Birth Name: Bernard Mathew Leadon III
Place of Birth: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Date of Birth: July 19, 1947
Ethnicity: Irish, as well as some French-Canadian, distant English
Family Background: Bernie Leadon is an American musician. He was the lead guitarist for legendary rock band Eagles.
Bernie is the son of Bernard Matthew Leadon, Jr., an aeronautical engineer and airplane designer, and Ann Teresa Sweetser. His parents were devout Roman Catholics. Bernie’s brother is musician Tom Leadon.
Bernie’s paternal grandfather was Bernard “Barney” Matthew Leadon. He was born in Minnesota, to an Irish father and a mother from Wisconsin.
Bernie’s paternal grandmother was Ruth Cecelia McDonnell (the daughter of Patrick Joseph McDonnell and Catherine Rouin). Ruth was born in Minnesota. Patrick was the son of James McDonnell and Bridget Reilly, who were Irish. Catherine was French-Canadian.
Bernie’s maternal grandfather was Theodore Horatio Sweetser, an urologist (the son of Horatio Bartholomew Sweetser and Teresa Mary Ann Josephine). Theodore was born in Minnesota. Horatio Bartholomew, a physicist and surgeon from Brooklyn, New York, was the son of Horatio Sweetser, who was from Athol, Massachusetts, and Delia Kelly, who was Irish. Teresa was born in Canada, to an Irish father and a mother also from Canada
Bernies’ maternal grandmother was Marion/Marian Higgins. Marion was born in Minnesota, to a father from Wisconsin and a mother from New York, and of was likely of at least partial Irish descent. Marion’s family had roots in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Genealogy of Bernie’s father (focusing on his own father’s side): https://www.findagrave.com/
Obituary of Bernie’s father: https://www.legacy.com/
Bernie’s father on the 1920 U.S. Census: https://www.familysearch.org/
Genealogy of Bernie’s paternal grandmother: https://www.geni.com/
Genealogy of Bernie Leadon (focusing on his mother’s side): https://www.geni.com/
Bernie’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census: https://www.familysearch.org/
Bernie’s maternal grandfather, Theodore Horatio Sweetser, on the 1910 U.S Census: https://www.familysearch.org/
Bernie’s maternal great-grandfather, Horatio Bartolomew Sweetser, on the 1880 U.S. Census: https://www.familysearch.org/
Information about Bernie’s mother’s family: http://www2.mnhs.org/