DESCENDANTS OF POCAHONTAS MATOAKA POWHATAN

Pocahontas Saving the Life of Captain John SmithPocahontas Saving the Life of Captain John Smith, chromolithograph, c. 1870.Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (Digital file no. cph 3g03368)

The article below documenting the relationship of the Harrisons to Pocahontas was prepared by Joel Murphy.


Ben Pinkerton, Julia’s father, and many of his Pinkerton and Harrison relatives were sure that they descended from Pocahontas. Ben told Julia many times that her high cheekbones were a sign of her Indian heritage. When Julia’s mother, Ermine, found out we were looking at the Pinkerton genealogy, she kept asking if we had found anything on the Brodnax’s. She knew they were important to her family history but wasn’t sure how? Well, it turns out that Martha Kennon Brodnax who married Nathaniel Harrison is the connection to Pocahontas. She was living in Putnam County at her death and is buried in the Harrison Family Cemetery. She was the great great granddaughter of Jane Bolling Clack who was the granddaughter of Pocahontas.

The Pocahontas lineage through Jane Bolling who married Rev. James Clack is based primarily on family history and is not accepted by most Pocahontas genealogists because documentation is lacking. However, noted genealogist William Curry Harlle who wrote Kinfolks, a three volume Pocahontas genealogy says in Volume III, page 2757 that Jane Bolling Clack’s lineage “is as well established as it is usually possible to establish generally accepted lineages without documentary evidence.” Unfortunately, records of Gloucester Co., VA & Rev. James Clack’s church, Ware Parish were destroyed in 1865.


The question we have to consider is, ‘How well do we know our grandparents?’ Much of the family history comes from James & Jane Bolling Clack’s granddaughter, Sarah Clack MacLin. She knew her grandmother was Jane Bolling who descended from the Indian Chief Powhatan’s daughter, Pocahontas. Her belief was so strong that her children and grandchildren accepted the fact just as surely as we know our grandparents. Many of her descendants were given the names Pocahontas, Powhatan, Jane and Bolling.

Sarah claimed descent from Pocahontas throughout her lifetime which is strange because there were laws with severe penalties in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee, where she lived, against marrying Indians or even associating with them. Warfare between the settlers and Indians continued for her lifetime. The feeling about nobility was not much better; even the American Constitution has words against nobility. Robert Bolling, Jane Rolfe’s husband is from English nobility. So the attitudes of her time against Indians and English nobility only strengthen her claim of her Pocahontas descent.

So, as Harllee, I believe Sarah Clack MacLin’s claim and show Pinkertons who descend from Jane Bolling Clack related to Pocahontas. Descendants of Pocahontas Matoaka Powhatan

  1. Pocahontas Matoaka Powhatan & John Rolfe
  2. Thomas Rolfe & Jane Poythress
  3. Jane Rolfe & Robert Bolling
  4. Jane Bolling & Rev. James Clack
  5. James Clack, Jr. & Mary Sterling
  6. John Clack & Mary Kennon
  7. Martha Kennon Clack & John Brodnax
  8. Martha Kennon Brodnax & Nathaniel Harrison
  9. Alexander Brown Harrison & Lucy Wright Claiborne
  10. Mary Frances Harrison & James Alexander Pinkerton I
  11. Evelyn Ray Pinkerton & Carrie Jones Elizabeth Jones
  12. Joseph Hebry Pinkerton, Sr. & Lillian Elizabeth Eisner
  13. Frederick Ray Pinkerton & Kay Fowler

