John Boon is the progenitor of the Boone family of Greenbrier County, West Virginia. He is the earliest known person in our family with this last name. The earliest mention of John comes from the records of colonial York, Pennsylvania, which note that in 1777, John Boon was fined "three pounds and ten shillings" for failing to sign the Articles of Association. John was then a resident of Newberry Township, located several miles from York (in his pension statement, John claimed he was born "within about eight miles" of the town of York). He enlisted in the Continental army or militia that very year, probably as a result of the fine, or as a way of getting out of paying it. We have no records indicating who John's parents might be, or who raised him in the event he was orphaned. There was no one named Boon (or Boone) living in York or its environs during this time frame, according to colonial era records. However, there were several local families bearing the name BOHN. While by no means proven, it is at least plausible that John could be related to one of these families and simply changed the spelling of the last name for reasons unknown to us.
The often-repeated tale that John Boon was the son of Israel Boone, older brother of the famous explorer Daniel Boone, is without merit, and despite its resilience across many generations, no one has ever furnished even a shred of evidence proving such a connection. John himself made reference to his "uncle Daniel Boon" in his pension application to the Monroe County court; while there are many theories about this, there is little substantive information that anyone can point to indicating this was an actual familial relationship. We are left to speculate about the meaning of this reference. Incidentally, Daniel Boone's family always spelled their surname as BOONE.
John Boon's family never spelled the surname as BOONE during the 18th and 19th centuries. Although most members of the family started adding the final "e" to the surname around the turn of the 20th century, John always spelled the name as BOON. On most of the early documents referencing John, we see the name spelled in this manner, including the marriage bonds of his two oldest children, several of John's property transactions, and his application to the Court of Monroe County to obtain a military pension. Throughout the 19th century, John's many children and grandchildren appear on the Federal census, in wills, on marriage documents, and in county registers with the last name BOON, and there is no reason to believe that any of the early members of this family used the contemporary spelling BOONE.
After the American War of Independence, John found himself in southern Virginia with probably no prospects, no social standing, and little formal education. He obtained employment at the Washington Iron Works in Henry County, and after a few years, relocated north to Rockingham County, where he met and married Elizabeth Alford in about 1788. He and his wife moved to Greenbrier County, Virginia (later West Virginia) in the mid-1790s, where John was able to acquire several parcels of land over time. John and Elizabeth eventually settled on property near Hillsdale in present day Monroe County. To this union were born two sons and three daughters:
John, Jr. (born c. 1790); he married Nancy Carr. They settled in Braxton County
Nancy (born c. 1794); she married Willis Burdett. They settled in Roane County.
Henry (born 1800); he married Elizabeth Jane Wiley. They remained in Greenbrier County.
Sarah (Sallie) (born c. 1804); she married John Humphreys. They settled in Monroe County.
Frances (Fanny) (born c. 1812); she married Andrew Myers. They relocated to Iowa.
John Boon died, probably of old age, in 1835. His wife Elizabeth resided in the residence of their son Henry for several years before she followed him in death in 1841. Both are buried at the Boon-Robinson Cemetery in Greenbrier County, WV. Jerry Boone, another 3rd generation grandson has done significant research on John Boon and has made contributions to the writing of this biography.
Rev. War Pension Record # R1017 from the National Archives. This
document establishes his service in the Rev. war, his year and place of
birth, his year of marriage, wife, children battles fought in and relationship to Daniel Boone(uncle).
For his service he received a land grant in 1794 in what was Greenbrier Co., Virginia. It was located at the mouth of Howard's creek, where it joins the Greenbrier River.
Contents of the Revolutionary War Record of John Boon of Monroe Co., Virginia. The record number is R 1017 from the National Archives veterans records.
Page 1 John Boon of Monroe Co. in the State of Va who was a Pri in the company commanded by Captain Spangler of the --- commanded by --- in the Pennsylvania line for 2 years
DEAD
Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia at the rate of 80 Dollars -- cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 21st day August 1833 and sent John Hutchinson, Jr., Union, Monroe Co., Virginia. 4th of Sept. 1833
$200
semi-annual allowence $40 State of virginia, County of Monroe SS: total $200
Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by ?? Clerk
Book E vol ? page 3
Page 2
State of Virginia
On the 20th day of August 1833 personally appeared before the county clerk of Monroe stating John Boon a resident in said County of Monroe & State of Virginia aged 78 years of age, who being first duly sworn according to law hath in his oath stated the following conditions in order to obtain the benefit of the pension made by the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832 that he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 1777 under Capt. Spangler in the County of York and state of Pennsylvania for five years. the names of his other officers and the Regiment to which he belonged he had forgotten but knows that he served upwards of two years, and then was marched under the command of Gen. Gates in Company with the Maryland and Delaware troops to Hillsborough in North Carolina & from that place they proceeded to join the troops under the command of Baron D. Kalb-- He well recollects that the army suffered much fatigue & hardship marching toward where the enemy was encamped. They had to cut a road for nine miles from Sandee river below Camden called Gate's Folly, the army whilst on its march toward Camden at night encountered a party of the British and halted.The next morning the two armies met & fought,but the enemy prevailed & Gen Gates & his army were defeated & dispersed. He was in the battle & was among the last to retreat. He saved himself from the pursuing enemy by fleeing through an unknown country as well as his fatigue & previous hardships would allow. At length he arrived at the Washington Iron works in Henry County where he remained some years & then came to the County of Monroe which was Greenbrier, where he has resided ever since. After this dreadful defeat the officers under whom he served had all fled in different directions and he knew not where to find them so as to get a discharge. Consequently he did not get a discharge.
His years from the comensement of his service or enlistment until this defeat the full length of time of three years. This battle took place as well as he remembers in the month of August 1780. He was born in York County Pennsylvania within about 8 miles of the town of York but in what year he does not recollect, but this he knows that he was eighteen or nineteen years old when he went with his uncle Daniel Boon to Kentucky and he knows that he returned the next year to York which was 1774.
He relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity whatever except the Present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any State
his
Sworn to & subscribed John Boon
the day and year aforesaid Mark
And the said court does hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soilder(sic)and served as he states.
