Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-21
DESCENDANT OF POCAHONTAs
Presidents Fiancee Takes Pride
in Relationship.
Mrs. Norman Gnlt Comes Of the Dol
lings, One of the Best Known of
the First Families of
Virginia.

SHE Is n descendant o. PccAhof,tas-
was the first thing the average Virginian
said after reading that Mrs. Norman Gait
was to be married to the President. Some
of the proudcst and oldest families OF
the Dominion trace their descent to tho
Indian princess. The nearest strain OF
all ~ considered to he that of tie Bolling1.
and Mrs. Cats maiden name was Edith
Boiling. 1t Is known that che takes pride
in her relationship to the daughter OF
Powhatan.
The Bollings are one Of tho best known
Of the +. +. VS. and nro connected with
the Randolphs. the Lees. the Jeffersons
and the Dandrldges. Members of the
family may be found In practically every
county Of tho State. One Of the best
known members of the venerable house
in this city is Dr. Boiling Lee, who,
however. Is Of n different branch than
the ore to which Mrs Gait belongs
1t is the custom now for Virginlans
to deny the story, so dear to the heart
of youth. that Pocahontas saved Captain
John Smith from being dubbed to death
by the warriors Of her father. the Indian
chief Powhatan. About her name, mono
the loss, glows the light Of romance.
AS child she visited the colony ut
jamestown. and after she grew up sho
played an important part in its history.
She often !nterceded for the colonist9
and finally was looked upon as their
dirlomatist and cmissnry. pocahontas
became a Christian in April. 1914. and
she was married to a young Englishman.
John Rolfc She had beauty, and even
the prim garb Of the English Of that day
did not hide her charm Pictures which
remain of her show her in ruff and tight
ny fitting gown.
TRY TO TRACE RESEMBLANCE.
with her husband. Pocahontas was pre-
sented at the court Of st. James by
Lord ana Lady Delaware The bishop Of
London gave a reception in her honor
The British metropolis extolled her
beauty, and for months this child of
Virginia. in her native grace and her air
Of royalty. which seemed a part OF her,
was the idol of the social world There
was general bringing out of old books
and prints yesterday In an attempt to
trace some resemblance between Mrs
Gait and the Indian princess of three cen
turtles ago.
Pocahontas died in 1917 in Gravesend
England, and there she lies buried. The
story Is that she had married John Rolfe
In the belief that Captain John Smith
was dead. and that, meeting Smith in
England. she was overcome with the old
love for him. and so grieved over having
been deceived that she went into a de-
cline and died within year. She left
one son. Thomas Rolfe who was educated
in England. He did not go to Virginia
until 1918. and there he married Jane
Proythress. To them was born q daugh-
ter, Jane Rolfe. who became the wife of
Colonel Robert Boiling. who. arriving In
the colony in 1860. accumulated a fortune
and became n leader
The Bollings Of Boiling Hall were an
old family In England, for back in 1872
are found references to them and their
estates. The Bollings Of Virginia brought
with them the customs of their York.
shire home They acquired lands, built
stately houses. and became men of power
and Influence in the community.
Robert Boiling of KippaX, n few miles
from Richmond, entertained lavishly, and
he had the love Of sports, the taste for
social life. and the progressive nature
which have distinguished so many men,
bers Of the race. His wife as did her
the Princess Pocahontas,
died young, for she lived only year after
her marriage. She left one son, John Boil
ing the progenitor OF the line with the
Indian strain. His second wife was Eng
lish, and from her four children descend.
ed another line Of the Boll!ngs in whom
there is none of the blood of the child
Of Powhatan.
The descendants of John Boiling married
Of many well-known Virginia
families. and this accounts for the fact
that in the family trees Of so many dis
tinguished Nirginans there are traces of
Indian lineage. Colonel John Boiling left
n son, bearing the same name. who was
born in ZOO A grandson, John. married n
sister of Thomas jefferson.
There are no complete records of the
Boiling family. From the books of ref
ercnce available 1t was impossible to trace
the exact steps Of descent from the In
dian maid to the future White House
bride.
one or the family who is regarded as
typical both OF his race and the old-tiue
Nirgin;ans was Robert Boiling Of Chel- |
ewe lie was one of the best educated
men of his time, and was fond of literary
pnrsuits-a writer and a poet. He wrote
does to the grape which are still pre- |
served In yellowed books. And so fond
Was he OF what the winners sell that he
proclaimed his connolsseurship to tho
world by naming his son in honor of the |,
vine, His house was the scene Of many |
sayeties. and about his estates were heard |
the hunters horn and the bay of hounds /,
Then there was Colonel William Boil |
ing. who married his cousin. Mary Ran
1olph. 1t Is recorded. too, that one OF
he daughters of tho house of Boiling |
married a Randolph and that she was
The grandmother OF the famous John |
randolph of Roanoke. Besides, there are
he Bolllngs of Bollinghrokc and tho Boil
ings who lived about Petersburg.
1t Is noted that through all the family
history appear Indian names. They are
'owhatan Bollings and Pocahontas Boil
ings Occasionally in the records one
inds fair member OF tho house called
ono of the titles of the Indian
princess. and often Pocanontass plain
English designation. Rebecca, the name
'iven to her when baptized in the Church
Il England.-New York Times