11.James Alexander Pinkerton II & Bessie Hawkins

12. Benjamin Alexander Pinkerton & Ermine Hill

13. Julia Evelyn Pinkerton & Joel Thomas Murphy, Sr.


Descendants of Pocahontas Matoaka Powhatan

  1. Pocahontas Matoaka Powhatan was born in 1595 in the Powhatan Confederacy and was the daughter of Chief Wahunsenacaw Powhatan. In 1607 Jamestown, Colony of Virginia, started as a settlement in Powhatan Confederacy territory. She died in Mar 1617 in Gravesend, Kent England, and was buried in St. George’s Church, Gravesend, England. Pocahontas married John Rolfe in 1614. John was born 1585 in Heacham Norfolk, England and died 1622 in Varina Farms, Virginia Colony. They had one son: Thomas.
  1. Thomas Rolfe was born in 1615 in Varina Farms, Virginia Colony, died on 16 Apr 1680 in Kippax Plantation, Hopewell, VA, and was buried in Kippax Plantation Cemetery, Hopewell, VA. Thomas married Jane Poythress. Jane was born in 1630 in Jamestown, Virginia Colony, died in 1680 in Kippax Plantation, Hopewell, VA, and was buried in Kippax Plantation Cemetery, Hopewell, VA. They had one daughter: Jane.
  2. Jane Rolfe was born on 10 Oct 1650 in Varina, Henrico Co., VA, died on 26 Jan 1676 in Charles City Co., VA, and was buried in Kippax Plantation, Prince George Co., VA. Jane married Col. Robert Bolling in VA. Robert was born on 26 Dec 646 in All Hallows Barling Parish, London, Middlesex, Eng., died on 17 Jul 1709 in Kippax Plantation, Prince George Co., VA, and was buried in Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg, VA. They had two children: Jane Rolfe and John Fairfax.
    Children of Jane & Robert:
    i. Jane Rolfe Bolling was born on 27 Jan 1675 in Kippax Plantation, VA
    ii. John Fairfax Bolling was born on 26 Jan 1676 in Charles City Co., VA, died on 20 Apr 1729 in VA. John married Mary Elizabeth Kennon, daughter of Col. Richard Kennon Sr. and Elizabeth Worsham, on 29 Dec 1697 in St. John’s Church, Richmond, VA. Mary was born on 29 Jun 1679 in Henrico Co, VA, died on 29 Jun 1727 in Henrico Co, VA. John & Mary are buried in Cobb Cemetery, Enon, Chesterfield Co., VA.
  3. Jane Rolfe Bolling was born on 27 Jan 1675 in Kippax Plantation, VA, died on 24 Aug 1714 in Ware Parish, Gloucester, VA. Jane married Reverend James Clack Sr. James was born in 1658 in Devizes, Wiltshire, Eng., died on 20 Dec 1723 in Ware Parish, Gloucester, VA. Jane & James are buried in Ware Episcopal Church Cemetery, Gloucester Co., VA.
    Children of Jane & James:
    i Jane Clack was born in 1694 in Gloucester Co., VA.
    ii. William Clack was born in 1696 in Gloucester Co., VA.
    iii. Dorothy Clack was born on 24 Aug 1714 in Gloucester Co., VA and died in 1797 in VA.
    iv. Capt. James Clack Jr. was born in 1698 in Ware Parish, Gloucester, VA.
  4. Capt. James Clack Jr. was born in 1698 in Ware Parish, Gloucester, VA and died on 29 Jun 1757 in St. Andrew Parish. Brunswick Co., VA. James married Mary Sterling, daughter of John Sterling and Mary Martin, in 1719 in Gloucester Co., VA. Mary was born in 1699 in Fredericksville, Gloucester Co., VA and died on 23 May 1763 in St. Andrew Parish. Brunswick Co., VA.
    Children of James & Mary:
    i. Sterling Clack was born in 1719 in Gloucester Co., VA and died in 1751 in Brunswick Co, VA.
    ii. Moses Clack was born on 12 Mar 1720 in Gloucester Co., VA and died in Jun 1792 in Abermarle Co., VA.
    iii. John Clack was born on 9 Jan 1721 in Gloucester Co., VA.
    iv. Jane Sterling Clack was born on 9 Jan 1721 in Gloucester Co., VA and died in Nov 1790 in Albemarle Co., VA.
    v. Mary Elizabeth Clack was born on 6 Sep 1724 in Gloucester Co., VA and died before 1800 in Sweet Hall Cemetery, King William Co., VA.
    vi. James Clack was born on 9 Jan 1727 in Gloucester Co., VA and died before Feb 1792 in Fairfax, VA.
    vii. Sarah Clack was born in 1731 in Gloucester Co., VA and died after 1803 in Davidson Co., TN. Sarah married William MacLin. William was born in 1735 in Brunswick Co, VA and died before Mar 1803 in Davidson Co., TN.
  5. John Clack was born on 9 Jan 1721 in Gloucester Co., VA and died in 1786 in
    Brunswick Co, VA. John married Mary Kennon, daughter of Richard Kennon Jr. and Agnes Bolling, in 1743 in Gloucester Co., VA. Mary was born on 29 Jan 1727 in Gloucester Co., VA and died in 1794 in Brunswick Co, VA. Child of John & Mary:
    i. Martha ‘Patty’ Kennon Clack was born in 1760 in Brunswick Co, VA.
