Contents |
Eli was born about 1785 (supposedly) along Blackwater Creek in Hawkins Co., TN (at the time of Eli's listed birth, Sullivan Co., NC). He is stated to be a son of James & Sarah (Blevins) Bolling.
He is believed to have married Sarah Anderson ~1806 in Hawkins Co., TN prior to moving into Clay Co., KY.
An interview recorded in the diaries of Reverand Dickey & given by his great-grandson, Hughes Bowling (1857-abt.1952), states that Eli & his siblings moved into Clay Co., KY in 1807 found here.
Eli is found on the 1810 census of Clay Co., KY[1] - however, he does not appear to be taxed within Clay Co., KY until 1812[2].
He is believed to have married the widow Nancy Wilson on 23 July 1817 in Clay Co., KY[3].
In 1826, he gave consent for his daughter, Nancy, to marry Thomas Boone Roberts[4].
The 1830 census of Clay Co., KY records his household[5].
He passed in 1833 in Clay Co., KY. His estate was probated in June 1833 in Clay Co., KY by William Herd & Felix Gilbert[6].
His son, Palace passed in 1903 in Leslie Co., KY[7] - the death registry for the year recorded his father as Eli Bolin.
Thus far, Eli Bowling has only been found on enumerations (census records, tax lists, children's marriage & death records, his probate, etc) listed as Eli Bowling. He has, thus far, not been found to use the name "Elijah." Even references to him in the diaries of Rev. Dickey record him as "Eli."
(It is possible that he was taxed in Clay Co., KY in the year 1812 as "Elias" Bowling - thus, Eli may be a shortened form of "Elias" rather than "Elijah.")
An interview given in the Dickey Diaries states that Eli Bowling moved into Clay Co., KY with his siblings ~1807 from Licking River, TN.
It is possible that Eli's family were residents of Claiborne Co., TN prior to movement into Clay Co., KY. Eli's stated brothers, Levi Bowling[8][9] & Joseph Bowling[10] are believed to be found in Claiborne Co., TN prior to movement into Clay Co., KY - it is believed that Eli Bowling *may* be found here, as well.
Care should be taken to not conflate Eli Bowling with Elijah Bowling (1798-1883) - as has often been an issue on trees like FamilySearch.
It would appear, due to the many inaccurate mergers of this Eli Bowling with other men over the years, that the story of the murder of Eli Bowling as recounted in the Dickey Diaries has, possibly, become attributed to a different man.
One interview, given by Harvey Lucas (abt.1822-)[11] states that Eli Bowling led Henry/Harvey Lucas's uncle, John Cundiff, to the home of old Bill Duncil, where old Milly Henson lived. An altercation occurred there, resulting in the stabbing of Eli Bowling by John Cundiff. Afterwards, Eli's son, James, went looking for John Cundiff, and happened upon his father (grandfather of Harvey/Henry Lucas - also named John C. Cundiff (abt.1768-1833)) who convinced James Bowling to give up on revenge.
It is important to note that John Cundiff, grandfather of Harvey/Henry Lucas is found on the 1830 census of Clay Co., KY[12] and is stated to pass in 1833[13]. If John Cundiff, father of John Cundiff, plays a part in the story, the murder had to have taken place prior to his decease (and he was deceased by June 1833 when his estate was probated).
However, the John Cundiff, son of John Cundiff & uncle of Henry/Harvey Lucas (son of Lucinda (Cundiff) Cottongim (abt.1807-1880)) does not appear to have been old enough to murder a man in 1833 - the FamilySearch Tree shows him as born in 1819 - putting him at roughly 14-years-old in 1833 when Eli Bowling passed. The 1830 census records him as 10-15 - putting him between 13 & 18 when Eli Bowling passed in 1833.
William Duncil is also found on the 1830 census of Clay Co., KY[14] & 1840 census of Clay Co., KY[15].
However, a different interview given makes it appear as if the Eli Bowling murdered by John Cundiff may have been the above listed Elijah Bowling, b 1798 in Lee Co., VA[16] - One interview given (Roll 3 Pg 2112 / Roll 3 Pg 2344 dated 22 Dec 1897/ June 1898, Clay Co., Benge) shows that the Eli Bowling mentioned as being killed by John Cundiff was born in 1798 in Lee Co., VA to Jesse & Mary (Pennington) Bowling of Lee Co., VA.
Thus far, Eli Bowling's household has not been located on the 1820 census. There appears to be only 1 Elijah Bowling on the 1820 census of Clay Co., KY[17] - which appears to belong to the above listed Elijah Bowling that should not be conflated with this one.
It is possible that Eli was in jail at the time - an 1823 entry in Court Order Book C shows that Eli Bowling was moved from the Clay Co., KY jail to the state penitentiary[18], sentenced for 4 years on charges of horse thievery.
Earlier pages of the court order book show Eli Bowling to have been a prisoner of Clay Co., KY as early as July 1820[19] with bail being set at $800 due to the charges of horse thievery.
Is it possible that Eli Bowling was in Clay Co., KY jail at the time of the 1820 census, and that this may explain not finding his household on the 1820 census?
Clay Co., KY Court Order Books also show Eli Bowling in what appear to be different cases (than that outlined above in the section for the "1820 Census"):
It would appear that these legal troubles are the beginning of the nickname often given him - "Bad Eli."
Because a marriage record exists showing an Ely Bowling marrying a Nance/Nancy Wilson in Clay Co., KY in 1817, it is commonly believed that this marriage record belongs to this Eli Bowling.
It is also commonly believed that the Nance/Nancy Wilson is Nancy Herd, who married William Wilson in 1812 in Clay Co., KY[23].
However, Nance/Nancy Herd appears to have been given consent to marry William Wilson by Urial Gibson & Elizabeth Gibson[24] - Herd may not have been Nancy's surname-at-birth. The consent was witnessed, however, by William Herd. (Perhaps Elizabeth Gibson, wife of Urial, was Nancy's mother?)
William Wilson is taxed within Clay Co., KY through 1816[25] - he is not found on the 1817 list. Nor is his widow. The 1818 tax list does show a "Widow Wilson"[26] - she may be Nancy, widow of William Wilson.
If the Widow Wilson on the 1818 tax list is, indeed, Nancy, widow of William Wilson, it may call into question her being the Nancy Wilson who married an Ely Bowling in 1817 in Clay Co., KY.
It, also, appears that Eli Bowling's widow at his decease was Sarah/Sally. As:
It is possible that this Eli Bowling only married Sarah/Sally.
Eli Bowling has a long list of children attached to him. Possibly due to mergers of Eli Bowling with different Eli Bowlings, Elijah Bowlings, and (due to Stokley Bowling (bef.1808-abt.1836) often being said to be son of this Eli, coupled with this early Bowling being given a middle initial/name that no record has shown him to use), John E (Bowling) Bolling (1777-abt.1844).
Those of his children that appear to be sourced to some degree include:
It is also claimed by some researchers that Wilburn Sizemore (abt.1807-abt.1890) is a son of this Eli Bowling.
Much further research needs to be done to verify the children of Eli Bowling.
See also:
Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
Featured National Park champion connections: Eli is 12 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 21 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 14 degrees from George Catlin, 12 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 20 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 16 degrees from George Grinnell, 24 degrees from Anton Kröller, 15 degrees from Stephen Mather, 20 degrees from Kara McKean, 15 degrees from John Muir, 16 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 20 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.