Chief BIO
My name is Charles Delaware Bowman Jr. “Spirit Eagle” of the Kiskiack Tribe of Southeastern Virginia.
Charles, “Spirit Eagle,” is a native Virginian from York County, VA. I come from a small community named Cary’s Chapel. It is very close to a city named Poquoson – a Native American name meaning “Great Marsh Land.” Poquoson was inhabited by the Kecoughtan, Powhatan, Nansemond, and Kiskiack members before the European settlers in the early 17th century. The new Poquoson included the areas of York County, known as Poquoson, Tabb, Grafton, Dare, and Seaford. Around 1628, an English settlement was established at Kecoughtan, Hampton, Virginia.
I attended York County Schools in the Tabb, Virginia area, starting with elementary, intermediate, and Tabb High School, graduating in 1976. I attended Thomas Nelson College from 1976 to 1978.
I joined the U.S. Army and Virginia National Guard from 1980 to 1986. I received a host of achievements, commendations, awards, and medals. My final rank was E-5/Spec 5 of the food Service – 94B.
Mary Hudgins, my mother, and her family are connected to the Hudgins, Slades, Hopson, Comb, Wallace, Elliott, Banks, Anthonys, Russells, Griffin, Kirby, Jubray, Hamilton, Wright’s, and many more surnames. They grew up in Poquoson, Tabb (Elizabeth City), and Hampton. The Kecoughtan, Kiskiack, and Powhatan Native Americans were connected to these families along with the English Settlers.
My Father, Charles D Bowman, and his family are connected to the Bowmans, Browns, Jones, Adkins, Bradby, Miles, Cotman, Barbours, Allens, Wallace, Gibson, Redcross, Scott, Morris, and many more surnames.
My great-grandparents were Edward Franklin Bowman (Cherokee) and Mary Susie Adkins (Chickahominy).
My fourth great-grandparents were John Adkins and Elizabeth Bradby.
I share my Native bloodlines with the Chickahominy, Pamunkey, and Kiskiack natives, who merged with the Chickahominy, Pamunkey, and other surrounding Tribes after they left the Powhatan Confederation. My bloodlines come from the Powhatan Confederation, also on both my mother’s and Father’s sides.
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