Joseph was born in April 1861 in Essex County, Virginia. County birth records give his birthdate as 12 April; a death certificate gives a date of 24 April. In the Essex County, Virginia birth register, there is a blotch over the second letter of his middle name, but the entry is for “Boughan, Al. Beaure:” or possible “Boughan, At. Beaure:”, parents were Thos. Boughan and Mary F. Boughan. By 1870 he seems to have been consistently listed by the name Joseph. [Essex County, Virginia, Birth Register, page 33, line 42.]

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

On 1 October 1878, Joseph A. Boughan purchased goods at the sales of the personal estate of his deceased father Thomas Boughan. Joseph purchased a cart body for $.15, a pair of planes for .45, two augers for .30, a saw for .25, a footaze for .65, two chisels for .15, one ox cart for 12.00, and one ox cart for 4.50. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 29, pages 756–757.]

1880 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia
Tappahannock District, page 121A
Dwelling 110, Household 110
Boughan, William, white, male, 37, married, farmer, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Boughan, Fanny, white, female, 32, wife, married, keeping house, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Boughan, Mary Lizzie, white, female, 7, daughter, at home, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Boughan, Christian L., white, female, 3, daughter, at home, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Boughan, William A., white, male, 7/12, born October, son, at home, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Boughan, Joseph A., white, male, 19, brother, single, laborer, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia

By 1886, Joseph was in Vernon County, Missouri, with his brother Edward and other relations; his wife Sallie died in 1886 and was buried in Carbon Center Cemetery.

1900 U.S. Census, San Juan County, Colorado
Silverton Township, Dwelling 417, Family 417
[This residence is a boarding house.]
Boughan, Joseph A., lodger, white, male, born April 1861, 39, single, born in Massachusetts, born parents born in Massachusetts, carpenter, 0 months not employed, can read and write, speaks English
(The boarding house had many occupants with various places of birth; the line above Joseph has an entry for Louis Thompson, a carpenter, born in Virginia with both parents born in Virginia, so perhaps there was a transcribing error by the census taker.)

WORKED BUT LITTLE AFTER HIS MARRIAGE
Free Board and Lodging Followed When Boughan Wedded Widow.
Elizabeth Boughan, who married Joseph Boughan at Bingham January 29, 1905, has tired of her bargain and wants to again take the name of her first husband, West. She alleges in her divorce complaint, filed in the district court yesterday, that he had deserted her in September, 1906. Boughan is a carpenter, aged 46, and earns $150 a month, but has not contributed to their joint support.
Indeed, from the story the wife tells, he seems to have had the best of the bargain, for he lived with his wife in the rooming house which she kept, and paid nothing for board and room. Mrs. Boughan was the widow of John West, and she asks the court to continue her in the title to the property left her by West, which consists of real estate in Bingham canyon, including the boarding and rooming house. She also asks for the costs of the suit.
[The Inter-Mountain Republican (Salt Lake City, Utah), 12 May 1908, page 2.]

WIFE SEEKS RELIEF AS HUSBAND’S MEAL TICKET
Elizabeth Boughan wants a decree of divorce from Joseph A. Boughan upon the ground generally that she has had to do the major part of the hustling since their marriage and that Joseph has failed to contribute anything toward her support. Mrs. Boughan also alleges that during the time she and Boughan lived together he boarded and roomed at her boarding house and failed to come across with the necessary.
The Boughans were married January 29, 1905, and Mrs. Boughan says that her husband deserted her in September, 1906. During the marriage, she adds, Boughan lived at her boarding house, but paid nothing for his meals or room. Mrs. Boughan sets out further that she owned certain property at Bingham at the time of her marriage and she asks the Third District court to decree that his property is her’s individually.
[The Salt Lake Tribune, 12 May 1908, page 12.]

BOUGHAN SAYS WIFE IS NOT DEPENDENT ON HIM
Joseph A. Boughan has filed an answer to the complaint in divorce proceedings recently instituted against him by his wife, Elizabeth Boughan. In the Third District court, Mrs. Boughan asked for a decree on the ground of failure to support, alleging that her husband had lived with her at her boarding house and had failed to come across with any money.
Boughan admits that he has failed to support his wife since their separation in 1906, but says that his wife has collected $180 from their joint properties since that time and that his wife is not dependent upon him for support. Boughan also says he contributed $2000 toward improving his wife’s property during the time that they lived together. His prayer is that his wife’s complaint be dismissed and that he be given an interest in the real estate standing in his wife’s name for the advances made and labor done by him.
[The Salt Lake Tribune, 30 June 1908, page 8.]

BOUGHAN DIVORCE ACTION IS DISMISSED BY COURT
Judge Morse on Wednesday dismissed the complaint and cross-complaint in the divorce case of Elizabeth Boughan against Joseph Boughan. The parties formerly resided in Bingham, and Mrs. Boughan charged her husband with desertion and non-support. Mr. Boughan filed a cross-complaint, in which he charged his wife with desertion. He alleged that his wife left Bingham about two years ago and came to Salt Lake to reside.
After hearing the evidence the court found that neither side had proved grounds for divorce and hence both the complaint and the cross-complaint were dismissed.
[The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 February 1910, page 2.]

1910 U.S. Census, Salt Lake County, Utah
Town of Bingham Canyon, House 471, Visited 309, Family 318
[This residence is a boarding house with many occupants.]
Boughan, Joseph A., lodger, male, white, 48, married twice, married for 6 years, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia, speaks english, carpenter in own shop, works on own account, can read and write

1920 U.S. Census, Salt Lake County, Utah
Town of Bingham Canyon, 483 Main Street, Dwelling 163, Family 274
[This residence is a boarding house.]
Boughan, Joseph A., lodger, rents, male, white, 61, married, can read and write, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia, speaks English, carpenter, employer

On 29 August 1930 in Bingham Canyon, Salt Lake County, Utah, Joseph Athurton Boughan died at Bingham Hospital. His usual place of abode was 457 Main, length of residence in the city 27 years; male, white, divorced; wife Elizabeth West Boughan; born 24 April 1861; age 69 years, 4 months, 5 days; occupation carpenter; self-employed; born in Tappahanork [sic], Virginia; parents and their birthplaces unknown; informant George Rells or Wills of Bingham Canyon, Utah; attended by physician from 1 February 1930 to 29 August 1930; time of death 10 p.m.; cause of death carcinoma of stomach, duration 2 years; operation preceded death in February 1930; no autopsy; buried on 31 August 1930 in Bingham Cemetery. [State of Utah, Death Certificate, Health File No. 1498.]