Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-08-27
DEscENDs FROM PocAHoNTAs.
Mrs. F. J. Turfey of Spokane, WASH,
Claims Ring Presented to Indian
Princess.

Spokane, Wash, Aug. 26.-Mrs. F. j.
Turfey, pioneer of the Inland En-
pre- living at S07 Monroe street, Spo-
kane, who has every evidence to in
dictate that she is direct descendant
Of Pocahontas, an Indian princess, to
wnom Captain John Smith owed his
Hfe, is legally tracing her inheritance,
including a topaZ-set ring presented
by the Austrian government to Cap
tain John Smith, to prove her claim to
the treasure. The ring is about to pass
from her possession to one of the fore
most museums in America.
Her story, in part, is as follows:
when Pocahontas married John
Rolfe there was born to them son
ramed Thomas. Thomas married and
his only child was a daughter, who
married man named Boiling. The
family had born to them a daughter
named Elizabeth, and from this daugh-
ter / trace my direct descent, which
reaches into the seventh generation.
'In 1850 the Gay brothers came from
England. Their names were William,
Thomas and Henry. William settled
in jamestown and Henry and Thomas
grandson, DR.. William Gay, married
three times. The third union was the
Belle of Richmond Elizabeth Boiling,
a fourth generation descendant from
Pocahontas This was in 1870.
"Dr. William Gay had three children
by his third wife, Thomas, Charles and
William. Thomas married Eliza Archy
and they had born to them eight chill
dren, William, Ellen, Powhatan, Thorn
as B., Della, Eliza, Virginia and Henry
Only the two older married. Ellen
married a man named Jacob Skcen
and they have two children living
somewhere in Kentucky.
"William Gay married a second cou-
sin, Cassandra Desdemona Jackson, a
second cousin of Andrew Jackson, and
they had born to them four daughters,
Lydia, Page, Fannie and Lucy. The
daughter Fanny married a California
man named l.. II. Turfey on December
S, 1873. They moved to Spokane coun-
ty in 49,
"Thc amy Gay who married Mr.
Turfey ! none other than myself, and
the topaz ring presented to Pocahontas
by John Smith after having been hand
ed down from generation to generation
has fallen into my hands through my
father, William Gay.
From personal memoirs and letters
| have in my possession from my uncle,
/ have every reason to believe that the
claim is genuine and while there may
be but Little Indian blood in my veins
now, | am a direct descendant of Poca-
hontas, or even Powhatan if you
please"
According to history, Pocahontas
died shortly after marrying John Rolfe
and the only child born to them was a
son, Thomas Rolfe, who later married
and his only child was a daughter from
whom some of the leading families of
Virginia trace their origin. Among
these are the Bollings, Hemingways
Murrays, Gays, Eldridges and Ran
dOlphs.''
The martial connections with the
family of Andrew Jackson add interest
to the story told by Mrs Turfey, who
declares the records will show her
lineage as she tells of it.
Historical facts, some of which are
told in the biographical history Of John
Smith, bear out the topaz ring Incl
dents and Mrs. Turfey is now tracing
the passing of the ring to prove her
claim to the treasure.