I John Hutchinson Jr. clerk of the Court of Monroe County do hereby certify that the aforementioned contains the annual proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of John Boon for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have herewith set my hand and seal of office this 27th day of August 1833 in the 58th year of the Commonwealth
Jn Hutchinson Jr. cmc
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th July 1838 entitled " An act granting half-pay and pensions to certain widows"
State of Virginia
Greenbrier County
On this 29th day of June eighteen hundred and forty seven, personally appeared in open Court before the Court now sitting in and for the County and State aforesaid, Henry Boon aged forty six years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make this following declaration in behalf of himself and other children of John Boon and his wife Elisabeth deceased, in order to obtain the benefits of the pension made by the Act of Congress of the 7th July 1838 entitled "An Act granting half-pay and pensions to certain widows", that his father the said John Boone was a soilder(sic) in the Revolutionary War, and was a pensioner for some years, and died on the 17th day of July 1835, that his widow the said Elisabeth Boon, survived him a number of years and died on the 15th of February 1841; that the following are all the living children of the said John Boon and his wife Elisabeth, to wit; John Boon aged about 57 years, Sally Boon alias, Humphreys, Frances Boon, alias Myres aged 37 years, Nancy Boon alias Burdett aged 53 years and Henry Boon aged forty-six years on the 10th day of March 1848, that his mother the said Elisabeth Boon, whose maiden name was Alford, was married to his father in Augusta County Virginia about the year 1788 by the publication of Bans, that his mother the said Elisabeth Boon never married after the death of her husband the said John Boon and that she died on the 15th day of February 1841, without ever having drawn the wages of pension due her on account of the services of her husband the aforesaid John Boon, and the proceeding declaration is made by her children for the purpose of drawing what was due at the time of her death. He further declares that the family record of his fathers family has been destroyed.
Margaret "Peggy" Alford(believed sister of Elizabeth) gave an Affidavit as follows:
Affidavit of Peggy Alford
State of Virginia
Monroe County
On this 12th day of June eighteen hundred and forty seven personally appeared before me, Jacob Johnson, a justice of the peace in and for the County and State aforesaid, Peggy Alford who being first duly sworn according to law deposed as follows to wit:
That she is 76 years old and was well acquainted with John Boon and Elizabeth his wife deceased, for a period of sisty(sic) years. That the said John Boon lived a near neighbor to her father in Rockingham Co., Virginia. and was married to Elizabeth Alford about the year 1787 or 88 in Augusta Co., Virginia. That the affient moved in company with the said Boon and wife to that part of Virginia then called Greenbrier, now Monroe County, about two years after his marriage and lived neighbors until the said Boon died, which was about the year 1835; that Elisabeth boon, widow of the said John Boon, after her husband's death, lived with her son Henry boon in Monroe County; that the said Elizabeth Boon while living with her son Henry, came on a visit to the affient's house, and was taken sick, and died on the 15th day of February 1841.
AFTER JOHN'S DEATH, HIS WIFE ELIZABETH WENT
TO LIVE WITH THEIR SON, HENRY. THERE IN ORGAN CAVE. WHILE ON
A VISIT TO HER SISTERS HOUSE IN MONROE COUNTY
SHE PASSED ON THE 15TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 1841.
JOHN AND ELIZABETH MARRIED JULY 9 1788 IN ROCKINGHAM CO., Virginia.
JOHN IS RECORDED BY THE DAR AS A PROVEN REVOLUTIONARY WAR VET.
NOTES ON THE Boon-Robinson CEMETERY:
Burial in Boon-Robinson Cemetery. From Ronceverte, WestVirginia, go South on US route 219 for 2.5 mi. to Organ Cave. Turn left or southto State route 63(Monroe Draft Rd.) Follow this road r past the entrance to Organ Cave to the first farm house on the right( the Kellico farm). This cemetery was located to the right of this house and is part of the existing yard. There are no stones. ON A VISIT TO THE FARM IN 2001 I(Ron) MET THE OWNERS AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO PHOTOGRAPH THE REMAINS OF THE CEMETERY. THE CURRENT OWNERS ARE A DESCENDANT OF JOHN BOON.
THERE IS A SAD STORY CONCERNING THE CEMETERY AS FOLLOWS:
THE HOUSE AND CEMETERY STAND AT TOP OF A SLOWLY RISING HILL. THE STORY HAS BEEN THAT IN THE 1950S A NEW OWNER OF THE HOME DIDN'T LIKE THE HEADSTONES IN HIS BACK YARD. I VISITED THE HOME IN OCT. OF 2001 AND I CAN TESTIFY THAT THE GRAVES ARE JUST OUTSIDE THE BACK DOOR OF THE HOUSE.THEY ARE QUITE EASILY SEEN. THAT NEW OWNER HAD THE STONES KNOCKED OVER AND THROWN INTO THE TWO PONDS IN THE VALLEY BELOW THE HOUSE. ONE OF THE STONES , BEING THAT OF ELIZABETH ALFORD BOON, HAS BEEN FOUND. JOHN DANIEL BOONE A 5TH GREAT GRAND SON OF JOHN BOON HAS TRIED TO WORK ON RESTORATION OF THE CEMETERY.
IN 1926 JAMES DOUGLAS BOONE, A GREAT GRANDSON OF JOHN BOON STATED THAT IT WAS TRADITION WITHIN HIS FAMILY THAT JOHN BOON WAS THE SON OF ISRAEL BOONE. SINCE JAMES BOONE LIVED ALMOST THE FIRST 20 YEARS OF HIS LIFE IN THE VICINITY OF HIS GRAND FATHER, HENRY BOONE, WHO WAS THE SON OF JOHN BOON HE WOULD HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH HENRY AND TO LEARN WHO HENRY'S FATHER AND GRAND FATHER WERE.
SINCE THE DISCOVERY OF THE STRUCTURE OF DNA IN 1952 THE TECHNOLOGY OF TRACING FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS HAS ALLOWED SIGNIFICANT NEW FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS TO BE REACHED.
ALL OF THIS FAMILY ORAL TRADITIONS AND SPECULATIONS NOTWITHSTANDING, THE BOONE FAMILY DNA PROJECT BEING CONDUCTED BY FAMILY TREE DNA HAS PROVEN THAT JOHN BOON(E) WHO MARRIED ELIZABETH ALFORD WAS NOT RELATED TO THE GEORGE BOONE/DANIEL BOONE LINE. TWO DOCUMENTED MALE DESCENDANTS OF JOHN BOON AND ELIZABETH ALFORD HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR DNA FOR TESTING AS HAVE 16 DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE/DANIEL BOONE. WHILE
THE DNA FROM THE 16 DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE/DANIEL BOONE ARE A MATCH AMONG THEMSELVES, THERE IS NOT A MATCH BETWEEN THE DNA OF THE TWO GROUPS. THE JOHN BOON DESCENDANTS ARE IN HAPLOGROUP I WHILE THE DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE/DANIEL BOONE ARE IN HAPLOGROUP R1b1.THUS THERE IS NO GENETIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THIS JOHN BOOON AND THE FAMILY OF DANIEL BOONE. PREFERENCE FOR THE ABOVE INFORMATON REGARDING THE DNA FINDING IS AS FOLLOWS: THE BURDETT FAMILY OF VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA,BY HENRY JAMES YOUNG, YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, VOL. II(1935). PAGE 202.
