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A note by Cora Lee Boughan reads: Thomas Wood Boughan son of Thomas Boughan & Mary Wood his wife was born Sept 11 1848 & died Apr 20 1920. She had originally written died Apr 21 1921, but she (or someone) changed it to Apr 20 1920.

1850 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia
Dwelling 578, Family 578
Boughan, Thomas, 35, male, manager, value of real estate $1,000, born in Virginia, can read and write
Boughan, Mary, 27, female, born in Virginia, can read and write
Boughan, William, 5, male, born in Virginia, can read and write
Boughan, Thomas, 2, female [sic], born in Virginia, can read and write

1860 U.S. Census, King and Queen County, Virginia
Dwelling 839, Family 839
Vaughn, Thomas, 45, male, overseer of farm, $100 personal estate, born in Virginia
Vaughn, Mary, 38, female, born in Virginia
Vaughn, William, 15, male, born in Virginia
Vaughn, Thomas, 12, male, born in Virginia, attended school
Vaughn, Edward, 9, male, born in Virginia, attended school
Vaughn, John, 6, male, born in Virginia, attended school
Vaughn, Milly, 3, female, born in Virginia
Conelly, Emma, 16, female, born in Virginia

Thos. W. Boughan married Mary E. Taylor on 18 February 1869 in Essex County. He was 20, single (not widowed), born in Essex County, living in Essex County. She was 21, single (not widowed), born in Essex County, living in Essex County. Parents were listed as Thomas Baynham [sic] and Mary F. Wood, and George Taylor and Nancy Beazley. Thos. W. Boughan was a farmer. H. W. Montague performed the ceremony. [Essex County, Virginia, Marriage Book 1, page 22, line 22.]

1870 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia
Millers Tavern Post Office, Sheet 39
Dwelling 294 Family 294
Boughan, Thomas, 56, male, white, farmer, value of real estate $3,000, value of personal estate $500, born in Virginia
Boughan, Thomas W., 22, male, white, farm laborer, born in Virginia
Boughan, Edward, 17, male, white, farm laborer, born in Virginia
Boughan, John T., 16, male, white, farm laborer, born in Virginia
Boughan, Milly A., 13, female, white, without occupation, born in Virginia
Boughan, Joseph A., 9, male, white, at home, born in Virginia
Boughan, Francis, 21, female, white, keeping house, born in Virginia
Conoly, Emma, 23, female, white, without occupation, born in Virginia

Q: What is Thomas Wood Boughan doing living with his family if he’s married to Mary Wood? Or is Francis Boughan supposed to be Mary Ellen Taylor?

On 1 October 1878, Thomas Boughan purchased goods at the sales of the personal estate of his deceased father Thomas Boughan. Thomas purchased a plow for $.15, 1 hay fork for .75, 2 hoes for .10, and a parcel of iron for .35. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 29, pages 756–757.]

1880 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia
Tappahannock District, Enumeration District 17, sheet 133A
Dwelling 330, Household 330
Boughan, Thomas, white, male, 31, married, farmer, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Boughan, Mary E., white, female, 31, wife, married, keeping house, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Boughan, Charles R., white, male, 8, son, at home, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Boughan, Emma W., white, female, 6, daughter, at home, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Boughan, Mary, white, female, 4, daughter, at home, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Boughan, Betty J., white, female, 2, daughter, at home, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia

At the time of his son Joseph’s birth, April 1889, he was listed as a farmer.

1900 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia:
Baughan, Thomas W., head, Sep 1848, 52, married 30 years, farmer, 0 months unemployed, rents, farm schedule #147
Baughan, Mary E., wife, Oct 1847, 52, married 30 years, 8 children, 6 survive
Baughan, Cora L., daughter, Jan 1880, 20, single
Baughan, Thomas, son, May 1883, 12, farm laborer, 0 months umemployed
Baughan, Joseph E., son, Apr 1888, 12, single, at school now for 5 years
All can read and write.

1910 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia:
Rappahannock District, Dwelling 357, Family 366, on road between Ware’s Warf and Dunnsville
Boughan, Thomas W., 61, married 41 years, farmer on general farm, rents, farm schedule 343
Boughan, Mary E., 62, has had 8 children, of whom 5 survive
Boughan, Thomas H., 26, farmer on house farm
Boughan, Cora L., 27, seamstress in own house
Boughan, Joseph L., 22, salesman in general merchandise

1920 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia:
Enumeration District 44
Rappahannock District, Dwelling 235, Family 236, Ware’s Wharf Road
Boughan, Thos. W., head, rents house, male, white, age 71, married, can read and write, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia, speaks English, farmer, general farm, employer
Boughan, Mary E., wife, white, female, age 72, married, can read and write, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia, speaks English, no occupation
Boughan, Cora, daughter, female, white, age 36, can read and write, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia, speaks English, seamstress, at home, working on own accounts
Davis, Pearl, granddaughter, female, white, age 17, not in school, can read and write, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia, speaks English, no occupation

Cora Lee Boughan gave his death date as 20 April 1920.

On 25 April 1921, Thomas Boughan died in the Rappahannock District of Essex County. He was male, white, married, born 15 November 1847, age 73 years, 5 month, 10 days, occupation farming, born in Essex County, Virginia, father Thomas W. Boughan who was born in Essex County, Virginia, mother Mary Ellen Taylor who was born in Essex County, Virginia, informant Jos E Boughan of Howerton, Virginia. Cause of death was carcinoma of the stomach. No operation preceded death, and there was no autopsy. Physician was J. N. DeShazo of Center Cross, Virginia. Burial on 26 April 1921 at Ephesus Church at Howerton, Virginia, undertaker Mrs E Fogg. [Certificate of Death, Commonweatlth of Virginia, 7750.]

An obituary reads [paper unknown, date of “1921” written in by hand in pencil at the top; on the back written in pencil reads “Mrs Edward Hare wrote this 1923”]: Tribute to Worthy Man It is a wonderful thing to have liven such a life that when one sets out for the Unknown Harbor his friends and acquaintances look after him with longing eyes and envy him his sure welcome over there. ¶Such was the life of Thomas H. [sic] Boughan, a native an life-long citizen of Essex county, who died at Dunnsville, Va., April 25, in his 73rd year. ¶Besides his widow, who was Mary Ellen Taylor, he leaves five children: Charles Roland, of Baltimore; Thomas Huudley [sic], of Richmond; and Joseph Edward, of Essex; Mrs. Boyd Coleman, of King and Queen, and Cora Lee Boughan, of Essex. ¶Mr. Boughan’s death came as a blessed relief from long suffering. He was confined to his bead for over two months, but his patience and gentleness never wavered. He realized that his release was near, and just before he died he asked for each member of the family, and told them goodbye, saying he was going home to the beautiful place God had prepared for him, and he wanted the whole community to meet him there. ¶He was a faithful husband and kind and loving father. His gentleness, neighborliness and upright character made him generally loved and respected where-ever he lived, and his memory abides like a benediction with those who knew and loved him.

He is buried at Ephesus Baptist Church at Dunnsville, Virginia. There is a four-grave headstone marked Boughan that has Father Thomas, 1848-1921; Mother Mary, 1847-1938; Husband Roland, 1872-1945; and Wife Florence, 1876-1946.