Anyone who delves into the early records of Anson County, NC will undoubtedly come across the surname of Boggan. If they do not, they're not in Anson County.
The Boggans were early arrivals to this land West of the Pee Dee, South of the Rocky and North of the South Carolina line. Most of the information I can find on them, the earliest of them, comes from the book, "The Boggan Family: Patrick, Benjamin, James and their sister, Jane, including pertinent facts of Anson County, North Carolina History". And if that title isn't intimidating enought, the author's name is a haughty 'Frances Henrietta Bingham Krechel', who compiled her information in the ancient year of 1909.
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| Old House in Castlefin, Donegal, Ireland |
From years of reading many such memoirs and family histories put together by these children and grandchildren of the "Old South", I've learned that they liked to fluff things up, and make pretty. These grand old ancestors of theirs, (and ours), were more than just people, they were legends. They were daring knights on this side of the Altantic, ladies of grace and refinement, gods and goddess living upon Mt Olympus, or rather, Morrow Mountain, bathed in light, or illusions of grandeur.
In truth, some of these dudes were all out thugs, drunkards, and jerks, and not all of the 'ladies' were as pure as the driven snow, or as refined as we were led to believe. What they were, in fact, were regular human beings, some wealthier than others, some kinder than others, and some braver than others.
What is without embellishment is that a man named Walter Boggan and his family immigrated from Ireland to Charleston, South Carolina, via Barbados, in the early 1700's. It is said the family hailed from CastleFin in Donegal, Ireland.
His wife Lydia was said to have been from the O'Rorie More family. Associated families to the Boggans were Bennett, Cash, Hammond, Little, Pickett, Stokes, May, Myers and Paschal.
Col. Thomas Wade married Jane Boggan, sister of Patrick, Benjamin and James Boggan. He was a prominent charactor, not only in the history of Anson County, but in the whole of North Carolina. Hailed as a Merchant, a Statesman and Planter, he was a commander of the Anson County Militia during the Revolutionary War and served as a Senator from Anson in the North Carolina Provencial Congress. His home, Mount Pleasant, became the first Courthouse of Anson County. A stone called the "Indian Execution Rock" marks not only the location of Mount Pleasant, but also the final resting place of Thomas Wade. The name of the rock was due to the legend that it was used by the Catawba to execute their enemies. Tales of the rock oozing blood could come from a vein of iron running through the rock.
The county seat and courthouse was later moved to the property of Patrick Boggan, and called Wadesboro for Col. Thomas Wade. Truly, the families can be referred to as Founders.
Col. Wade had a daughter (or a granddaughter depending on which 'history' you are looking at, Judith Wade or Judith Leak Wade, who married a Dr. John Coleman. They married in Anson County and relocated to Butler County, Alabama. Dr. Coleman was the son of a James Coleman, born in Anson County, who would move to Craven County, NC, then on to Barnwell County, South Carolina, making several stops back in Anson and finally on to Butler County, Alabama, where he would expire. James was the son of a William Coleman and is mentioned in his father's will in Anson County in 1750. I tag this fact as something that may come into play later.
Patrick Boggan, the most dominant brother in the family, was also a Revolutionary War hero and reputedly a stout and feisty character, married a Miss Dobbs (or Dabbs, variances noted) and became the father of 2 sons and 7 daughters. His daughter, Jane, married Pleasant May and his daughter, Mary, married John May. The Mays originated with Peter May, a South Carolina Planter who lived just across the county, and state, line.
The names of both John and Pleasant May come into play in the land records of the early Anson County Falkners, but it was Pleasant May, who in 1815, sued and won against the early John Falkner, who was indebited to him and Pleasant May took nearly all of John's property.
Book R Page 20, Anson County, NC Deeds
Jan 19, 1815, William Hammond, Sheriff of Anson County to Maj. Pleasant May of Anson, sold 150 acres, beginnning at Benjamin Buchanons line, sold Oct 5, 1804 by John Jennings, the late sheriff, due to a suit by Pleasant May against John Faulkner, execution to John Jennings to serve on John Falkner, land sold because no goods or chattels to be found. Signed W. Hammond, Sheriff. Witnesses: Boggan Cash and Martin Picket.