DAR Records (note they have "normalized" his surname Boon to Boone):
BOONE, JOHN (Pvt.) DAR Ancestor
Service: PENNSYLVANIA Rank(s): PRIVATE
Birth: 1755 YORK CO PENNSYLVANIA
Death: 7-17-1835 MONROE CO VIRGINIA
Pension Number: *SR1017
Service Source: *SR1017
Service Description: 1) CAPT SPANGLER, GEN GATES
COMMENTS 1) SOLDIER PENSIONED, HEIRS REJECTED.
RESIDENCE: 1) County: YORK CO - State: PENNSYLVANIA
SPOUSE 1) ELIZABETH ALFORD
The often-repeated tale that John Boon was the son of Israel Boone, older brother of the famous explorer Daniel Boone, is without merit, and despite its resilience across many generations, no one has ever furnished even a shred of evidence proving such a connection. John himself made reference to his "uncle Daniel Boon" in his pension application to the Monroe County court; while there are many theories about this, there is little substantive information that anyone can point to indicating this was an actual familial relationship. We are left to speculate about the meaning of this reference. Incidentally, Daniel Boone's family always spelled their surname as BOONE.
John Boon's family never spelled the surname as BOONE during the 18th and 19th centuries. Although most members of the family started adding the final "e" to the surname around the turn of the 20th century, John always spelled the name as BOON. On most of the early documents referencing John, we see the name spelled in this manner, including the marriage bonds of his two oldest children, several of John's property transactions, and his application to the Court of Monroe County to obtain a military pension. Throughout the 19th century, John's many children and grandchildren appear on the Federal census, in wills, on marriage documents, and in county registers with the last name BOON, and there is no reason to believe that any of the early members of this family used the contemporary spelling BOONE.
After the American War of Independence, John found himself in southern Virginia with probably no prospects, no social standing, and little formal education. He obtained employment at the Washington Iron Works in Henry County, and after a few years, relocated north to Rockingham County, where he met and married Elizabeth Alford in about 1788. He and his wife moved to Greenbrier County, Virginia (later West Virginia) in the mid-1790s, where John was able to acquire several parcels of land over time. John and Elizabeth eventually settled on property near Hillsdale in present day Monroe County. To this union were born two sons and three daughters:
John, Jr. (born c. 1790); he married Nancy Carr. They settled in Braxton County
Nancy (born c. 1794); she married Willis Burdett. They settled in Roane County.
Henry (born 1800); he married Elizabeth Jane Wiley. They remained in Greenbrier County.
Sarah (Sallie) (born c. 1804); she married John Humphreys. They settled in Monroe County.
Frances (Fanny) (born c. 1812); she married Andrew Myers. They relocated to Iowa.
John Boon died, probably of old age, in 1835. His wife Elizabeth resided in the residence of their son Henry for several years before she followed him in death in 1841. Both are buried at the Boon-Robinson Cemetery in Greenbrier County, WV. Jerry Boone, another 3rd generation grandson has done significant research on John Boon and has made contributions to the writing of this biography.
Rev. War Pension Record # R1017 from the National Archives. This
document establishes his service in the Rev. war, his year and place of
birth, his year of marriage, wife, children battles fought in and relationship to Daniel Boone(uncle).
For his service he received a land grant in 1794 in what was Greenbrier Co., Virginia. It was located at the mouth of Howard's creek, where it joins the Greenbrier River.
Contents of the Revolutionary War Record of John Boon of Monroe Co., Virginia. The record number is R 1017 from the National Archives veterans records.
Page 1 John Boon of Monroe Co. in the State of Va who was a Pri in the company commanded by Captain Spangler of the --- commanded by --- in the Pennsylvania line for 2 years
DEAD
Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia at the rate of 80 Dollars -- cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 21st day August 1833 and sent John Hutchinson, Jr., Union, Monroe Co., Virginia. 4th of Sept. 1833
$200
semi-annual allowence $40 State of virginia, County of Monroe SS: total $200
Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by ?? Clerk
Book E vol ? page 3
Page 2
State of Virginia
On the 20th day of August 1833 personally appeared before the county clerk of Monroe stating John Boon a resident in said County of Monroe & State of Virginia aged 78 years of age, who being first duly sworn according to law hath in his oath stated the following conditions in order to obtain the benefit of the pension made by the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832 that he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 1777 under Capt. Spangler in the County of York and state of Pennsylvania for five years. the names of his other officers and the Regiment to which he belonged he had forgotten but knows that he served upwards of two years, and then was marched under the command of Gen. Gates in Company with the Maryland and Delaware troops to Hillsborough in North Carolina & from that place they proceeded to join the troops under the command of Baron D. Kalb-- He well recollects that the army suffered much fatigue & hardship marching toward where the enemy was encamped. They had to cut a road for nine miles from Sandee river below Camden called Gate's Folly, the army whilst on its march toward Camden at night encountered a party of the British and halted.The next morning the two armies met & fought,but the enemy prevailed & Gen Gates & his army were defeated & dispersed. He was in the battle & was among the last to retreat. He saved himself from the pursuing enemy by fleeing through an unknown country as well as his fatigue & previous hardships would allow. At length he arrived at the Washington Iron works in Henry County where he remained some years & then came to the County of Monroe which was Greenbrier, where he has resided ever since. After this dreadful defeat the officers under whom he served had all fled in different directions and he knew not where to find them so as to get a discharge. Consequently he did not get a discharge.
His years from the comensement of his service or enlistment until this defeat the full length of time of three years. This battle took place as well as he remembers in the month of August 1780. He was born in York County Pennsylvania within about 8 miles of the town of York but in what year he does not recollect, but this he knows that he was eighteen or nineteen years old when he went with his uncle Daniel Boon to Kentucky and he knows that he returned the next year to York which was 1774.
He relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity whatever except the Present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any State
his
Sworn to & subscribed John Boon
the day and year aforesaid Mark
And the said court does hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soilder(sic)and served as he states.
