We have now officially tested two direct male descendants of the O'Bomsawin lineage who are residents of Odanak, Quebec, Canada, an historical (ca. 1675 to present) Abenaki Community.
We are now definitely aware that the OBomsawin Y-DNA markers and confirmed Haplogroup is Q-M3 (predicted) and Q1a3a1 (confirmed) through testing at Family Tree DNA.
So, when we witnessed not only Margaret "Marge" (nee: Bruchac) Kennick and her brother Joseph Edward Bruchac III implying and story-telling about their ancestor grandfather Jesse Elmer Bowman and his father Lewis Henry Bowman "being an Abenaki from St. Francis (Odanak)" and that both Bruchac's have directly IMPLIED an inferred relationship by direct male descent to the O'Bomsawin family of Odanak and themselves, I began an investigation in one year ago today, when someone called me and said, "Look at the Bruchac's and Alexander Haley, connect the dots..." and so I did.
1983 -
Magaret M. Bruchcac moved from the mid-west back to the Northeast, to be closer to her family.
[St. Francis - Sokoki Band of Wannabiiak Petition for Federal Recognition]
August 05, 1983
Page 343: Also in 1910, in Highgate, VT a Bouman (Obomsawin) and Brisbois family appear in the records of Missisquoi. 1519. These two families hail from central Vermont and the Lake George community. Their presence
suggests that migration back and forth to that area as well as Odanak was still occurring in 1910. In fact,
oral tradition from the Bowman Joseph Bruchac family and the Maurice Denis Adirondack Abenaki family has confirmed the existence of the Vermont Abenaki community in the 20th century. 1520.
Footnote 1519. See Household # 232 in 1910 Highgate, Vermont Census in Appendix 11.
Footnote 1520. 2282, 8/5/83: 2283, 8/5/83: 1-4.
Page 344: In the Bouman Bowman present family members recall when their grandfather Jesse E. (Elmer) Bowman would “disappear” for awhile to go visit relatives “in Vermont” in this century.
December 14, 1989
The Schenectady Gazette Newspaper, Page 41
By Jim McGuire – Gazette Reporter
Students Enthralled
Abenaki Indian Takes Heritage to Schools
BRAODALBIN –
His
(Joseph Edward Bruchac III) Abenaki ancestors, part of the Indian nation that encompassed most of New England, parts of southeastern Canada and stretched into the northern Adirondacks,
is traceable to 1637 in Three Rivers, Quebec, Canada, where Jesuit missionaries kept careful records in their quest,
Joseph Bruchac says, to account for all available candidates for conversion to Christianity.
His maternal great-grandparents whose family name was originally Obomsawin – which translates into “keeper of the council fire” – moved from Canada to the Saratoga Springs area where they sold baskets to tourists.
Joseph Bruchac said he has taken care to impart his ancestral knowledge and viewpoint to his two sons and they have followed him in developing a keen interest in their heritage.
March 07, 2002 at 13:14:10
Posted on Genforum.com
by: Jack Lynch
In Reply to: Bowman /VanAntwert in upstate NY by ella kemp of 7724
LOUIS BOWMAN, born 1846, lived much of his adult life in Greenfield Center and had several children, two of which stayed in the area, but are now both deceased. He did indeed marry each of the Vanantwert sisters, Alice and then Mary. Do you have any prior information on Louis or the Vanantwerts? Vanantwert, could be Vanantwerp, or some other variation. I believe the Bowman line came from the Warrensburg, NY area and the Vanantwerts from Saratoga County NY.
There presently is a family group [Jack is speaking of Joseph E. Bruchac III, Margaret M. (nee: Bruchac) Kennick and her two nephews James and Jesse Bruchac] from this line that is circulating unfounded genealogical information for their personal economic benefit, so be careful. If you have any earlier information, I would like to hear from you.
Jack
NOTE: Jack Lynch is married to Mary Ann Bruchac, who is a sister to Margaret “Marge” Bruchac – Kennick and Joseph Bruchac.
December 30, 2006
Margaret M. Bruchac's reply to Odanak Chief Gilles O'Bomsawin:
"I have Abenaki ancestry through my mother, Marion Flora Bowman Bruchac (1921 – 1999). Her father, Jesse Elmer Bowman (1887 – 1970), was the son of Lewis H. Bowman (1844 – 1918) (his first name was also spelled as Louis), an Abenaki Indian born in Canada, and Alice van Antwerp (1855 – 1909), an Indian from New York state whose family was apparently mixed-blood, with Abenaki, Mohawk, Mohican, Dutch, and/or other ancestry. Family tradition suggests that “Bowman” could be a variant of the family name OBomsawin. Although some of Lewis Bowman’s Civil War service records and other documents identify him as a “Saint Francis” Indian, we do not know if he was ever listed as a member of the Odanak Band. We do know that he lived in various places from the 1840’s – 1880’s, including Durham and Farnum (also spelled Farnham) in Quebec, St. Albans in Vermont, and also in Troy and Saratoga Springs, before buying farmland in Porters Corners in the town of Greenfield, in New York state.
My mother’s parents, my mother, my siblings, and I were all born in New York State, and we are all American citizens. I identify myself as an American Abenaki Indian with mixed white ancestry. My siblings, my parents, and my grandparents did not ask to be members of the Odanak Band due to our Abenaki ancestry, and I am not asking for member now. There is thus no cause for you to be concerned about the potential of my making any fraudulent claims that might “tarnish your image,” as suggested in your letter. I do not claim to belong to your band. Anyone who says otherwise is mistaken."
March 29, 2007
Ancestry.com Message Board
From: Cjr1974
[Carly (nee: Russell) Barrows]
Subject: Re: Mary and Alice Vanantwerp, Bowman, Saratoga Co. NY
KWAI, KWAI!!
My Bowman family was Abenaki, their Indian surname was Obomsawin, if you visit our Abenaki website Ne-Do-Ba
[Nancy Lecompte] you will find an old Indian Abenaki Census in Canada and also you can see what the Indian surnames were changed to, I have relatives, actually cousins who are Native American Authors whom I will be setting up a get together with as
they have traced our Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather's descendants back to Odanak-TROIS-Rivieres, Canada, proof that my descendants were truly Abenaki. I am now trying to trace my Russell-SENECA and Robbins-Mahegan Indian Ancestors, when I find out where to look in Canada I'll post the info for you. What surnames/lineage are you investigating?
[See June 13, 2012 Reply from Jack Lynch]
April 16, 2007
Ancestry.com ‘Abenaki – Bomwan’ Message Board
From: Patricia A. Bowman
Subject: Bowman - Obomsawin
My name is
EJ, (Earl J. Bowman, Jr.) ej_bowman@roadrunner.com. We are probably related in some way. My wife Patricia sent you information about my Great Grandfather Jack Bowman, son of Lewis Bowman.
I only recently learned about my connection with the Obomsawin's.
I learned this from my cousin Margaret Karides, daugher of Alegra (nee: Bowman) Karides.
I have emailed Joseph Bruchac several times, and have a copy of his book
‘Bowman's Store’.
Do you have any information on a possible Bowman Family reunion?
It would be cool to learn of more family in the area. We now live in Queensbury, south of Lake George.
January 9, 2010 11:11 PM
SOURCE:
www.adirondacknativephotography.comwww.adirondacknative.blo…
Charles Henry Eldridge said...
I come from the Bowman Clan of the Lake George Region. The original name was Obomsawin.
Family changed it and called themselves French to ward off discrimination, according to my cousin Joe Bruchac. I thought I was French till my mid 20's, but always felt a connection.
Olibamkanni!
I quote the above articles in part, because throughout the 1980's and 1990's and even 2000's into present, Mr. Joseph Edward Bruchac III, while a wonderful story teller to children, and to the adults that hear the Bruchac-copyrighted stories of Wabanakiak, there is one story that is not-truthful ... at all.
MY RESPONSE:
The Bruchac's are about self-promotion under the implied disguise that they are Vermont "Abenakis" with Odanak Abenaki ancestral connection(s) to the Obomsawin's to imply legitimization of their created Indian-ist persona's.
