index

This Bowling branch of the family tree can trace it's roots back to 12th century England to William De Bolin. One of his descendents made their way into southeast Kentucky in or around 1817. He was Jackson Bowling and he came here via North Carolina. He came with Jim Collins. They were trappers. He settled on the banks of the Redbird River on Jacks Creek. The creek was named after him. Jim Collins settled a few miles down the river on Collins Fork which was named for him. Jackson married a half Cherokee indian names Sally Sizemore. One of their children was Wright Bowling. He married Marinda "Rinda" Barton. She was from the Barbourville area and came back into the Clay/Leslie area as a cook for a logging company. They had 3 daughters and 2 sons. They were: Matilda, Mary Jane, Lizzie, Jim "crack", and John C. " Burrhead" Bowling. John C. was the youngest of the five children. He was born in 1860. He was born in a small cabin that sat in the river bottom just off the Danial Boone/Hal Rogers parkway near where the exit to state road 66 is now. In 1862 his father, Wright Bowling, was conscripted into the union army during the civil war. He died of the fever before he ever made it home. Merinda married again to Captain Dan Lewis and they has other children, Bill, Lucy and Louann. I don't know if there were others. There was another half brother named Jesse Wilder as well. John C. married Mary Jane Morgan. She was from Camp Creek which branches off the Middlefork river about 3 miles above Hyden, Ky. They had 8 children. There were 4 boys, Pearl, Roy, Lawton and Ottis A. and 4 girls, Relia, Nett, Berta and Georgia. The decendants of those listed above, Bowlings from anywhere and any others of appalachian decent or anyone from anywhere who is interested in learning about appalachian history, culture and music are encouraged to contribute to this site by sharing information, pictures, stories and asking questions on our blog.