I John Hutchinson Jr. clerk of the Court of Monroe County do hereby certify that the aforementioned contains the annual proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of John Boon for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have herewith set my hand and seal of office this 27th day of August 1833 in the 58th year of the Commonwealth
Jn Hutchinson Jr. cmc
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th July 1838 entitled " An act granting half-pay and pensions to certain widows"
State of Virginia
Greenbrier County
On this 29th day of June eighteen hundred and forty seven, personally appeared in open Court before the Court now sitting in and for the County and State aforesaid, Henry Boon aged forty six years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make this following declaration in behalf of himself and other children of John Boon and his wife Elisabeth deceased, in order to obtain the benefits of the pension made by the Act of Congress of the 7th July 1838 entitled "An Act granting half-pay and pensions to certain widows", that his father the said John Boone was a soilder(sic) in the Revolutionary War, and was a pensioner for some years, and died on the 17th day of July 1835, that his widow the said Elisabeth Boon, survived him a number of years and died on the 15th of February 1841; that the following are all the living children of the said John Boon and his wife Elisabeth, to wit; John Boon aged about 57 years, Sally Boon alias, Humphreys, Frances Boon, alias Myres aged 37 years, Nancy Boon alias Burdett aged 53 years and Henry Boon aged forty-six years on the 10th day of March 1848, that his mother the said Elisabeth Boon, whose maiden name was Alford, was married to his father in Augusta County Virginia about the year 1788 by the publication of Bans, that his mother the said Elisabeth Boon never married after the death of her husband the said John Boon and that she died on the 15th day of February 1841, without ever having drawn the wages of pension due her on account of the services of her husband the aforesaid John Boon, and the proceeding declaration is made by her children for the purpose of drawing what was due at the time of her death. He further declares that the family record of his fathers family has been destroyed.
Margaret "Peggy" Alford(believed sister of Elizabeth) gave an Affidavit as follows:
Affidavit of Peggy Alford
State of Virginia
Monroe County
On this 12th day of June eighteen hundred and forty seven personally appeared before me, Jacob Johnson, a justice of the peace in and for the County and State aforesaid, Peggy Alford who being first duly sworn according to law deposed as follows to wit:
That she is 76 years old and was well acquainted with John Boon and Elizabeth his wife deceased, for a period of sisty(sic) years. That the said John Boon lived a near neighbor to her father in Rockingham Co., Virginia. and was married to Elizabeth Alford about the year 1787 or 88 in Augusta Co., Virginia. That the affient moved in company with the said Boon and wife to that part of Virginia then called Greenbrier, now Monroe County, about two years after his marriage and lived neighbors until the said Boon died, which was about the year 1835; that Elisabeth boon, widow of the said John Boon, after her husband's death, lived with her son Henry boon in Monroe County; that the said Elizabeth Boon while living with her son Henry, came on a visit to the affient's house, and was taken sick, and died on the 15th day of February 1841.
AFTER JOHN'S DEATH, HIS WIFE ELIZABETH WENT
TO LIVE WITH THEIR SON, HENRY. THERE IN ORGAN CAVE. WHILE ON
A VISIT TO HER SISTERS HOUSE IN MONROE COUNTY
SHE PASSED ON THE 15TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 1841.
JOHN AND ELIZABETH MARRIED JULY 9 1788 IN ROCKINGHAM CO., Virginia.
JOHN IS RECORDED BY THE DAR AS A PROVEN REVOLUTIONARY WAR VET.
NOTES ON THE Boon-Robinson CEMETERY:
Burial in Boon-Robinson Cemetery. From Ronceverte, WestVirginia, go South on US route 219 for 2.5 mi. to Organ Cave. Turn left or southto State route 63(Monroe Draft Rd.) Follow this road r past the entrance to Organ Cave to the first farm house on the right( the Kellico farm). This cemetery was located to the right of this house and is part of the existing yard. There are no stones. ON A VISIT TO THE FARM IN 2001 I(Ron) MET THE OWNERS AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO PHOTOGRAPH THE REMAINS OF THE CEMETERY. THE CURRENT OWNERS ARE A DESCENDANT OF JOHN BOON.
THERE IS A SAD STORY CONCERNING THE CEMETERY AS FOLLOWS:
THE HOUSE AND CEMETERY STAND AT TOP OF A SLOWLY RISING HILL. THE STORY HAS BEEN THAT IN THE 1950S A NEW OWNER OF THE HOME DIDN'T LIKE THE HEADSTONES IN HIS BACK YARD. I VISITED THE HOME IN OCT. OF 2001 AND I CAN TESTIFY THAT THE GRAVES ARE JUST OUTSIDE THE BACK DOOR OF THE HOUSE.THEY ARE QUITE EASILY SEEN. THAT NEW OWNER HAD THE STONES KNOCKED OVER AND THROWN INTO THE TWO PONDS IN THE VALLEY BELOW THE HOUSE. ONE OF THE STONES , BEING THAT OF ELIZABETH ALFORD BOON, HAS BEEN FOUND. JOHN DANIEL BOONE A 5TH GREAT GRAND SON OF JOHN BOON HAS TRIED TO WORK ON RESTORATION OF THE CEMETERY.
IN 1926 JAMES DOUGLAS BOONE, A GREAT GRANDSON OF JOHN BOON STATED THAT IT WAS TRADITION WITHIN HIS FAMILY THAT JOHN BOON WAS THE SON OF ISRAEL BOONE. SINCE JAMES BOONE LIVED ALMOST THE FIRST 20 YEARS OF HIS LIFE IN THE VICINITY OF HIS GRAND FATHER, HENRY BOONE, WHO WAS THE SON OF JOHN BOON HE WOULD HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH HENRY AND TO LEARN WHO HENRY'S FATHER AND GRAND FATHER WERE.
SINCE THE DISCOVERY OF THE STRUCTURE OF DNA IN 1952 THE TECHNOLOGY OF TRACING FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS HAS ALLOWED SIGNIFICANT NEW FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS TO BE REACHED.
ALL OF THIS FAMILY ORAL TRADITIONS AND SPECULATIONS NOTWITHSTANDING, THE BOONE FAMILY DNA PROJECT BEING CONDUCTED BY FAMILY TREE DNA HAS PROVEN THAT JOHN BOON(E) WHO MARRIED ELIZABETH ALFORD WAS NOT RELATED TO THE GEORGE BOONE/DANIEL BOONE LINE. TWO DOCUMENTED MALE DESCENDANTS OF JOHN BOON AND ELIZABETH ALFORD HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR DNA FOR TESTING AS HAVE 16 DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE/DANIEL BOONE. WHILE
THE DNA FROM THE 16 DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE/DANIEL BOONE ARE A MATCH AMONG THEMSELVES, THERE IS NOT A MATCH BETWEEN THE DNA OF THE TWO GROUPS. THE JOHN BOON DESCENDANTS ARE IN HAPLOGROUP I WHILE THE DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE/DANIEL BOONE ARE IN HAPLOGROUP R1b1.THUS THERE IS NO GENETIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THIS JOHN BOOON AND THE FAMILY OF DANIEL BOONE. PREFERENCE FOR THE ABOVE INFORMATON REGARDING THE DNA FINDING IS AS FOLLOWS: THE BURDETT FAMILY OF VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA,BY HENRY JAMES YOUNG, YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, VOL. II(1935). PAGE 202.
DAR Records (note they have "normalized" his surname Boon to Boone):
BOONE, JOHN (Pvt.) DAR Ancestor
Service: PENNSYLVANIA Rank(s): PRIVATE
Birth: 1755 YORK CO PENNSYLVANIA
Death: 7-17-1835 MONROE CO VIRGINIA
Pension Number: *SR1017
Service Source: *SR1017
Service Description: 1) CAPT SPANGLER, GEN GATES
COMMENTS 1) SOLDIER PENSIONED, HEIRS REJECTED.
