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Does anyone have knowledge of this couple? I do have down lines for the following children – I am interested in ancestors or more siblings.
John Bolen 1777 SC married Meeky [1850 census spelling] was told Meeka —
On the 1850 census Rhea TN – no one seems to know birthdates or where they were born of either John or Meeky. The children state born VA or SC mattering on the cenus year for the parents.
Known Children:
James F Bolen 1807 SC m. Elizabeth Cates 1826 TN d/o Unknown Cates & Lucinda b 1780 VA
Hester Bolen 1818 SC m. Jonathan Bandy 1819 NC — 1831 Reha TN
John Parhaus Bolen 1818 SC m. Mary Cole 1851, m. Elizabeth Keys 1864 [name maybe Ellen Elizabeth]
Thomas Martin Bolen 1822 Rhea, TN – m. Nancy Weaks 1824 TN – in 1841 Rhea TN.
Elmira Jane Bolen 1841 Rhea m. John Quincy Adams Shaver 1833 Rhea, TN — 1859 in Rhea Tn. He was the son of Cornelius Shaver 1807 Greene Co TN & Jane Moore 1802 South Carolina.
Do you know if researchers believe these to be Saponi Bolens? I know that’s a well documented name for Saponi. Interestingly, I’m pretty sure Mika means racoon in Saponi. The Pocohontas movie used that word for the racoon character, but it’s not Algonquin (Powhatan), it’s a Saponi/Tutelo word. I don’t have my language materials handy to verify, but I believe this is correct.
Thank you for replying.
I don’t know if researchers consider this line to be Saponi or not – this is my first post. I even posted it under a wrong subject!! 🙁
I am hoping someone will be able to direct me appropriately for research —
This Shaffer / Shaver family is connected to Algonquin (Powhatan) Bolens by another sibling through John Bolding & Rebecca Rhea.
I keep hearing people say the Bolens are Saponi, I’ve also heard about the connection to Pocohontas, isn’t it? I don’t know why there are both stories, what the original source material is.
Probably many Bolen, Bolin, Bolling, Bowling men etc married into many different tribes – but a lot want to be related to Pocahontas – a romantic story with a princess and all!
Some people I hear even made up down lines to prove it. I just want to find out my history – real lives are romantic enough.
People also had practical reasons to link themselves to Pocohontas, since she was an ancestor to many of the weatlhiest families in Virginia. She was the one indian it was “okay,” to be related to. I believe there were a few statutes marginalizing or oppressing mixed blooded citizens, where the exception was blatantly stated exempting these “old” families.
Yes Linda from what I have read you are right. There were advantages to being related to this line. But some have said that the advantages applied only if you stayed in Virginia.
I have read that individuals who moved to other states often kept silent about their blood line, not even telling their children of their heritage. But then again I have found families in several states where people have named their children with first or middle names of Pocahontas, Meotaka or Powhatan which does not support the ideology that the advantages where only in the state of Virginia.
But of course, if one’s family lived on the edge of the frontier for a couple of hundred of years there is no doubt that there would be blood lines of most of the tribes in your family.
Inter-marriage was common far more common than a lot of families would like to admit. These families who find out that there is tribal blood but do not like to admit it would like to hook into a more ‘acceptable native heritage’ that of a ‘princess’ to explain and accept their native heritage.
What most people do not realize it that if one immigrated from place like Wales, Scotland or Ireland — to name just three — that the living conditions in those countries in the 1700’s were worse than most of the Eastern tribes were experiencing in North America!
Food, clothing materials, land, building materials etc. were much more plentiful here. Taking a native wife, who knew how to live on the frontier, ensured that you would be capable of providing for your family.
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