Rebecca Jane Bolling

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Rebecca Pendergrass

Notes:

Check out the "Shawnee Heritage" books by Don Greene (available as GOOGLE books on-line and for purchase on Amazon), specifically pages 84-88 of Volume III Pre-1700's A-L (published 2014) and pages 101-102 of Volume IV Pre-1700's M-Z (published 2014). These pages assert that the Jane Bolling (1675–1714) who married REV James Clack Sr was 1 of the 5 out-of-wedlock children that COL Robert Bolling I had with Mary Pettis, a Shawano servant/slave/wet nurse in Robert's household. These pages also document the lineage of Mary Pettis as being the 1G Granddaughter of Matoaka-POCAHONTAS Powhatan and her 1st husband KOKUM Stream-Patawomeck [FindAGrave 131558962]. That would make the Jane Bolling (1675–1714) who married REV James Clack Sr the 2G granddaughter of Pocahontas from Pocahontas' 1st marriage . . . NOT from Pocahontas' 2nd marriage to John Rolfe II.

Discussion from Genealogy.com
Regarding Story of Jane Bolling Clack

Jane Bolling as first or second child of Robert Bolling and Jane Rolfe would have been without a mother to care for her as an infant; Jane Rolfe Bolling died at childbirth of infant Jane or her brother. Father Robert would have been busy with duties in Virginia militia and rebellions, so both children probably were initially cared for by the local parish. When father Robert remarried, presumably he took back his son, but not daughter Jane, as her care probably was easier at the parish church. Also, sentiment in the area was strongly anti Indian. Robert Bolling needed to maintain political support; being father to an Indian child would have been unpopular. Letting baby Jane remain with the parish church to receive a "proper" Christian upbringing would have been deemed prudent. Thus Jane Bolling would have been raised in the parish church; sixteen years later the young woman raised by the church would have been a "perfect" wife for the just arrived Reverend James Clack from England, come to take over duties as the parish minister. Circumstantial, but compelling.

When Jane Rolfe Billing died, she had one child, a son; but may also have had an infant daughter as well. Robert Bolling later acknowledges a son, but no mention of a daughter is found in the records. The argument in support of the existence of a daughter includes circumstantial evidence and later testimony by descendants who would have had to have come from this Line in order to have been Pocahontas descendants.

It needs to be noted that circumstantial evidence needs to include consideration of the society and events at that time in Virginia. In the 1600's there was a large gap between European settlers, Christianity, and social norms vs. native American culture, beliefs, and practices. Col. Robert Billing held a position of authority in the Virginia colony, and the responsibilities of his position may have pushed him into making decisions that made him sacrifice his personal life and family duties to maintain his position in the community. There was conflict, Indian wars, and rebellion all at the time of the death of his wife (Jane Rolfe Bolling). There was a great deal of hatred and mistrust between the two cultures.

Pocahontas was required to convert to Christianity before her marriage to John Rolfe was allowed. Of the three generations of descendants of Chief Powhatan who lived in the new society, not the old (native American), the only one whohad lived a long life at that point, was Thomas Rolfe, who was totally isolated from native American culture since he was raised by his grandparents in England. The other two generations, his mother Pocahontas, and his daughter Jane Rolfe, lived in white society in Jamestown, but were clearly able to remain in contact with their native American roots. They both died very young.

IF in fact, Jane Rolfe Bolling left an infant son AND a daughter, the decision of who to raise these infants may have been a difficult one. If they were initially cared for by the local church, it is plausible that a decision was made that the daughter Jane should be cared for by the local church, so that she "would fit in better" as an adult, while the son would do fine with his father as a role model at home.

Given that later generations claimed to be descended from Pocahontas, and that all these individuals are descended from Rev. James Clack and his wife Jane; it is reasonable to conclude that Jane Clack was Jane Bolling Clack.

"Presumably her granddaughter, Sarah (Clack) Maclin, was reliably
informed concerning her grandparents and it is certain that she claimed
descent from the Bolling family and from the Indian chieftain, Powhatan,
and his daughter, Pocahontas. Abundant cumulative evidence in all the various branches of her descendants is to that effect. Many of her descendants, early as well as later ones, were given the names, Bolling, Powhatan, and, Pocahontas."

Rebecca was the name that the white settlers gave Pocahontas.
There were other names in their descendants Jane, Powhatan, Pocahontas, etc..

Family/Spouse: John Michael Pendergass. John was born in 1664 in , County Mayo, Ireland; died in 1705 in Farnham, Richmond, Virginia, USA; was buried in Farnham, Richmond, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 1705, , Northumberland, Virginia, USA
• Married: 9 Dec 1709, , Northumberland, Virginia, USA

Family/Spouse: Anne Pleasants. Anne was born in 1690 in , Northumberland, Virginia, USA; died in 1717 in , , Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]