Re: Henry Jefferson Boles Grandson of Raccoon John Smith
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In reply to:
Henry Jefferson Boles Grandson of Raccoon John Smith
Julie Boles 9/19/06
There is a lot of information on the Boles family which is not readily known or accessible. Take a look at this, which was written by my cousin. I would be very interested in your comments.I should note that Jane Smith was still alive in 1880 in White Co., TN; she had remarried and her second husband was Peter Pickens.I wonder if she is buried in White Co? Do you know?
My cousin, Micky Boles of St. Louis, MO has done a
long history of his family, including information
about Raccoon John Smith's daughter Jane (or Jennie)
who married Samuel Boles.My great-grandmother, Susan
Ada Boles Barham (1879-1966) was the
great-granddaughter of Raccoon John Smith and I recall
her telling me this.I was almost fifteen when she
died so I would have remembered it. The source of most
of this information is George Lawson Boles
(1867-1936), the son of Thomas Henry Townsend Boles
and Eliza Bunn, and my great-grandmother's older
brother. At any rate here is what Micky wrote and I
would welcome your comments:
John Smith was a hero from the War of 1812, a Kentucky
lawyer, and a Baptist preacher. He was the son of
Baptist parents who had a Calvinist leaning.But
early in his life he took a radical turn--he fell
under the influence of Alexander Campbell, who was a
founder of the Church of Christ, and was converted to
Campbell's interpretations, becoming an effective
evangelist for his new church.He is celebrated by
the Church of Christ as a founding father of the
denomination.
H. Leo Boles was another grandson of Jennie Smith
Boles, just as my grandfather, G. L. Boles, so they
were first cousins.Some interesting facts about H.
Leo Boles:
Jennie Boles had a son Henry Jefferson Boles (who
would have been the uncle of G.L. Boles)
H.J. was about sixteen years old when the Civil War
began. He enlisted in the Union Army at the first of
the war and remained in the army four years until the
close of war, and was given an honorable discharge. He
was wounded three times and carried the scars to his
grave.(Jennie's other son Thomas Henry Townsend
Boles fought for the South.)
H.J. was a Church of Christ preacher, following the
calling of his grandfather.
H.J. Boles married Sarah Smith, a distant cousin also
related to Raccoon John Smith.
H.J. and Sarah's son H. Leo Boles was president of
David Lipscomb College in Nashville, a Church of
Christ college, and author of many religious textbooks
for the Church of Christ.
En route to the presidency of David Lipscomb, he
obtained a masters degree from Vanderbilt, then joined
the faculty of the Nashville Bible School, later
renamed David Lipscomb College.When on the faculty
he took daily Bible classes under David Lipscomb
himself.He eventually served two terms as president,
from 1913 to 1920 and from 1923 t0 1932.
According to research by my brother George M. "Bosco"
Boles (an attorney in Birmingham, Alabama), in the
latter years of G. L. Boles life, while living in
Bridgeport, Alabama, H.Leo Boles would come
occasionally to visit friends or family there, but not
to visit his first cousin, G.L. Boles (who
incidentally was a Baptist preacher).
One such day Lawrence Boles Jr. (G.L. Boles's
grandson) and G.L. Boles were sitting on the front
porch of the Boles' home on Battery Hill in Bridgeport
when Lawrence Junior witnesses an incident best
described as a "stare down" between H. Leo and G.L.
Boles. H.Leo happened to walk by the Boles home and
spotted G.L. on the porch.After the two silently
glared at each other for several seconds, G.L.
commented to Lawrence Jr. that they were "a family of
bastards."Here is the story behind that.
Thomas Henry Townsend Boles was the son of Samuel
Boles and Jennie Smith, the daughter of Raccoon John
Smith. Samuel and Jennie were married in Madison
County, Alabama 29 April 1829.Jennie had met the
Boles family in Huntsville while Raccoon John Smith
was there starting churches.
Well, Jennie had another son by her brother in law,
Thomas Boles.When Jennie's illegitimate pregnancy
was revealed, Bosco understands that Samuel Boles shot
and killled his brother Thomas over the matter.
Jennie headed for her father's home in Lexington,
Kentucky, and the baby, Henry Jefferson Boles. was
born on the trail from Tennessee. Upon arrival Jennie
claimed that the baby's father had also died on the
trail, although it is believed he died instantly.
The baby Henry Jefferson Boles was the same H.J.
Boles noted as H. Leo Boles's father.None of the
biographies ofr H. Leo Boles or Henry Jefferson Boles
mention anything about this story.
Have any of year ever heard this story before?
John Payne
More Replies:
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Re: Henry Jefferson Boles Grandson of Raccoon John Smith
Julie Boles 8/14/07
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Re: Henry Jefferson Boles Grandson of Raccoon John Smith
John Payne 8/14/07
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Re: Henry Jefferson Boles Grandson of Raccoon John Smith
John Payne 8/15/07
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Re: Henry Jefferson Boles Grandson of Raccoon John Smith
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Re: Henry Jefferson Boles Grandson of Raccoon John Smith
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Re: Henry Jefferson Boles Grandson of Raccoon John Smith
Julie Boles 8/14/07
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Re: Henry Jefferson Boles Grandson of Raccoon John Smith
Julie Boles 8/14/07
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Re: Henry Jefferson Boles Grandson of Raccoon John Smith