NameHannah Griffing 
ResidenceEssex County, Virginia
Documentation
Hannah Griffing was mentioned in the 27 March 1739 will of her father James Griffing. The will was proved on 15 May 1739. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 6, pages 174–175.]
Hannah Griffing was mentioned in the 1750 will of her husband Augustine Boughan as his loving wife. She was named co-executor. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 9, pages 71–72.]
The estate of Augustine Boughan in account with Francis Waring and Hannah Boughan executors for the year 1751 was ordered recorded on 19 March 1754. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 9, pages 298–304.]
On 21 December 1756 Hannah Boughan and Francis Waring were bound as guardians of Frankey, Mary, and Betty Boughan, orphans of Augustine Boughan, deceased. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 10, page 114.]
In June 1753, in the case of Boughan v. Boughan in the General Court in Williamsburg, Griffin Boughan filed a demurrer in response to the 2 April 1751 complaint of John Boughan:
The demurrer of Griffin Boughan an Infant by Francis Waring his Guardian to the Bill of Complt. of John Boughan Complainant —
This defendant by protestation not confessing or acknowledging all or any of the matters or things contained in the said Complainants Bill of Complaint to be true in such manner and sort as the same and therein and thereby set forth and alledged the scope and end of the said Bill being to establish sundry Depositions as and for the last will and testament of James Boughan Gent deced in order to inpeach the legal Title of this defendt. in and to certain Lands in the said Bill mentioned which were purchased of James Boughan Son and Heir of the said James Boughan the Elder by John Boughan the GrandFather to this defendant and from him descnded to Augustine Boughan his Son and Heir on whose death the same descended to this Deft. to wch said Bill of Complaint this defendant is advised he is under no necessity nor is bound to answer but that there is good Cause of demurrer thereunto wherefore this deft. doth demur thereto and for Causes of demurrer Sheweth to the court there following First for that it appears of the Complaints. own Shewing that after the death of the said James Boughan the Elder the said James Boughan his Son and Heir entered into the Lands in the Bill mentd. and Sold the same for a valuable conson to John Boughan this defendants Grandfather and the said pretended will was never legaly established in the Lifetime of either the said John Boughan or John Boughan and therefore this defendant conceives by the Rules of Equity that such pretended will ought not now to be set up in this Honble Court agt. this defend. who claims under this said Granfathers purchased for a valuable conson Secondly for that it appears by the Record to which the said Bill of Complaint referd for that purpose that the said depositions pretended to contain the last will and Testament of the said James Boughan the Elder were taken ex parte and extrajudicially there being at that Time no legal contestation of the said pretended will to which the said James Boughan and Son and Heir was a party or privy Thirdly for that it appears by the Record and proceedings of a certain Action of Tresspass and Ejectment brot. by Solomon Saveall Lessee of the said Augustine Boughan Father of this defendant against the said Complainant mentioned and referred to in and by the said Bill of Complaint that the said Augustine Boughan did in his Life time obtain a verdict and Judgment in the County Court of Essex which was affirmed in this Honble Court at Common Law against the said pretended will which this defendant is advised was the first legal Contestation of the said pretended will for that it appears of the Complaints own Shewing that at the time of the verdict and recovery by the said Complainant against the said Augustine Boughan in the Bill mentioned he the said Augustine Boughan was an Infant who then representing the Heir as to this Land could not by the Equity and intention of the Act of Assembly in that Case made and provided be bound or concluded by any thing then done in order to the extablishing the said will but was at liberty to contest such pretended will within ten years after his coming of Age which he did by his Ejectment aforesaid for which Causes and for divers others contained in the said Bill of Complt. this defendant doth demurr thereunto and humbly pray the Judjment of this Honble Court whether he shall be compell’d to make any other or further Answer thereto and prays to be hence dismissied with his reasonable Costs
E: Pendleton
June 1753 demurrer to be argued
Octr. 1753 Continued —
[Essex County, Virginia, Chancery Court Papers, Box 8, Item 8-F.]
On 13 April 1754, in the case of Boughan v. Boughan in the General Court in Williamsburg, “Francis Waring Gent: is appointed Guardian to the defendant Griffin who is an Infant to defend him in this Suit—“
[Essex County, Virginia, Chancery Court Papers, Box 8, Item 8-F.]
On 14 October 1754, in the case of Boughan v. Boughan in the General Court in Williamsburg, the court ordered that the defendant answer the allegations in the complaint:
This Cause was this day heard upon the plts Bill and the demurrer of the defendant Griffin and the Arguments of the Council on both sides on Consideration whereof it is decreed and ordered that the said Demur be overld that the said defendant do answer the Allegations of the said Bill and pay unto the plt his Costs occasioned by the said demurrer that the Cause be sent back to the Office for further proceedings to be had therein and that a Commcon be Issued to examine and take the deposition of John Harper an aged witness for the plt de bene esse the plt giving the defendants legal Not. of the time and place of executing the same—
[Essex County, Virginia, Chancery Court Papers, Box 8, Item 8-F.]
