James Boullay (abt. 1650 - 1684)

Died 1684 at about age 34 in Calvert, Maryland

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Biography

James Boullay

The surname Boullay is an indication that James is of French Protestant heritage. His ancestors may have made there way to England prior to the Edict of Nantes (1598). Potential family connections suggest some mercantile background and roots that derive from London, England.

Maryland

James was certainly in Maryland by 1672, when he was then married to Elizabeth Billingsley of the Upper Cifts of Calvert County.^[1] He likely spent seven years as an apprentice within Lord Baltimore's government, for there is no additional colonial references to him until 1679, where he is identified as Prerogative Court Clerk. The following year (1680) he demands his rights to 50 acres of land "due to him for his time of service performed in this province".^[2]

After 1680, James' professional life began to shift to Kent County after being appointed Deputy Surveyor of the county by Vincent Lowe, Esq., the Surveyor Generall of the Province of Maryland.^[3] During his two years as Kent County surveyor, James, in association with fellow government official Nicholas Painter, accumulated 1000 hundred acres of land along the Chester River.

Government Service

1679, Maryland Prerogative Court Clerk/Register^[4]
1680, Kent County Commissioner^[5]
1680, Deputy Surveyor of Kent County^[6]

Land Warrants, Patents

50 Acres, 7 Jun 1680, assigned to William Cox of St. Mary's County^[7]

500 acres, 25 Jun 1680, "By Virtue of part of a warrant for two thousand nine hundred acres of land granted unto Nicholas Painter of St. Mary's County, Gentleman, bearing the date the 10th of May, 1680... laid out for the said Nicholas Painter a tract of land called the Chance... laid out for 500 acres...(on back of cert...)
Know all men by these presents that I Nicholas Painter of Calvert County, Gentleman for a valuable consideration to me in hand... assign sell lett over to the said James Boullay all my right interest... October 1680".^[8]

200 acres, 20 Jun 1680, "From Nicholas Painter 1/2 of 200 acres named the Chance out of 2,900 acres surveyed by James Boullay. (on back of cert...)
James Boullay buys from Nicholas Painter the other half October 6, 1680".^[9]

300 acres, 20 Jun 1680, "From Nicholas Painter 1/2 of 300 acres named Vianven out of 2,900 acres surveyed by James Boullay. (on back of cert...)
James Boullay buys from Nicholas Painter the other half October 6, 1680".^[10]

500 acres, 21 Jun 1680, William Cox assigns James Boullay 500 acres out of 1,600 acres surveyed by James Boullay.^[11]

200 acres, 30 Nov 1681, "On back of a warrant for two hundred acres of land granted unto Benjamin Randall of Kent County the seventh day of June... Benjamin Randall of Kent County assign all my right and title unto James Boullay..."

100 acres, 1681, Assigns 100 acres to Joseph Everett.

50 acres, 22 Apr 1682, "Know all men by these present that I James Boullay of the County of Kent do assign and lett over unto William Harris of the same County fifty acres of land part of a warrant for two hundred acres of land granted unto the said James Boullay...". Wit: M. Miller, Philip Everett

500 acres, 24 Jul 1682, "James Boullay of Kent County for and in consideration of... six thousand six hundred forty nine pounds of tobacco... paid by John Llewelin of the city of St. Mary's... behold of the manor of Baltimore by certificate thereof taken for in the name of William Cox.^[12]

Inventory and Account

Account - James Boully, 1695, Calvert County^[13]

Account References

30 Mar 1682, Charles Banks, Kent Island, payments to James Boulay
17 Dec 1682, Robert Ridgely (Gentleman), St. Mary's Co., debt to.^[14]
Henry Robinson, Calvert Co., debt to.^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage Records (1672), Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, MD
2. ↑ Patent Record dated 7 Jun 1680, WC#2, folio 97, Maryland Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD
3. ↑ Maryland Provincial Warrant Book, Liber WC#2, folio 90, Maryland Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD
4. ↑ identification in the "Land Office and Prerogative Court Records of Colonial Maryland", Volume 415, pg 118, Maryland Archives Online
5. ↑ referenced as such in the "Proceedings of the Council of Maryland", 1671-1681, Volume 15, pg 352, Maryland Archives Online (Liber R, folio 175)
6. ↑ Maryland Provincial Warrant Book, Liber WC#2, pg 90
7. ↑ Patent Record dated 7 Jun 1680, WC#2, folio 97, Maryland Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD
8. ↑ Maryland Provincial Patent Book, Liber A#21, folio 188, Maryland Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD
9. ↑ Maryland Provincial Patent Book, Liber A#21, folio 188, Maryland Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD
10. ↑ Maryland Provincial Patent Book, Liber A#21, folio 189, Maryland Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD
11. ↑ Maryland Provincial Patent Book, Liber A#21, folio 190, Maryland Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD
12. ↑ Maryland Provincial Patent Book, Liber A#21, folio 475, Maryland Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD
13. ↑ Calvert Co. Account, Liber 10, folio 447, 1692-1695, S536-14 (1246-2, loc 1/11/2/22) Maryland Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD
14. ↑ Maryland Accounts, Liber 7C, folio 65
15. ↑ Maryland Accounts, Liber 8, folio 369