a 'supposed' desc of Pocahontas...John Miller ASHBY b 1788 Ashby Gap VA
Sometimes it seems we come full circle 'round'..so back again I am exploring some past posted data & an obituary I was sent of an Ashby desc now dec'd. It pertains to this
"John was a descendant of a family in England in whose veins flowed the blood of the CHICKAHOMINY Indians. One of John Miller Ashby's ancestors was the SON of POCAHONTAS & John ROLFE"
...the obituary I have almost states the same data. I explored this avenue abt 3 yrs ago without coming up with any proof of this statement. I even got the charts of the Blue and Red Bollings, which are the direct desc of Pocahontas/Rolfe. I could not find a connection. Now this has come to light again, so decided to explore it once again.
John Miller Ashby is my 4x grandfather. His dau Mary Harris Garnet Ashby, is my ggg grandmother. Since my first journey on this path, I have been fortunate enough to obtain a fairly good picture of my 3x grandmother Mary H G Ashby SMEATHERS. She md 1836 my 3x grandfather, John Bate SMEATHERS sr in Lavaca Co TX. Also since then, I have learned that Mary was known as the 'Medicine Woman' on the Runaway Scrape fr Santa Anna aft the fall of the Alamo, when Mary's younger sister, Sarah Ashby McClure-Braches, led 1000 women & children fr him to the Sabine River. Although Mary was not portrayed in the tv mini series TRUE WOMEN done by Hallmark, in the book written by my cuz Janice Woods Windle, she is mentioned enough to give me a fairly clear picture she certainly had some NA qualities and her picture is representative of NA descendant. Also since then, I have found extensive info on the NA characteristics, both physical, emotional and mentally that I notice in myself & my 3 sons. A couple of these qualities do lead me to believe there very well be some truth to all this NA history. My 3x grandmother died fr smoking a clay pipe...this is one of the distinctive rituals it appears related to NA tradition, women did smoke the pipe and were heralded as the Medicine Women & Matriarch of the tribes. Of course Mary was not, but she obviously had this remarkable resemblence to NA rituals that she came by inherently or perhaps coincidence. I dont know. To me, it seems tooo coincidental, plus the traits I see in myself & my sons appear to me, to be descended by genes rather than coincidence.
IF ANYONE has ANY info or can add ANYTHING to the above of this family, I would certainly appreciate ANY input, comments,data & sources of findings, Please email me personally. I just dont know right now what direction to venture to seek some of the answers, if there are any. Thank you for your time, Nena Smothers [Wa state]
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Re: a 'supposed' desc of Pocahontas...John Miller ASHBY b 1788 Ashby Gap VA
Elton L. Powell 12/25/02