Jason Walker Bowling Interview with John Jay Dickey 1898

Dr. John J. Dickey Diary, Fleming County, Ky. Recorded in the 1870's and
beyond. Reprinted in Kentucky Explorer, Volume 10, No 4 - September,
1995. p. 86. By permission. Clay County.

JASON WALKER BOWLING
Benge, Kentucky, June 15, 1898.

My great grandfather, Jesse Bolling, came to Kentucky in 1810. My
grandfather, Elijah Bolling was born at the Three Forks of Powell River in
Lee Co., Virginia in 1798, and when he was 12 years old his father removed
to Perry Co., Ky. Daniel Duff baptized by great-grandfdather, Elijah
Bolling. Rev. Andrew Baker baptized by great-grandfather at Blackwater
Church, now Hawkins County, Tenn. My great-great grandfather was Major
John Bolling. He had 19 sons. I do not know that there were any
daughters. One of these sons, William Bolling married Martha Jefferson,
sister of Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States. Other sons
were, Jesse, above mentioned, Benjamin the oldest born in 1752 or 3.
Jesse was born 1765. Roberta the wife of U. S. Senator Archibald Dixon,
was the daughter of Dilaney Bolling of Missouri and the granddaughter of
Major John Bolling, aforesaid. Gov. John Young Brown's wife was a
daughter of Archibald Dixon. (Roger Cornett, son of the original William
Cornett built the house where Hamp. Coldiron lives, in 1802, he married
Zilpha Callahan. This makes the date of the Cornett's coming to Kentucky
1796-1799 probable. Men from Crug's Ferry at mouth of Sexton were at the
raising. Roger Cornett was into slaves and land. He owned the Coleman
Survey, patented in 1783 of 5,600 acres.)

There are some Bollings in western Kentucky. One went to Congress
some years ago, perhaps 1870 or 1872. The first Bolling who came to
America was Colonel Robert Bolling of London, England. I think old Cava
Baker made the rhyme on the "Cattle War," I have always heard it that way.
Old Julius Bob Baker and William Neal were in St. Clair's defeat. Baker
held a Major's Commission. They are both buried at Buffalo, Owsley,
County. Neal requested to be buried beside Baker. John Gilbert and John
Amis married sisters of James Bowling [sic]. From Eli, John (grandfather
of Judge Josiah Comb's wife), Christopher, William, Joseph, Nancy
(Sizemore) another sister of these, have descended most of the Bollings in
Clay County. Jesse Bolling, my great grandfather married Mary Pennington
of Lee County, Va. He was born in North Carolina at Hillsboro. His
father was born in Virginia. David Pennington, her brother, was living
during the War of the Rebellion. My grandfather, Elijah Bolling stayed
with him in Lee Co. during the late war. Jesse Bolling had ten children
as follows: Hannah mararied Huff; Mary married Abram Barger; Justice
married ??; John married Polly Lewis; Jesse married Lewis for his second
wife; William married a daughter of Daniel Duff; Elijah married Roberts;
George married Lewis; a daughter married Joseph Spencer; Betsey married
Abel Pennington; another married Maggard; another died single. A. P. Hill
and Basil Duke married sisters of John Morgan. His mother was the
daughter of John Hunt, the first millionaire in Kentucky. Dr. Foster of
Kentucky was reared by Mrs. Hunt.