“John Boughan was born the 31 day of March 1786” [Boughan family Bible at the Virginia State Archives, Acc. 24166]

“John Boughan and Frances his wife who was Frances Howerton was maried the 19 day of Novemmber 1812” [Boughan family Bible at the Virginia State Archives, Acc. 24166]

On 18 January 1813 John Boughan and Charles Howerton were appointed guardians of Catharine Boughan and Thomas Boughan, orphans of Major Boughan, deceased. [Essex County, Virginia, Guardian Book 4, page 37]

An undated petition by orators and oratrices Gabriel, Mary, Elizabeth, Lucy, John and Major Boughan and Thos St John & Cary his wife & Catharine & Thos Boughan infants under 21 by John Boughan their next friend states that Major Boughan died in 1812 seized of several tracts of land & a water grist mill & slaves Sam, Ben, Bob, Dick, Latane, Cork, Braxton, Iverson, Tom, Hannah, Phillis, Polly, Delphy, Winney, Keziah, Teley & Rachel, leaving your oratrors and oratrices (except Thomas St. John) and Caston Boughan. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 27, item 27-G-47.]

On 18 January 1813, the Court of Essex County ordered the slaves of the estate of Major Boughan divided into ten parts (or to be sold if necessary and the proceeds divided into ten parts) equally to Gabriel Boughan, Mary Boughan, Elizabeth Boughan, Lucy Boughan, John Boughan, Major Boughan, Thomas St. John and Cary his wife, Catharine Boughan and Thomas Boughan (both infants), and Caston Boughan. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 27, item 27-G-46.] As a result of the order, John Boughan received slaves Tom and Kesiah and received a balance of £3 from Lucy Boughan. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 27, item 27-G-43.]

On 18 January 1815, Gabriel Purkins and John Boughan were bound in the penalty of $300 for Gabriel Purkins’s administration of the goods, chattels and credits of Lucy Davis, deceased. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 18, page 98.]

On 18 June 1817, pursuant to a decree in chancery court dated 18 January 1813, a division of the slaves belonging to the estate of Major Boughan was made by L. Booker, Carter Croxton, and James Montague, with equal distribution to Gabriel Boughan (slaves Latane and Hannah), Mary Boughan (slaves Cork and Taley), Elizabeth Boughan (slaves Delphy and Ben), Lucy Boughan (slaves Polly and Winny), John Boughan (slaves Tom and Kesiah), Major Boughan (slave Dick), Thomas St. John & Cary his wife (slaves Iverson and Philles), Catharine Boughan (slave Sam), Thomas Boughan (slave Bob), and Casten Boughan (slaves Braxton and Rachel). [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 18, pages 426–427.]

On 19 [? date partly erased in source] June 1817, a final decree was handed down in a chancery court case. Plaintiffs were Gabriel, Mary, Elizabeth, Lucy, John and Major Boughan, Thos. St. John and Cary his wife, and Catharine and Thos. Boughan infants under the age of 21 by John Boughan their next friend, against Caston Boughan administrator etc. of Major Boughan deceased and in his own right. [Essex County, Virginia, Order Book 42, page 491.]

In about 1818, orators and oratrices Caston Boughan, Gabriel Boughan, Mary Boughan, Elizabeth M. Boughan, Lucy Boughan, Catharine Boughan and Thomas Boughan an infant under 21 by Caston Boughan his next friend complained to the Essex County Chancery Court that Major Boughan died intestate seised of a tract of land containing about 336 acres leaving your orators and oratrices and Cary C. Boughan who intermarried with one Thos St John and who has since died without leaving issue and Major James Boughan who has also since died and another son John Boughan. That the said tract be divided and that John Boughan be made defendant in the suit. On 21 September 1818, the court decreed that Robt G Haile, Henry H Boughan, Wm T Upshaw, Wm A Garnett, Washington H Purkins and Graves Burke or any three of them were to divide the lands among the eight heirs. On 15 February 1819, Thomas St. John filed for leave to file a bill of review in this case. On 19 April 1831 the decree was made final. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 37, item 37-I-27.]

On 21 February 1820, Castin Baughan, Gabriel Baughan, Mary Baughan, Elizabeth M. Baughan, Lucy Baughan, Josiah Minter and his wife Catharine, and Thomas Boughan sold the water grist mill and 5 acres surrounding it to John Horace Upshaw. This plat was “more particularly described in a survey and Plat recently made by Washington H. Purkins with the report of certain commissioners that divided the Lands of the late Major Boughan…” Caston, Gabriel, John, Josiah, Catharine, and Thomas signed; Mary, Elizabeth, and Lucy wrote Xs. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 40, page 478.]

1820 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia:
Boughan, John
1 male under 10
1 male 16-26
1 male 26-45
2 females under 10
3 females 26-45

On 21 February 1822, Thomas Boughan, Josiah Minter, Thomas Shearwood, Richard Shearwood and John Boughan were bound $6,000 for Thomas Boughan’s administration of the estate of Vincent Gordon. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 19, page 270.]

