Genealogy of the Cherokee Bowles Family

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11John Bowles. Jennie, Oo-loo-tsa and Oo-ti-yuA33
1212John Bowles. Jennie
2French Bowles*
3Nellie Bowles*
_____
4Lightningbug Bowles. A-yu-su
5Tu-noo-ne-ski Bowles*
6Du-qu-li-lu- Wagon Bowles. Fannie Davis
7Qua-ti-ni Bowles*
8Tsa-gi-na Bowlcs. Bird Tail
_____
9Rebecca Bowles. Tee-see GuessA29
10Samuel Bowles. I-doo-si
11Eliza Bowles. John Porum Davis
12Nannie Bowles. George Chisholm
111213James Bowles. Eliza Halfbreed
114213Joseph Bowles*
2Caroline Bowles*
OK3John Bowles*
4Jefferson Bowles*
116213Johnson Bowles*
2Etta Bowles*
OK3Elizabeth Bowles*
4Thomas Bowles*
118213Gu-de-gi*
2Ghi-go-nc-li
3Go-yi-nc*
119213Sallie Guess. Wiliam Foster
2Joseph Guess*
OK3Catherine Guess. Joseph Downing
1110213George Bowles*
1111213John Davis*
11121314 Minnie Bowles. Elijah Hermogene Lerblance and Orlando Shay
OK2Richard H. Bowlcs. Bettie Blythe and Nannie Downing
11921314Susie Foster. Levi Toney
11923314Nannie Downing. Richard H. Bowles
2 Lucile Downing. Coggle
3Edward Downing
4Sequoyah Downing
5Maud Downing
1112131415Lillian Leblance
OK2Jessie Lamar Shay
1112132415Thomas Bowles
2Leo Bennett Bowles
OK3Richard Bowles
1192131415Calvin Hanks Toney
2Cicero Davis Toney
OK3Margaret Toney
4Catherine Toney
5Sallie Toney
1192331415Leo Bennett Bowles
OK2Richard Bowles
1192332415Cicero W. Coggle
2Houston Goggle

A33. John Bowles was the son of a Scotch trader and a full blood Cherokee woman. His father was killed and robbed by two North Carolina while on his way home from Charlestown with goods for his establishment. This murder was in 1768 when the son was only twelve years of age, within the next two years the fair complexioned, auburn haired boy killed both of his father’s slayers. Bowles settled at Runningwater To one of the Chicamauga settlements near Lookout Mountain and at this place he became involved in an altercation with some pioneers who were floating down the Tennessee River and killed all the boatmen in June 1794. Bowles and his followers now manned the boats and navigated them down to the mouth of the St. Francis River in the Spanish province of Louisiana.

On arriving at their destination they placed all of the White women and children in a boat, relinquished to them all of the furniture which they claimed and allowed them to descend the Mississippi River to New Orleans.

Bowles and his followers joined the Cherokees that had lived in that locality for many years and he became their Chief in 1 795 a position he held until 181 3. On account of the earthquake that centered in their settlement in the winter of 1811-12, the Cherokees moved enmass to the country between Arkansas and White Rivers and a few of them settled south of the former stream. In accordance with the United States Cherokee treaties the limits of the Cherokee country was marked in the spring of 1819 by William Rector, Surveyor General of Arkansas and because it was not extended to include his town on Petit Jean Creek, on the south side of Arkansas River, Bowles with some sixty townsmen and their families emigrated in the winter of 1819-20 to the Spanish colony of Texas and settled between the Trinity and Angelina Rivers. They staid in Texas until July 16, 1839 when Bowles was killed and his colony evicted.


Surnames:
Bowles,

Collection:
Starr, Emmett. History of the Cherokee Indians and Their Legends and Folk Lore. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: The Warden Company. 1921

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9 thoughts on “Genealogy of the Cherokee Bowles Family”

  1. Good evening,
    I was trying to figure out if I fit on this line of heritage. My mother passed away 2 years ago and had mentioned about doing genealogy work on her family for a while but never talked about Cherokee heritage much except on my father’s side of the family. Since then I’m having trouble finding out information about if I have Cherokee ancestry. My mother always talked about my great-grandmother Minnie Bowles being Cherokee. I know her mother was an Etta Bowles. Could these ladies be the ones on this list? I get confused because my mother is also a Bowles but from what I can tell the lines spilt at William Bowles in the 1700’s. My mom’s side is the Bowles that were land granted modern day Troy from the king of England which is how I’m distantly related to Eskine Bowles. My dad’s family has a lot of the common features with the dark hair, eye lids, noses, and things. I have always felt an affinity to nature and Native Americans. I have always felt like something was missing. Any ideas or help would be appreciated.

  2. I have ties to Chief Bowles but I’m not sure how. My grandfather was Walter T. Bowes or PUG. He lived in the Van, TX and Fruitvale, TX area. My son is very interested in finding out how we are related to Chief Bowles. If any of you have any information to could help us out please reach out to us at
    normanc0821@yahoo.com. Thanks so much.

  3. Hello Jackie, Your note,I just read & almost fainted. Tranquilla Franquezetta Bowles Williams was my dad’s grandmother. His mother was Emma Julia Williams & was my grandmother. I know little more than that about my grandmothers or Bowles Family. My dad found out he was Cherokee when he was in late 70s. His mom died when he was 14+ & he came from a family of 5 children. The youngest was only 3-5 yrs old, if that old, & in 1910 that was difficult. I also want to know everything about who I am & have for so long.
    Let me know how I can help. I am so excited!
    Karen

  4. According to Ancestry . com The Chief is my 5th great Grandfather. My Great Grandmothers maden name was Hargis. My Grandfathers last name was Hatchett. I wish I could find out more.

    1. One of my relatives, Levi Williams, married a daughter of John bowles, a tranquilla bowles and they are both buried in the cemetery outside of van, texas

      1. Levi W Williams (1840 to 1922) married Tranquilla F Bowles (1840 to 1917) in Georgia, 1861. Her Father’s name was Anderson and he was English. According to Ancestry DNA we are 0% indian.

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