Both Boggan Cash and Martin Pickett were grandsons of Patrick Boggan as his daughter Fanny (Frances) married James Cash and Peggy (Margaret) married Ingoe Dozier Cash, (parents of Boggan) and daughter Flora married Joseph Pickett while her sister, Lydia, married Moses Pickett (parents of Martin).
You'll notice a lot of double cousins in these old records as sibling groups would marry other sibling groups. Intermarriage and cousin marriages within these old money Planter families were common, as they liked to keep the money in the family and didn't want relations marrying anyone poor. This created a host of inbreeding issues, as one could imagine, and if any branch of the family kept their wealth, while another lost it, suddenly they would become 'another' branch of Smiths, Jones or Boggans, even though their family tree stemmed from the same trunk. This is what I believed happened in the Faulkner family tree.
Of note, the property bordered that of Benjamin Buchanon, another family name to look into. In other deeds, the property of Asa Falkner was said to border that of Buchanon, Chiles, Teal, Wisdom and John Falkner. I know that the Wisdom referred to a Francis Wisdom and I believe the Chiles referred to a Thomas Chiles or Childs. Pleasant May also owned property that had bordered these same names. In 1803, nine years before my John Falkner was born, an Elijah Falkner had sold property to Francis Wisdom that bordered Pleasant May, John Falkner, Buchanon, Wisdom and Chiles.
Several of the early Anson County Boggans immigrated to Simpson County, Mississippi, including Jesse Boggan, a brother of Abner Boggan of whom I will be getting to shortly.
Simpson County, Mississippi rings several bells as it is the county several of my Webster and Preslar family had migrated to from Anson County. A look at early Simpson County historical records reveals that among the earliest landowners or settlers in that area were Mays, Boggans, Drummonds, Walkers and other Anson County names.
A James Boggan was an early settler along Silver Creek in Simpson County. At the moment, I am not sure if this James was the brother or father or other relation of Abner Boggan. I'm leaning brother. Neighbors included Wilson and Willis Huckaby or Huckabee. This fact has nothing to do with this post, but I find it of interest, as they are the same Huckabees that had migrated from Frankin and Edgecomb (counties East) in North Carolina, along with the Flowers, my Solomon ancestors and several other families, to the Montgomery/Stanly County area of North Carolina, then onward still into Warren and surrounding counties of Tennesee and then on to Simpson County, Mississippi.
The excerpt below come from "Bee Kings History of Simpson County".
The stories have many mention of James Boggan and his family, but also a fascinating first person view of life during the days when Mississippi was a frontier and folks would find Native Americans in their front yard and have babies carried off by eagles. There's also many accounts of plantation life on the Mississippi Plantation of James Boggan, father of Abner, who remained in Anson County. Click on the above link for more of these funny, absorbing and fascinating windows into history.
ALVIN FINNEY and JAMES BOGGAN
Alvin Finney and his wife Jane settled near the Rials Creek Mill about the year 1826. Finney was a blacksmith
and also repaired guns and clocks. He brought two very fine horses with him when he came to the county and
always kept them in find condition. He did very little farming, but kept a number of hogs and a few cattle. His
house was made of logs and had only a dirt floor, dirt chimney in the one room. He built a small barn with sheds
for the horses and built a smokehouse, which was really the best house on the place. It was built of split logs and
the cracks were daubed with mud. He said that he built it strong to keep out the wolves, although he kept two
large fierce dogs.
Most of the work that he did at his shop was paid for in furs and farm products, as there was very little money in
the country, but it was soon noticed that he always had money and that often the coins appeared to be new. It
was also noticed that he was often visited by men who lived a distance away. This soon led to the supposition
among some of his neighbors that he was making counterfeit money, but there was no proof of that.
