Barbara Naumoff—Smith—Bowen—Rohde

There is some confusion with the Barbara Naumoffs. One Barbara Naumoff is my great grandmother and the other is a sister of Peter Naumoff. There were also two Barbara Bowens, my great grandmother Barbara Naumoff Bowen and her daughter, my great aunt, Barbara Bowen Wick.

Two women and a boy, the woman on the left has her right hand on the shoulder of the boy, both women are in dresses — Barbara Naumoff on the left. The woman on the right is either Ella Kandakof, her mother, or a Naumoff aunt. I believe the boy is Julian Smith, son of Barbara Naumoff and her first husband.

Barbara Naumoff-Smith-Bowen-Rohde, on the right, sitting, with her daughter Ann Smith — Barbara Naumoff—Smith—Bowen—Rohde, and Ann Smith, her daughter.

Barbara was born to Petr Ivanov Naumov and Ella Kandakof, 17 December 1854 in Sitka, Alaska. Barbara died in Seldovia, Alaska, as Rohde, from her third husband, on 24 December 1918.

Barbara was first married to William C. Smith in Kodiak, Alaska, 17 June 1872. They were married in the Russian Orthodox Church in Kodiak. They had two children, Julian Smith, born 10 August 1872, and Ann Smith, born 7 December 1874, both in Kodiak. William Smith died in 1885. The children moved to California with the Smith grandparents but I don’t know what ages they were when they moved.

Barbara then married Captain Henry Richard Bowen from Boston, Massachusetts.

Cousin Bill Olssen said that Julian was a lawyer and Ann was a school teacher.

Children of Henry R. Bowen and Barbara Naumoff are:

Rufas Henry, born 22 October 1879, Kodiak. Died 5 September 1954, Seldovia.
Florence, born 1 April 1883, Kodiak. Died 24 March 1946 in Seattle, Washington.
Lydia, born 1 June 1885, died 9 January 1887.
Elizabeth (Lizzy), born 27 October 1886, Kodiak. Died 25 July 1923, Anchorage.
Harriett Susanna, born 24 September 1887, Kodiak. Died 25 July 1923, Seward. Buried in Seldovia, Alaska. Died of chronic nephritis.
Frederick, born 3 October 1891, Kodiak. Drowned off the Seldovia dock in 1948.
Barbara, born 31 March 1893, Kodiak. Died 15 December 1948, Seattle, Washington. She had breast cancer.
David. Not much is known about him, only that he was an archeologist and was buried in Illiamna Lake, Alaska and that his family came to Illiamna Lake, dug up his remains and took them to Los Angeles for burial.
Ollie, mentioned in the book, From Humboldt to Kodiak.

Barbara lived in Kodiak where her husband worked for the Alaska Commercial Company. Her children went to school in Kodiak and were taught by Ida and Ernest Roscoe of Humboldt County, California. The Bowen family moved to Wood Island after Bowen changed from the Alaska Commercial Company to the North American Commercial Company in Wood Island. The Roscoes taught at the Baptist Mission school starting in 1893 where all the Bowen children went.

Barbara was living on Wood Island at the time of her husband’s drowning on 11 December 1895. The census in 1900 listed her as the head of household.

Wood Island

Four women and a man standing together before a small lake; fir trees on the other side of the lake — On Woody Island with sister Deloris Peterson, son Jim and his wife Kim and daughter Lesa and Mae Sharp where grandparents lived.

Wood Island, also called Woody Island, is about one and a half miles east of Kodiak Island. It is two and one fourth miles long and one and one fourth miles wide. The island is covered with dense forest. Mr. Tebenkov remarks in a book that the island appears attractive, but its soil is unsuitable for cultivation; however, some of the Aleuts living there have vegetable gardens.

From the History of the Russian American Co., translated by Richard A. Pierce and Alton S. Donnelly:

There are several lakes on this island; from one of them they got up to 5,000 tons of ice which was exported to California.
A native settlement inhabited by 190 people lies on the west side of the island.
The North American Commercial Company was also located on Woody Island.

The Bowen house was up from the Baptist church and Mission school. Bill heard his mother Florence say that the house was huge and that they had dances in it.

Many people standing on the deck of a boat — Refugees from Kodiak on board the Revenue Cutter Manning; men wearing hats, women wearing scarves.

When Mount Katmai blew in 1912, ash was all over the Kodiak area, so the rest of the family left Kodiak on the Cutter Manning and moved to Seldovia, Alaska, where some of the family were living. Elizabeth’s (Lizzy) husband James Ward was running a mail boat “The Swan” from Seldovia to other small towns around Cook Inlet, they also transported freight to the villages. Their son, Jesse Ward, was born in Seldovia 11 March 1910. My grandmother Harriett (Hattie) and three of her children were on the 1910 Seldovia census so were living there at that time. Florence Olssen gave birth to her son Richard on the Cutter Manning on the way to Seldovia.

