from http://www.paulridenour.com/bowles.htm

The 83 year-old Cherokee Chief Bowles (Chief Duwali or Bold Hunter) and about 800 Indians (around 600 being women, children, and the elderly) from various tribes including many Cherokees were killed in the Battle of the Neches on July 15-16, 1839, less than one month after Major Ridge, Elias Boudinot, and John Ridge were murdered.

Unlike Texas' first President Sam Houston, Mirabeau B. Lamar, the second president of the Republic of Texas, wanted the Indians out of East Texas and the result was a massacre near the Neches River. The historical marker erected in 1936 is 13.5 miles west of Tyler, Texas, off SH 64. Turn right on Van Zandt County Road VZ 4923 and follow the signs for 2.4 miles. Turn right just before the Tyler Fish Farm. If you are driving from Canton, Texas, it is about 21 miles east of Canton and 3 miles north of Redland, Texas.

Although President Mirabeau B. Lamar was responsible for the massacre, in 1856, Cherokee Chief Major Ridge's daughter Sarah Ridge was married to her second husband Charles Pix in the home of then Texas Governor Mirabeau B. Lamar.

-------------------- Notes for JOHN BOWLES, SR, CHIEF:

Starr, A33, pg 472: John Bowles was the son of a Scotch trader and a full blood Cherokee woman. His father was killed and robbed by two North Carolinans while on his way home from Charlestown with goods for his establishment. This murder was in 1768 when the son was only twelve years of age, but within the next two years the fair complexioned, auburn haired boy had killed both his father's slayers.

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The Texas Cherokees, p10-11; "In January [1810] Duwali, also known as Bowl and Bold Hunter, chief of the Town of Little Hiwassee (on the Hiwassee river, now western NC) and another headman named Saulowee (Tsu-lawi or Fox) jointly conducted a group of seventy five from their villages... Duwali's and Takatoka's people settled along the White and St Francis rivers in present day northeast Arkansas.

The Texas Cherokees, p99; "Bob Smith, with a pistol in his hand, ran toward him from further down the line... I called 'Captain, don't shoot him' but he fired, striking Bowles in the head and killing him instantly."

(John Hunter Reagan, eyewitness to Duwali's death, 7/16/1839)

The Texas Cherokees, p127; "Born about 1756 of a Scotish father and full blood Cherokee mother...

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Myths of the Cherokee, p146; Christmas day 1839, in a fight on Cherokee Creek, San Saba Co, ...captured were the wife & family of The Bowl.

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When Diwali saw that his people were going to be overun, he rode to the rear of his small army of warriors and there he waited for the advancing Texans.The 83-year old chief rode with sword and hat given him by his friend Sam Houston. (The sword is now in the Masonic Lodge in Tahlequah Oklahoma.) The old Chief was shot and knocked off his horse, and he rolled over to a sitting position. While he sat on the ground singing his war song, a Captain Smith rode up, stepped off his horse, and shot the old warrior in the head with a pistol. The Texans would not allow his body to be removed. The bones of the old Chief remained exposed and on the ground until the late 1800's.

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On the "Houston" Treaty of Feb 23, 1836

Chief Bowles places his X mark with the name of Colonel Bowl

his son, John, places his X mark with the name of John Bowl

More About JOHN BOWLES, SR, CHIEF:

Aka (Facts Pg): Duwa'li, John Bowles, The Bowl, Bold Hunter, Chief Bowles/Boles/ Bowl, Colonel Bowles

Blood: 1/2 Cherokee, 1/2 Scotish

Cause of Death: shot in the head by Cap Bob Smith

Chief 1: Bet. 1810 - 1813, Principal Chief, CN-Arkansas

Chief 2: Bet. 1827 - 1832, Principal Chief, CN-Texas

Emigration 1: January 1810, from North Carolina to Arkansas

Emigration 2: 1824, from Arkansas into Texas, across the Red river

Signer 1: 1791, Treaty of Holston

Signer 2: February 23, 1836, Houston Treaty (never ratified)

Starr's Notes: B669

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   * Ulutsa, married Chief John Bowles Sr.[Duwa'li, The Bowl, Bold Hunter, Colonel Bowles], son of a Scottish trader and a Cherokee woman, signed the treaty of Holston in 1791, died 16th July 1839 in Texas, and had issue.

         o Lightningbug Bowles

         o Dununesgi Bowles

         o Standing-Man Bowles

         o Quatini Bowles

         o Tsagina Bowles

http://uqconnect.net/~zzhsoszy/states/america/cherokee.html -------------------- The 83 year-old Cherokee Chief Bowles (Chief Duwali or Bold Hunter) and about 800 Indians (around 600 being women, children, and the elderly) from various tribes including many Cherokees were killed in the Battle of the Neches on July 15-16, 1839, less than one month after Major Ridge, Elias Boudinot, and John Ridge were murdered.

Unlike Texas' first President Sam Houston, Mirabeau B. Lamar, the second president of the Republic of Texas, wanted the Indians out of East Texas and the result was a massacre near the Neches River. The historical marker erected in 1936 is 13.5 miles west of Tyler, Texas, off SH 64. Turn right on Van Zandt County Road VZ 4923 and follow the signs for 2.4 miles. Turn right just before the Tyler Fish Farm. If you are driving from Canton, Texas, it is about 21 miles east of Canton and 3 miles north of Redland, Texas.

Although President Mirabeau B. Lamar was responsible for the massacre, in 1856, Cherokee Chief Major Ridge's daughter Sarah Ridge was married to her second husband Charles Pix in the home of then Texas Governor Mirabeau B. Lamar.

The links above and the historical marker mention that after this massacre, there was no more trouble with Cherokees in Texas. However, that is not true.