearis, who was born in Portugal, c. 1620.
Rue’s niece is actress Amelia Kinkade (Amelia Eileen Kinkade, the daughter of Rue’s sister, Melinda Lou McClanahan, and of Emmett Sheridan Kinkade).
Rue’s paternal grandfather was Jesse/Jessie/Jess Edwin McClanahan (the son of Edwin/Edmund French McClanahan and Margaret Emeline Richardson). Jesse was born in Mississippi. Rue’s great-grandfather Edwin was the son of Enoch Cox McClanahan and Andromache America Mills.
Rue’s paternal grandmother was Fannie Florence Copeland (the daughter of James Granville Copeland and Mary Denby “Polly” Edge). Fannie was born in Oklahoma. James was the son of Moses Wilkerson Copeland and Nancy Webb. Mary Denby was the daughter of William D. “Moses” Edge and Eliza Ann Denby.
Rue’s maternal grandfather was Thomas Edward Medaris (the son of Oliver/Ollie Cromwell Medaris and Eliza Jane Sessums/Sessoms). Thomas was born in Oklahoma. Oliver was the son of Oliver Cromwell Medaris/Medearis and Mary Melvina Goodman.
Rue’s maternal grandmother was Ida Alice “Allie” Airington/Arrington (the daughter of Levi Airington/Arrington and Margaret Emma Mock). Ida was enrolled in the Choctaw tribe. She was born in Oklahoma. Levi was the son of Drury/Drew Airington/Arrington, Jr. and Nancy Taylor. Levi’s great-grandmother, SheNiYah Hanak, was a Choctaw Native American. Margaret was the daughter of Moses Anderson Mock and Louisa Pinson.
Rue was a sixth cousin, once removed, of actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood, through shared McClanahan ancestry.
Sources: Genealogies of Rue McClanahan – https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com
Genealogy of Rue McClanahan (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.wikitree.com
Genealogy of Rue’s maternal great-great-grandmother, Mary Melvina Goodman – https://www.wikitree.com
Genealogy of Rue’s maternal great-great-great-grandfather, Gabriel Loving Medaris – https://www.wikitree.com
Rue’s maternal grandmother, Ida Alice “Allie” Airington/Arrington, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Information about Rue’s maternal eight times great-grandfather, Domingo Madeiras/Madeiros – http://www.mindspring.com
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