Letter from Laura M. Olsen

This letter was written on 23 September 1993 by Laura Olsen, who is the great grandmother of Petrina Jensen (who married Andy Peterson, Deloris’s son, my nephew). Laura was related on the Naumoff side. Our Peter Naumoff’s father was also named Peter, and Laura was related to the brother of Egor-Gregorii Naumoff.

Three women and two children standing beside a house — Mae, Deloris, Laura Olsen, and great grandchildren.

Dear Mae,
I got your letter in August and the records that you picked from Ninilchick about the family tree. Thanks a whole bunch. It was lucky you got so many names of descendants of Peter Naumoff, children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. Lawrence and Richard spell their name “Olssen.” If you find any records of my grandpa Paul, who was born at sea on a trading boat with his folks, Tatiana. His mother was Russian and they lived in Sitka, Alaska. During that time my Uncle Peter Naumoff told me. He was my mother’s brother (Olga). My grandpa Paul was taken when he was 13 years old to work in the Orthodox Russian Church. He quit in 1912 and started working mining and fishing. He died in Karluck, Alaska, and was buried at Chief Point in Alaska. My grandma Evdovkiia and mother Olga were born in Afognak Island. These people who took grandpa Paul to Woody Island were your side of the family. When I was a little girl, my mother took me away from Ouzinkic. We stayed with the Pastrekoffs then; it was Easter time. My mother went to visit a lady in Kodiak—Florence [Bowen]. She lived at Potatoe Patch Beach.

The boat named 76 was lost at sea with all hands. Andy Peterson’s grandpa was lost. My father did not go because the ship had been cursed; that’s what I heard it told.

Kodiak Baptist Mission

Classroom and dormitory buildings — Old Baptist Mission - Woody Island - Kodiak Alaska

Kodiak Baptist Mission, formerly known as the Kodiak Baptist Orphanage, is the oldest child care facility in continuous service in Alaska. It was founded in 1893 on Woody Island and moved to its present location in 1938 when fire destroyed the buildings on Woody. The Mission, sponsored by the American Baptist Churches, USA, is a children’s home staffed by twelve people who have Christian love and concern for the youth in their care.

Children arrive at KBM from all parts of Alaska through the Division of Social Services. They range in age from six to eighteen.

People standing on a beach before a dory holding large salmon by their gills — Family on Fish Beach. Hoen, Jack Wormonson, Grandmother Johnson, Aunt Elsie, Grandpa Johnson, Mrs. Shortley, Hattie (mom).

Barbara and Bill Rohde

It was said that Bill Rohde and Barbara were on a boat together and drinking when the captain of the ship married them. When Barbara sobered up she was quite upset and wouldn’t live with him in Seldovia. Bill built her a house on the boardwalk, next to the Morris store and he built himself one across from where her house was.

Barbara felt bad about marrying Bill Rhodes the way she did. So they went to Kodiak later and re-married. Bill had adopted some of the children of the Baptist Mission orphanage in Wood Island. One was Annie McCrea, who was two years old, who married my Great Uncle Fred Bowen in 1 January 1920.

On the 1910 Census of Seldovia and Kenai:

William Rohde, born 24 March 1859.
Wife—Paraskovia, born August 1863—of native mixed descent.
John—adopted son, born 1892—Mixed.
Nickolas—adopted son, born December 1895—Mixed.

Anna (Annie) McCrae, born 1 January 1901, is not listed in the Rohde household, although Bill and Paraskovia adopted her at age 2.

By this time Barbara’s children, Rufas, Florence, Barbara, Fred, Harriett (Hattie), and Elizabeth were all living in Seldovia. It was said that whenever the ships would come in to Seldovia, she would drink until the ship left. She would lock herself in her room and wouldn’t come out until they were gone. After the ships left she would come out all dressed up and visit her family. The family said that she would put a towel over her head and pray every day in the corner of the kitchen.

Four houses along the boardwalk in Seldovia, mud under the boardwalk, fir trees behind them. A small child stands on the porch at the near end of the first house. — Barbara Naumoff Bowen Rohde’s house, then Fred Bowen’s.

Some of the winters must have been spent in San Francisco. That was where the Headquarters of the Commercial Company was. Captain Henry R. Bowen worked for the Commercial Company. Bill Olssen said that Rufas Bowen went to school in San Francisco part of the time.

Our great grandmother Barbara Bowen made trips to Afognak, Kenai, Illiamna Lake, Snug Harbor, and many small towns throughout Alaska. Some of the places she had friends and some family. The Blodgetts were good friends of Barbara and Henry. They came from Boston, Massachusetts, and were one of the Company’s mainstay. Henry must have known the Blodgetts in Massachusetts. It was said that Minnie Blodgett and Barbara were the only true Russians in Kodiak, but I think that because my great grandmother had native blood she wouldn’t admit it. They owned a saltery in the Kodiak area.

