Individual Details

The marriage of John Bowles and Frances "Fanny" Bolling took place in Henry Co, VA, 1795. In September of 1795, Leanner [sic - probably Leannah] Bolling married John Cox, also in Henry Co. Supposedly there is also a marriage of Nancy Bolling to William Bowles on 27 Dec 1800, Franklin Co, VA - Franklin having been formed out of Bedford & Henry Counties. William and John Bowles might have been brothers. Some of these ladies appear in the family of John Bolling & Mary Jefferson in online databases - none have source documents. I do not believe they belong in that family. Other databases do not list any of them. I have yet to find what I would consider completely reliable data on the Bolling family.
However the Jefferson family is thoughly research and can be found on the Monticello.org website.

I don't find a marriage in Franklin Co for Nancy Bolling to William Bowles - there is, instead a marriage from Nancy Bolling to Joseph Bowles. Bond was dated 27 Dec 1800; the marriage took place on December 30th. This according to Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, Virginia, 1786-1853 recorded in the Franklin County Courthouse, Rocky Mount, Virginia, by Beverly Merritt, 1997. Strangely, an older book, Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, Virginia, 1786-1858, by Marshall Wingfield, 1973, does list a marriage between Wm Bowles and Nancy Bolling, 27 Dec 1800 with surety, John Bowles. One thing a bit odd about this second book is that this particular marriage is not in alphabetical order as the others are - it is in fact, between Jeremiah Bowles and a Joseph Boles who married in 1812. One wonders what the original really says. Another marriage about the same time was between Wm Bowles & Sally Preston, 22 Jan 1797, surety, John Preston; just three years earlier. One of the books is in error.

What I did find on Microfilm #1977987, "Marriage bond register, 1786-1853; loose marriage bonds and licenses, 1785-1900, Franklin Co VA," was the following permission:
Sir Please Issue liscense for Wm. J. Bowles to be married
to my Daughter Nancye Bolling, I am Willing to the
same, under my hand this 27th day of Dec. 1800
Signed: John Bolling and wife Mary Jefferson Bolling
Test. John Bowles
To the Clerk of Franklin
I have to say that all signatures appear to have been signed by the very same person - John's, his wife's and that of John Bowles. John Bowles was not given the middle initial he had on the bond itself. The other permissions, that have a wife's name, she is simply listed with her given name and her married name - I have never seen a permission that included the maiden name of the mother. This is not a recopied document, but permissions were customarily on scraps of paper as this seems to have been. I suspect later alterations/additions of this record.

There is also a Bond for Joseph Bowles & John M. Bowls (sic) both of the county of Franklin, dated 27 Decemb 1800, "marriage shortly and intended to be had & solemnized between between the above bound Joseph Bowles and Nancey Bolling" Written in a different hand and with heavier ink is "William" just before Joseph and "Rolfe" between Nancey and Bolling. Joseph Bowls signs with his mark. John M. Bowles signed his name. Forte appears to be the witness.
Written in the margin, again, in a very different hand and appearing to be the same that placed the inserts is: Nancey Rolfe, daughter of John & Mary Jefferson Bolling. On the outside of the bond is also written, "Nancy Rolfe Bolling daughter of John and Mary Jefferson Bolling"

I copied two other bonds for comparison - they have no such notes on the backs - just the name of the groom and M. L. Bond (marriage license bond), as would be expected. These bonds appear to have been altered later in time - they do not conform to the other records.

Now it is fairly certain that John Bolling and his wife Mary Jefferson did have a daughter named Ann - Nancy is the usual nickname for Ann in this time period, but no record shows that their daughter went by Nancy. They had no daughter named Frances. No record gives any daughter the middle name of Rolfe - in fact none of the Bolling-Jefferson children appear to have had middle names. Also Ann Bolling married Howell Lewis, 16 Apr 1784, Goochland. It is also a problem in that John Bolling wrote his will in Chesterfield Co VA on 17 Feb 1800, and probably died soon after - he may not have been living at the time of the above marriage bond and he was not ever in Franklin County. The will names three sons and a grandson but makes no mention of any daughters.

I can only conclude that someone wanted very badly to prove a relationship to Mary Jefferson, sister of the soon-to-be President, and perhaps faked the permisssion and altered the bond. Writing Nancy's relationship to her parents in both the margin and the back of the bond was highly unusual and seems to me to be a little bit of overkill. I very much suspect this Nancey Bolling married Joseph Bowles and has nothing to do with a Jefferson lineage.

In a tax list from Henry Co VA, 1790, I find both a James Bowling and John Bowls; there were other Bowling males. The tax list for 1800 still listed a James Bowling, and a John Cox Jr.

DNA studies show that there are indeed several Bowling/Bolling families. One of the lines appears to be from a James Bowling who died in Goochland circa 1729 - he probably had at least two sons, James & Christopher who both bought land in the late 1730's in the area of Goochland that became Cumberland Co. They later moved to Brunswick which then became Lunenburg. James Bolling died circa 1771 leaving a will naming wife and children. Christopher and wife Lydia moved to an area that became Henry Co where he died about 1780. Since this is the area where the above marriages are found in the next generation, I believe it likely this may be the family of Frances.

1840 Census; DeKalb Co TN
Frances Bowls: 1f 50-60. Living next door to Thomas Adcock, most likely a son-in-law. Moses Cantrell, another son-in-law, on the same page.

Dekalb Co, TN, District 6, DB 6, p.265. Land of John M. Bowles, 100 acres, sold for taxes, 2 Jun 1845. Frances Bowles purchased same for $4 as the highest bidder. Recorded, Nov. 1858.

1850 Census: DeKalb Co TN
Frances Bouls age 70, b. VA was living with Thomas & Frances Adcock, and a 50-year-old Sarah Howard. Nancy & Sarah both possible daughters. The information concerning the John M. Bowles who married Frances Bolling does suggest their daughter Frances married Thomas Adcock and they did have a daughter Sarah who married William Howard.
Hh 1178: Thomas Adcock, age 33; Frances, age 31
Marshall E. age 10, Mary D. R. age 8, Calvin R., age 2 - all born Tennessee
Frances Bowls, age 70 and Sarah Howard age 50, born Virginia.

In 1860, Thomas Adcock, age 43, and Frances, age 41, were still in DeKalb Co.
Marshall E., age 20, Rufus C., age 11, Naomi C. age 9, Anthony E. age 8, Samantha E. age 5, and Stokely A. age 4.
In 1860, Frances Bowls, age 83 was living with another daughter:
Hh 605: John B. Walker, age 42. Mary, age 42. Both born TN.
Francis, 12 [female] and James age 8 - both born TN.
and Frances Bowls, age 83, b. Virginia

Said buried Walker Cemetery, Keltonburg, Tennessee.
FindAGrave does show a Walker Cemetery in DeKalb Co, TN, but no graves have been noted.

6 Sep 1869. Administrator's Bond, Dekalb Co, TN
Lucinda Adcock made bond of $500 as administrator of Francis Bowles, deceased. she signed with her mark. Security by R. V. Gilbert, John Bain and T. H. Richardson.

Birth	1777	Virginia
Marriage	27 Apr 1795	Henry County, Virginia - John M. Bowles
Death	1869	DeKalb County, Tennessee

Spouse	John M. Bowles (1775 - 1832)
Child	NANCY M. Bowles (1796 - 1876)
Child	Sarah Bowles (1798 - 1869)
Child	John Bowles (1802 - 1859)
Child	Martha Bowles (1804 - )
Child	Lucinda Bowles (1810 - 1880)
Child	Mary Bowles (1816 - )
Child	Frances Bowles (1819 - 1906)

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