| Notes |
1830 Nicholas, VA
John Boggs
1m 15-20 [this mark is very light, may not be one]
1m 60-70
1f 15-20
1f 40-50
1840 Jackson Co, VA
John Boggs
1m 70-80
1f 60-70
1850 Kanawha, VA # 1220-1451
John Boggs 82 VA
Susan 77 VA
-1452
Rachael Wilson 32 VA
James 11
Jane 8
Maniza 5 f
James Vandale 69 NY
Sarah Vandal (no age) VA
1860 Roane, VA Spencer PO
Marshall Depue 25 VA
Mary E 18 VA
John Boggs 108 VA
Pioneers of Roane Co, WV by John A House:
Boggs lived on Muddy Creek in Greenbrier County before coming to Reedy. The date of his immigration is in dispute. The late A.L. Vandale, a grandson, told me it was in 1824.
Mr. Charles M. Boggs, who now lives on the Henderson land, corroborates this date. Others fix the date at 1820 or 1821.
The reports are also at variance as to the amount of land he bought and the price paid, but it is very likely he lost a considerable amount of money as well as labor in this venture.
As before stated, he bought a large boundary of land of Henderson above Baker's on Main Reedy, and moving out with hands and slaves, opened up in the next two years quite a lot of land. Losing this through a defective title, he then bought a tract of land on Left Reedy, said to comprise the whole Valley from Stewart's at the Three Fork to the Ben Riddle farm where S.B. Ball now resides.
This was bought of a man named Enochs, who lived "out about Hugheses River." Whether Enochs claimed the land in his own right or was acting as agent for the North American or some other land company, does not appear.
"Old Tommy Boggs" as he was familiarly known through all the country, built a cabin near the mouth of what is known as Burnt House Run, opposite Beech Grove Church. One day after the "raising" he started out to select a good splitting tree to make puncheons with which to floor his cabin, and in the search ran across an old line, the corner tree standing on the side of the point a little south of where Mr. W.L. Bush lived in 1870.
Being, like all men of the period, who possessed a high degree of intelligence - an expert woodsman, Boggs traced the line from this corner both ways, for a long distance.
Careful inquiry could elicit no information as to the history of the line, nor was it even known why or by whom it was made, probably it marked the bounds of some prospective survey, for which no patent was secured.
Fearing further loss through litigation, the Boggses abandoned their claim, again losing the money they had invested. Years later the old cabin was destroyed in a woods fire, and from this the run took its name.
The same land was later sold by Enochs to the Stewarts who paid One Thousand dollars in gold for it, and afterward lost the greater part, if not all, of the land.
After the second failure to secure a home, Boggs next invested in a large body of land on Spring Creek below Spencer.
Mat Boggs says there were 3000 acres, for which Three Thousand Dollars was paid. Elijah Callow places the figure at 17,000 acres. The records at Point Pleasant, if still in existence, would show what it was.
This Survey I think included all the Spring Creek Valley from about the mouth of Beaver Dam to within a mile or so of Spencer. To this land he moved in 1831.
While on the Reedy plantation he had cleared on both sides of the Creek, and kept a huge dugout canoe for ferrying purposes.
The family consisted of fifty-two in all - men, women, children, "work hands", and "niggers." All lived together in huge cabins, and all fared alike as to provisions. Cornpone, bear meat, venison, pork, potatoes, beans, pumpkins, etc., were plentiful at times, and all fared sumptuously; again, "lean seasons" came around, and all "worked hard and lived hard" alike.
When moving day came, they started out in a procession over the mountain, a bunch of negroes before, cutting out logs and underbrush, clearing the way, then children and household goods on pack horses, men and women walking, and in the rear two yokes of oxen driven by "nggers" dragging the canoe, which was to be launched on the waters of Spring Creek.
It was not long after his arrival before Boggs, who was an enterprising, progressive citizen, built a school house, not one of the costly white frame structures no built, comfortably furnished inside, but a pole cabin of the then customary type, rib roof held down with weight poles, puncheon floors, split log seat, huge fireplace and other like comforts and necessities. For a teacher, he provided an Irishman named Mitchell, a "schoolmaster" versed in the three Rs - "Readin', ‘Ritin', and ‘Rithmetic" and skilled in the use of hickory and birch, and whose salary was a piece of land where Bill Vandale afterward lived, and the educational advantages of the Colony were complete.
The Manor house cabin was located at the mouth of Island Run, four miles below Spencer.
In 1831 Boggs built a sawmill, the first in Spencer District.
John Boggs was an industrious, hard working man, and was at one time one of the wealthiest men in Jackson County. He had a good many negro slaves, who, it is said, were treated as well as his other work hands, and well taken care of. He often said, "No man can crack a whip over my niggers."
He gave to each of his children a farm and two negro slaves, as a start in life.
Here is a copy of a deed which he made while Spring Creek was yet a part of Jackson County, and which is on record in the Clerk's Office at Ripley.
"This indenture, made the 11th day of April , in the year One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty-three; Witnesseth, That for and in consideration of natural love and affection I do hereby convey to Thomas Boggs and John Newson my two female negro slaves, Betsy and Hannah, in trust, for the benefit of my son Lawrence Boggs during his natural life; and after the death of my son Lawrence Boggs, I do give the said slaves, Betsy and Hannah, and their increase, to the children of my son Lawrence lawfully begotten, or to the heirs of such child or children of my son Lawrence, lawfully begottne, such portion as their parents would have inherited. On testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and date above written. (Signed) John Boggs (L.S.)"
When Boggs became too old to maintain himself he made his home with his daughter Belmount, who married Benniah Depue, and to whom he gave the home farm at the mouth of Island Run, except a lot of forty acres he reserved in his own name.
Finally becoming dissatisfied, he bought a tract of two hundred acres on the head of Spring Creek, whic he deeded to his grandson, Marshall Depue, for his maintenance. He continued to resdie with Depue until his death, which is said to have occurred on the 2nd of April, 1862 at the age of 108. John Boggs' children were:
Sarah married James Vandale.
Nancy married John D. Vandale
James R. married Harriet Walkup.
Thomas married Matilda Rockhold.
Evaline B. married Benniah Depue.
Lawrence married, and lived in Ohio.
Malinda married Jonathan Depue.
Peggy married Stephen Hicks, father of Larry.
William married Maria Maze.
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West Virginia Pioneers
