John Boswell (abt. 1724)

Now, as for the identity of Boswell Thornton, it seems highly possible to this writer that he was the only son of Sterling Thornton Jr. and his unknown wife. In Sterling Thorton's LWT he identifies his son, John Thornton, as the beneficiary of his whole estate, with provision that it should revert to and be equally shared by Watt Cole, the children of his brothers: John Seawell, and Francis Thornton, in the event that John Thornton die without heirs. It seems probable to this writer that Boswell Thornton (legatee of Col. John Boswell) and John Thornton, son of Sterling Thorton Jr. were one and the same persons, probably having been named John Boswell Thornton.

4. Fanny [Francis] Boswell, Jane Boswell and Nancy Boswell: These three women were given legacies from the estate of Col. John Boswell consisting of slaves. The identity of the Boswell females is unknown, probably kinspersons of Maj. Thomas Boswell, brother of Col. John Boswell.

From the foregoing presentation and analysis for several of the various persons named in the LWT of Col. John Boswell, it has been deduced that he very likely was a son of Joseph [Colgate] Boswell and Jane Shackleford, and brother of Maj. Thomas Boswell of Mathews County VA. From a journal published by Marquis de Chastellux the following observations were recorded on his visit to Boswell Tavern in 1782:

“The night was already closed in, when we arrived at the house of Colonel Boswell, a tall, stout Scotsman, about sixty years of age, and who had been about forty years settled in America, where, under the English government, he was a colonel of militia. Although he kept a kind of tavern, he appeared but little prepared to receive strangers. It was already late indeed, besides that this road, which leads only to the mountains, is little frequented. He was quietly seated near the fire, by the side of his wife, as old, and almost as tall as himself, whom he distinguished by the epithet of “honey”, which in French corresponds with mon petit coeur. These honest people received us cheerfully, and soon called up their servants, who were already gone to bed. Whilst they were preparing supper, we often heard them call “Rose, Rose”, which at length brought to view the most hideous negress I ever beheld. Our supper was rather scanty, but our breakfast the next morning better; we had ham, butter, fresh eggs, and coffee by way of drink: for the whiskey or corn-spirits we had in the evening, mixt with the water, was very bad; besides that we were perfectly reconciled to the American custom of drinking coffee with meat, vegetables, or other food. We set out the next morning at eight o’clock, having learned nothing in this house worthy of remark, except that notwithstanding the hale and robust appearance of Mr. and Mrs. Boswell, not one of fourteen of their children had attained the age of ten years. We were now approaching a chain of mountains of considerable height, called the South-West Mountains…”

From Gen. Chastellux's account it is discovered that Col. John Boswell was about 60 years old in 1782, suggesting a birth year of about 1722. However, we also have the following marriage record for Joseph Boswell and Jane Shackleford:

Joseph Boswell, married Oct. 23d, 1731, Jane Shackleford. Their son Benjamin was born July 23d, 1732.

If this marriage record is correct, then it seems highly unlikely that Jane Shackleford would have been the mother of Col. John Boswell and Maj. Thomas Boswell. It is possible that their father was Joseph Boswell, but their mother must be considered uncertain.

We also learn from Gen. Castellux's journal that John Boswell and Ann Johnson had had fourteen children, all of whom died before reaching their majority. It seems probable that it was this lack of surviving heirs that led John Boswell to name nephews as his principal legatees.

3. Boswell Thornton: The identity of Boswell Thorton is somewhat obscure, but he was named as a principal legatee in Col. Boswell's LWT (roughly 25%), still a minor, and an Executor, so he clearly held a close and personal relationship to Col. John Boswell and his wife, Ann. The surname of Thornton was in association with the Boswell family is known to have had only one intersection during this time period. That intersection is believed to have occurred with the intermarriage of Jane Boswell, daughter of Maj. Thomas Boswell, with an unknown Mr. Thornton as her 1st husband. So, it seems highly probable that Boswell Thornton would have been descended from the union of Jane Boswell and Mr. Thornton. However, Boswell Thornton could not have been a son of Jane Boswell and Mr. Thornton, as Jane Boswell-Thornton married John Seawell as her 2nd husband sometime around 1760. Any son born to Jane Boswell and Mr. Thornton would have been almost 30 years old in 1788, at which time Boswell Thornton was identified as a minor. Consequently, if Boswell Thornton was descended from Jane Boswell and Mr. Thornton, he would likely have been a grandson of Jane Boswell-Thornton-Seawell. A clue as to the identity of Boswell Thornton's father may be contained in the Last Will and Testament of Sterling Thornton, abstracted as follows:

