Ancestry of Oprah Winfrey
Ancestry of Oprah Winfrey

compiled by William Addams Reitwiesner


The following material on the immediate ancestry of Oprah Winfrey should not be considered either exhaustive or authoritative, but rather as a first draft.





William Addams Reitwiesner

wargs@wargs.com


Ancestry of Oprah Winfrey
1 Oprah Gail Winfrey, b. Kosciusko, Attala Co., Miss., 29 Jan. 1954
PARENTS
2 Vernon Winfrey, b. Carroll Co., Miss., ... [ca. 1933]
non-marital liaison
3 Vernita Lee, b. Kosciusko, Attala Co., Miss., 2 May 1935
GRANDPARENTS
4 Elmore Winfrey, b. Poplar Creek, Montgomery Co., Miss., 12 March 1901, d. Kosciusko, Attala Co., Miss., 15 Oct. 1988 [SSDI 426-30-9215]
m. Carroll Co., Miss., 10 June 1925
5 Beatrice Woods, b. Kosciusko, Attala Co., Miss., 18 Feb. 1903, d. Jackson, Hinds Co., Miss., 1 Dec. 1999 [SSDI 425-15-6542]
6 Earless / Earlist Lee, b. Hinds Co., Miss., ... 1887, d. Kosciusko, Attala Co., Miss., ... 1959
m. ... [ca. 1921]
7 Hattie Mae Pressley, b. Kosciusko, Attala Co., Miss., 15 April 1900, d. Kosciusko, Attala Co., Miss., 27 Feb. 1963
GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
8 Sanford Elias Winfrey, b. ... , Miss., ... Nov. 1871, d. ... [living 1910]
m. ... [ca. 1894]
9 Ella Staples, b. ... , Miss., ... July 1874, d. ... [living 1910]
10 Tom W ... Woods, b. ... , Miss., ... June 1874, d. ... [living 1930]
m. ... [ca. 1898-9]
11 Hattie Ross, b. ... , Miss., ... April 1878, d. ... [living 1920]
12 Harold Lee, b. Hinds Co., Miss., ... [ca. 1855], d. ... [living 1900]
m.
13 Elizabeth ... , b. ... , d. ... [by 1900]
14 Nelson Alexander Pressley, b. ... , Miss., ... March 1872 d. ... [ca. 1907]
m. Attala Co., Miss., 22 March 1893
15 Amanda Winters, b. Kosciusko, Attala Co., Miss., ... Jan. 1874, d. ... [ca. 1940]
GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
16 Constantine Winfrey, b. ... , Ga., ... Oct. 1836, d. ... [living 1900]
m. ... [ca. 1860]
17 Violet ... , b. ... , N. C., ... Jan. 1839, d. ... [living 1900]
18 William Staples, b. ... , Miss., ... [ca. 1835], d. ... [living 1880]
m.
19 Abigail ... , b. ... , Miss., ... [ca. 1848], d. ... [living 1880]
22 ... Ross, b. ... , d. ... [by 1900]
m.
23 Katie ... , b. ... , Miss., ... Jan. 1860, d. ... [living 1900]
30 Pearce Winters, b. ... , Miss., ... [ca. 1846], d. ... [living 1880]
m.
31 Henrietta ... , b. ... , Miss., ... [ca. 1855], d. ... [living 1880]
GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS








EXTRACTS from the U.S. FEDERAL DECENNIAL CENSUS







1930 - Mississippi, Carroll Co., Beat 5, ED 13, sheet 16B, line 51

Winfrey Elmer      H    M Neg 29        M 25   MS MS MS    Farmer    General Farm
        Beatrice   W    F Neg 27        M 23   MS MS MS
        Lee W      S    M Neg  3 11/12  S      MS MS MS
        Brister    S    M Neg  2  9/12  S      MS MS MS
        Marie      D    F Neg  1  7/12  S      MS MS MS
Woods Tom W        FiL  M Neg 55        M 20   MS MS MS    Farmer    General Farm

