Anthony Butler McDowell Cemetery
 

Written in 2001 by
Hugh Lawson McDowell
Texana Cemetery Association
Courtesy of Texas Historical Commission, HTC File

The roots of John Alfred Bolling can be traced to the old family homestead in Virginia where he was born in 1808. Little is known of his life there.

About 1830, Mr. Bolling moved from Virginia to Warren County, Mississippi. He was married in Mississippi. At least one child, also named John Alfred Boling, was born in this marriage on April 21 1834.

While references to the senior Bolling are sketchy, it is known his son, J. A. Bolling, Jr., moved to Texas in 1859 and established a very successful footing in the cattle business. A home was built near the Carancahua Bay. Presumably the elder Bolling, the subject of this sketch, came to live with or near his son in Texas.

When the Civil War came in 1860, the younger Bolling joined the Southern Army serving in Company B, 2nd Texas Infantry until his death on the battlefield at Corinth, Mississippi on October 3, 1862, at age 28 years. The son left a strong widow and son, J. A. Bolling III, who carried on the family ranching business.

The elder Bolling married Harriet Elizabeth McDowell (1813 - 1903), widow of George Archibald McDowell (1809 - 1854). The couple remained in the Jackson County the rest of their lives. The 1870 U. S. Census shows John Alfred Bolling and his wife, Harriet Bolling, living with the A. B. McDowell family on the McDowell Ranch.

Mr. Bolling died in 1900 and was buried in the McDowell Family Cemetery on the banks of the Carancahua. Descendants of Mr. Bolling still live in the Carancahua area as of 2001.
 

The Bolling Family

In John Garrett Matthews’ story are several mentions of Aunt Nellie and Uncle Bob Bolling.   The painting of Loderick Matthews and his family Bible were in the possession of Enid Bolling in 1964.  In 1959, Ruth J. Bolling wrote a book called Tales of a Texas Ranch.  It was published by the Taylor Company of San Antonio, TX and is now out of print but can be found from rare book dealers over the internet.  The book describes several generations of the Bollings and their migrations from Virginia to Mississippi to Louisiana to California as well as finally to Texas.

The story begins in the summer of 1807 near the Norway River in Virginia where Samuel Pryor Bolling and Nancy Willis Elliott (age 13) are married on Aug 12, 1807.  Samuel was the son of Alexander and Mary Pryor Bolling.  Their children were John Alexander, Richard Elliott, Harriett, and Mildred.

I. John Alexander Bolling

The oldest son, John’s marriage to Lucy Burwell Turnbull Randolph on Aug 12, 1888 was recorded at the local church where an additional note stated that they moved to Mississippi.  The marriage was at the home of Mrs. Peggy Randolph (Brunswick Co) VA.  John and Lucy lived in Warren Co, MS, near Vicksburg.   They had five sons, Samuel Edwards, Thomas Elliott, John Alexander, Robert Randolph, and William Elliott, and then one daughter, Margaret Ann.  In 1846, they move to Tensas parish, LA where three more boys are born.  Of these, only one (Frederick) survived.  Lucy died in childbirth with the last child on Aug 16, 1848.  One of Lucy’s brothers took five year old Margaret Ann and Fredrick and moved into the home of Robert Randolph.  After the death of his wife, John took the five older boys and moved to California.  There he used his skills to hunt and sold the meat to miners, often making more money than the gold miners.  After outbreaks of yellow fever in New Orleans, he returned to assist the family.  The oldest son, Samuel remained to take care of the business. On July 23, 1853 Fredrick died of yellow fever.  John and his sons again returned to California.  This time, he stopped in Texas and bought a heard of cattle, which they drove back to California.

A.   Samuel Edward Bolling
After remaining in California to take care of the family business, on July 22, 1856 Samuel Edward died at the age of 26.

B.   Thomas Elliott Bolling
Thomas fought in the Civil War and was badly injured in the right arm.  He never fully recovered.  He lived for a while in Mississippi where he married Susan Eugenia Scott on March 4, 1869.  Their first son, Robert Scott Bolling was born in Mississippi.  Thomas and Sue, along with Sue’s father move to Fannin Co, TX near the Red River.  While five more boys were born, only three survive. During the 1880 census, they lived in Fannin Co, TX. After outbreaks of malaria, they moved to Comanche Co, TX.
 

