Biography Information Needed on John for daughter's 4th grade project!

[bjreinhold]

Hello - my daughter was given a list of famous Hoosiers and was told to pick one to do a report on.  She chose John Mellencamp (I assume because of the fact she has been exposed to his music since birth - actually before!)!!  We have scoured the internet for all things John & keep coming up with the same biography that has been mass produced!  I have some autographed photos of John she will be including (copies of course, mamma doesn't want the originals ruined!) along with some song lyrics, but we would like to have some little known facts to include to make her report stand out!  For example, nowhere in anything we have seen does it list John's parents or siblings names & she would like to include that.  So, if anyone out there has more information regarding John please let us in on it!  Thanks so much for any info. you can give!   

[Heartlandrocker]

Wernt the original family european ?...austrian/german?..and family name mellenkomp?...more german soundin than the evolved mellencamp.

[turmbird]

Johann Heinrich Möllenkamp, born 1823, from the small village of Kalkriese, north western germany, in the middle of nowhere. in 1844 he married Anna Maria Bramsche and they emigrated to the USA. they are supposed to be the ancestors of the Mellencamp family. their son had several children, one of them was "Grandpa Speck".
the name "Möllenkamp" is not rare in this part of germany, even today.

if John and the band would travel by bus on their european tour from berlin/germany to den haag/netherlands, they would pass this region and teach young Speck a nice ancestry lesson:). but i guess they rather go by plane.

but i think the initial question was about John´s parents, I think their names are Richard and Marilyn.

[Mellenfan71]

I think their names are Richard and Marilyn

Yes