Preston in 2015, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Kelly Kamalelehua Smith
Date of Birth: October 13, 1962
Place of Birth: Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Date of Death: July 12, 2020
Place of Death: Anthony, Florida, U.S.
Ethnicity: English, Irish, German, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, roughly one eighth African-American and Melungeon, 1.5/32 Native Hawaiian, distant Swiss-German, remote Breton, Dutch, Swedish, French Huguenot, and Welsh
Kelly Preston was an American actress and model. Her roles included the films Mischief, Secret Admirer, SpaceCamp, Spellbound, Twins, Run, Citizen Ruth, Jerry Maguire, Jack Frost, For Love of the Game, What a Girl Wants, The Cat in the Hat, Sky High, Death Sentence, Old Dogs, The Last Song, Casino Jack, and Gotti.
She was born in Honolulu, and her middle name, Kamalelehua, meant “garden of lehuas” (a local flower) in Hawaiian. Her six times maternal great-grandfather, Kamehameha I, was the first King of Hawaii.
Her birth father, Kenneth Michael Smith, worked for an agricultural firm, and drowned when Kelly was four years old. Her mother, Linda Kamalalehua (Reynolds) Carlson, was an administrator of a mental health center. Linda subsequently married Peter Lynn Palzis, who adopted Kelly. Peter was of half Lithuanian descent.
Kelly was married to actor, producer, dancer, and singer John Travolta, until her death. The couple had three children, including actress Ella Bleu Travolta.
Kelly was initially credited as Kelly Palzis. She later changed her surname to Preston.
Kelly’s paternal grandfather was Harry Albert Smith (the son of Jack E. Smith and Josephine/Josie A. Cato). Harry was born in Kearney, Buffalo, Nebraska. Jack was the son of John E. Smith, who was African-American, the descendant of freed slaves who moved north; and of Ophelia/Ophilia E. Goins, who was from Kentucky, and was likely Melungeon. Josephine was the daughter of Robert B. Cato and Alice Mary Monahan/Manahan/Manahon, who herself was born in County Limerick, Ireland. A biography of Kelly’s African-American paternal great-great-great-great-grandmother, Charlotte (Gordon) Pyle, known as “Iowa’s Emancipator,” can be read here.
Kelly’s paternal grandmother was Harriet Ruth “Peggy” Hampton (the daughter of Milton Earle/Edward Hampton and Ruth Adele McConnel/McConnell). Harriet was born in Washington. Milton was the son of Denis/Dennis Cogla/Coakley Hampton and Harriet/Harriet Warfield “Hattie” Bennett. Ruth was the daughter of Edward F. McConnell and Mary Tennessee Griggs.
Kelly’s maternal grandfather was Howard Clark Reynolds (the son of Horace Henry Reynolds, Jr. and Lula/Lulah Clark). Howard was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and was a professional polo player, race car driver, and owned a real estate company. Horace was the son of Horace Henry Reynolds and Malenda Gallaher Frazier. Lula was the daughter of William Henry Clark and Jennie/Jane Cruikshank, who born in Ontario, Canada, of Scottish descent.
Kelly’s maternal grandmother was Lucille Ackerman (the daughter of Walter Douglas Ackerman and Lucy Woods). Lucille was born in Kona, Hawaii Co., Hawaii. Walter was the son of John Douglas Ackerman and Mary Jane Yates, whose own parents were emigrants, from England and Ireland, respectively. Lucy was the daughter of James Woods, who was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, and of Mary Ann Kaulalani Parker, who was born in Hawaii, of three quarters Native Hawaiian descent. Mary Ann was the daughter of Ebenezer Parker, whose father founded the Parker Ranch in Hawaii; and of Kilia “Celia” Nahoalani/Nahulanui. The Parker Ranch was at one point the largest cattle ranch in the U.S. under single ownership.
Sources: Genealogies of Kelly Preston –
Kelly’s paternal great-grandparents, Jack E. Smith and Josephine/Josie A. Cato, on the 1910 U.S. Census –
Kelly’s paternal great-grandfather, Jack E. Smith, on the 1900 U.S. Census –
Marriage record of Kelly’s paternal great-great-grandparents, John E. Smith and Ophelia/Ophilia E. Goins –
Genealogy of Kelly’s maternal uncle –
Marriage record of Kelly’s maternal great-great-grandparents, William Henry Clark and Jennie/Jane Cruikshank –
Kelly’s maternal grandmother, Lucille Ackerman, on the 1930 U.S. Census –