RESIDENCE: 1) County: YORK CO - State: PENNSYLVANIA
SPOUSE 1) ELIZABETH ALFORD
John Boon is the progenitor of the Boone family of Greenbrier County, West Virginia. He is the earliest known person in our family with this last name. The earliest mention of John comes from the records of colonial York, Pennsylvania, which note that in 1777, John Boon was fined "three pounds and ten shillings" for failing to sign the Articles of Association. John was then a resident of Newberry Township, located several miles from York (in his pension statement, John claimed he was born "within about eight miles" of the town of York). He enlisted in the Continental army or militia that very year, probably as a result of the fine, or as a way of getting out of paying it. We have no records indicating who John's parents might be, or who raised him in the event he was orphaned. There was no one named Boon (or Boone) living in York or its environs during this time frame, according to colonial era records. However, there were several local families bearing the name BOHN. While by no means proven, it is at least plausible that John could be related to one of these families and simply changed the spelling of the last name for reasons unknown to us.
The often-repeated tale that John Boon was the son of Israel Boone, older brother of the famous explorer Daniel Boone, is without merit, and despite its resilience across many generations, no one has ever furnished even a shred of evidence proving such a connection. John himself made reference to his "uncle Daniel Boon" in his pension application to the Monroe County court; while there are many theories about this, there is little substantive information that anyone can point to indicating this was an actual familial relationship. We are left to speculate about the meaning of this reference. Incidentally, Daniel Boone's family always spelled their surname as BOONE.
John Boon's family never spelled the surname as BOONE during the 18th and 19th centuries. Although most members of the family started adding the final "e" to the surname around the turn of the 20th century, John always spelled the name as BOON. On most of the early documents referencing John, we see the name spelled in this manner, including the marriage bonds of his two oldest children, several of John's property transactions, and his application to the Court of Monroe County to obtain a military pension. Throughout the 19th century, John's many children and grandchildren appear on the Federal census, in wills, on marriage documents, and in county registers with the last name BOON, and there is no reason to believe that any of the early members of this family used the contemporary spelling BOONE.
After the American War of Independence, John found himself in southern Virginia with probably no prospects, no social standing, and little formal education. He obtained employment at the Washington Iron Works in Henry County, and after a few years, relocated north to Rockingham County, where he met and married Elizabeth Alford in about 1788. He and his wife moved to Greenbrier County, Virginia (later West Virginia) in the mid-1790s, where John was able to acquire several parcels of land over time. John and Elizabeth eventually settled on property near Hillsdale in present day Monroe County. To this union were born two sons and three daughters:
John, Jr. (born c. 1790); he married Nancy Carr. They settled in Braxton County
Nancy (born c. 1794); she married Willis Burdett. They settled in Roane County.
Henry (born 1800); he married Elizabeth Jane Wiley. They remained in Greenbrier County.
Sarah (Sallie) (born c. 1804); she married John Humphreys. They settled in Monroe County.
Frances (Fanny) (born c. 1812); she married Andrew Myers. They relocated to Iowa.
John Boon died, probably of old age, in 1835. His wife Elizabeth resided in the residence of their son Henry for several years before she followed him in death in 1841. Both are buried at the Boon-Robinson Cemetery in Greenbrier County, WV. Jerry Boone, another 3rd generation grandson has done significant research on John Boon and has made contributions to the writing of this biography.
Rev. War Pension Record # R1017 from the National Archives. This
document establishes his service in the Rev. war, his year and place of
birth, his year of marriage, wife, children battles fought in and relationship to Daniel Boone(uncle).
For his service he received a land grant in 1794 in what was Greenbrier Co., Virginia. It was located at the mouth of Howard's creek, where it joins the Greenbrier River.
Contents of the Revolutionary War Record of John Boon of Monroe Co., Virginia. The record number is R 1017 from the National Archives veterans records.
Page 1 John Boon of Monroe Co. in the State of Va who was a Pri in the company commanded by Captain Spangler of the --- commanded by --- in the Pennsylvania line for 2 years
DEAD
Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia at the rate of 80 Dollars -- cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 21st day August 1833 and sent John Hutchinson, Jr., Union, Monroe Co., Virginia. 4th of Sept. 1833
$200
semi-annual allowence $40 State of virginia, County of Monroe SS: total $200
Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by ?? Clerk
Book E vol ? page 3
Page 2
State of Virginia
On the 20th day of August 1833 personally appeared before the county clerk of Monroe stating John Boon a resident in said County of Monroe & State of Virginia aged 78 years of age, who being first duly sworn according to law hath in his oath stated the following conditions in order to obtain the benefit of the pension made by the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832 that he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 1777 under Capt. Spangler in the County of York and state of Pennsylvania for five years. the names of his other officers and the Regiment to which he belonged he had forgotten but knows that he served upwards of two years, and then was marched under the command of Gen. Gates in Company with the Maryland and Delaware troops to Hillsborough in North Carolina & from that place they proceeded to join the troops under the command of Baron D. Kalb-- He well recollects that the army suffered much fatigue & hardship marching toward where the enemy was encamped. They had to cut a road for nine miles from Sandee river below Camden called Gate's Folly, the army whilst on its march toward Camden at night encountered a party of the British and halted.The next morning the two armies met & fought,but the enemy prevailed & Gen Gates & his army were defeated & dispersed. He was in the battle & was among the last to retreat. He saved himself from the pursuing enemy by fleeing through an unknown country as well as his fatigue & previous hardships would allow. At length he arrived at the Washington Iron works in Henry County where he remained some years & then came to the County of Monroe which was Greenbrier, where he has resided ever since. After this dreadful defeat the officers under whom he served had all fled in different directions and he knew not where to find them so as to get a discharge. Consequently he did not get a discharge.
His years from the comensement of his service or enlistment until this defeat the full length of time of three years. This battle took place as well as he remembers in the month of August 1780. He was born in York County Pennsylvania within about 8 miles of the town of York but in what year he does not recollect, but this he knows that he was eighteen or nineteen years old when he went with his uncle Daniel Boon to Kentucky and he knows that he returned the next year to York which was 1774.
He relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity whatever except the Present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any State
his
Sworn to & subscribed John Boon
the day and year aforesaid Mark
And the said court does hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soilder(sic)and served as he states.
