Birth Name: Gretchen Esther Whitmer
Place of Birth: Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
Date of Birth: August 23, 1971
Ethnicity: German, Swiss-German, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, along with Scottish, English, distant Dutch
Gretchen Whitmer is an American politician and attorney. A member of the Democratic Party, she has been Governor of Michigan, since January 1, 2019. She was previously Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate, from January 12, 2011 to January 1, 2015, and Prosecutor of Ingham County, from July 2, 2016 to December 31, 2016.
Gretchen is the daughter of lawyers Sherry and Richard Whitmer. Her father was head of Michigan’s Department of Commerce, and was also president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, between 1988 and 2006. Her mother was assistant attorney general. She spent her teen years in Grand Rapids.
Gretchen is married to Marc Mallory. She has two children with her former husband Gary Shrewsbury.
Gretchen’s patrilineal line can be traced to Christopher Wittmer, who was born, c. 1636, in Liestal, Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland, the son of Michael Wittmer and Margaret Wolff.
Gretchen’s paternal grandfather was Dana Philip/Yoder Whitmer (the son of Paul Emmons Whitmer and Veronica/Fannie Hartzler/Hertzler Yoder). Dana was born in Indiana, and was of mostly Swiss-German and German descent, including some roots in Alsace-Lorraine. Paul was the son of David Lehman Witmer/Whitmer and Anna Nancy Ziegler Otto. Fannie was the daughter of Daniel Christian/Clifford Yoder and Nancy C./Z. “Anna” Hartzler/Hertzler.
Gretchen’s paternal grandmother was Margaret Esther Elliott (the daughter of Lorin/Lonie Stanton Elliott and Zella Pearl/Pearle Brown). Margaret was born in Ohio. Lorin was the son of John Martyn Elliott and Margaret Agnes Davis. Zella was the daughter of John M. Brown and Sarah Jane/Jenny German.
Gretchen’s maternal grandfather was William Andrew Hanna (the son of Robert John Hanna and Sarah/Sadie Reid Kirk). William was born in Michigan. Robert was the son of William Alexander Hanna, who was born in Rathfriland, County Down, Ireland, and of Mary Arthur Ankeny. Sarah was the daughter of Andrew D. Kirk and Margaret Ellison, who were Scots-Irish emigrants. Margaret was from Londonderry.
Gretchen’s maternal grandmother is Gretchen Elizabeth Hoerner (the daughter of Karl/Carl Frederick Hoerner and Elizabeth/Elise/Elesa/Betty Helen Waldeck/Walldisk). Gretchen’s grandmother Gretchen was born in Michigan, to ethnic German parents. Karl was born in Germersheim, Rheinland-Pfalz/Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, the son of Johann Adam Hoerner and Elizabeth Lepres. Gretchen’s great-grandmother Elizabeth was born in Romania, the daughter of John Waldek and Elizabeth Stitzel.
Sources: Genealogy of Gretchen Whitmer –
Gretchen’s maternal grandmother, Gretchen Elizabeth Hoerner, on the 1930 U.S. Census –