                                                       Relation Sex Marr Race   Age    Birthplace

Thos. E. BOLLING                            Self     M     M    W         47      MS

                Occ:   Farmer                                                               Fa: VA     Mo: VA

Susan E. BOLLING                           Wife    F     M    W        34      MS

                Occ:   Teacher                                                              Fa: VA     Mo: MS

Robt. S. BOLLING                             Son    M     S    W          9       MS

                                                                                                 Fa: MS     Mo: MS

John W. BOLLING                             Son    M     S    W          7      TX

                                                                                                 Fa: MS     Mo: MS

Richard E. BOLLING                          Son    M     S    W          4      TX

                                                                                                 Fa: MS     Mo: MS

C.   John Alexander Bolling, Jr.

At the time of the Civil War, John Alexander, Jr. married a young widow, Mrs. Jane A. Clary in Jackson Co, TX.  John enlisted in Company K, 2^nd Texas Infantry and was killed at the battle of Corinth, MS on Oct 3, 1862 at the age of 28.  There were two children: Alfred and Lucy Randolph (b: May 1, 1862 – d: April 8, 1887).  Based on the 1880 census, Mrs. Jane A Clary had one son, William H. Clary, prior to her marriage to John A. Bolling.  After John’s death, she married Mr. Biorses (who died prior to the census) and had one son, B. Byram Biorses.

        Source:   FHL Film 1255313  National Archives Film T9-1313     Page 86C    

                                                       Relation Sex Marr Race   Age        Birthplace

Jane A. BIORSES                              Self     F    W    W    50      NY

                Occ:   Farmer                                                               Fa: NY     Mo: NY

B. Byram BIORSES                           Son    M     S    W      9      TX

                                                                                                 Fa: KY     Mo: NY

William H. CLARY                               Son    M     S    W    27      TX

                Occ:   Farmer                                                               Fa: AR     Mo: NY

J. Alfred BOLLING                              Son    M     S    W    20      TX

                Occ:   At School                                                           Fa: MS     Mo: NY

Lucy R. BOLLING                               Dau     F     S    W    18      TX

                Occ:   At Home                                                            Fa: MS     Mo: NY.
W. Barney SAMS                                Other M     S    W    29      SC

                Occ:   Works On Farm                                                  Fa: GA     Mo: SC

1.    Alfred Bolling

Alfred Bolling married Amelia Louise Hensley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hensley.  They had eight children.  The oldest, Thomas Jones Bolling married Annie Enid Laughter.  This is the Aunt Enid who had the painting of Loderick Matthews.

It is not known if the Henry Hensley in the following 1880 census is the correct family.

        Source:   FHL Film 1255294  National Archives Film T9-1294     Page 319C    

                                                       Relation Sex Marr Race   Age        Birthplace

Henry HENSLEY                               Self     M     M    W       39      SAXONY

                Occ:   Stockman                                                          Fa: SAXONY Mo: SAXONY

Martha HENSLEY                             Wife    F     M    W       36      S.C.

                Occ:   Keeping House                                                   Fa: S.C.   Mo: S.C.

Mary HENSLEY                                 Dau     F     S    W       13      TX.

                Occ:   At School                                                           Fa: SAXONY Mo: S.C.

Emelia HENSLEY                              Dau     F     S    W       11      TX.

                Occ:   At School                                                           Fa: SAXONY Mo: S.C.

Laval HENSLEY                                Son     M     S    W         9      TX.

                Occ:   At School                                                           Fa: SAXONY Mo: S.C.

Henry HENSLEY                               Son    M     S    W          6      TX.

                Occ:   At School                                                           Fa: SAXONY Mo: S.C.

Tips HENSLEY                                  Son    M     S    W         4      TX.

                Occ:   At School                                                           Fa: SAXONY Mo: S.C.

Mattie HENSLEY                              Dau     F     S    W        2      TX.

                                                                                                 Fa: SAXONY Mo: S.C.

Mary THOMPSON                           Other     F     M     B     42      MD.

                Occ:   Servant                                                              Fa: MD.   Mo: MD.

Charles DUTART                             Other    M     S    W     33      S.C.

D.   Robert Randolph Bolling

Robert served in Company B, Waller’s Battalion, Green Brigade, Confederate Army.  The Texanna girls made a flag to give to the boys.  The girls voted to determine who would present the flag and Miss Cornelia Mary Garrett won.  As a result of her speech, she and Robert began writing.  As a result, they were married on Nov 18, 1869.  Everyone knew her as Aunt Nettie and Robert as Uncle Bob.  Robert died June 5, 1894 and was buried a few miles south of Edna in a Garrett family cemetery.  Aunt Nettie lived out the remainder of her life with John and Ruth Bolling, the author of the book.

In the 1880 census, their name was recorded as Balling rather than Bolling.  Also, Lorena Ophelia Matthews is now living with her Aunt Nellie since her grandfather John Garrett died Jan 30, 1879.  His wife Theresa died May 15, 1864.

        Source:   FHL Film 1255313  National Archives Film T9-1313     Page 85A    

                                                       Relation Sex Marr Race   Age        Birthplace

Robert R. BALLING                         Self     M     M    W    44      MS

                Occ:   Farmer                                                               Fa: VA     Mo: VA

Cornelia M. BALLING                       Wife   F     M    W    36      LA

                Occ:   Keeping House                                                   Fa: LA      Mo: LA

Lorna O. MATTHEWS                     Niece  F     S    W    18      TX

                Occ:   At Home                                                            Fa: AR     Mo: LA

Charles WHITNEY                            Other M     S    W    21      TX

F. Margaret Ann Bolling

In 1858 Margaret Ann married at the home of Robert Randolph with her Aunt Harriett Feilds near by.  Robert Randolph decided to try ranching and moved to Jackson Co, TX where he had relatives.  He found land in-between the forks of Matagorda Bay and Carancahua Bay.  There the Randolphs made many friends, including Uncle “Maj” (Leander) Garrett.  Also, in Sep. 1859 John Alexander Bolling married a window, Mrs. Harriett E. McDowell and they moved to Jackson Co, TX near the home of Robert Randolph.

II. Richard Elliott Bolling

The second child, Richard Elliott is described as an outdoorsman.  He migrated to Mississippi and then returned to Virginia during the Civil War.  In 1875 he moved to North Texas to live with a nephew who’s home was near the Red River, possibly Fannin Co.  He died in May 1876.  He never married.

Bolling Genealogy Listing

Alexander and Mary Pryor Bolling

                Samuel Pryor Bolling (b: - d: Before Aug 1833) and Nancy Willis Elliott (b: 1794 – d:), married Aug 12, 1807.

                           John Alexander Bolling ( b: - d: Sep 18, 1900)– married: 1^st. Lucy Burwell Turnbull Randolph (b: - d: Aug 16, 1848) on Aug 12, 1888;
                           2^nd. Mrs. H. E. McDowell in Sep 1859

                                        Samuel Edwards Bolling  (b: 1829 – d: July 22, 1856)

                                        Thomas Elliott Bolling  (b: 1832) married Susan Eugenia Scott on Mar 4, 1869

                                                        Robert Scott Bolling

                                                        John William Bolling

                                                        Dick Bolling

                                                        Roscoe Randolph Bolling

                                                        Unknown son

                                                        Unknown son

                                        John Alexander Bolling  (b: 1834 – d: Oct 3, 1862) – married Mrs. Jane A. Clary

                                                         Alfred Bolling married Amelia Louise Hensley

                                                                     Thomas Jones Bolling – married Annie Enid Laughter

                                                                     John A. Bolling, Jr.

                                                                     Robert Elliott Bolling

                                                                     Mattie Louise Bolling

                                                                     Lucy Bolling

                                                                     Mary Bolling

                                                                     Margaret Amelia Bolling

                                                                     Level Hensley Bolling

                                                                    Henry Randolph Bolling

                                                         Lucy Randolph Bolling (b: May 1, 1862 – d: April 8, 1887)

                                       Robert Randolph Bolling  (b: 1836 – d: Jun 5, 1894) married Cornelia Mary Garrett on Nov 18, 1869.

                                       William Elliott Bolling  (b: 1838
                                       Margaret Ann Bolling  (b: 1843)

                                       Frederick Bolling  (b: - d: July 23, 1853)

                                       Unknown son

                                       Unknown son
 

                Richard Elliott Bolling (b: - d: May 1876)

                Harriett Bolling – married 1^st: Dr. Feilds; 2^nd. Thomas Thweatt Jones

                Mildred Bolling