Barbara showed Mrs. Roscoe how to make fish pies the Russians called pirock.

Three women standing before a log house — Harriett Bowen Johnson, Barbara Naumoff Bowen, Ann Bowen (sister of Barbara) in Seldovia.

Notes on the Naumovs

From the Russian Orthodox Church I found the following.

Peter Naumoff was born in 1815 (Russia); he married Aleksandra (Alexandra) Mikhailova in 1835, and died 18 June 1866. Col. Petre Naumov, the Russian spelling.

Children of Peter and Aleksandra were:

Peter Naumoff, born 1835, baptised 21 May 1836 in Kodiak—I believe this is our Peter, Barbara’s father (1835-1890).
Tatiana Naumoff, born 4 May 1842, baptised 16 May 1843.
Ioann Naumoff (John), born 09 November 1843.
Ekaterina Naumoff, born 3 December 1845, spouse Kiriik Grigorev (2 November 1845).
Mikhail Naumoff, born 18 July 1849 (6 July 1852).
Paul Naumoff (Pavel), born 29 July 1850 (adopted) (17 July 1850), drowns 7 January 1905.
Vladimir Naumoff, born 28 July 1855 (16 July 1855).
Barbara Naumoff, born 15 December 1857, died 24 December 1918 —mistaken for our Barbara Naumoff, but is Barbara’s paternal aunt (1857-1918).
Nikolai Naumoff, born 21 March 1864 (9 March 1864).
Feodora Naumov, born 2 August 1847.
Marfa Naumov, born 4 July 1850.
Alexei Naumov, born 12 January 1855.

Baptismal dates are in parentheses.

The brother of Peter Naumoff (1835) was Gregorii Naumoff. Relative of Petrina Peterson, wife of Andrew. Told to me by Petrina’s grandmother. Gregorii married a Mcgnatten.

Peter Naumoff was married to Ella Kandakoff, who was born in Sitka, Alaska (according to the death records of her daughter).

Children of Peter and Ella:

Barbara, born 17 December 1854. We know positively that this Barbara Naumoff is my great grandmother on my mother’s side.
Daughter (there is a second daughter born to Ella and Peter) Bill Olssen thinks her name is Ann (although Ann might also be Barbara’s daughter).

I have a picture of Barbara Naumoff Bowen with an older native women that looks like Barbara and I believe that it is Ella Kandakoff, her mother.

On death records of daughter Barbara has a 71 marked above Ella’s name.

Notes on the Naumovs:

Paul (Pavel) was born on a sailing vessel on the way from China to America. He was second priest of Afognak and also taught school. He was 100% Russian.
Mrs. Olsen said that he was brought to our Naumoff family to be raised.
Peter Naumov panned for gold.

Kandakoff—Kondakoff—Kondakov

The following information on the Kandakoff name was found in the Genealogy room on the third floor of the Anchorage library in the following books:

A History of the R.A.Co. Vol II, by A.S. Donnelly.
Russian America by Pierce.
Baronov by Khlebnikov.
Documents on the History of the R.A.Co. (Russian American Company).

Kondakov, Mikhailo died 1818 in Kenai Bay. Mikhailo was Baronoff’s aide (secretary) (History of the R.A.Co. Vol II). In 1816 he was Chief of the Artel (baidarshchik) at Nikoloevskii Fort (near Kenai).

In 1798 Mikhailo and Dem’ianenkov led a hunting party of Aleuts as far as Sitka. 11 March 1894 Mikhailo and Petrov led an expedition to Yakutat.

1800, Baronov ordered Mikhailo to take a census of natives at Kodiak.

Chatham Strait, near Sitka, was called Kondakov Straits.

Kondakov, Gerassin, creole, was sent to St. Petersburg on the Neva in 1805, He was trained as a navigator and came back to Alaska. He died in 1820.

In the book The Purchase of Alaska—The Transfer tells how the residents of Sitka were allowed to keep the homes they were living in as their own private property. Natalia (Kondakov) Kashevaroff was listed as one who was furnished with a certificate stating so. Not sure whether the list was complete; she appeared to be the only Kashevaroff listed as receiving such a certificate. Her property was described on the inventory description list as dwelling with two out buildings. She was a widow as her husband Gavil Kashevaroff had died the previous year in 1866. It also appears that during the transfer of Alaska from Russian to U.S. territory is when the spelling of the Kashevarof name began to change, changing from Kashevarof to Kashevaroff and later dropping the last “f.”

Wife notes: Natalia Kondakov — Residence: According to 1870 and 1881 Alaska Census. The 1870 Census stated she was supposed to be supported by her children.