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  THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

The Boulden family were early planters on the Eastern shore of Maryland.  Their story goes back to Jamestown 1610 when Thomas Boulden came to Virginia.  He moved up the Chesapeake Bay to Kent Island and was buried there in 1665.  The family continued expanding north into Cecil County and eventually across the state line into Delaware.

Estelle Smith Kepler wrote The Boulden Family .which gave us a first look at the extensiveness of this family.  I am sure the Cecil County Historical Society has a copy.  The name has a number of variation and I will use the spelling within the document noted.

William Boulden was born about 1660.  Some say in Virginia, but I think it very likely he was born on or near Kent Island.  It is possible that his father was Thomas Bouldin, who died on Kent island in 1665. re Old Kent by George A. Hanson, page 109 .  He married Thomasin Nash who had lived in Kent Island.  The will of Richard Nash, written in 1679, names his daughter Thomasin, re Maryland Calandar of Wills, Vol I (maybe IV, it is hard to read my writing) by Baldwin.  I believe they married about 1690. They are also listed in the Cecil County MD marriage References 1674-1824, page 28. by Henry C. Peden, Jr.

The first actually documentation that I have of William Boulden and Thomasin Nash Boulden are from St. Stephen's Parish records as noted on pages 18 & 24 of Early anglican church Records of Cecil County by Henry C. Peden, Jr.: there is a section for births - b, and for baptizms - bapt
1. Mary Bolden, born Jan 2, 1689
2. Richard Boulden, baptized Oct. 24, 1697, Ms. Kepler said he was born Dec. 5, 1693.  He wed Mary Hewes.
3.  Elizabeth Bolden, baptized oct. 24, 1697            "                she was born July 3, 1696 and wed Thomas Bedle
4.  William Boulding, born June 29, 1704 church records note he was twin to
5.  Alexander Boulding born the same day.
6.  Thomas Boulding, born Jan 15, 1706, wed Ann Wood Clark and moved to Virginia
7.  Samuel Boulding, born Jan 7, 1709
8.  James Boulding, born Sept 4, 1712, wed Elizabeth Phillips
The church records also includes the death of their 7th child Samuel, buried Feb. 27, 1714

According to Ms Kepler, the eldest son, Richard had a son Thomas Boulden who wed the daughter of the youngest son, James, Augustine Boulden.  ie first cousins. I don't have documentation of that.  T'would be nice.

St. Stephen's church was of the North Sassafras Parish.   In 1697 the church records contain the  following " ..a vestry meeting, at ye house of William Bouldin the 9th day of Dec. 1697....

.William and  Tomasin Boulden were involved in a number of Deed transfers.  The earliest I have is where he sold on Nov 10, 1702 to Thomas Browning, Cecil County Land Records, Vol 1, page 228.  The land was on the west side of Scotch Creek, south side of Bohemian River.   So the question is, Where and when did he come by this land? 

I have a record from the Baltimore county Land Records of 1671, that William Boulden (uncle to the William of this piece) made a will Aug 26, 1671 bequeathing all his property on the Bohemia river to Mary Thwaite and her sons, William and Thomas.  Is that the land on Scotch Creek?  Is Mary Thwaite's son our William? 

Then there is an exchange of deeds between William and Thomasin on the one hand and Thomas Keane on the other.
In vol 2-page 333 Cecil Land Records, our couple sells To Mr. Keane, and vol 4, page 84 Mr. Keane sells 50 acres to William and Thomasin.  Same land?  Why the exchange?

In between there was a deed where our couple bought from Lawrence Raws, Vol 3, page 153 Cecil County Land Records.  I do not know where this land was located or how large it was. 

According to an article in the Upper Shoreman, July 1967, Bristole in Back Creek Neck, (500 acres) has been in the Boulden family since William Boulden came into possession in 1717.   and later he had a patent on Bouldens Rest, of 330 acres next to Bristole.   I would love to have clarity on how he came into possession of these lands.

Then in 1734 Vol 5, between pages 9 and 40 Cecil county Land Records William Boulden "sold" to 5 of his 7 surviving children pieces of the property thus:
1.  Thomas Beetle - husband of eldest daughter Elizabeth. 50 acres on the Elk River for "2 shill. sterl for the alienation fine of the within fifty acres of land".
                  I believe it is 2 shillings.  According to wikipedia it is a payment made by an an to his Lord to receive his                       inheritance. I assume the rest are similiar
2.  William Boulden Jr -. 130 acres next to Beetle and the land directed to his brother Thomas.
3.  Alexander Boulden - 150 acres next to brother Thomas.
4.  Thomas Boulden - 250 acres next to brothers Alexander and William Jr.
5.  Richard Boulden - 50 acres

That accounts for 630 acres, leaving 200 that he had owned on Back Creek Neck.  What became of it?
Why were Mary and James left out? Was Mary not a daughter of William and Thomasin?  James was 22 in 1734.  We know that at some point before 1762 he owned a portion of what had been called Three Bohemian Sisters.  I believe the land noted in the 1734 Deeds were also of Three Bohemian Sisters.  So there is probably another land transfer that I have not seen. - yet.

We do not know when either William or Thomasin died.  However, Thomasin is on early deeds, but not on the 1734 set.  So I believe it safe to say Thomasin died after 1717 and William after April 1734.

If you know the answer please CONTACT US