On 16 September 1823, a bill was submitted to the Superior Court of Chancery in Fredericksburg District. Orators Thomas St John and James Howerton jr of Halifax county in the state of Virginia. That the sd Thomas St. John on 25 October 1821 was indebted to Philip Howerton of the said county $115.25 and to Isaac Brookes of Essex County $98.01. To secure the debt he conveyed his interest in the estate of Major Vaughan Senr decd [alias Major Boughan] and Major Vaughan junr decd [alias Major J. Boughan]. Mentions children of Major Boughan. That Thomas St. John married Cary Boughan soon after the death of the said Major “—upon the lands and at the dwelling house of the said Major decd—that all of the sd heirs and coparceness of the sd Major, were at and after the marriage of the sd Cary…” “before her death which happened sometime in the year 1813, a daughter called Cary Ann who survived her mother and lived to the age of about three years, and then died sometime in or about the spring of the year 1816.” In 1818 Thomas St. John instituted suit to recover rents of the mill. That Major James Boughan died sometime about November in the year 1814, unmarried and without issue. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 46, items 46-F-49 and 50.]

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.]