I John Hutchinson Jr. clerk of the Court of Monroe County do hereby certify that the aforementioned contains the annual proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of John Boon for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have herewith set my hand and seal of office this 27th day of August 1833 in the 58th year of the Commonwealth
Jn Hutchinson Jr. cmc
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th July 1838 entitled " An act granting half-pay and pensions to certain widows"
State of Virginia
Greenbrier County
On this 29th day of June eighteen hundred and forty seven, personally appeared in open Court before the Court now sitting in and for the County and State aforesaid, Henry Boon aged forty six years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make this following declaration in behalf of himself and other children of John Boon and his wife Elisabeth deceased, in order to obtain the benefits of the pension made by the Act of Congress of the 7th July 1838 entitled "An Act granting half-pay and pensions to certain widows", that his father the said John Boone was a soilder(sic) in the Revolutionary War, and was a pensioner for some years, and died on the 17th day of July 1835, that his widow the said Elisabeth Boon, survived him a number of years and died on the 15th of February 1841; that the following are all the living children of the said John Boon and his wife Elisabeth, to wit; John Boon aged about 57 years, Sally Boon alias, Humphreys, Frances Boon, alias Myres aged 37 years, Nancy Boon alias Burdett aged 53 years and Henry Boon aged forty-six years on the 10th day of March 1848, that his mother the said Elisabeth Boon, whose maiden name was Alford, was married to his father in Augusta County Virginia about the year 1788 by the publication of Bans, that his mother the said Elisabeth Boon never married after the death of her husband the said John Boon and that she died on the 15th day of February 1841, without ever having drawn the wages of pension due her on account of the services of her husband the aforesaid John Boon, and the proceeding declaration is made by her children for the purpose of drawing what was due at the time of her death. He further declares that the family record of his fathers family has been destroyed.
Margaret "Peggy" Alford(believed sister of Elizabeth) gave an Affidavit as follows:
Affidavit of Peggy Alford
State of Virginia
Monroe County
On this 12th day of June eighteen hundred and forty seven personally appeared before me, Jacob Johnson, a justice of the peace in and for the County and State aforesaid, Peggy Alford who being first duly sworn according to law deposed as follows to wit:
That she is 76 years old and was well acquainted with John Boon and Elizabeth his wife deceased, for a period of sisty(sic) years. That the said John Boon lived a near neighbor to her father in Rockingham Co., Virginia. and was married to Elizabeth Alford about the year 1787 or 88 in Augusta Co., Virginia. That the affient moved in company with the said Boon and wife to that part of Virginia then called Greenbrier, now Monroe County, about two years after his marriage and lived neighbors until the said Boon died, which was about the year 1835; that Elisabeth boon, widow of the said John Boon, after her husband's death, lived with her son Henry boon in Monroe County; that the said Elizabeth Boon while living with her son Henry, came on a visit to the affient's house, and was taken sick, and died on the 15th day of February 1841.
AFTER JOHN'S DEATH, HIS WIFE ELIZABETH WENT
TO LIVE WITH THEIR SON, HENRY. THERE IN ORGAN CAVE. WHILE ON
A VISIT TO HER SISTERS HOUSE IN MONROE COUNTY
SHE PASSED ON THE 15TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 1841.
JOHN AND ELIZABETH MARRIED JULY 9 1788 IN ROCKINGHAM CO., Virginia.
JOHN IS RECORDED BY THE DAR AS A PROVEN REVOLUTIONARY WAR VET.
NOTES ON THE Boon-Robinson CEMETERY:
Burial in Boon-Robinson Cemetery. From Ronceverte, WestVirginia, go South on US route 219 for 2.5 mi. to Organ Cave. Turn left or southto State route 63(Monroe Draft Rd.) Follow this road r past the entrance to Organ Cave to the first farm house on the right( the Kellico farm). This cemetery was located to the right of this house and is part of the existing yard. There are no stones. ON A VISIT TO THE FARM IN 2001 I(Ron) MET THE OWNERS AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO PHOTOGRAPH THE REMAINS OF THE CEMETERY. THE CURRENT OWNERS ARE A DESCENDANT OF JOHN BOON.
THERE IS A SAD STORY CONCERNING THE CEMETERY AS FOLLOWS:
THE HOUSE AND CEMETERY STAND AT TOP OF A SLOWLY RISING HILL. THE STORY HAS BEEN THAT IN THE 1950S A NEW OWNER OF THE HOME DIDN'T LIKE THE HEADSTONES IN HIS BACK YARD. I VISITED THE HOME IN OCT. OF 2001 AND I CAN TESTIFY THAT THE GRAVES ARE JUST OUTSIDE THE BACK DOOR OF THE HOUSE.THEY ARE QUITE EASILY SEEN. THAT NEW OWNER HAD THE STONES KNOCKED OVER AND THROWN INTO THE TWO PONDS IN THE VALLEY BELOW THE HOUSE. ONE OF THE STONES , BEING THAT OF ELIZABETH ALFORD BOON, HAS BEEN FOUND. JOHN DANIEL BOONE A 5TH GREAT GRAND SON OF JOHN BOON HAS TRIED TO WORK ON RESTORATION OF THE CEMETERY.
IN 1926 JAMES DOUGLAS BOONE, A GREAT GRANDSON OF JOHN BOON STATED THAT IT WAS TRADITION WITHIN HIS FAMILY THAT JOHN BOON WAS THE SON OF ISRAEL BOONE. SINCE JAMES BOONE LIVED ALMOST THE FIRST 20 YEARS OF HIS LIFE IN THE VICINITY OF HIS GRAND FATHER, HENRY BOONE, WHO WAS THE SON OF JOHN BOON HE WOULD HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH HENRY AND TO LEARN WHO HENRY'S FATHER AND GRAND FATHER WERE.
SINCE THE DISCOVERY OF THE STRUCTURE OF DNA IN 1952 THE TECHNOLOGY OF TRACING FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS HAS ALLOWED SIGNIFICANT NEW FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS TO BE REACHED.
ALL OF THIS FAMILY ORAL TRADITIONS AND SPECULATIONS NOTWITHSTANDING, THE BOONE FAMILY DNA PROJECT BEING CONDUCTED BY FAMILY TREE DNA HAS PROVEN THAT JOHN BOON(E) WHO MARRIED ELIZABETH ALFORD WAS NOT RELATED TO THE GEORGE BOONE/DANIEL BOONE LINE. TWO DOCUMENTED MALE DESCENDANTS OF JOHN BOON AND ELIZABETH ALFORD HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR DNA FOR TESTING AS HAVE 16 DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE/DANIEL BOONE. WHILE
THE DNA FROM THE 16 DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE/DANIEL BOONE ARE A MATCH AMONG THEMSELVES, THERE IS NOT A MATCH BETWEEN THE DNA OF THE TWO GROUPS. THE JOHN BOON DESCENDANTS ARE IN HAPLOGROUP I WHILE THE DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE/DANIEL BOONE ARE IN HAPLOGROUP R1b1.THUS THERE IS NO GENETIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THIS JOHN BOOON AND THE FAMILY OF DANIEL BOONE. PREFERENCE FOR THE ABOVE INFORMATON REGARDING THE DNA FINDING IS AS FOLLOWS: THE BURDETT FAMILY OF VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA,BY HENRY JAMES YOUNG, YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, VOL. II(1935). PAGE 202.