--------

1930 - Mississippi, Attala Co., Beat 1, ED 3, sheet 25A, line 45

Lee Earliest    H    M Neg 32      M 23    MS MS MS     Farmer    Farm
    Hattie M    W    F Neg 30      M 21    MS MS MS
    Susie M     D    F Neg 10      S       MS MS MS
    Hal         S    M Neg  8      S       MS MS MS
    Willie S    D    F Neg  5      S       MS MS MS
    Hubert      S    M Neg  1 6/12 S       MS MS MS

--------

1920 - Mississippi, Carroll Co., Beat 5, ED 36, sheet 8A, line 97, continued on sheet 8B

Woods Tom       H    M B 46       M   MS MS MS       Farmer    General Farm
      Hattie    W    F B 40       M   MS MS MS
      Beatrice  D    F B 16       S   MS MS MS
      Walter    S    M B 15       S   MS MS MS
      Katie L   D    F B 13       S   MS MS MS
      Teresa    D    F B 11       S   MS MS MS
      Thomas    S    M B  9       S   MS MS MS
      Elma      D    F B  5       S   MS MS MS
      Velma     D    F B  5       S   MS MS MS
      Willie    D    F B  3 6/12  S   MS MS MS
      Evalena   D    F B  1 4/12  S   MS MS MS

--------

1910 - Mississippi, Montgomery Co., Beat 15, ED 93, sheet 9A, line 27

Winfrey Sanford     H   M B 38 M1 16       MS GA NC      Farmer          General Farm
        Ella        W   F B 36 M1 16 7 7   MS GA MS      Farm laborer    House farm
        Vendee      S   M B 12 S           MS MS MS      Farm laborer    House farm
        Alonzo      S   M B 10 S           MS MS MS      Farm laborer    House farm
        Elmo        S   M B  9 S           MS MS MS      Farm laborer    House farm
        Victor      S   M B  7 S           MS MS MS      Farm laborer    House farm
        Purnell G   S   M B  5 S           MS MS MS
        Belmo P     D   F B  6 S           MS MS MS
        Rose L      D   F B 12 S           MS MS MS

--------

1910 - Mississippi, Carroll Co., 5th Beat, ED 37, sheet 24B, line 94, continued on sheet 25A

Woods Tom         H    M B  35       M1 11       MS MS MS       Farmer
      Hattie      W    F Mu 30       M1 11 9 6   MS MS MS
      Annis       S    M B  10       S           MS MS MS
      Beatrice    D    F B   7       S           MS MS MS
      Walley      S    M B   5       S           MS MS MS
      Katie Lee   D    F B   4       S           MS MS MS
      Teresa      D    F B   1       S           MS MS MS
      J H         S    M B     3/12  S           MS MS MS

--------

1910 - Mississippi, Attala Co., Beat One, ED 3, sheet 6A, line 12

Pressley Amanda     H   F B 36        Wd     9 7    MS MS MS     Farmer          General farm
         Ascar      S   M B 14        S             MS MS MS     Farm laborer    Home farm
         Harvey     S   M B 13        S             MS MS MS     Farm laborer    Home farm
         Hattie M   D   F B 10        S             MS MS MS     Farm laborer    Home farm
         Emma       D   F B  6        S             MS MS MS
         Isaac      S   M B  4        S             MS MS MS
         Ida        D   F B  3        S             MS MS MS
         Katie      D   F B    11/12  S             MS MS MS

--------

1900 - Mississippi, Montgomery Co., Beat 5, ED 84, sheet 2B, line 65

Winfrey Constantine   H   B M Oct 1836 63 M  40        GA GA SC      Farmer
        Violet        W   B F Jan 1839 61 M  40  8 8   NC NC NC
Parker Georgia        D   B F Aug 1866 33 Wd     4 4   MS GA NC
       Guss           S   B M Aug 1891  9 S            MS MS MS
       Isa B          D   B F Sep 1893  6 S            MS MS MS
       Ann            D   B F Sep 1895  4 S            MS MS MS
       James          S   B M May 1897  3 S            MS MS MS