On 19 August 1822, Lewis Howerton, James Wood and John Boughan were bound $5,000 for Lewis Howerton’s administration of the estate of Charles Howerton. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 19, page 328.]

A loose paper from about 1823 from St. John vs. Boughan, marked “notes for plts” states that Major Boughan died in 1811. Defendants “admit that Major Boughan died intestate about the __ day of Augt 1812”. That “the plt T. St John married Cary B. [sic] after the decease of her father some time about the close of 1812. That she lived only until the __ day of Octr 1813. [The above also in 46-F-31.] Answer of the defendants dated 22 April 1824 signed by John Boughan, Thomas Boughan, Josiah Minter, Catharin [sic] Minter, Mary Boughan, Elizabeth Boughan, Lucy Boughan. [All very literate, nice looking signatures.] [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 46, item 46-F-63.]

On 19 January 1824, Thomas Boughan, Jno Boughan and Josiah Minter were bound $2,000 for Thomas Boughan’s administration of the goods, chattles and credits of Caston Boughan deceased. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 20, pages 11–12.]

In May 1824, Cary Turner willed that profits from the sale of her land be given to the heirs of her two brothers John Boughan and Major Boughan. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 20, pages 229–230.]

On 27 May 1824 Lewis Howerton and Elizabeth, his wife; John Boughan and Francis, his wife; John Boughton and Ann, his wife; Elizabeth Howerton; and Charles Howerton sell property to John Dunn. This property was received from their late father, Charles Howerton, who died intestate. His only children, according to the deed: Lewis Howerton, Frances Boughan, Ann Boughton, Elizabeth Howerton, Charlotte Howerton, and Heritage Howerton. All parties signed. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 41, page 272.]

On 21 January 1828, Gabriel Boughan, Moses Crow, George Crow and John Boughan were bound $2,000 for Gabriel Boughan’s administration of the goods chattles and credits of Mary Boughan. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 21, page 219.]

In 1828, a case was brought to the Essex County chancery court between John Boughan, Lucy Boughan, Elizabeth Boughan Josiah Minter and Catharine his wife Marinda Boughan and John Thomas Boughan an infant by the said Marinda his mother & next friend and Henry C. Boughan an infant by Josiah Minter his next friend, plantiffs, against Gabriel Boughan. The plaintiffs complained that Mary Boughan had died intestate and without issue in 1827, seized of a small tract of land of 55 acres in the county, leaving orators John Boughan, Elizabeth Boughan and Gabriel Boughan her only brothers and sisters of the whole blood, and oratrix Catharine Minter only sister of the half blood, and Henry and John Thomas Boughan children of Thomas Boughan, who died in 1827 after Mary, a brother of the half blood. The will of Thomas Boughan filed as an exhibit. The plaintiffs request that the land of Mary Boughan deceased be sold at auction to the higest bidder. The answer of Gabriel Boughan to the bill agrees with the allegations. The court decreed on 16 June 1828 that “her land is of so little value” and would be worth less than $300 if divided, that it is ordered to be auctioned. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 37, item 37-I-25; Essex County, Virginia, Order Book 46, pages 374–375.]

On 16 June 1828, in the case of John Boughan, Lucy Boughan, Elizabeth Boughan, Josiah Minter and Catharine his wife, Marinda Boughan and John Thomas Boughan an infant by the said Marinda his mother and next friend and Henry C. Boughan an infant by Josiah Minter his next friend against Gabriel Boughan, the Chancery Court of Essex County decreed that the lands of which Mary Boughan died seized were to be sold at auction to the higest bidder and that one fifth of the proceeds were to be delivered by bond to each Gabriel, John, Lucy and Elizabeth, and that bonds for one tenth were to be delivered to Josiah Minter and Catharine his wife and to Marinda Boughan, except that the last bond was not to be given until Marinda had provided a bond to pay the same at her death or marriage to the infant plaintiffs. The land was sold at auction on 25 September 1828 and purchased by Elizabeth and Lucy Boughan for $311.25. Bonds were issued to the parties; Marinda’s was delivered to the court. The commissioner’s report was returned on 13 February 1830. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 37, item 37-I-23.]

On 31 August 1829, John Boughan gave a deposition at Millers Tavern in the case Howerton v. Newbill. [Essex COunty, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 43, item 43-K-25.]

1830 U.S. Census, 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.

On 21 April 1830, a deed was executed between Benjamin Boughan of the first part, Henry H. Boughan of the second part, and a John Boughan of the third part, all of the County of Essex. Whereas John Boughan is security to Benjamin Boughan in two bonds for $50 each dated 16 March 1830, one to James Garnett and the other to William A. Wright, and whereas Benjamin Boughan seeks to indemnify John Boughan, for $1 paid by Henry H. Boughan, Benjamin Boughan sells to Henry H. Boughan title to land bounded by Mrs. Sally Crow and others, a tract on which Hunley Moody lives, to which he is entitled as one of the heirs of Caty Moody decd who was before her marriage Caty Boughan. Henry H. Boughan is to sell this land to the highest bidder and to pay John Boughan. Signed Benjamin Boughan, Henry H. Boughan. Witnesses: Wm H. Frank, Geo: A. Daingerfield, Henry A. Lumpkin. Ordered recorded 22 April 1830. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 43, pages 174–175.]

