Ancestry of Wynton Marsalis
 
compiled by Robert Battle
 
 

The following material on the immediate ancestry of Wynton Marsalis and his brothers should not be considered either exhaustive or authoritative, but rather as a first draft.  
 
Robert Battle contributed this report. The undersigned HTML-ized it.  
 
 
 
 
 

William Addams Reitwiesner
 
wargs@wargs.com
 
 
Ancestry of Wynton Marsalis
1 a Branford Marsalis, saxophonist, b. Beaux Bridge, La., 26 Aug. 1960
1 b Wynton Learson Marsalis, trumpeter, b. New Orleans, La., 18 Oct. 1961
1 c Delfeayo Marsalis, trombonist, b. New Orleans, La., 28 July 1965
1 d Jason Marsalis, drummer, b. New Orleans, La., 4 March 1977
PARENTS
2 Ellis Louis Marsalis, Jr., pianist and music professor, b. New Orleans, La., 14 Nov. 1934  
m. ... 31 Dec. 1958
3 Dolores Ferdinand, b. New Orleans, La., 13 Apr. 1937
GRANDPARENTS
4 Ellis Louis Marsalis, Sr., b. Summit, Pike Co., MS, ... [ca. 1907], d. ... 20 Sept. 2004  
m.
5 Florence Robertson, b. New Roads, Pointe Coupee Parish, La., ... , d. ...
6 Delfeayo F ... Ferdinand, b. ... , La., ... [ca. 1906], d. ...  
m.
7 Leona Learson, b. ... 1908 d. New Orleans, La., 26 Sept. 2002
GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
8 Simmie Marsalis, b. ... , Miss., 5 Sept. 1883, d. ... [living 1930] [WWI draft - Sim Marsalis, b. 5 Sep 1885, of Pike Co., MS]  
m. ... [ca. 1904]
9 Rosa Gayden, b. ... , Miss., ... March 1887, d. ... [living 1930]
12 Louis Ferdinand, Jr., b. ... , La., ... [ca. 1880], d. ...  
m. ... [ca. 1901]
13 Helen ... , b. ... , La., ... [ca. 1888], d. ... [living 1930] [m2. ... Mix]
14 Richard Learson, Sr., b. ... [ca. 1882], d. ...  
m. New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La., 30 Sept. 1907 [29:493]
15 Clotilde Eugene, b. ... , La., ... Sep 1881, d. New Orleans, La., 4 July 1915 [163:1071]
GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
16 (perhaps George Marsalis, b. ... , Mass., ... May 1824, d. ... [aft. 1900])  
(m. Amite Co., Miss., 25 Sept. 1872)
17 (perhaps Judy Myers, b. ... , Miss., ... July 1845, d. ... [aft. 1900])
18 Austin Gayden, b. ... , Miss., ... May 1856, d. ...  
m. Amite Co., Miss., 4 Sept. 1879
19 Mary Ann Wilson, b. ... , Miss., ... Jan 1865, d. ...
24 Louis Ferdinand, b. ... , d. ...  
m.
25 ... , b. ... , d. ...
GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
36 ... Gayden, b. ... , d. ... [bef. 1880]  
m.
37 Harriet ... , b. ... , Miss., ... [ca. 1829], d. ... [aft. 1880]
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 - 4th Ward, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA, e.d. 59, sheet 9a

Marsalis, Simon[?]   Head   M Neg 47 M  22   MS MS MS  Laborer   Railroad
___, Rosa            Wife   F Neg 45 M  20   MS MS MS
___, Arthur          Son    M Neg 24 S       MS MS MS  Laborer   Bed Factory
___, Ellis           Son    M Neg 22 S       MS MS MS  Helper    Electrician
___, Curtis          Neph   M Neg 14 S       MS MS MS
___, Jules           Bro    M Neg 27 Wd      MS MS MS  Waiter    Restaurant

--------

1930 - New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA, e.d. 269, sheet 8a

Mix, Hellen        Head     F Neg 41 Wd 18   LA LA LA  M. Servant  Private Family
Ferdinand, Louis   Son      M Neg 22 S       LA LA LA  Helper      Florist
___, Diffeayo      Son      M Neg 23 S       LA LA LA  Helper      Florist
___, Rolf          Son      M Neg 18 S       LA LA LA  Chauffer    Florist
___, Winthrop      Son      M Neg 16 S       LA LA LA
___, Neada         Dau      F Neg 15 S       LA LA LA  Servant     Private Family
Hall, Emma         Sister   F Neg 55 Wd 17   LA LA LA  Cook        Private Family
___, Joseph        Neph     M Neg 25 S       LA LA LA
___, Andy[?]       Neph     M Neg  7 S       LA LA LA

--------

1920 - 3rd Ward, Summit, Pike Co., MS, e.d. 112, sheet 10b

Marsalis, Simmie    Head    M B 37 M      MS MS MS    farming
___, Rosa           Wife    F B 32 M      MS MS MS
___, Aruther        Son     M B 13 S      MS MS MS
___, Ellis          Son     M B 12 S      MS MS MS
___, Curtis         Son     M B  4 S      MS MS MS