--------

1900 - Mississippi, Carroll Co., Beat 5, ED 22, sheet 18B, line 81

Woods Tom      H     B M Jun 1874 25       M 2        MS VA VA    Farmer
      Hattie   W     B F Apl 1877 22       M 2  1 1   MS MS MS
      Benne    S     B M Sep 1899    8/12  S          MS MS MS
Ross Katie     MiL   B F Jan 1860 40       Wd   4 4   MS MS VA
(three boarders)

--------

1900 - Mississippi, Claiborne Co., Beat 3, ED 159, sheet 12B, line 74

Lee Harry     H   B M Feb 1872 28 Wd    MS MS MS       Farmer
    Earless   S   B M Jun 1892  7 S     MS MS MS

--------

1900 - Mississippi, Attala Co., Beat 1, ED 2, sheet 9B, line 86

Presley Milton     H    B M Mar 1872 28       M 7        MS MS MS       Farmer
        Amanda     W    B F Jan 1874 26       M 7  4 4   MS MS MS       Farm laborer
        Oscor      S    B M Jan 1895  5       S          MS MS MS
        Harry      S    B M Nov 1896  3       S          MS MS MS
        Georgia    D    B F May 1892  2       S          MS MS MS
        Hattie M   D    B F May 1900    1/12  S          MS MS MS

--------

1880 - Mississippi, Montgomery Co., ED 144, page 20, line 35

Winfrey Constantine   B M 48                   Farmer              GA GA SC
        Violett       B F 41                   Keeping House       NC NC NC
        Jane          B F 21             D     At home             MS GA NC
        James         B M 19             S     Farm laborer        MS GA NC
        Henry         B M 15             S     Farm laborer        MS GA NC
        Sarah         B F 13             D     At home             MS GA NC
        Silas         B M 10             S     Farm laborer        MS GA NC
        Sanford       B M  8             S                         MS GA NC
        Cornelia      B F  6             D                         MS GA NC
        Winn          B M    4/12  Apl   S                         MS GA NC

--------

1880 - Mississippi, Choctaw Co., 3rd Supervisor's District, ED 38, page 35, line 42

Staples Wm       B M 45                   MS MS MS
        Abbie    B F 32       W           MS MS MS
        Wm       B M 15       S           MS MS MS
        Mary     B F 12       D           MS MS MS
        Warren   B M 11       S           MS MS MS
        John     B M  8       S           MS MS MS
        Ella     B F  6       D           MS MS MS
        G Am     B F  3       D           MS MS MS
        Jim      B M    9/12  S           MS MS MS

--------

1880 - Mississippi, Attala Co., Beat 1, ED 42, page 8, line 28

Winters Pear        B M 34       H    Farmer     MS GA GA
        Harriett    B F 25       W    Farmer     MS GA AL
        Green       B M  7       S    Farmer     MS MS MS
        Amanda      B F  6       D    Farmer     MS MS MS
        Matilda     B F  4       D    At home    MS MS MS
        Benton      B M  2       S    At home    MS MS MS
        Georgia     B F    2/12  D    At home    MS MS MS

--------

1870 Mississippi, Hinds Co., Jackson, page 92, line 30

Lee John            37      M B     House Carpenter       300      ----     TN
    Gracy           37      F M     Keeping House                           MS
    Harry           15      M M     At School                               MS
    John E          13      M M     At School                               MS
    Mariah          11      F M     At School                               MS
    Joseph           8      M M     At School                               MS
    Mary E           4      F M                                             MS
    Nathaniel          8/12 M M                                             MS
William Alexander   22        B     Domestic servant                        VA

--------







NOTES






1 -- See Henry Louis Gates Jr., Finding Oprah's roots, finding your own [New York: Crown, 2007]



14 -- A connection between these Pressleys and the ancestors of Elvis Presley has been posited but not confirmed.













SOURCES CONSULTED AND CITED


See above. Also:







William Addams Reitwiesner

wargs@wargs.com