DAR Records (note they have "normalized" his surname Boon to Boone):
BOONE, JOHN (Pvt.) DAR Ancestor
Service: PENNSYLVANIA Rank(s): PRIVATE
Birth: 1755 YORK CO PENNSYLVANIA
Death: 7-17-1835 MONROE CO VIRGINIA
Pension Number: *SR1017
Service Source: *SR1017
Service Description: 1) CAPT SPANGLER, GEN GATES
COMMENTS 1) SOLDIER PENSIONED, HEIRS REJECTED.
RESIDENCE: 1) County: YORK CO - State: PENNSYLVANIA
SPOUSE 1) ELIZABETH ALFORD
The often-repeated tale that John Boon was the son of Israel Boone, older brother of the famous explorer Daniel Boone, is without merit, and despite its resilience across many generations, no one has ever furnished even a shred of evidence proving such a connection. John himself made reference to his "uncle Daniel Boon" in his pension application to the Monroe County court; while there are many theories about this, there is little substantive information that anyone can point to indicating this was an actual familial relationship. We are left to speculate about the meaning of this reference. Incidentally, Daniel Boone's family always spelled their surname as BOONE.
John Boon's family never spelled the surname as BOONE during the 18th and 19th centuries. Although most members of the family started adding the final "e" to the surname around the turn of the 20th century, John always spelled the name as BOON. On most of the early documents referencing John, we see the name spelled in this manner, including the marriage bonds of his two oldest children, several of John's property transactions, and his application to the Court of Monroe County to obtain a military pension. Throughout the 19th century, John's many children and grandchildren appear on the Federal census, in wills, on marriage documents, and in county registers with the last name BOON, and there is no reason to believe that any of the early members of this family used the contemporary spelling BOONE.
After the American War of Independence, John found himself in southern Virginia with probably no prospects, no social standing, and little formal education. He obtained employment at the Washington Iron Works in Henry County, and after a few years, relocated north to Rockingham County, where he met and married Elizabeth Alford in about 1788. He and his wife moved to Greenbrier County, Virginia (later West Virginia) in the mid-1790s, where John was able to acquire several parcels of land over time. John and Elizabeth eventually settled on property near Hillsdale in present day Monroe County. To this union were born two sons and three daughters:
John, Jr. (born c. 1790); he married Nancy Carr. They settled in Braxton County
Nancy (born c. 1794); she married Willis Burdett. They settled in Roane County.
Henry (born 1800); he married Elizabeth Jane Wiley. They remained in Greenbrier County.
Sarah (Sallie) (born c. 1804); she married John Humphreys. They settled in Monroe County.
Frances (Fanny) (born c. 1812); she married Andrew Myers. They relocated to Iowa.
John Boon died, probably of old age, in 1835. His wife Elizabeth resided in the residence of their son Henry for several years before she followed him in death in 1841. Both are buried at the Boon-Robinson Cemetery in Greenbrier County, WV. Jerry Boone, another 3rd generation grandson has done significant research on John Boon and has made contributions to the writing of this biography.
Rev. War Pension Record # R1017 from the National Archives. This
document establishes his service in the Rev. war, his year and place of
birth, his year of marriage, wife, children battles fought in and relationship to Daniel Boone(uncle).
For his service he received a land grant in 1794 in what was Greenbrier Co., Virginia. It was located at the mouth of Howard's creek, where it joins the Greenbrier River.
Contents of the Revolutionary War Record of John Boon of Monroe Co., Virginia. The record number is R 1017 from the National Archives veterans records.
Page 1 John Boon of Monroe Co. in the State of Va who was a Pri in the company commanded by Captain Spangler of the --- commanded by --- in the Pennsylvania line for 2 years
DEAD
Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia at the rate of 80 Dollars -- cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 21st day August 1833 and sent John Hutchinson, Jr., Union, Monroe Co., Virginia. 4th of Sept. 1833
$200
semi-annual allowence $40 State of virginia, County of Monroe SS: total $200
Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by ?? Clerk
Book E vol ? page 3
Page 2
State of Virginia
On the 20th day of August 1833 personally appeared before the county clerk of Monroe stating John Boon a resident in said County of Monroe & State of Virginia aged 78 years of age, who being first duly sworn according to law hath in his oath stated the following conditions in order to obtain the benefit of the pension made by the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832 that he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 1777 under Capt. Spangler in the County of York and state of Pennsylvania for five years. the names of his other officers and the Regiment to which he belonged he had forgotten but knows that he served upwards of two years, and then was marched under the command of Gen. Gates in Company with the Maryland and Delaware troops to Hillsborough in North Carolina & from that place they proceeded to join the troops under the command of Baron D. Kalb-- He well recollects that the army suffered much fatigue & hardship marching toward where the enemy was encamped. They had to cut a road for nine miles from Sandee river below Camden called Gate's Folly, the army whilst on its march toward Camden at night encountered a party of the British and halted.The next morning the two armies met & fought,but the enemy prevailed & Gen Gates & his army were defeated & dispersed. He was in the battle & was among the last to retreat. He saved himself from the pursuing enemy by fleeing through an unknown country as well as his fatigue & previous hardships would allow. At length he arrived at the Washington Iron works in Henry County where he remained some years & then came to the County of Monroe which was Greenbrier, where he has resided ever since. After this dreadful defeat the officers under whom he served had all fled in different directions and he knew not where to find them so as to get a discharge. Consequently he did not get a discharge.
His years from the comensement of his service or enlistment until this defeat the full length of time of three years. This battle took place as well as he remembers in the month of August 1780. He was born in York County Pennsylvania within about 8 miles of the town of York but in what year he does not recollect, but this he knows that he was eighteen or nineteen years old when he went with his uncle Daniel Boon to Kentucky and he knows that he returned the next year to York which was 1774.
He relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity whatever except the Present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any State
his
Sworn to & subscribed John Boon
the day and year aforesaid Mark
And the said court does hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soilder(sic)and served as he states.
