Marinda Boughan was mentioned in the 4 December 1827 will of her husband Thomas Boughan. She and her mother to enjoy his estate during her life or widowhood. If she were to remarry she would receive one third of the estate. The will states by implication that Marinda’s father had died during the lifetime of Thomas Boughan. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 37, item 37-I-24.]

In 1828, Marinda Boughan issued the following statement: I Marinda Boughan widow of Thomas Boughan dec’d for myself & my infant child John Thomas Boughan son of said Thomas dec’d do hereby assent that our names may be used in a suit to be instituted in the county court of Essex for the division of the real & personal estate of Mary Boughan dec’d a sister of said Thomas Boughan dec’d, and do moreoever submit the division of our rights in & to the estate of the said Mary Boughan dec’d to the judgt of the said county court in such suit by such attorney as may be imployed by the parties therein, and I do moreoever hereby relinquish & release to the heirs of Mary any right of dower I may have intend to [sic] a small tract of land in Essex county sold by my dec’d husband to the said Mary Boughan and to which said tract of land containing about thirty five acres I have never before relinquished my dower, But it is especially understood that I retain to my self all the right & title to the said land which I may have under the will of said Thomas Boughan, he being one of the heirs of said Mary Boughan decd witness my hand & seal this     day of      1828. Signed Marinda Boughan. Teste Richard Shearwood. The paper was also signed by Wm Ramson, executor of Thomas Boughan deceased. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 37, item 37-I-26.]

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. Further action in this case on the jacket: 1838 Jany 15th It is ordered that the Clerk of this Court receive of Philip Montague Exor of Elizth M Boughan decd the sum of $42:33 being the amount of the principal & Interest of a Bond filed in this suit made payable to Marinda Boughan dated the 25th day of Sept 1828 & due 25th of Sept 1829. And it is further ordered that the Clerk of this Court have[?] out the sd sum of $42:33 and take Bond with good Security made payable to the said Marinda Boughan, the said Montague having this day paid, the same in open Court
1844 May 31st Recd of James Roy Micou Clerk of Essex County the above Sum of $42:33, received by him agreeably to the foregoing Order, to which sum the above named Marinda Boughan is entitled as widow and relict of Thomas Boughan my father during her life and at her death I am entitled to the Same in fee simple the sd Marinda refusing to give a refunding bond for the same. [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.]

In November 1829, in the case of Thomas St John, and James Howerton in his own right and as administrator of Casy Ann St. John decd., plaintiffs, against William Ransome executor of Thomas Boughan deceased, Marenda Boughan widow of said Thomas & others, defendants, “The Subpœna awarded in this case to answer the amended bill being returned executed on the defendants William Ransome and Marenda Boughan three months since filing the said bill and the service of the subpœna having elapsed and they still failing to file their answers, the said bill of the plaintiffs is taken for confessed as to those defendants, and the court will proceed at a future day to decree the matter thereof unless the said defendants on or before the tenth day of the term next after they shall have been served with a copy of this order shew cause to the contrary.” [Land Causes Superior Court of Chancery, 1823–1831, Volume 2, District of Fredericksburg, Virginia, pages 167–168.]

On 17 February 1830, Buckingham County To wit this day Frances J. Janey personally appeared before me a Justice of the peace for the County aforesaid & made oath that he deliverd a true copy of the within notice to William Ransome executor of Thomas Boughan decd. That he left a copy at the dwelling House of Marinda Boughn widow of Tho Boughan decd. Given under my hand and seal this 17 Feby 1830. Signed: Chs McKinney seal. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 46, item 46-F-25.]

