John Bolling

Major John Bolling (January 27, 1676 to April 20, 1729) was a colonist, farmer, and politician in the British Colony of Virginia. The only son of Colonel Robert Bolling and Jane (Rolfe) Bolling. His maternal grandfather was Thomas Rolfe, the son of Pocahontas and John Rolfe. (Note: The original will was written on April 29, 1727, by John Bolling, the will was proved in court on March 4, 1729, indicating he died shortly before March 4, 1729. (See the original will of John Bolling in "Memories".) The will of JJOHN BOLLING was dated April 29, 1727, and proved in Henrico October 1729. He gives his WIFE MARY the plantation called Cobbs, (600 acres) which he lived on, for her life; also his household stuff stock of horses, cattle,& c. & c. To "Mr. John FLEMMING who lately married my DAUGHTER MARY," 1207 acres over against Licking [Licking Hole Creek, now in Goochland], five acres, and a sum of money. States that he promised a portion of 430 (English pounds) to his DAUGHTER MARY. To his daughter ELIZABETH BOLLING 1200 acres adjoining the land given to John Fleming, and 200 (English pounds) in money. Gives land at Flat Creek, and certain slaves to be divided between his DAUGHTERS MARTHA and ANN. To his grandson RICHARD RANDOLPH 100 (English pounds). All remainder of estate to his son JOHN BOLLING. MAJOR JOHN and MARY KENNON BOLLING had issue: John Bolling was born at Kippax Plantation, in Charles City Co., Virginia (now Hopewell). He made his home at the Bolling family plantation "Cobbs" just west of Point of Rocks on the north shore of the Appomattox River downstream from present-day Petersburg, Virginia. (Cobbs was located in Henrico County until the area south of the James River was subdivided to form Chesterfield County in 1749). JOHN BOLLING married MARY KENNON, daughter of Richard Kennon and Elizabeth Worsham, in December 29, 1697 at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia. They had 7 (surviving) children, one son and 6 daughters, whose names appear in John Bolling's will: - JOHN BOLLING Jr. (1700–1757) married (1) ELIZABETH LEWIS, (2) ELIZABETH BLAIR - JANE BOLLING (1703–1766) married Colonel Richard Randolph - ELIZABETH BOLLING (b. 1709), married William Gay of Scotland - MARY BOLLING (1711–1744), married John Fleming - MARTHA BOLLING (1713–1737), married Thomas Eldridge - ANNE BOLLING (1718–1800), married James Murray - SARAH BOLLING (1727–1816), married Major Robert Davis They likely had additional children who died before the will was written and did not reach adulthood, however, there are no records surviving that record their names. Jamestown courthouse burned several times, destroying many records. Major Bolling served in the Virginia House of Burgesses from 1710 until his death in 1729. In 1722, he opened a tobacco warehouse in what is now the 'Pocahontas' neighborhood of Petersburg. William Byrd II of Westover Plantation is said to have remarked that Major Bolling enjoyed "all the profits of an immense trade with his countrymen, and of one still greater with the Indian." John and Mary Bolling's descendants include Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, wife of U. S. President Woodrow Wilson, Percival Lowell, who mathematically discovered Pluto, Harry Flood Byrd and Richard Evelyn Byrd, the Randolphs of Roanoke, Nancy Reagan, and John McCain. Because of John Bolling's descent from Pocahontas there are often fictitious descendants created. Care needs to be taken to authenticate any source of information. Tomb Redicovered On Sunday, 5-15-2011 William Busby rediscovered John Bolling's crypt! Here is his description of the burial site: "I happened on a large stone marker and above-ground crypt surrounded by a stone wall. It is by itself on a rural property near the Appomattox River here in Virginia. It is for "Colonel Jno. Bolling of Cobbs" who died in 1729. The marker is in good condition, though somewhat darkened. In addition to the usual gravestone information, it has a rather lengthy inscription in a script style that I was unable to read from the other side of the protective stone wall. I am not an expert on 18th Century burials but this grave site strikes me as unusual. The above-ground stone crypt is somewhat larger than a coffin. The grave site, is on a hilltop high above the Appomattox with no apparent water table problems. It has a great view of the river (and I-295). The protective stone wall appears to be the same vintage as the rest of the site." "This is in Chesterfield County in a small residential area on Cobb's Point, near Point of Rocks and west of Hopewell. It is just north of the Appomattox and a short distance west of I-295. I am quite sure this would have been on his own land. Some distance away near someone's front yard and facing Enon Church Road there is a small historical marker stating this was the site of Cobb Hall owned by Colonel Bolling, a great grandson of Pocahontas." Mark Fisher a resident of Williamsburg, Virginia provided some information for this memorial. He gathered info from various libraries including the Library of Congress, the Library of Virginia, the Richmond Library and the College of William and Mary as well as the Virginia Historical Society.