On 28 March 1756, in the case of Boughan v. Boughan in the General Court in Williamsburg, the defendants filed their answer:
The Joint and several Answers of Francis Waring and Hannah Boughan Exors of the last will and Testament of Augustine Boughan deceased and of Griffin Boughan an Infant under the Age of Twenty one years by the said Hannah Boughan his Guardian to the Bill of Complt. of John Boughan
These defendants saving and reserving to themselves all and all manner of Benefit and Advantage of exception to them any incertainties insufficiences and untruths in the said Complts Bill contained for Answer thereto or to so much thereof as these defendants are advised is material or Effectual to be answered unto they answer and say as follows — First the said Francis and Hannah that they know nothing of the several matters and things in the Bill charged or whether the said James Boughan the plts Grandfather in the Bill named ever made any or what last will or Testament or who were subscribing witness or witnesses thereto or if there was any such or any or. will of the said James Boughan whether the same was suppressed or destroyed or what became of the [illegible, damage] Suit was commenced by James the Son of Henry Boughan in the said Bill is charged or what was done therein any further than as these defendants have heard and believe to be true that the said Augustine Boughan their Testor in his Life time did commence and prosecute an Action of Tresspass and Ejectment in the County Court of Essex to recover the posson of the Land in the said Bill mentioned in which Action a special verdict was found and a Judgment given by the said Court against the said plaintiff John from which Judgment the said plt did appeal to the genl. Court and the sd defendants have heard and believe it to be true that the said appeale came to be tried in the said General Court and on the Trial thereof it was adjudged that there was no Error in the record of proceedings of the County Court whereupon the said Judgment was affirmed and the said Augustine had Judgment to recover his Costs and damages as well in the County Court as in the Genl Court according to the Act of Assembly in that Case made and provided of which the said Augustine had notice from one of his Lawyers in his Lifetime and thereupon the said Augustine dying very shortly after in his last Sickness made his last will and Testament in writing and thereby directed the said Land should be sold by his Executors for the payment of his debts which were in a great measure contracted by means of the said Law Suit and of his will constituted and Appointed the defendants Exors who in due form of Law proved the same and undertook the burthen of the Execution thereof and would have discharged the trust in them thereby reported But these defendants were soon after informed and believe it to be true that on the last day of the Genl. Court herein the said Judgment was affirmed and in the absence of the said Augustines Lawyers the said now plt being at Williamsburg and having cause a motion to be made for that purpose obtained an order to set aside the said Judgment and that a new Trial shod be had in the said Appeal and these defendants have heard and believe it to be true that instead of any new Trial of the said Appeal on the Matter in Law the said plt filed his Bill against these defendants who are entire Strangers to the whole matter any furt. than they have herein before set forth and for the greater certainty beg leave to refer to the Records and proceedings had in the said Cause and these defendants must submit to this Honble Court to make such decree in the premes as it agreeable to the rules of Equity and good Conscience as the Cause has been so long depending that their Testors Estate is not only greatly involved in debt thereby but is otherwise greatly hurt and injured and these defendants are prevented from discharging the debts and executing their Trust altho’ the plt hath during the said time by cutting the Timber of the Land in dispute and by other means rendering the same of much less value than it was at the time of their Testators recovery of the same And for which these defendants verily believe the said plaintiff is not able to make their Testors Estate little if any Satisfaction And the said Griffin by the said Hannah his Guardian Saith that he is of so tender years that he knows nothing of or concerning all or any of the matters in and by the said Bill charged but makes no doubt that this Honble Court will take care of his Int. so far as the same may be affected by the decree and these defendants deny all and all manner of Combination and Confederacy whatsr. as in the said Bill is very untruly charged without that that any other matter or thing in the said plts Bill material or Effectual to be answered unto and not herein answered [illegible] or denied is true all which these defendants are ready to aver and and prove as this Honble Court shall award and therefore these defendants pray to be hence dismissed with their reasonable Costs in that Behalf wrongfully sustained—
Francis Waring and Hannah Boughan Exors of the last will and Testament of Augustine Boughan deceased made oath before me Mungo Roy one of his Majesty’s Justices for the County of Essex that this their Answer is true so far as they know or beleive Given under my Hand March 29 1756
Mungo Roy
[Essex County, Virginia, Chancery Court Papers, Box 8, Item 8-F.]
An appraisal of the negroes of the estate of Augustine Boughan Decd. was made on 14 January 1757 by James Garnett, Jno Rouzee, Wm Boulware. Took out one third value for the widow and ballance in 6 parts & set apart for William Brooke who married sukey a daughter the following negroes James and Rachel. Recorded 18 January 1757. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 10, pages 119–120.]
In 1758 and 1759, in the case of Boughan v. Boughan in the General Court in Williamsburg, the cast was continued:
March 1758 Set for hearing
April 1758 Continued—
October 1758 Continued—
April 1759 Continued—
[Essex County, Virginia, Chancery Court Papers, Box 8, Item 8-F.]
On 15 October 1759, in the case of Boughan v. Boughan in the General Court in Williamsburg, a decree was issued:
This Cause was this day heard upon the Bill and Answer sundry depositions and exhibits provided and read as Evidence and the Arguments of the Council on both Sides on Conson whereof it is decreed and ordered that a Trial at Law be had in this Court upon an Issue to be made up between the parties to try whether James Boughan the plts Grandfather made such will as in the Bill is set forth or not and wht. the same was his last will and Testament And it is further ordered that the depositions and exhibits read as Evidence in this Cause be admitted to go as Evidence to the Jury at such Tryal—
[Essex County, Virginia, Chancery Court Papers, Box 8, Item 8-F.]
On 20 October 1759, in the case of Boughan v. Boughan in the General Court in Williamsburg, the parties reached an agreement in favor of the plaintiff, John Boughan:
By Consent of the parties the decretal order made in this Cause this Court is set aside And it is decreed and ordered that the will of James Boughan the plts Grandfather as the same is set forth in the Bill be established as and for his last will and Testament that the Injunction obtained by the plaintiff to stay the proceedings in the Ejectment in the Bill mentioned stand and be made perpetual and that the parties bear their own Costs—
[Essex County, Virginia, Chancery Court Papers, Box 8, Item 8-F.]
Spouses
Birth8 Oct 1716, Essex County, Virginia
Death27 Dec 1750