On 5 October 1830, in the Superior Court for the District of Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the case of Thomas St John, and James Howerton in his own right and as administrator of Casey Ann St John deceased, plaintiffs, against William Ransome executor of Thomas Boughan deceased, who was administrator of Castin Boughan deceased, who was administrator of Major J Boughan deceased, Marenda Boughan, Henry C Boughan and John T Boughan infants by John Stanard assigned their guardian, Gabriel Boughan, Elizabeth Boughan, Lucy Boughan, John Boughan, Josiah Minter and Catharine his wife, James Croxton and George Crow executors of Thomas Crow deceased, and John H Upshaw, defendants, “It being suggested that Josiah Minter who intermarried with Catharine Boughan, and George Crow one of the executors of Thomas Crow deceased, are dead, this suit abates as to them, and the decrees nisi awarded in this cause at rules on the amended bill, being returned executed on all the other defendants except the infants, and they still failing to appear and answer the said amended bill is taken for confessed as to them: and this cause came on to be heard upon the original and amanded bill answered of John Boughan &c to the original bill and of the infant defendants to the amendment thereto, and exhibits, and was agreed by counsel on consideration whereof the court doth adjudge, order and decree, that James Semple, Henry H Boughan, George Hill, Muscoe G Wood and Washington H Purkins who are hereby appointed commissioners for that purpose any three or more of whom may act, attended by surveyor if necessary, divide the lands whereof Major Boughan died siezed and possesed into ten lots of equal value taking into the estimate quality and improvements as well as quantity, including also the lands on which the water grist mill in the plaintiffs bill mentioned is situated, and allot to the plaintiffs one tenth part thereof it being the proportion to which the plaintiff Thomas St John is entitled as tenant by that curthesy, and another tenth part thereof to the distributees of Major J Boughan deceased, which they are to subdivide into nine lots of equal value having a due regard to quality and improvements as well as quantity and allot one ninth part thereof to the plaintiffs it being the proportion to which the plaintiff Thomas St John is entitled as the only heir of his daughter Casey Ann St John who was one of the distributees of the said Major J. Boughan deceased — and the court doth further adjudge, order and decree that an account of the rents, issues and profits of the lands whereof the said Major Boughan died seized and possessed which have accrued subsequently to the year 1818, including the rents & profits of the water grist mill, be taken by one of the commissioners of this court; and that William Ransome executor of Thomas Boughan who was administrator of Castin Boughan deceased, do render before the same comissioner an account of the administration of the said Castin on the estate of the said Major J Boughan deceased, and also an accont of the said Thomas Boughan deceased administrator de bonis non of the said Castin Boughan deceased; which accounts the said commissioner is hereby directed to state, settle and to the court report together with any special matter deemed pertinant by himself or which may be required by either of the parties to be so stated.—“ [Chancery Order Book 1830–1831, Superior Court, District of Fredericksburg, Virginia, pages 167–168.]

1850 U.S. Census, Buckingham County, Virginia
Page 392
Dwelling 107, Family 107
Gillespie, Robt. J., 58, male, farmer, value of real estate $7,000, born in Prince Edward County, Virginia
Gillespie, Marinda, 45, female, born in Buckingham County, Virginia
Gillespie, Elizabeth, 20, female, born in Buckingham County, Virginia
Gillespie, Martha[?] V., 12, female, born in Buckingham County, Virginia, in school
Gillespie, George M., 10, male, born in Buckingham County, VIrginia, in school
Gillespie, Alice M., 7, female, born in Buckingham County, Virginia, in school
Baughan, John T., 22, male, no occupation, born in Buckingham County, Virginia

1860 U.S. Census, Buckingham County, Virginia
Buckingham Courthouse Post Office
Page 54
Dwelling 402, Family 399
Gillespie, Robert J., 68, male, farmer, value of real estate $8,000, value of personal estate $25,000, born in Virginia
Gillespie, Marinda, 55, female, born in Virginia
Gillespie, George, 20, male, manager, born in Virginia
Gillespie, Alice, 17, female, born in Virginia, in school
Baley, Francis, 10, female, born in Virginia, in school

1870 U.S. Census, Buckingham County, Virginia
Curdsville Post Office
Page 4
Dwelling 33, Family 31
Gillispie, Marinda, 65, female, white, farmer, value of real estate $7,000, value of personal estate $700, born in Virginia

1880 U.S. Census, Buckingham County, Virginia
Francisco Magisterial District, Enumeration District 33, Page 12
Dwelling 105, Family 106
Smith, Benj. P., white, male, 52, married, farmer, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Smith, Martha, white, female, 45, wife, married, keeping house, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Smith, Walter, white, male, 17, son, single, works on farm, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Smith, Henry, white, male, 13, son, single, works on a farm, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Smith, Alvin Lee, white, male, 9, son, single, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Smith, Herbert, white, male, 8, son, single, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Smith, Alice P., white, female, 5, daughter, single, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia
Gillespie, Marinda, whjite, female, 76, boarder, widowed, at home, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia