“Elizabeth Catharine Boughan was born June 14th 1836” [Boughan family Bible at the Virginia State Archives, Acc. 24166]

1830 U.S. Census for Essex County, Virginia:
Written page 121
Boughan, John
1 male under 5 [this could be John T. Boughan]
1 male 5-10
1 male 20-30
1 male 40-50 [this would be John Boughan]
1 female under 5 [this could be his daughter Elizabeth]
1 female 5-10 [this could be his daughter Elizabeth]
1 female 15-20 [this would be his daughter Lucy]
2 females 20-30 [could be Frances, Lucy, or Elizabeth]
2 females 40-50 [could be Frances, Lucy, or Elizabeth]
23 slaves lived with this family.

1840 U.S. Census for Essex County, Virginia:
Written page number 7
Boughan, Frances
1 male age 10-15 [this would be John T. Boughan]
1 male age 15-20
1 male age 20-30
1 female age under 5 [this could be Elizabeth C. Boughan]
1 female age 10-15 1 female age 15-20 1 female age 40-50
2 females age 50-60 [one of these would be Frances Howerton Boughan]

On 17 November 1841, Lucy Boughan, Catharine Minter, Frances Boughan widow of John Boughan deceased, Richard Shearwood and Lucy M his wife, Frances Ann Boughan, Charles Lewis Boughan, Cary Caston Boughan, John Boughan, Catharine Boughan, Henry Caston Boughan and John Thomas Boughan, the ten first named persons of the County of Essex, and the two last named children of the late Thomas Boughan deceased and residents of the County of Buckingham, all of the first part, sold to Thomas Boughan, Caston Boughan, Silas Connelley and Elizabeth his wife, all of the County of Essex, of the second part. For $120 paid by Gabriel Boughan deceased, the father of the parties of the second part, in part of the sum aforesaid and the balance in full paid by the said parties of the second part, a tract of land situate and lying in Southfarnham parish Essex containing Twenty four acres by actual survey and bounded by the lands of Jno H Upshaw deceased, John A Parker, James Croxton, and the lands of Gabriel Boughan deceased, as will more fully appear by reference to the division plot of the lands of the late Major Boughan deceased made about the year 1818, it being the lot of parcel of land allotted in said division to Caston Boughan who has since died intestate and the parties of the first part are his lawful heirs and distributees. Signed Lucy Boughan, Catharine Minter, Frances Boughan, Richard Shearwood, Lucy Munday Shearwood, Frances A Boughan, Charles L Boughan. On 17 November 1841, Lucy M Shearwood and Miss Lucy Boughan acknowledged this to be same to be their act. On 17 July 1843, with the acknowledgment of Lucy M Shearwood the wife of Richard Shearwood, ordered to be recorded. On 6 September 1843, Catharine Minter acknowledged the same to be her act. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 48, pages 76–78.]

In the 1840s, orator and oratrice Charles L. Boughan guardian of John T. Boughan and Catharine Boughan petitioned the Court of Chancery. That their aunt Elizabeth M. Boughan died testate and made a bequest to her sister Lucy Boughan who died later that year testate, also leaving to her sister Catharine Minter and brothers John and Gabriel both of whom predeceased her so as to their shares she died intestate. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 40, item 40-J-9.]

On 20 April 1843, Frances Boughan of the County of Essex sold to Charles Lewis Boughan, Frances Ann Boughan, Lucy M. Shearwood, Cary Caston Boughan, John Thomas Boughan and Catharine Boughan, children of the said Frances Boughan. For natural love and affection and $5, land bounded by Washington H. Purkins and James Croxton, being land of which John Boughan died seized and possessed. Signed Frances Boughan. Witnesses: G. W. Purkins, Thos Croxton, Jas M Matthews. Ordered recorded 29 April 1843. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 48, pages 37-38.]

