Penelope (Unknown) Clark (bef. 1700 - aft. 1776)

Wife of Christopher Clark — married 1710 in Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Kim Myers [send private message], Darlene Athey-Hill [send private message], Sandy Culver [send private message], US Southern Colonies Project WikiTree [send private message], Sara Songer [send private message], and Heath Vogel [send private message]

Penelope (Unknown) Clark resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776. Join: US Southern Colonies Project Discuss: southern_colonies

Biography

Penelope (___) was the wife of Christopher Clark. Documentation has not been found regarding her parentage, or her date and place of birth. She has been said to be a Bolling, Johnson, or a Massie.

Marriage

Citation is needed for the following:

Husband: Christopher Clark

Wife: Penelope

Child: Edward Clark

Child: Agnes Clark

Child: Rachel Clark

Child: Sarah Clark

Child: Bolling Clark

Child: Micajah Clark

Child: Elizabeth Clark

Marriage:

Date: About 1709 based on the birth of their eldest child

Place: Virginia

Death

After 1776 . . . i.e. . . . "Boling moved to Georgia in 1776 and settled in Wilkes county. His mother, Penelope, went with him . . . " - The Atlanta Constitution Atlanta, Georgia 19 Dec 1909, Sun • Page 4

Research Notes

These are some of the traditional ideas of Penelope's ancestry:

One leading theory is that she was a Johnson, the daughter of Edward and that her baptism is recorded at St. Peter's Parish, New Kent County, Virginia colony. See a discussion of the possibilities at: http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lksstarr/reports/Penelope.txt (accessed June 27, 2014) ^[1]

Some researchers think this person should be Penelope Bolling, daughter of Major John Bolling and Mary Kennon (he was son of Col. Robert Bolling, grandson of John Bolling and Mary Tudor).

from "Descendants of C. & M. Clark," pp. 6-7: Penelope's maiden name: Bolling or Massie or Johnson. In 1913, a Clark-Anthony descendant searched & found no Penelope Bolling. "There was a Penelope Ashley, descendant of Sir Anthony Ashley whose daughter Ann Ashley married sir John Cooper and was the mother of Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftsbury and Lord Proprietor of South Carolina."

Mrs. Wirt Johnson Covington, author of History of Halifax county, VA, and a descendant of Benjamin and Agnes (Clark) Moorman says, "Three Massie women descended from the House of Shaftesbury, through a sister of the Earl who married a Massie, married respectively: William Johnson (father of Benjamin Johnson), a Mr. Moorman, Penelope Massie who married Christopher Clark." It is known that Agnes Clark and Benjamin Johnson were first cousins. Americans of Gentle Birth Vol I, p. 353, says Benjamin Johnson's mother was Penelope Massie, granddaughter of the earl of Shaftesbury.

Another guess from St. Peter's Parish New Kent co, VA: among the issue of Edward and Elizabeth, p. 17, is given, Penelope Johnson born Aug 4, 1684, baptized Aug 17, 1684. DAR Lineage Books show Penelope, wife of Christopher Clark, to have been born Bolling, descendant of Col. John and Mary (Kennon) Bolling. No documentary proof is furnished. Note: Bolling descent leads to John Rolfe and Pocahontas.

In 1738 Chri. Clark bought 3000 acres adjoining Maj John Bolling's. Either a close friend, since he named his son Bolling, or Penelope's family. According to the book "Captain Christopher Clark" by Col. Micajah Henry Clark published 1909, Christopher Clark purchased or patented, as registered in the Land Office Records in Richmond, VA, a total of 50,000 acres of land. "Christopher Clark married circa 1709 Penelope Massie Bolling the granddaughter of Anthony Ashley Cooper (1621-1683) the first Earl of Shaftesbury, Lord High Commissioner of England, father of the Habeas Corpus Act and the former proprietor of the Carolinas." [cited in "Descendants of C. & M. Clark," p. 8, but not clear if this last quote is from the book by Col. Micajah Henry Clark or where.]

Note

Note: According to "The History of Elbert County Georgia", " Penelope Bolling was a direct descendant of the Indian Princess, Pocahontas, through Colonel Robert Bolling, who married Jean Rolfe, granddaughter of the Princess. The name "Bolling" appears in latter generations which gives credit to the fact." p. 392

The fact that one of Christopher and Penelope Clark's sons was named "Bolling" is interesting. One would think that it is a "family" name. There are several theories on Penelope's identity. Some people believe her to be a "Johnson". This theory is espoused by many researchers and there is considerable weight here, as this researcher has put forward:

"I do not think PENELOPE was a JOHNSON. Her daughter was married to a JOHNSON. However, there was a PENELOPE JOHNSON. Some people think the proof is conclusive.

First, this PENELOPE JOHNSON was born in 1684 in New Kent County, Virginia. Christopher was most probably born in 1681.

Secondly, CHRISTOPHER CLARK'S second daughter was named RACHEL, not found in the CLARK family, but the name of PENELOPE JOHNSON'S sister.

