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Archiver > BOGGS > 2002-12 > 1040757225


From: Bill and Nan Hough <>
Subject: Re: [BOGGS-L] William Slemmons
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2002 14:25:02 -0500
References: <Pine.OSF.4.21.0212240854470.16402-100000@tracy.umd.edu>


I have been doing a lot of work on the Boggs of Lancaster, as well as
neighboring Chester, Cumberland, and Franklin counties in the last 6
months. I have not encountered the name Slemmons. But I will paste
some of my notes into this reply, as they may give you some clues.
First, on geography. There were two Pequea townships, one when
Lancaster was part of Chester County, and one much later and further
west. I don't know that there either of the Pequea townships existed in
1752, one was earlier, one later. Both were on the Pequea creek, which
traverses the county from east to west and drains into the Susquehanna.
There is also a village of Pequea near the mouth of the creek in
Conestoga Township, further west than either of the townships, but early
records almost invariably talked about townships. It would be helpful
in looking for Boggs families that lived near to the Slemmons to know
which Pequea the Slemmons lived in.

A little history might help. Prior to 1729, Lancaster Co was part of
Chester Co. Sadsbury Twp was formed 1717. Conestoga in 1718, and
Pequea in 1721. Pequea straddled the Pequea Creek and it looks like
when Lancaster Co. was formed in 1729, it became (approx) Salisbury Twp.
The old Sadsbury Twp. and Conestoga Twp. of Chester Co. became several
Lancaster Co. Twps., including Martic, Sadsbury, Conestoga, Leacock and
Drumore. Drumore yielded Little Britain in 1738. Conestoga yielded
Pequea in 1853, not to be confused with the Pequea Twp of Chester Co.
before 1729. Martick yielded Providence Twp. in 1853. The Pequea Creek
runs through or forms the border of Salisbury, Leacock, Strasburg,
Pequea, Conestoga, Providence, and Martic Townships as of 1853 (same as
today). Drumore yielded Little Britain in 1738, and Little Britain
yielded Fulton Twp in 1844. I canoed the Pequea Creek a few years ago.
Beautiful country now principally surrounded by Amish farms. The Amish
didn't arrive in southern Lancaster county until about 1936.

There were a number of Boggs families in Lancaster County. The earliest
record I have found is a land warrant to Joseph Boggs in 1733. This
land was on a branch of the Conowingo Creek, probably what is now
Drumore Township. This Joseph had a brother William who settled a
little further north on the Pequea creek, in what is probably Martic or
Providence Township today. There was also a John Boggs who took a
warrant for land on the West Branch of the Octoraro in Little Britain
Twp in 1745, but had lived on it since 1737.

My primary interest is the family of Aaron Boggs who married the widow
Rebecca Clark Baldridge in Lancaster City in 1769. I am almost positive
that he was the son of one of the brothers Joseph or William who settled
on the Conowingo and Pequea creeks in the 1730s, or another brother not
yet identified. We know for sure that William had a son Aaron, and
Joseph may have as well. It was the practice of the Scotch Irish of
Pennsylvania to name their first son after the paternal grandfather, and
we know that the father of the brothers Joseph and William was Aaron.

There is another Aaron Boggs who is apparently the oldest son of a Boggs
that went to now South Carolina between 1750 and 1769. There is a lot
of stuff on the internet that says this Aaron is the son of a Joseph
Boggs who is in turn the son of a James Boggs of Goshen Township,
Chester County. This is wrong. There are records of this Joseph Boggs
staying in Chester county long after he would need to be in the
Carolinas if the internet postings were correct. This Joseph Boggs was
a taxpayer in Goshen Township, Chester County, beginning in 1744 and
ending in 1771. His wife was Jane Walker. Jane was a sister of
Margaret Walker who married Joseph's brother, John Boggs. Jane and
Margaret were daughters of Alexander Walker of Chester County, who died
in 1746.

Given the naming patterns, if the father of the Aaron of South Carolina
indeed was in Pennsylvania, it is likely he was the first cousin of the
Aaron who married Rebecca Clark Baldridge. They, by the way, lived in
Letterkenny Township, Cumberland (now Franklin) Co., PA, before moving
to Lincoln County, NC, after 1782.

I plan more work on the brother Joseph and William and their families.
May or may not have any luck. Please give me all the details you have
on the Boggs gal who married William Slemmons. Do you know
when/where/what church they were married in? I'll keep Slemmons in mind
when I go to Lancaster and Harrisburg next.

Here are some notes on Boggs wills in Lancaster County. Note that not
many left wills:

In the Lancaster County index to wills, there are entries:
Andrew Boggs, 1765, Book B, Vol 1, pg 437: Mentions wife Ann, oldest
son John, sons James, daughter Jane Dunlap, sons Andrew and Alexander,
daughters Ann and Mary, Grand children Ann and Jean Lawrey. "I do
hereby order and appoint my dearly beloved Ann Boggs my whole and sole
Exacutrix, & my eldest son John Boggs if he should be Speared to return
fro the woods again to be an assistent to his mother" Andrew Boggs
lived in Donegal Twp, Lancaster Co., Will is dated Aug. 23, 1764
Entered in probate April 15, 1765.

Ann Boggs, 1790, Book F, Vol 1, pg 253: Widow of above Andrew.
Mentions son Alexander sole heir and executor, May 27, 1785, Donegal
Twp., entered into probate Oct 16, 1790

James Boggs, 1753, Book B, Vol 1, pg 19: Dated July 9, 1753: Son
William, Wife Mary, Son Thomas, Daughter Elizabeth. Executors James
Gilberath, Thomas Foraster, Thomas Wilson. Entered probate Aug 6, 1753

Margaret Boggs, 1796, Book F, Vol 1, pg 640: Rapho Twp, Lancaster Co.,
Oct 1, 1794. names Daughter Mary Bogg's children, Daughter Sarah Peden,
Daughter Nancy Ballanee, daughter Sable Craig's children, daughter
Elizabeth Grayth, daughter Rebecca Boggs, executor Hugh Pedin.
Margaret appears in the 1790 census of Rapho Township as (widow) Boggs,
1 male over 16, 1 under 16, and 3 females (Inc. Margaret)

William Boggs, 1782, Book D, Vol 1, pg 42: April 13, 1778 date, names
wife Lidia (Lydia), Son James, children Catherine, Anne Margaret,
Elisabeth, William, Lydia, and John. Looks like everybody but James is
a minor. He lived in Paxton Twp, Lancaster Co. James Boggs was
executor. Entered in Probate April 12 & May 28, 1782.

Sarah Boggs, daughter of Margaret above, was married to Hugh Peden in
the same church Aaron Boggs married widow Rebecca Clark Baldridge, St.
James Anglican Church in Lancaster City. They were married May 14,
1774. There were three other Boggs marriages in that church,
Jane Boggs to John Thorn, Oct 4, 1762
John Boggs to Lydia Hall, Nov 12, 1772
Robert Boggs to Elizabeth Brown, Apr 23, 1772




Paul Leiberton wrote:
>
> William Slemmons, son of William and grandson of Thomas, of Lancaster Co
> PA born ca 1751 married first a Boggs. Three chilren born to them, William
> Jennie, and Margaret.
>
> Is there anyone who might shed light on which Boggs family of Lancaster
> county might have had a daughter who married William. His father and
> grandfather lived in Pequea, Lancaste Co, PA.
>
> Paul
>
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