People of the neighborhood who visited him found that he lived well and always had an abundance of dried ham
and sausage, and that smoke was always coming from his smokehouse.
At that time, JAMES BOGGAN, who lived a few miles south of the mill, was the largest slaveholder in the
county and owned more than thirty slaves. One morning in the fall of the year 1828, BOGGAN found that one
of his best slaves was missing. He was a young slave named Dave, whom he had bought that spring. He started
a search at once. Bloodhounds were put on the supposed trail, and he employed several men to assist him in
recovering the slave; but after riding more than a week, they were never able to get any trace of him. BOGGAN
had offered a reward for Dave and a number of young men made an effort to find him. Some went as far as
Vicksburg and others to Natchez; but all returned as they went. BOGGAN was sure that Dave had not run away,
and was confident that he was stolen. Several people, as it afterwards turned out, were unjustly suspicioned with
helping to steal him, though BOGGAN kept all that to himself; and afterwards said that those he suspicioned
never knew any thing about it.
For several days before Christmas of the year 1828, Finney had been very busy at his shop and a large number
of strangers had been at Finney's place during the week. But it attracted the attention of one of Finney's
neighbors so much that he decided the day before Christmas to go over to Finney's house that night after supper
and ask Finney if he was in any trouble. He had almost reached Finney's house when he saw two men ride up to
the front gate and call him, and when he came to the door they both shot him and rode rapidly away.
He heard nothing they said, but heard Finney's wife screaming. He ran at once to the mill for help and several
went immediately to Finney's house but when they got there he was dead. His wife had become very calm, and
when they arrived she said she was going to Westville for a doctor. They tried to persuade her not to go but she
said she was going anyhow and preferred going by herself. Just as she left she called to Mr. Rials and said, "You
had better open that smokehouse before it burns down. He went at once to the smokehouse and broke the door
open with an axe. When he did he saw that the wall on one side was burning and that Dave, the slave, was
chained to the burning logs.
They sent for an officer and JAMES BOGGAN. An inquest was held, and in the shop were found some new
coins just made. In the house they found a letter from a man giving his name as Williams, which said that he
would call for a slave by January the First. The postmark was Canton. The men who killed Finney were never
apprehended, and his wife was never seen after she left that night. Nobody knew where they came from or
where she went. Long ago it was written, “The wages of sin is death.”
COUNTY ESTABLISHED
Simpson County was established in 1824, and In 1825 an act of the legislature was approved designating Daniel
McCaskill, James B. Scatterfield, William Herring, JAMES BOGGAN ( James B. Jr. would have been age 62
and Jessie James Sr. would have been 48 years old.) Jacob Carr, and Peter Stubbs as a committee to locate a
permanent county seat within three miles of the center of the county
Note: In the family history we have listed a Joseph Boggan son (eighth child) of James Boggan., brother to
Patrick; father Sir Walter Boggan. Also Jame's third child John had a son called Joseph. The first Joseph was
born June 27, 1772 and the second was born February 23, 1794.
Abner
Abner Boggan was born May 11, 1788 in Anson County, North Carolina. He was the son of James Boggan Sr. mentioned above, and his wife, Jennie Wade. His father and his Uncles, Patrick Boggan, Benjamin Boggan and Col. Thomas Wade, who married the sister, Jane, of James, Patrick and Benjamin, were all Revolutionary War Patriots, historically remembered as men of much valor and reknown. His mother, Jennie, was the daughter of William Wade and Mary Walker Wade, of Birminghamshire, England and sister of Col. Thomas Wade, so Thomas Wade was his double uncle. His name was a weight to carry.
