Mary Elizabeth Bolling (Kennon) - Penelope Clark cannot be her child.

Disconnected Penelope Clark from not her parents, I’ll try to find the Master Profile for a merge, and will ensure this Bolling family is relation locked to avoid future misunderstandings.

Thank you for calling attention.

There were additional extra children to be disconnected:

Margaret Franklin

Lucy Randolph

The parentage of Penelope Clark, the second wife of Militia Captain and Judge, Christopher Clark has been the subject of debate for the last 100 years. There are three main theories.

1. That she was a Massey ( or Massie ) thus making her related to the Earl of Shrewbury. (who was not a nice guy)
There is no proof of this link other than verbal hearsay with certain family members.

2. That she was a Bolling. Thus related to Pocahontas. This idea popped up around 100 years ago when the First Lady of the USA, Edith BOLLING Wilson, wife of Woodrow Wilson, claimed to be descended from Pocahontas via the Robert Bolling line. So a few people decided to make Penelope the daughter of Colonel Robert Bolling (December 26, 1646 – July 17, 1709) and Jane Rolfe (October 10, 1650 – January 27, 1676). The big problem being that Jane died after having one son named John Bolling. And yes Col Bolling had more children with his second wife, Anne Stith....BUT,, none of this children were named Penelope.

3. That Penelope was a Scotish Johnson. ( then spelled Johnston in some records) This theory holds that she was the daughter of Edward Johnston 1640-1705 and Elizabeth (Walker) Johnston who were married in 1677 at Saint Peters Parish, New Kent VA. Edward and Elizabeth Johnston had... Anthony-1678, Thomas-1680, Elizabeth-1682, Penelope-1684, Rachel-1686, Arthur-? , Michael-?, Rebecca-1698, Benjamin-1701, William-1703.

Edward Johnston is listed in some books as the last son of Dr. Arthur Johnston 1577-1641 ( often wrongly stated as 1587 due to a typo which has been often repeated) and his last wife, Barbara Gordon. This Johnston line descends from the old Kings of Scotland.
Edwards parentage is also subject to debate.
BUT his and Elizabeth's Children are documented.

The Johnston family path has some documentation and circumstantial evidence.

1. Penelope Johnston's birth was actually recorded, unlike the Massie or Bolling ideas.
2. She is listed as marrying Capt Christopher Clark in the Book, JOHNSTON OF CASKIEBEN, CRIMOND AND CAIESMILL by Lorand V. Johnson MD.
3. She is listed as the Wife of Capt Christopher Clark in "The Ancestry of Penelope Johnson, wife of Captain Christopher Clark" :
McConnell, James Thomas
4. The Johnston family ( Johnson ) lived on the adjoining property to Christopher Clark.
5. Cousins of the Johnstons later arrived in Virginia and married some of the Clark children.
6. The first names from Edward Johnston and Elizabeth Johnston's children show back up as names of Christopher and Penelope's children.
7. Alexander Clark, who is a direct male descendant of Capt Christopher and Penelope, has multiple pages of Johnson and Johnston DNA cousins who were born with that name. NONE who were born as Bollings.

I knew about the three theories for Penelope’s parents but didn’t have the details, especially of the Johnson / Johnston claim & the results of DNA testing. Thank you for that information.

I still consider the DNA part as somewhat circumstantial to some degree, since some of Christopher and Penelope's children married Johnsons (Johnstons) who were cousins to the Johnson family who already lived in Virginia.

There is another possible connection regarding the Johnstons and Clarks.
70 years before Penelope was born, The Johnston family were co-founders and board members of the original VIRGINIA COMPANY. They owned some of the ships which were used to populate and supply the UK colonies along the east coast of North America and the British West Indies.
John Clark the Navigator, (AKA John Clark the Pilot, John Clark of Jamestowne, John Clark the Mariner ) worked and sailed for the Virginia Company. His name pops up on various company records and minutes of meetings.
In late June 1611 after having sailed to Virginia on the ship Bona Nova, which belonged to the Johnston family, he was captured by the Spanish while conducting land & channel charting and surveys. 4 or 5 years later ( and the Spanish tortured him) he was exchanged for a Spanish prisoner and went back to sailing for the company. In 1622 the Virginia Company, with the Johnstons voting ,made him a share-holder in the company and granted him land in Virginia. Land which his family inherited since he died or was killed in Virginia around 1623.
Fuzzy family history and lots of speculation has always listed Christopher Clark as being a descendant of John Clark the Navigator. Since the family had existing land in Virginia and Barbados. And funds from the shipping business. It would help explain how Capt Christopher Clark, just appears in Virginia records with lot and lots of land, books and an education. And a connection to people like the wealthy Johnstons and the Meriweather's.