Print Friendly and PDF

Saturday 2 August 2014

George Boulton (1740 - 1794)

George Boulton - Third Great Grandfather

George is the shared ancestor of both of Randy's great grandparents, Benajmin and Ann. He is also the reason that my children could apply to have the U.E. designation put after their names as they are descended from United Empire Loyalists. Here is his story, as found in various online sources.

George Boulton was born in the County of Wexford in Ireland in about 1740.  His parents lived in the Ballinvally area of Ireland.  His father was Abraham (1723 - 1753) and his mother was Anne Eyres (1725 - 1772).  I have seen him called George Belton Bolton in some sources too but I am guessing that Belton was likely a spelling variation, not a middle name.

In 1761, George married Nancy Bickford in Ireland.  George and Nancy immigrated to the Philadelphia, PA area between 1765 and 1770 with their first son, Abraham.

He joined the Loyalists in 1777.  George Boulton - along with George Belton (Boulton?)- are named on the Old United Empire Loyalist List, which means he probably arrived in Canada after 1776.  After the war, he immigrated to the Niagra region.  It is said that the rattlesnakes on the land were so bad that they left and walked to York (now Toronto) where they were able to take a boat to Elizabethtown Township.

When they arrived there were no European settlements in the area.  The men blazed trails into the wilderness.  Upon their way, passing through the United States, a boy William was born.  A daughter Alice and 6 sons were born in Canada.  It is said that all these children lived to  ripe old ages. An online source said the George and Nancy Boulton family lived at New Dublin, near Brockville at Concession 6/Lot 24 in 1795.

I have read online that the 1776 Leeds Census has the name spelled Boolton, 1802, 1808 spelled Boulton, 1810 Bolton, 1812, 1819 and 1821 Boulton.  From 1839 forward it was spelled Bolton.  Throughout the census records the brothers change and interchange the spelling of their last name.  These older census records are not yet online but would be neat to see someday!

Children of George and Nancy. 
  • Abraham (1762 - 1859) married Mary Elliott (1771 - 1866) in 1792; was a part of the Grenville Militia in 1803 and in the War of 1812.  Buried in McTaggart Cemetery, Huron County
  • Alice Eleanor (1764 - ?) married Ephrain Curry
  • Thomas (1774 - 1855) married Susannah Hoover/Handstock first and then Ann (Nancy) Higginson.  Their daughter is Ann Henrietta Boulton
  • William (1776 - 1859) married Martha Elliott (sister to Mary) in 1805.  Their son John is the father of Benjamin Boulton
  • Benjamin
  • Henry John (1780 - ?)
  • Hugh (1789 - ?)
  • Samuel (1789 - ?)

George and (presumably) Nancy are buried in Bolton Cemetery near Lyn, Ontario



Thanks to online sources, Carol Lackey, and here also, and the Weekes Family Site

2 comments:

  1. Hello, I am researching my 3rd great grandfather William Hicks who I believe may have been married to an Alice Bolton? Their son Thomas Albert Hicks,my 2nd great grandfather was born in New Dublin,Leeds,Ontario. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank You. Esther Bronson blondiebb@msn.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am also a descendent of George Bolton. His daughter Alice married Ephraim Curry who had George Curry who is my 3rd great grandfather. :)

    ReplyDelete