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| The Yeoman Farmer, Berkley.edu |
Digging through anything I could find on Abner Boggan, I get this image of him as being a just and easy going, kind-hearted old farmer, no illusions of grandeur or greatness. The third from the youngest in an extremely large family, like one of the younger sons, (The Lost Boys), of the massive Duggar family, he kind of got lost in the hullabaloo.
| Name: | Abner Boggan |
|---|---|
| Residence Date: | 6 Aug 1810 |
| Residence Place: | Anson, North Carolina, USA |
| Free White Male 16 to 25: | 1 |
| Free White Female 16 to 25: | 1 |
| Free White Female over 45: | 1 |
| Number of Household Members Over 25: | 1 |
| Number of Household Members: | 3 |
Abner first appears in the 1810 census of Anson County, NC. He's a young man between the ages of 16 and 25, with a female in the same age group, most likely his wife, Martha and an older lady, over 45, probably his mother-in- law.
215. Boggan, Abner Shelton, Patsy 1814
This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by
Marceline Beem <marceline@mindspring.com>
Anson County, NC
County Index to the North Carolina Marriages Database.In the Marriage archives of Anson County, Abner is seen as marrying Patsy Shelton, (Patsy being a common nickname for Martha), in 1814, however, he was married to her far before that date.
Martha was the daughter of Beverly Shelton and his wife, Anne B. Coleman, who had migrated to Anson County from Pittsylvania County, Virginia.
In the 1790 census of Anson County, Beverly Shelton is listed as the lone male in a house full of women.
| Name: | Beverly Shelton |
|---|---|
| Home in 1790 (City, County, State): | Anson, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Females: | 6 |
| Number of Household Members: | 7 |
The Shelton family tree is a little porous as they like to repeat family names over and over. It's not my intention to research the Sheltons, however, what I do know is that the following deed is the first mention I find of Abner Boggan and his wife, Martha "Patsy" Shelton.
Anson County deeds, Book PQ Page255 and Book Z, page 470 Shelton Heirs to Isham Davis
"This Indenture made the ___ day of February in the Year of our Lord 1814. Between Alexander Beachim (Beachum) and his wifeElizabeth William Gaddy and his wife Lucy Abner Boggan and his wife Patsy Daniel Preslar and his wife Sally of the County of Anson all of one part and Isham Davis of the County of Anson and state of North Carolina...Heirs of Beverly Shelton."
Skipping the legalese, for $120, the heirs of Beverly Shelton, these four men and their wives, Elizabeth, Patsy, Lucy and Sally, all nee Shelton, sold a tract of land left to them by Beverly The property was located "on the west side of the Lick Branch of Brown Creek". One tract of 100 acreas had been granted to Charles Benton on Sept. 23, 1788 and was north of Brown Creek adjoining Edward 'Tatons' line, the other was a 100 acre tract granted to Fereby ? (maybe Paden) on December 8, 1794, "making the whole 200 acres except the undivided" (unknown word that looks like 'Frosty') "or shares of Heath and Morgan".
The deed was sealed and delivered in the presence of Jacob Phillips, John Phillips, Benjamin Saint and Thomas Saint.
| Name: | Abner Boggan |
|---|---|
| Home in 1820 (City, County, State): | White, Anson, North Carolina |
| Enumeration Date: | August 7, 1820 |
| Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: | 1 John |
| Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44: | 1 Abner |
| Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: | 1 Martha Jr. |
| Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: | 1 Martha Sr. |
| Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture: | 2 |
| Free White Persons - Under 16: | 2 |
| Free White Persons - Over 25: | 2 |
| Total Free White Persons: | 4 |
| Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other: | 4 |
In 1820, Abner is counted as being between 26 and 44 and Martha the same. There is one male in the home under 10 and one female, between 10 and 15. They were known to have at least two children, Martha (1795-1875 ) who married William D. Horne and John Boggan (1818 - aft 1880 ) , who married Roxanna/Rosanna Webb and later in life, a Martha Coble.
In the 1820 census, every free head of household was listed in alphabetical order, of sorts, by township, and Abner was in Whites Township (White Store maybe?). In 1810, among his near neighbors were Isham Saint, my ancestor Elias Preslar, Joshua Preslar and Benjamin May.