  6. Martha ‘Patty’ Kennon Clack was born in 1760 in Brunswick Co, VA and died in 1818 in Putnam Co., GA. Martha married John Brodnax, son of William Brodnax and Ann Hall, on 25 Mar 1775 in Brunswick Co, VA. John was born in 1748 in VA and died on 28 Feb 1829 in Autauga Co. AL. They had one daughter: Martha Kennon.
    Child of Martha & John:
    i. Martha Kennon Brodnax
  7. Notes: The book, Claiborne of Virginia, Descendants of Colonel William Claiborne, The First Eight Generations by John Fredrick Dorman states that Alexander Brown Harrison who married Lucy Wright Claiborne was the son of Nathaniel Harrison and Martha Kennon (Brodnax) Harrison.
    Martha’s father, John Brodnax, and paternal grandparents, William and Ann Brodnax, are known by wills they filed in Brunswick County, VA. Brunswick Co., VA
    Will Book 4 (1761-1780) has William Brodnax will signed 22 Apr 1770, probate 25 Mar 1771 that names his wife, Anne, and son John as executors. Brunswick Co., VA Will Book 5 ((1780-1795) has Ann Brodnax will signed 29 Sep 1788, probate 23 Mar 1789 that names son John Brodnax and his daughter Martha Kennan Brodnax. Also names her three sons John, William Edward and Thomas Hall executors.
  8. Martha Kennon Brodnax was born on 12 Sep 1776 in Brunswick Co., VA, died on 9 May 1858 in Putnam Co., GA. Martha married Nathaniel Harrison, son of Gabriel Harrison and Sarah Ann Blick, on 25 Mar 1799 in Lawrenceville, Brunswick Co., VA. Nathaniel was born on 16 Dec 1772 in Brunswick Co., VA, died on 5 Apr 1845 in Putnam Co., GA. Martha & Nathaniel are buried in Harrison Family Cemetery, Putnam Co., GA.
    Children of Martha & Nathaniel:
    i. Mary Ann Harrison was born in 1799 and died in1884. Mary married Richard W. Wright.
    ii. Alexander Brown Harrison was born on 19 Oct 1801in a covered wagon on the way to Georgia.
    iii. Sarah ‘Sally’ Joan Harrison was born in 1803. Sarah married John H. Wallace.
    iv. Martha Evelina Harrison was born in 1803. Martha married Robert White.
    v. John Broadnax Harrison was born in 1805 in Hancock Co., GA and died in 1893 in Upson Co., GA. John married Marsha Ashurst Hudson. Marsha was born on 23 Nov 1813 in GA and died in 1890 in Upson Co., GA.
    vi. Caroline K. Harrison was born in 1807.Caroline married John A. Butts.
    vii. Gabriel Harrison M.D. was born in 1813, died in 1863 in Bibb Co., GA. Gabriel
    married Rebecca Pritchett Griggs. Rebecca was born in 1819, died in 1893 in Bibb Co., GA.
    Gabriel & Rebecca are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Macon, Bibb Co., GA.
  9. Alexander Brown Harrison was born on 19 Oct 1801 in a covered wagon on the way to Georgia, died on 6 Jul 1887 in Putnam Co., GA. Alexander married Lucy Wright Claiborne, daughter of James Claiborne and Sarah Brooking, on 27 Jan 1830 in Hancock Co., GA. Lucy was born on 21 Feb 1808 in GA, died on 10 Feb 1868 in Putnam Co., GA. Alexander & Lucy are buried in the Harrison Family Cemetery, Putnam Co., GA.
    Children of Martha & Nathaniel:
    i. Nathaniel Claiborne Harrison was born on 3 Dec 1830 in Putnam Co., GA and died on 9 Sep 1864.
    ii. Sarah Evalina Harrison was born on 1 Oct 1833 in Putnam Co., GA, died on 19 Aug 1853 in Putnam Co., GA, and was buried in Harrison Family Cemetery, Putnam Co., GA.
    iii. Mary Frances Harrison was born on 19 May 1837 in Hancock Co., GA.
    iv. Lucy Alexandria Harrison was born on 3 Jan 1840 in Putnam Co., GA and died on 29 Aug 1864.
    v. Martha Rebecca Harrison was born on 14 Feb 1843 in Putnam Co., GA and died on 8 Feb 1895.
    vi. James Gabriel Harrison was born on 3 Jan 1846 in Putnam Co., GA and died on 14 Oct 1869.
  10. Mary Frances Harrison was born on 19 May 1837 in Hancock Co., GA, died on 4 Dec 1913 in Eatonton, Putnam Co., GA. Mary married James Alexander Pinkerton I, son of James Pinkerton and Elizabeth J. Dupree, on 1 Oct 1861 in Eatonton, Putnam Co., GA. James was born on 15 Feb 1826 in Rockville, Putnam Co., GA, died on 19 May 1904 in Rockville, Putnam Co., GA. Mary & James are buried in Pinkerton Family Cemetery, Putnam Co., GA.
    They had seven children: James Gabriel, Charles Edwin, Lucy Alexandria, William Harrison, Nathaniel Claiborne, Evelyn Ray, and James Alexander.
    All descendants of Mary Frances Harrison Pinkerton are Pocahontas

Above article obtained from an email from Ray Pinkerton September 2020. Article prepared by Joel Murphy, cousin.