The estate of Cary Turner in account with Thomas Purkins, executor, from 1825 to 1830, and the estate of John Turner, deceased, in account with Thomas Purkins, administrator, from 1826 to 1830 were ordered recorded 18 April 1831. Includes from Cary’s estate 1/9 share payments ($41.72) to distributees in November 1830: Mary Boughan’s administrator, Elizabeth Boughan, Lucy Boughan, Gabriel Boughan, John Boughan, James Croxton for Sally Crow’s part who was Sally Boughan, W.H. Purkins administrator of Thomas Boughan, ditto the administrator of Josiah Minter who married Caty Boughan; and the heirs of James Boughan (1/4 of 1/9 or $10.43): James Boughan, Mary Boughan, Benjamin Boughan, and Austin Boughan. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 22, pages 270–274.]

On 11 January 1831 an action took place between (1) James Howerton in his own right and also as administrator of Cary Ann St. John and trustee for Thomas St. John, and (2) “Gabriel Boughan, John Boughan, Elizabeth M. Boughan Lucy Boughan, Washington H. Purkins as admr. of Josiah Minter decd. William Ranson as Executor of Thomas Boughan decd. Gabriel Boughan as administrator of Mary Boughan decd. William Ransan Executor of Thomas Boughan decd. who was administrator of Caston Boughan decd. and to each and all his legal representatives…” By a decree in Chancery Court of Fredericksburg on 15 October 1830, James Semple, Henry H. Boughan and George Hill were appointed commissioners “to divide the Lands whereof Major Boughan Serv. died Seized as well as to subdivide the lands which Major James Boughan who was an heir & distributee of his decd. Father Major Boughan was entitled to by virtue of the same.” The three commissioners went with a surveyor “to lay off and divide the the [sic] lands as therein directed, and the parties interested being present in person & by agent or other representative, and believing it would be to their interest not to divide the lands by metes & bounds, did on the day aforesaid and in the presence of the Commissioners aforesaid agree mutually with themselves as well as with the aforesaid James Howerton in his character aforesaid to pay to him in money the sum of one hundred and fifteen dollars, of which sum each distributee agreed to pay their and each of each respective portions.” In exchange, James Howerton, in action for himself and his trustees, etc., quit any claim to the land. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 43, page 327.]

John was mentioned in the 25 December 1832 will of his sister Elizabeth M. Boughan, proved 20 February 1837. “I give to my Brother John’s son John Boughan a negro man named Thom to him and his heirs for ever. I give to my brother John Boughan all my land to him and his heirs for ever. It is my will further the balance of my esttate by equally divided between my Brother Gabriel Boughan, Brother John Boughan and my sister Catharine Minter to them and their heirs for ever.” [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 24, page 99.]

His signature from 24 June 1834 is found on two documents (with his brother Gabriel as security) in Essex County, Virginia, Box Deeds and Wills 156, 1834, Folder H.

On 15 December 1834, the execution of the last will and testament of Elizabeth Howerton was renounced by Frances Boughan. A certificate of probate was granted to John Boughan with Richard Shearwood his security. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 23, pages 298–299.]

On 15 December 1834, John Boughan and Richard Shearwood were bound in the penalty of $1,200 for John Boughan’s administration with the will annexed of the estate of Elizabeth Howerton. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 23, page 308.]

On 10 November 1835, John Boughan purchased property at the sale of the estate of Gabriel Boughan, deceased. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 24, pages 1–2.]

In March 1836 John Boughan served on a grand jury for Essex County. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 45, item 45-M-45.]

“John Boughan departed this life Jan 10th 1837” [Boughan family Bible at the Virginia State Archives, Acc. 24166]

On 4 April 1837, sales of the estate of John Boughan were made, with purchases by Mrs John Boughan, Richd Sherwood, Thos Boughan, Jas Croxton, Thos N Clarke, H H Boughan, Lucy Boughan, William Bezley, Robert Brooks, Mrs Minter, Dr J Miner, Frank Coleman, Jas Semple, Jas Phillips, John Rouzee, Jos Wilmore, Robert Moody, Mrs Frances Boughan, Ro: G Haile, Charlott Howerton, Susan Jones, and John Coleman. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 24, pages 118–119.]

On 15 May 1837, an inventory and apprisal of the estate of John Boughan, deceased, committed to the hands of James Semple. sheriff of Essex and Committee of the estate, and made by John L Cox, Henry H Boughan, and Robt G Haile, was ordered recorded. Total valuation $321.50. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 24, pages 117–118.]

The estate of John Boughan, deceased, in account with James Semple, committee administrator with M G Wood his deputy, from 1837 to 1839 was ordered recorded on 18 May 1840. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 24, pages 472–473.]

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.]

He is listed as Lucy’s father in her death record. He is listed as Elizabeth’s father in her marriage record (as bondsman).