"28Mar1790: In the name of God, Amen. I, Sterling Thornton, of the Parish of Petsworth and county of Gloucester, being in my perfect senses, do make and constitute this my last will and testament in manner following: Imprimis. I give and bequeath to my son John Thornton my whole estate, both real and personal, to him and his heirs forever, but in case my son John should die under the age of twenty-one years, and without a child or children, living at his death, then my will and desire is that my whole estate so as aforementioned be divided equally between Watt Cole, half brother to my son John, and the children of my brother John Seawell, and my brother Francis Thornton, whom they have now, that is to say, one-eighth thereof to Watt Cole, three-eights between the children of my brother John Seawell, by name, John, Sterling and Francis, and other four-eights between the four children of my brother Francis Thornton, by name James, Elizabeth, Ann and Francis, to them and their heirs forever as tenants in common. They, the said Watt Cote, and the children of my brother John Seawell and Francis Thornton, paying, and their estates above given to be chargeable with the sum of one hundred pounds to my relation Meaux Thornton, and twenty-five pounds to each of the children of Capt. William Vaughn and Capt. John Camp, whom they have had by the daughters of Mr. John Seawell, Senr., but if either of the children of my brothers John Seawell and Francis Thornton should die under the age of twenty-one years, and without a child or children, living at his or her death, then I desire and will the part or proportion of the deceased may be equally divided amongst, the survivors and their heirs.

Item. I desire that my executor hereafter named do build a comfortable house, twenty by sixteen feet, for my negro woman Cate and her children to live in, and that it be placed in the peach orchard back of the little house in the garden, and that the said Cate be annually furnished out of my estate, with two hundred weight of good pork, salt and meal, as well as clothes, and it is my will that the said Cate may never be compelled to work unless she chooses and that she may be found fire wood.

Item. I desire that the old woman Leah shall have to her own use and disposal, one-half the money she may earn as a midwife. I do constitute my brother John Seawell guardian to my son John Thornton.

Item. I desire that my estate be kept together, and land and negroes and team be worked as usual until my son arrives at the age of twenty-one years. I direct that my executor do sell my studd horse Brilliant and my old gray horse, and my large bay mare called Phoenix.

Item. I do direct and order that my executor hereafter named may, if he shall see it advantageous, sell as many negroes or personal estate as he shall think proper to purchase lands for my son John and his heirs, which, if he doth, I desire shall be in all respects under the like limitations and restrictions as the estate above devised. Lastly, I do nominate and appoint my brother John Seawell my whole and sole executor, hereby revoking all other wills by me heretofore made. I do constitute this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal this 28th day of March, 1790.

Signed: Sterling Thornton (Seal) Test, Ben. Dabney, Alice Brodie, Jane Seawell Recorded April 6, 1790"

If we thought that the LWT of Col. John Boswell may have held clues as to his identity, then the LWT of Sterling Thornton may be equally loaded with genealogical clues. The first question to be answered is "who was Sterling Thornton?" According to the memoirs of Maria Louisa Edwards (granddaughter of John Seawell and Jane Boswell), this Sterling Thornton and his brother, Francis Thornton, were sons of Jane Boswell and her 1st husband: Sterling Thornton, son of Francis Thornton and Ann Sterling [daughter of Peter Sterling]. If that genealogy of this Sterling Thornton is correct, then he would have been a nephew of Machen Boswell, and a grandson of Maj. Thomas Boswell. The probable linkage between this Sterling Thornton and Jane Boswell as mother and son is supported by the fact that Jane Seawell was a witness. In his Will, Sterling Thorton referred to John Seawell (presumed son of Jane Boswell and John Seawell "Sr.") as his "brother". Such reference during colonial times is understood to have had various meanings, some of which were not the traditional meaning between blood siblings. If Maria Edwards was correct about the identity of Sterling Thornton as the 1st husband of Jane Boswell, and the children born of Sterling Thornton and Jane Boswell having been Sterling Thornton Jr. and Francis Thornton, then the John Seawell whose children were named as reversionary legatees would have been this Sterling Thornton's step-brother.

Following is a transcript of the Last Will and Testament of Col. John Boswell:

"3Apr1788: Last Will and Testament of John Boswell of Louisa County VA: In the name of God amen. I, John Boswell of the Parish of Fredericksville in the County of Louisa, being sick and weak, but of sound mind and memory (God be thanked for same) and considering the frailty of human nature, and that it is appointed for all men once to die, I do make and constitute this my last will and testament in form and manner following and desire that it may be received as such; First and principally I commit and commend my soul unto God that gave it in hopes of his gracious acceptance of the same only in and through the merits and redemption of Jesus Christ his only son and my ever blessed saviour, as for my body I commit it unto the earth from whence it came to be buried in such a decent manner as my Executor hereafter named shall think proper, and as for such worldly goods as it hath pleased God to bless me with after all my lawful and just debts are paid; I will and dispose of the remainder in the following manner (viz): I give Boswell Thornton the land I bought of Ben Harrison in Orange County known by the name of Brick Chimney and the following negroe (viz) Tamer Suck and her three children, Ursuly and her three children, and their increase, and Mountain Tom, Harry, Speed, Bell and their child Nan, and her two children, and all their increase, and ¼ of my stock to be delivered to him when he comes of age, if said Boswell Thorton should die without lawful heir, and I likewise lend him Isaac on the same terms, and if he, said Boswell, die without heir lawfully begotten, then the whole falls to Thomas Boswell [brother of John?] and Thomas Johnson Min. (Minor), Lucy Caplain and her child, Nancy. I do set free a yellow boy named James, and his mother, Luce I do set free, I give to the said James the tract of (land) I bought of John Goodman, and I desire my executors to give the said James a horse and saddle with nine pounds, and a cow and calf and a tolerable education; and (to) William Caplain I do give the land purchased of Thomas Gibbons, if he does not redeem it, if he does, the money to him; and to my beloved wife, Ann Boswell, twelve choice negroes and the plantation whereon I now live, and all my stock and furniture I do lend for her life, and at her death to be equally divided between Thomas Boswell and Thomas Johnson, Min. (Minor); to the said Thomas Johnson Min. I give the land lent to my wife, but if the British debt should be paid that is to be sold for that purpose; I give to the Thomas Johnson Min. (minor) the land in Orange County I bought of Charles Smith and the mill land bought of Matthew More and pine tract bought of the Sheriff, and likewise the land that was Raglands bought of the Sheriff; and to my brother, Thomas Boswell, the tract of land I bought of William(s?), and the tract bought of Elkanah Ray.; and to Mitchum Boswell I give the negroes Bess and Franky; and to Fanny Boswell I give Rose and her child, Winney; and to Jane Boswell I give Moll and her child Jacob; and to Nancy Boswell I give Matt; and likewise I give to the said Boswell Thornton Dick and John Scott on the same terms; and I give to the same in the same case as the above; and to John Bowen, Jim Boy; and all my estate not mentioned to be divided equally between my brother, Thomas Boswell, and my Neffew (nephew), Thomas Johnson Min. (Minor) I ordain and order this to be my last will and testament and disannul all other wills heretofore made and do appoint my friends: Thomas Boswell, Thomas Johnson Min., John Bowen and Boswell Thorton my executors. Signed and sealed 3Apr1788. Wit.: Butler Bradburn, Thomas Gentry and John Self. Recorded 9Jun1788. "

Based on the legatees named in the LWT of Col. John Boswell (Louisa County VA, 1788) it seems possible that he may have been a brother of Maj. Thomas Boswell of Gloucester County VA. The named legatees that would seem to offer clues of the kinship connections of Col. John Boswell are as follows:

1. Thomas Boswell: Named in the LWT as a legatee, also specifically identified as a brother of the testator, and as one of three Executors, along with John Bowen, Thomas Johnson (Minor) and Boswell Thornton.

2. Mitchum [aka Machen] Boswell: The only person whose name approximates that of Mitchum Boswell was Dr. Machen Boswell, whose own LWT was recorded 21Apr1793 in Mathews County VA. In his Will, Machen Boswell made reference to his land in Mathews County, upon which his father was living, abstracted as follows:

“21Apr1793: Last Will and Testament of Dr. Machen Boswell, Mathews County VA: To his son Thomas Boswell, all his land in Matthews County, including the tract on which my father now lives; my lands in Kentucky, 4000 acres to be equally divided between my three children, Elizabeth, Martha and Thomas; to my son all my books, except the books my daughters have; to my daughters one negro maid each of their own age; the rest of my personal estate to be equally divided; the guardians of my children to attend particularly to their education; my negro estate to be as equally divided by families as possible. Benjamin Dabney, of King and Queen County, and John Seawell, of Gloucester, executors. Proved at a court held for Matthews County, 13Jan1794, to be the handwriting of Machen Boswell by the oaths of Mann Page and Francis Whiting… Young Thomas Boswell studied medicine at William and Mary for several years, and in Europe from 1813 to 1815. His sister, Elizabeth married 1st Ralph Wormely, and 2nd Carter M. Braxton. His sister, Martha, married Mr. Roy.”

He made bequests to three children: Elizabeth, Martha and Thomas. From an article published in the William and Mary Quarterly entitled "The Seawell Family" [The William and Mary Quarterly Vol. 8, No. 1 (Jul. 1899), pp. 54-62 (9 pages)] it is stated that Machen Boswell's father was a persons identified as Maj. Thomas Boswell, with a wife surnamed "Machen", some say Martha Machen. Further, this article identified Maj. Thomas Boswell's parents likely to have been Joseph [Colgate] Boswell and Jane [Shackleford]. In addition to a son named Machen Boswell, Maj, Thomas Boswell is also purported to have been the father of Jane Boswell, wife of (1) an unknown Mr. Thornton [possibly Sterling Thornton], and (2) John Seawell. Machen Boswell named the following Executors: Benjamin Dabney, of King and Queen County, and John Seawell, of Gloucester. Having been named a legatee in the LWT of Col. John Boswell, it seems possible that Machen Boswell was a nephew of Col. John Boswell, and that Machen's father, Maj. Thomas Boswell, likely was the brother of Col. John Boswell.