In 1824, a list of delinquent taxpayers from Anson County was printed in The Fayetteville Observer, out of Cumberland County. Abner Boggan was on the among a large number of Anson citiizens, with property on Lanes Creek.
He had 200 acres subject to Sheriff's Sale. Abner had hit upon hard times.
1830 is when things start to get a little interesting.
| Name: | Abner Beggan |
|---|---|
| Home in 1830 (City, County, State): | Anson, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: | 1 unknown |
| Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: | 1 John |
| Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49: | 1 Abner |
| Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14: | 2 two unknown girls |
| Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49: | 1 Martha |
| Free White Persons - Under 20: | 4 |
| Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: | 2 |
| Total Free White Persons: | 6 |
| Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): | 6 |
Abner and Martha were now in their 40's and their household had grown from 4 to 6 people. Abner never owned a slave. There was a male 15 to 19, who would've been his son, John. There was an unknown male 10 to 14 years old and two females 10 to 14. Who were they? At that age, they should have appeared in the 1820 census. Was Abner taking in bound out orphans or taking in nieces and nephews? I have no answers. I'm still pouring through what meager remaining records there are for Anson County Court proceedings in an attempt to find some.
Elias Preslar was still a neighbor of his. Others were Amos Yarbrough and Adam Long, several Hiatts and Asa Falkner.
1830 is also the year Nancy Webster shows up as a single mother in Anson County, NC. She is an ancestor of mine. Nancy had a number of children by Erasmus Preslar, son of Elias Preslar Sr. who predeceased his father and Nancy and her son, Calvin, are mentioned in Elias's will. Nancy is sandwiched between Daniel Preslar and Stephen Preslar in 1830. By 1841, she was in Scott County, Mississippi.
| Name: | Nancy Webster |
|---|---|
| Home in 1830 (City, County, State): | Anson, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: | 1 Calvin |
| Free White Persons - Females - Under 5: | 1 Susan |
| Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: | 1 Melissa |
| Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Under 20: | 3 |
| Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: | 1 |
| Total Free White Persons: | 4 |
She had traveled there with her sister, Mary Webster Preslar and brother-in-law, Elias Preslar, Jr.
| Name: | Nancy Webster |
|---|---|
| State: | MS |
| County: | Scott County |
| Township: | No Township Listed |
| Year: | 1841 |
| Page: | 000 |
| Database: | MS 1841 State Census Index |
Her oldest son, Calvin, also migrated to Mississippi. He adopted the name of his father, Preslar, after being acknowledged by his grandfather's will, and left property. He was is the 1840 census in Anson County as a single male. His oldest son was born in Scott County, Mississippi and he has purchased land there in 1843 & 1845.
| Name | Calvin Preslar |
|---|---|
| State | MS |
| County | Scott County |
| Township | No Township Listed |
| Year | 1845 |
| Page | 007 |
| Database | MS 1845 State Census Index |
Calvin ends up moving to Bienville, Louisiana and his final stop was in Polk County, Texas, where he died.
Nancy, his mother, found love in Mississippi and remarried to a man named Encoh Perritt. Enoch Perrett is living next to Elias Preslar in 1840, in Scott County, so that is probably how they met. In 1850, they are all in Simpson County, Mississippi, where all those Boggans were, and where Nancy dies in 1866.
| Name: | Nancy Perrett |
|---|---|
| Gender: | Female |
| Birth Date: | 1802 |
| Birth Place: | North Carolina, United States of America |
| Death Date: | 1866 |
| Death Place: | Simpson County, Mississippi, United States of America |
| Has Bio?: | N |
| Spouse: | Enoch Perrett |
| Children: | Mary WelchEnoch Peter PerrettJames Parrett |
The 1850 census shows she took her younger son, John B. Webster with her to Mississippi, but oddly, she left her two daughters in Anson County, NC, including my 3rd Great Grandmother, Susan Webster Falkner. But what has this to do with Abner Boggan? I'm getting there.