I do not state this without factual documentation to prove the merits of my words.
The Bowman's that both Jesse Elmer Bowman (Joe and Marge's grandfather) along with all of his brothers, are genetic Haplogroup R-M269 > R1b - Z2109, which is a VERY EUROPEAN Haplogroup.
Lewis (Haplo: R-M269) Henry Bowman's direct male descendant [Name Redacted] Bowman’s Y-DNA STR Markers:
12-23-15-10-11-17-12-12-13-14-13-30-15-9-10-11-11-24-15-18-28-14-17-17-17-10-11-19-23-15-15
Lewis (Predicted Haplo: R-M269 Cofirmed Haplo: R-Z2109) Henry Bowman's direct male descendant [Name Redacted] Y-DNA SNP Confirmation Testing:
Haplogroup R-M269 (predicted) and Haplo-group R-Z2109 (confirmed) is the dominant linage in all of Western Europe today. It is found in low frequencies in Turkey and the northern Fertile Crescent, while its highest frequencies are in Western Europe.
R1b-Z2109 is NOT the Obomsawin's of Odanak, in Quebec, Canada Haplogroup ...
That the Bruchac's have stated that they themselves descend from the Obomsawin Abenaki Family and had published as-factual, in their numerous books and spoken of in their speaking engagements and school presentations, both around Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York and in Europe, for many years, is wrong.
They've been peddling a lie, a distortion, a leap of faith, and bastardized story about their own Bowman ancestry.
This is just one more brick or tile of the "Abenaki" yellow brick road), and the lies and distortions laid out in front of you readers of this blog ... to the magical land of the Wannabiiak wji Askaskwiwajoak.
Listen to the pathway in which Joseph E. Bruchac and his sister Marge speak of their alleged Abenaki ancestry that they claim and have said comes down through their mythical made-up O'Bomsawin ancestor, Lewis Henry Bowman, down to Jesse Elmer Bowman down to Marion Flora Bowman down to Joseph Bruchac III and his sister Margaret M. Bruchac - Kennick ...
They claim it follows through the direct male lineage of Jesse Elmer Bowman back through to his father Lewis H. Bowman, who the Bruchac's claim was an Obomsawin at "St. Francis" which Joe has repeatedly and pointedly referred and implied is Odanak, the Abenaki Community.
Ok, so lets take Joe Bruchac III at his word. He says he's an honest man. I believe he believes he is.
Then why are Obomsawin's Q-M3 and the Bowman's R1b-Z2109 (?)
Obomsawin Male Tester No. 1
O'Bomsawin's (Predicted: Q-M3 Confirmed Haplo: Q1a3a1) Y-DNA STR Markers:
13-23-13-10-15-17-12-12-12-14-14-31-14-09-09-11-10-27-14-21-30-13-18-19-20-12-11-19-23-15-16
Obomsawin Male Tester No. 2
O'Bomsawin's (Predicted: Q-M3 Confirmed Haplo: Q1a3a1) Y-DNA STR Markers:
13-23-13-10-15-17-12-12-12-14-14-31-14-09-09-11-10-27-14-21-30-13-18-19-20-12-11-19-23-15-16
Totally two different direct male lineages is proven by a simple Y-DNA test.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist or an 8th grader to figure out the genetic results of Bowman and Obomsawin, in comparative to what Joseph Bruchac III has peddled and propped up as fact.
Therefore Bruchac's stories about his alleged Abenaki ancestry, are profitable for him, but not truthful.
What does that say about him? What has he really been perpetuating? That his family members have obviously been swallowing, hook, line, and sinker all these years?
Without so much as a shred of proof (!!)
“If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit.”
[Puts a whole new meaning to the quote, doesn't it?]
"Abenaki" Dope Dealing Story Tellers, who USE the Abenaki, to perpetuate more Bowman = Obomsawin "dope" and more story telling, about how "Abenaki" their ancestors were.
R1b-Z2109
... from Europe.
