Birth Name: Mitchell Elias Daniels, Jr.
Place of Birth: Monongahela, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Date of Birth: April 7, 1949
Ethnicity:
*Syrian (father)
*English, as well as Irish, Scottish, and Welsh (mother)
Mitch Daniels is an American academic administrator, businessperson, author, and politician. He has been President of the Purdue University System, since January 14, 2013. A Republican, he was Director of the Office of Management and Budget, from January 20, 2001 to June 6, 2003, and Governor of Indiana, from January 10, 2005 to January 14, 2013.
Mitch is the son of Dorothy Mae (Wilkes) and Mitchell Elias Daniels. His father’s parents were Syrian, of the Antiochian Greek Orthodox church. His mother was of English, as well as Irish, Scottish, and Welsh, ancestry, entirely descended from recent immigrants. Mitch is of the Presbyterian faith.
Mitch is married to Cheri Daniels, with whom he has four children.
Mitch’s paternal grandparents were Elias Daniels (the son of Assa Daniel) and Afifi/Hannah. Elias was born in Khiletiah, near Homs, Syria.
Mitch’s maternal grandfather was Russell W. Wilkes (the son of George W. Wilkes and Sarah Phebe Bytheway). Russell was born in Pennsylvania, to English parents. Sarah was born in Ettingshall, Shropshire, the daughter of Edward Bytheway and Jane Causer/Humphreys.
Mitch’s maternal grandmother was Bessie Riley (the daughter of William Riley and Hannah). Bessie was born in Pennsylvania. William was the son of Thomas Riley, who was Scottish, and of Elizabeth, who was born in Pennsylvania or Scotland, to Welsh parents. Hannah was English.
Source: Genealogy of Mitch Daniels – http://www.wargs.com