Now, I've heard that she was full blooded Cherokee. I've heard she was full blooded Shawnee. Cree. Sioux. You name it, she's been called it. My whole life, I was told that's where our coal black hair and chocolate brown eyes come from. High cheek bones, super tan complexion, etc, etc.
So upon doing my DNA in February of 2018, and getting the results in April of 2018, I expected having at least anywhere from about 3% to 9% of Native American ancestry -- or at least something that Native American could pop on a DNA test. A lot of times it'll show as Indigenous America or even Eastern Asian.
But hmm. Instead, I received 1% African. So then my Great-Aunt tested.. Credie would have been her Grandmother. My Great-Aunt should have about 20-30% Native American in her ethnicity results........ nope. 1% African.
Then my Dad takes a DNA test and guess what? 1% African. All of my other White/Bowers cousins? 1-2% African. Consistently. The biggest story floating around is that Sally & Credie (sisters) were born and raised in Oklahoma and were full blooded Cree Indians. But let's face the facts: they weren't born in Oklahoma and as far as I can tell, they were never ever IN Oklahoma. There is also a family story of a photograph of Credie in full Indian head-dress... I've never seen such a photo, nobody has put it on Ancestry or FamilySearch, so I doubt its authenticity.
Let us start looking at the actual facts about Icy Lucretia "Credie". In the picture below -- Sally is standing and Credie is sitting.
Icy Lucretia "Credie" Bowers was born October 21st, 1886, in Sullivan County, Tennessee, to Abraham "Abe" Bowers and Eliza Catherine "Cynthia" "Lidie" Wilder. In 1889, her sister Sara Lucinda "Sally" Bowers was born. The area of Sullivan County, TN, is known for its Melungeon people.
Because of the 1890 census burning, we never see the family together with Abe Bowers as the head of household. It is reported that Abe died on September 12th, 1890, in Sullivan County, Tennessee.
After Abe's death, Lidie (Wilder) Bowers went on to marry Daniel "Dan" Carrier on December 23rd, 1890, in Sullivan County, TN, and have a passel more children including: Robert, Nancy, Elcana, Isaac, Gertrude, Iva, Daniel, and Herman.
By 1900, Dan & Lidie Carrier, along with her Bowers daughters, and her new Carrier children, are living in Clay County, Arkansas. In the 1930's, Lidie and Dan made the journey up to Portland, Oregon. Lidie died there in 1938.
There is a photograph of Lidie in 1935 in Portland... she is pale white, she does have some high cheekbones, but.. she absolutely is not Native American. Lidie's parents Ike Wilder & Betsy Leonard were born in Tennessee & Virginia respectively. The Wilder & Leonard lines, I do believe, are English.
Now, going back to Abraham "Abe" Bowers -- there are a couple different Abe Bowers running around Sullivan County, TN. I am NOT disputing that there is a Native American Bowers line but MY Bowers line is NOT it. I do believe some of our family has found an Abraham Bowers who moved to Oregon and signed the Dawes rolls. That is NOT!!!!!!!!!!!! and I repeat this again, that is NOT!!!!!!!!! our Abraham "Abe" Bowers.
My Abraham "Abe" Bowers was born in 1866 in Sullivan County, TN, to Allen Bowers & Lizzie Alfred (Alford). Now here is where I believe our 1% African might be coming from on this line. Bear with me, please.
In the 1850 census, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Alfred (or Alford) is listed as MULATTO with her mother, Sarah Alfred/Alford. Her husband, Peter Alford/Alfred must have died prior to 1850. Sarah, too, is listed as mulatto. Sarah's maiden name is reported as Sawyers.
By the 1870 census, where Abe is listed with his parents, Allen & Elizabeth -- the family is listed as white. Allen's death, I haven't been able to find, but Elizabeth passed in 1879, as Allen is a widower by the 1880 census.
Allen Bowers' biological father remains a mystery. It is said he is the son of Nancy Anna Bowers, who had Allen, possibly out of wedlock, and then married she John Hays in 1849. She is consistently listed as white in census. Nancy was a daughter of Leonard Bowers & Rebecca Nave, who are ancestors of none other than country singer, Tim McGraw.
It's entirely possible there could be some African ancestry through Allen's biological father, too. Perhaps that's why he took his mother's last name.. perhaps whoever the biological father was, it was a shameful family secret? Who knows.
Ultimately, I believe this "mulatto" is where our African (as tiny as 1% to 2%) is coming from in the Bowers line -- Lizzie Alfred/Alford Bowers and her side of the family. It is entirely possible that Peter Alford/Alfred was a white man and that Sarah Sawyers was a mulatto due to being the daughter of a slave and a slave master. Peter Alford could have also been mulatto or perhaps he was full African, but since he died before the 1850 census, I can't find his ethnicity.
We know Sarah reports her birth place as Virginia and Virginia was quite a large slave state in her life time.. she was born 1809 and died 1896. She would be my 5x Grandmother.
For Credie Bowers, the rest of the FACTS about her.. she married for the first time to O.G. Wilson in Datto, Clay Co, Arkansas on August 9th, 1903. The marriage was short lived because on February 11th, 1905, in Datto, she married William Joseph "Bill" White.
Bill & Credie had five children: Homer, Christeen, Lorene, Thelma, and Wilma.
They family lived in Clay Co, Arkansas in the 1910 census, and then the Ripley County, Missouri census in 1920.
Credie died March 4th, 1921, in Ripley County, Missouri. Her death certificate names her "Lucrissia White". It lists her as WHITE, MARRIED, 35 years, 4 months, and 10 days old.
It says she is the daughter of Abe Bowers and Lydia Wilders of Tennessee. The informant is her husband, Will White. She was buried in Black Cemetery according to the death certificate but a marker has been found for her (it's a new marker, probably placed by a descendant) in Richwoods Cemetery in Corning, Clay Co, Arkansas.
More than likely, Black Cemetery was in Ripley County and is actually where Credie is buried. Likely, her tombstone in Corning is a cenotaph.
So... fact: Credie was a white woman from Sullivan County, TN, who never was in Oklahoma a day in her life. Fact: She had no Native American blood (unless it was really far back). Fact: She likely had African ancestry and that's why her descendants are receiving African in their DNA results, not Native American. Fact: She passed away of pulmonary tuberculosis and died way too young. Fact: She left behind young children, one of them being my great-Grandmother, Lorene (White) Jones.
I'm sure Credie was a fascinating woman.. her mother, Lidie, as well. I wish I could have met both of them. As a genealogist and family historian, all I can do now is follow the paper trail history has left me and the clues found in my DNA.
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