Thirdly, this PENELOPE'S brother, THOMAS JOHNSON, recorded land in 1719 in the Register of St. Peter's Parish (pg. 17) right on CHRISTOPHER CLARK'S corner, and was a witness to the will of his (Thomas') niece, AGNES CLARK JOHNSON.

This sounds like fairly good proof and it may well be true that PENELOPE JOHNSON was the wife of CHRISTOPHER CLARK, but here is another theory.

Many people think/thought that the fact that CHRISTOPHER & PENELOPE CLARK'S son is named BOLLING/BOWLING may be a clue to PENELOPE'S maiden name since it is fairly common at least to use it for a middle name of a son. This is a most unusual name for a son and might have some significance or give some clues to his mother's family.

Many people wanted PENELOPE to be the daughter of MAJOR JOHN BOLLING, a friend and neighbor of CHRISTOPHER CLARK'S. This would make PENELOPE a descendant of POCAHONTAS.

I discovered that in Virginia there are the "Red" Bolling's and the "White" Bolling's. I do not know whether or not there was any "put down" to being called a "Red" or a "White" Bolling or if it was just a way of defining each other. The "Red Bolling's centered at least in recent years just West of Richmond in Petersburg. There was no Penelope that I could find in that connection.

About 1985 I was in the Virginia State Library and found a book (#33019) by Todd Bolen & Lois Bolen Strange ("The BOLLING, BOWLIN, BOLEN Family in America before 1800"). The next time I went back it wasn't there. Thankfully, I xeroxed the appropriate pages pertaining to our family.

Their theory is that PENELOPE was a BOLLING but not of MAJOR JOHN BOLLING'S family. She was related to a different BOLLING family. This one also had a RACHEL in it.

Here is the information I found in TODD and LOIS' book:

1) PENELOPE M. BOLLING (WILLIAM, GEORGE, WILLIAM II, WILLIAM I, THOMAS III, THOMAS II, THOMAS I) b. Louisa Co. VA New Kent VA m. abt 1709 to CHRISTOPHER CLARK

2) WILLIAM BOWLING (GEORGE, WILLIAM II, WILLIAM I, THOMAS III, THOMAS II, THOMAS I) d. bef 1754 Fairfax Co VA m. PENELOPE COOPER. Children: PENELOPE & WILLIAM, JR.

3) GEORGE BOWLING (WILLIAM BOWLING/BOWLIN II, WILLIAM I, THOMAS III, THOMAS II, THOMAS I) (Methodist Clergy) d. 1736 Prince William Co., VA m. JANE; Children: JOHN, WILLIAM

4) WILLIAM BOWLING II (WILLIAM I & ANN, THOMAS III, THOMAS II, THOMAS I) b. 1650 d. 1717 m. RACHEL LEWIS & 2nd to ELIZABETH Prince William Co., VA. They lived in Fairfax Co., VA.

5) WILLIAM BOWLING I (THOMAS III, THOMAS II, THOMAS I) 1620 - 1691 moved to Philadelphia PA m. ANNE and 2nd to ELIZABETH

6) THOMAS BOLLING (BOULDIN) III (THOMAS II, THOMAS I) b. 1580 Warwickshire, England arrived in VA 1610 d. 1655 m. abt 1610 to MARY BOWLING (WILLIAM & MARY BOWLING)

7) THOMAS BOULDIN II ( THOMAS I) b. Warwickshire, England

8) THOMAS BOULDIN I b. 1523 lived Shelburne, England

Below is more information from the book cited above by TODD & LOIS for these eight (8) people. But it is your decision whether or not our PENELOPE who married CHRISTOPHER CLARK came from this family. I'm inclined to think she did. "

+++++++++++

All of the above information came from this website and location and seems to have been well documented, as seen above: http://www.angelfire.com/nf/burnscharles/pocohontas.html

Note

From the Atlanta "Sunday American," dated June 22 1930: "Christopher Clark's wife Penelope Bolling, daughter of Major John Bolling and his wife Mary Kennon Bolling." Reference: Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine, June 1926, p. 364-5.

Penelope was born in 1684. She passed away in 1760.

Sources

1. ↑ St. Peter's Parish (New Kent County, V., Chamberlayne, C. G. (Churchill Gibson)., Virginia State Library. (1937). The vestry book and register of St. Peter's parish, New Kent and James City counties, Virginia, 1684-1786. Richmond: Division of purchase and printing.p. 363

See also:

• Penelope Who? - http://genealogy.danahuff.net/2006/07/penelope-who/
• Mrs. Julian C. Lane, Statesboro, GA, Publisher, Key and Allied Families (Press of the J.W. Burke Co., Macon, GA, 1931)
• Research notes regarding the Descendants of Christopher and Micajah Clark as compiled and typed by Velma Gertrude (Brown) Vick (1892-1978) aka Mrs. J. Wells Vick [1892-1978]. 1954, 65 pages. Accessed 22 Apr. 2023.
• https://aclarkg.github.io/PhotoAlbum/