In 1830, Abner and Martha had 4 young people in their homes, one being their son John, no doubt, but the others were old enough to have been in the 1820, and were not. In 1840, they were down to one, a young female between 10 and 14, who would not have been one of the two girls of that age in the home 10 years prior.
Abner Boggans neighbors in 1840 were Thomas Carpenter, John Falkner, Richard Caudle, George W. (Perminter/ Buchanon/ Birmingham??) and Eli Shepherd.
| Name: | Abner Baggon[Abner Boggan][] |
|---|---|
| Home in 1840 (City, County, State): | Anson, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - 60 thru 69: | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14: | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Females - 60 thru 69: | 1 |
| Persons Employed in Agriculture: | 1 |
| No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write: | 2 |
| Free White Persons - Under 20: | 1 |
| Total Free White Persons: | 3 |
| Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: | 3 |
His neighbor, John Falkner, would soon after marry Susan Webster, daughter of Nancy. At this time, he was married to his first wife and had 3 small children. The question is, where was Susan in 1840? I wonder if she could have been the young girl in the 1840 census. She was the right age to have been, being born in 1827. You'll see why I think that in just a minute.
On February 28, 1849, Abner Boggan recorded a land transaction with his neighbor, Eli Sheppard. For $94.40, he sold to Eli a tract containing 57 1/4 acres that started at a small hickory in Eli's own property and bordered the property of Thomas Carpenter. Witnesses were Allen Carpenter and John Falkner, another neighbor and my 3rd Great Grandfather. It was proved in April of the same year by the oath of John Falkner.
The 1850 census gives us a clearer picture of what is really going on. Abner and Martha appear to be living with the Richard Carpenter family, a son of his old neighbor, Thomas. Richard heads household 1076 and John Falkner heads household 1077. Abner and Martha are both said to be 75 and with them is a 5 year old boy listed as "James Coleman". The John Falkner household is next and John and Susan have married. John was a widower and Susan has had her first child with him, a 4 month old girl.
Also of note is that not far below them are the households of Joshua and Daniel Preslar, between whom Susans mother, Nancy was sandwiched in 1830, when Susan was a little girl.
In 1860, there's a juxtaposition. The John Falkner family is in household 375. There are still some of the children by his first wife living with them, their widowed daughter, Martha Falkner Manus, and teenaged sons Golden, 18, and Azariah, 15. Also living with them is 15 year old James Coleman, the boy who was living with Abner and Martha Boggan in 1850, but Coleman was not his surname, it was his middle name. After James was 6 of John and Susan's children together. Ten year old Luranna must have been the 4 month old girl in 1850, followed by Constantine, John D., Ellen, Barbara and Marshall. Abner and Martha Boggan are just next door in household 377. They are again listed as 75 years of age.
| Name: | Abner Boggan |
|---|---|
| Residence Place: | Anson County, North Carolina |
| Will Date: | 7 Sep 1860 |
| Probate Date: | 1870 |
| Probate Place: | Anson, North Carolina, USA |
| Inferred Death Year: | 1870 |
| Inferred Death Place: | North Carolina, USA |
By 1860, Abner Boggan was slowing down and knew his days were numbered. He decided to write his will, but it wasn't probated until 1870.
| Name: | Abmer Boggan |
|---|---|
| Gender: | Male |
| Race: | White |
| Marital Status: | Widowed |
| Estimated Birth Year: | abt 1786 |
| Birth Place: | North Carolina, USA |
| Age: | 83 |
| Death Date: | Oct 1869 |
| Cause of Death: | Paralysis |
| Census year: | 1870 |
| Census Place: | Lanesboro, Anson, North Carolina, USA |
Abner had died in October of 1869 of paralysis. He was 83. His beloved Martha Shelton Boggan had preceded him in death. This information come from the 1870 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedule. Too bad they didn't compile one of those every year.
When his will was read, there must have been a lot of disappointed faces. He left everything, after the decease of himself and Martha, and after all his just debts were paid, to James Coleman Webster, that little boy who had lived in his home in 1850.