--------

1910 - Beat 4, Amite Co., MS, e.d. 27, sheet 11b

Marsalis, Simmie    Head    M Mu 26      M1 5       MS MS MS   Farmer
___, Rosa           Wife    F B  24      M1 5 3 3   MS MS MS   Farm laborer
___, Auther         Son     M Mu  4      S          MS MS MS
___, Ellis          Son     M Mu  2      S          MS MS MS
___, Carrie         Dau     F Mu    4/12 S          MS MS MS

--------

1910 - Police Jury Ward 6, St. James Parish, LA, e.d. 71[?], sheet 9b

Ferdinand, Louis jr.   Head    M Mu 29 M1 8      LA LA LA  --- Saw Mill
___, Helen             Wife    F Mu 27 M1 8 3 3  LA LA LA
___, Irene             Dau     F Mu  6 S         LA LA LA
___, Delphia           Son     M Mu  4 S         LA LA LA
___, Louis jr.         Son     M Mu  3 S         LA LA LA

--------

1900 - Beat 4, Amite Co., MS, e.d. 27, sheet 6a

Gaden, Austin     Head   B M May 1856      44 M 19      MS MS MS Farmer
___, Mary         Wife   B F Jan 1845[sic] 34 M 19 8 8  MS MS MS
___, Hattie       Dau    B F Nov 1883      16 S         MS MS MS
___, Rosa         Dau    B F Mar 1887      13 S         MS MS MS
___, Mary         Dau    B F Mar 1889      11 S         MS MS MS
___, Pink         Dau    B F Dec 1890       9 S         MS MS MS
___, James        Son    B M Feb 1893       7 S         MS MS MS
___, Thomas       Son    B M Dec 1894       5 S         MS MS MS
___, Alvy         Son    B M Mar 1897       3 S         MS MS MS
___, Garro        Son    B M Dec 1898       1 S         MS MS MS
Marsalus, George  Head   B M May 1824      76 M 25      MS VA VA Farmer
___, Julia        Wife   B F Jul 1845      54 M 25 13 8 MS MS GA
___, Eddie        Son    B M Apr 1877      23 S         MS MS MS Farm Laborer
___, Chlorinda    Dau    B F Aug 1882      17 S         MS MS MS
___, Daniel       Son    B M Oct 1885      14 S         MS MS MS
___, Aurice       Dau    B F Mar 1888      12 S         MS MS MS
___, Charity      Dau    B F May 1891       9 S         MS MS MS
Gaden, Jacob T.   Head   B M Jan 1860      40 M 14      MS MS MS Farmer
___, Henrietta    Wife   B F Mar 1878[sic] 32 M 14 5 5  MS MS MS
___, William      Son    B M Nov 1888      11 S         MS MS MS
___, Nancy        Dau    B F Oct 1889      10 S         MS MS MS
___, Amie         Dau    B F Oct 1891       8 S         MS MS MS
___, Johnie       Son    B M Nov 1893       6 S         MS MS MS
___, Retha        Dau    B F Aug 1897       3 S         MS MS MS
 
--------

1900 - 6th Precinct, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA, e.d. 48, sheet 15b

Fortin, Marcelius       Head     B M Jan 1850 50      M 4      LA LA LA  Shoemaker
___, Julia              Wife     B F Feb 1870 30      M 4 2 1  LA LA LA
___, Marcelle           Son      B M Dec 1899    5/12 S        LA LA LA
Eugene, Clotilde        Cousin   B F Sep 1881 18      S        LA LA LA  Servant
Warner, Oscar           Uncle    B M Nov 1863 36      S        LA LA LA  S-- maker
Jasper[?], Loonelle[?]  Cousin   B M Jun 1866 33      M 2      LA LA LA  Shoemaker
___, Marta              Cousin   B F Feb 1872 28      M 2 2 1  LA LA LA  Seamstress
___, Alga               Cousin   B F Dec 1898  1      S        LA LA LA

--------

1880 - Beat 4, Amite Co., MS, e.d. 46, sheet 34 (p. 506b)

Gayden, Harrit   B F 50                           MS MS MS
___, Joe         B M 21    Son    Farm Laborer    MS MS MS
___, Austin      B M 19    Son    Farm Laborer    MS MS MS
___, Jacob       B M 17    Son    Farm Laborer    MS MS MS
___, Mary        B M 16    Dau    Farm Laborer    MS MS MS

--------

 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES
 
 
 
 
 
 
4 -- http://www.louisianaweekly.com/cgi-bin/weekly/news/articlegate.pl?20040927p: "Ellis Marsalis, Sr. was the son of the late Rosa Gayden and Simmie Marsalis. He was preceded in death by his wife, the late Florence Robertson Marsalis..."  
 
 
 
5 -- One of the following two people named Florence Marsalis from the SSDI: b. 3 May 1906, d. Sep 1973 New Orleans, LA; or b. 12 Sep 1907, d. 9 Aug 1994 New Orleans; the latter is called Florence Magruder Marsalis at http://www.geocities.com/jeffersongenealogicalsociety/obits/d0894g-m.htm  
 
 
 
6 -- family from Napoleonville, Assumption Co., LA  
 
 
 
7 -- obit at http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/la/orleans/obits/fe-fh.txt. According to bio of Wynton Marsalis, related to Alphonse Picou, "well-known, old-time New Orleans clarinetist"; also Wendell and Homer Eugene, New Orleans trombonists  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SOURCES CONSULTED AND CITED
 
 
See above.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
William Addams Reitwiesner
 
wargs@wargs.com