On 15 May 1843 Frances Boughan was chosen as guardian by Carey C. Boughan and John T. Boughan, and was appointed guardian of Elizabeth C. Boughan. This would imply that Elizabeth was the youngest of the three children, not old enough to choose her guardian. [Essex County, Virginia, Guardian Book 7]

On 27 October 1843, orator Philip Montague executor of the last will and testament of Elizabeth M. Boughan deceased and of Lucy Boughan deceased complained that the said Elizabeth M. Boughan died on or about 2 February 183[blank] having left a last will and testament making various bequests. But she survived her brothers Gabriel Boughan and John Boughan, to whom bequests were made. The said Elizabeth M. was not much in debt, and debts and legacies have now been paid. The said Lucy died about 4 October 1841 having left a last will and testament in which she gave to her sister Elizabeth M. Boughan and to Gabriel and John, all of whom predeceased her. Both Elizabeth and Lucy died unmarried and without issue. Their heirs are Thomas Boughan, Caston Boughan and Elizabeth Ann wife of Silas Conaly children of Gabriel Boughan deceased a brother of the whole blood; Lucy M. wife of Richard Shearwood, Frances Ann wife of Ephraim Beazley, Charles L., Carey, John T and Catharine Boughan children of John Boughan deceased a brother of the whole blood; Catharine Minter a sister of the half blood; Henry Caston and John T. children of Thomas Boughan a brother of the half blood. For division of the estate. Filed as Montague vs. Minter. All answers were filed on the same day. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 49, item 49-E-25.]

On 17 March 1845, a chancery case was concluded concerning the division of the lands of Elizabeth and Lucy Boughan, deceased. Plaintiffs were Thomas Boughan; Caston Boughan; Silas Conly [sic] & Elizabeth A. his wife who was Elizabeth A. Boughan and daughter of Gabriel Boughan, deceased; Richard H. Shearwood and Lucy M. his wife who was Lucy M. Boughan, daughter of John Boughan deceased; Ephraim Beazley and Frances A. his wife who was Frances A. Boughan and daughter of John Boughan; Charles L. Boughan; Cary C. Boughan; John T. Boughan; Catharine Boughan; the last three infants of John Boughan by Frances Boughan their next friend; Henry C. Boughan son of Thomas Boughan deceased; John Thomas Boughan infant by Washington H. Purkins his next friend, against Catharine Minter. [Essex County, Virginia, Order Book 50, pages 458-459.]

James B. Beazley married Elizth. C. Boughan on 2 Feb 1859 in Essex County, Virginia. He was 24; she was 22. Both were born in Essex County; both resided there. The parents were Richard Beazley and Polly Armstrong, and John Boughan and Frances Howerton. James was a farmer. Howard W. Montague performed the ceremony. [Essex County, Virginia, Marriage Register 1, page 9, line 3.] (Note: marriage took place at Howerton’s Meeting House.)

1860 U.S. Cenesus for Essex County, Virginia:
Dwelling 841, Family 816
Beasley, James B., 24, male, laborer, $2600 personal estate
Beasley, Elizabeth C., 23, female
Beasley, Lydia H., 9/12, female
Boughan, Cary C., 21
All born in Virginia

1870 U.S. Census for Essex County, Virginia:
Dwelling 651, Family 651
Beasley, James B., 40, male, farmer $300 real estate, $250 personal estate
Beasley, Cathrine, 39, female, keeping house
Beasley, Lilia, 13, female, attending school
Beasley, Virginia, 8, female, at home
Beasley, Warner, 3, male, at home

Death data from William Irving Brooks, letter of 29 March 1993 to Thomas Moore. His grandfather, James Irving Brooks, wrote the following note: “James Benjamin Beazley’s wife, Elizabeth Catherine Boughan, was not a very strong woman. After the birth of her last child, James Boughan in 1878, she was an invalid. She died when Boughan was about three years old. Her daugther Jeanette Catherine was about 8 years and and [sic] Vestilla Frances about 5 at the time of her death. They took care of the home and attended school.”