Will Book D, Page 12
In the name of God, Amen. I, Abner Boggan of the county of Anson and State of North Carolina, beign at present weak in body, but of a sound, disposing mind and memory, thanks be to God for the same, and calling to mind the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death, hath made this my last will and testament in manner and form as follows.
1st, I give and bequeath to James Coleman Webster, the tract of land on which I live, containing ninety acres as per deed now on record, after the deceause of myself and wife, to have and to hold to him and his heirs forever. I also give unto the said J. C. Webster, three beds and furniture, with all my plantation tools, together with all my stock of horses, cows, sheep and hogs."
In the name of God, Amen. I, Abner Boggan of the county of Anson and State of North Carolina, beign at present weak in body, but of a sound, disposing mind and memory, thanks be to God for the same, and calling to mind the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death, hath made this my last will and testament in manner and form as follows.
1st, I give and bequeath to James Coleman Webster, the tract of land on which I live, containing ninety acres as per deed now on record, after the deceause of myself and wife, to have and to hold to him and his heirs forever. I also give unto the said J. C. Webster, three beds and furniture, with all my plantation tools, together with all my stock of horses, cows, sheep and hogs."
James Coleman Webster would marry in 1868, after he returned from duty in the Civil War, to Mary Victoria Hildreth.
| Dec. 29, 1868 | James C. Webster, s. ---- & Susan Webster, and Mary V. Hildreth, d. of Polly Hildreth. |
No father was mentioned for either one. Susan Webster had given birth to James Coleman out of wedlock before her marriage to John Falkner. That and the fact that the child was living to with the Boggans, and that they were very close to where Nancy Webster lived before she left for Mississippi, lead me to believe that Susan may have lived with the Boggans as well.
Abner and Martha must have been very fond of young James, but could there have been something more? Could he have been a grandchild? Recall that Martha's mother was Ann Coleman Shelton. Maybe James's father was a member of Martha's family through the Colemans. The plot gets thicker. James Coleman went by James Coleman Falkner when he enlisted for the Civil War. Although he became a prisoner of war, he survived, to marry Mary Victoria Hildreth in 1868 and father 3 children. He named his only son Beverly Shelton Falkner, after Martha Shelton Boggan's father. James Colemans sons descendants are Falkners. He took his stepfathers name, or had John legitimized him?
Abner Boggan had living descendants. Perhaps he thought that they had enough already, or were doing ok for themselves. Perhaps he was disappointed in how they might have treated him and Martha in their golden years. Maybe young James had been there for them until the end. It's all just speculation and probabilty.
John Boggan (Sr.) was indeed the son of Abner Boggan. He had first married Rosanna "Rosa" Webb, parents unknown. He seems to have married her around 1830 -1831 as he looks to have been in his parents home in 1830, and he appears to be a married man in 1840, when he's head of his own household. Their oldest child was born in 1832.
| Name: | John Boggan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gender: | Male | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Race: | White | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: | 38 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Year: | abt 1812 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birthplace: | North Carolina | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home in 1850: | Wadesboro, Anson, North Carolina, USA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation: | Overseer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Industry: | Industry Not Reported | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cannot Read, Write: | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line Number: | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dwelling Number: | 115 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Family Number: | 115 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In 1850, John is working as an overseer in Wadesboro on the plantation of Absolom Myers. He and Rosa have been busy... They have had 10 children, all with very Boggan and May family names. They would add one more, Albert, for a total of 11. Rosannah Webb Boggan would pass away before 1879 and John would remarry at 65 to Martha Covington Coble, a widow. On the marriage certificate he named Abner as his father. Case in point, John was living when his father died and had given him many grandchildren.
Martha Boggan Jr. had married William D Horne and raised their 7 children in Lanesboro.
She and Bill also had a Patrick and a Pleasant. No one had an Abner. She died in 1875, meaning she was alive when her father died.
No one can know what Abner Boggan had on his mind when he wrote his will, but he gave James Coleman Webster Falkner a head start in life.
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