I John Hutchinson Jr. clerk of the Court of Monroe County do hereby certify that the aforementioned contains the annual proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of John Boon for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have herewith set my hand and seal of office this 27th day of August 1833 in the 58th year of the Commonwealth
Jn Hutchinson Jr. cmc
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th July 1838 entitled " An act granting half-pay and pensions to certain widows"
State of Virginia
Greenbrier County
On this 29th day of June eighteen hundred and forty seven, personally appeared in open Court before the Court now sitting in and for the County and State aforesaid, Henry Boon aged forty six years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make this following declaration in behalf of himself and other children of John Boon and his wife Elisabeth deceased, in order to obtain the benefits of the pension made by the Act of Congress of the 7th July 1838 entitled "An Act granting half-pay and pensions to certain widows", that his father the said John Boone was a soilder(sic) in the Revolutionary War, and was a pensioner for some years, and died on the 17th day of July 1835, that his widow the said Elisabeth Boon, survived him a number of years and died on the 15th of February 1841; that the following are all the living children of the said John Boon and his wife Elisabeth, to wit; John Boon aged about 57 years, Sally Boon alias, Humphreys, Frances Boon, alias Myres aged 37 years, Nancy Boon alias Burdett aged 53 years and Henry Boon aged forty-six years on the 10th day of March 1848, that his mother the said Elisabeth Boon, whose maiden name was Alford, was married to his father in Augusta County Virginia about the year 1788 by the publication of Bans, that his mother the said Elisabeth Boon never married after the death of her husband the said John Boon and that she died on the 15th day of February 1841, without ever having drawn the wages of pension due her on account of the services of her husband the aforesaid John Boon, and the proceeding declaration is made by her children for the purpose of drawing what was due at the time of her death. He further declares that the family record of his fathers family has been destroyed.
Margaret "Peggy" Alford(believed sister of Elizabeth) gave an Affidavit as follows:
Affidavit of Peggy Alford
State of Virginia
Monroe County
On this 12th day of June eighteen hundred and forty seven personally appeared before me, Jacob Johnson, a justice of the peace in and for the County and State aforesaid, Peggy Alford who being first duly sworn according to law deposed as follows to wit:
That she is 76 years old and was well acquainted with John Boon and Elizabeth his wife deceased, for a period of sisty(sic) years. That the said John Boon lived a near neighbor to her father in Rockingham Co., Virginia. and was married to Elizabeth Alford about the year 1787 or 88 in Augusta Co., Virginia. That the affient moved in company with the said Boon and wife to that part of Virginia then called Greenbrier, now Monroe County, about two years after his marriage and lived neighbors until the said Boon died, which was about the year 1835; that Elisabeth boon, widow of the said John Boon, after her husband's death, lived with her son Henry boon in Monroe County; that the said Elizabeth Boon while living with her son Henry, came on a visit to the affient's house, and was taken sick, and died on the 15th day of February 1841.
AFTER JOHN'S DEATH, HIS WIFE ELIZABETH WENT
TO LIVE WITH THEIR SON, HENRY. THERE IN ORGAN CAVE. WHILE ON
A VISIT TO HER SISTERS HOUSE IN MONROE COUNTY
SHE PASSED ON THE 15TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 1841.
JOHN AND ELIZABETH MARRIED JULY 9 1788 IN ROCKINGHAM CO., Virginia.
JOHN IS RECORDED BY THE DAR AS A PROVEN REVOLUTIONARY WAR VET.
NOTES ON THE Boon-Robinson CEMETERY:
Burial in Boon-Robinson Cemetery. From Ronceverte, WestVirginia, go South on US route 219 for 2.5 mi. to Organ Cave. Turn left or southto State route 63(Monroe Draft Rd.) Follow this road r past the entrance to Organ Cave to the first farm house on the right( the Kellico farm). This cemetery was located to the right of this house and is part of the existing yard. There are no stones. ON A VISIT TO THE FARM IN 2001 I(Ron) MET THE OWNERS AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO PHOTOGRAPH THE REMAINS OF THE CEMETERY. THE CURRENT OWNERS ARE A DESCENDANT OF JOHN BOON.
THERE IS A SAD STORY CONCERNING THE CEMETERY AS FOLLOWS:
THE HOUSE AND CEMETERY STAND AT TOP OF A SLOWLY RISING HILL. THE STORY HAS BEEN THAT IN THE 1950S A NEW OWNER OF THE HOME DIDN'T LIKE THE HEADSTONES IN HIS BACK YARD. I VISITED THE HOME IN OCT. OF 2001 AND I CAN TESTIFY THAT THE GRAVES ARE JUST OUTSIDE THE BACK DOOR OF THE HOUSE.THEY ARE QUITE EASILY SEEN. THAT NEW OWNER HAD THE STONES KNOCKED OVER AND THROWN INTO THE TWO PONDS IN THE VALLEY BELOW THE HOUSE. ONE OF THE STONES , BEING THAT OF ELIZABETH ALFORD BOON, HAS BEEN FOUND. JOHN DANIEL BOONE A 5TH GREAT GRAND SON OF JOHN BOON HAS TRIED TO WORK ON RESTORATION OF THE CEMETERY.
IN 1926 JAMES DOUGLAS BOONE, A GREAT GRANDSON OF JOHN BOON STATED THAT IT WAS TRADITION WITHIN HIS FAMILY THAT JOHN BOON WAS THE SON OF ISRAEL BOONE. SINCE JAMES BOONE LIVED ALMOST THE FIRST 20 YEARS OF HIS LIFE IN THE VICINITY OF HIS GRAND FATHER, HENRY BOONE, WHO WAS THE SON OF JOHN BOON HE WOULD HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH HENRY AND TO LEARN WHO HENRY'S FATHER AND GRAND FATHER WERE.
SINCE THE DISCOVERY OF THE STRUCTURE OF DNA IN 1952 THE TECHNOLOGY OF TRACING FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS HAS ALLOWED SIGNIFICANT NEW FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS TO BE REACHED.
ALL OF THIS FAMILY ORAL TRADITIONS AND SPECULATIONS NOTWITHSTANDING, THE BOONE FAMILY DNA PROJECT BEING CONDUCTED BY FAMILY TREE DNA HAS PROVEN THAT JOHN BOON(E) WHO MARRIED ELIZABETH ALFORD WAS NOT RELATED TO THE GEORGE BOONE/DANIEL BOONE LINE. TWO DOCUMENTED MALE DESCENDANTS OF JOHN BOON AND ELIZABETH ALFORD HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR DNA FOR TESTING AS HAVE 16 DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE/DANIEL BOONE. WHILE
THE DNA FROM THE 16 DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE/DANIEL BOONE ARE A MATCH AMONG THEMSELVES, THERE IS NOT A MATCH BETWEEN THE DNA OF THE TWO GROUPS. THE JOHN BOON DESCENDANTS ARE IN HAPLOGROUP I WHILE THE DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE/DANIEL BOONE ARE IN HAPLOGROUP R1b1.THUS THERE IS NO GENETIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THIS JOHN BOOON AND THE FAMILY OF DANIEL BOONE. PREFERENCE FOR THE ABOVE INFORMATON REGARDING THE DNA FINDING IS AS FOLLOWS: THE BURDETT FAMILY OF VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA,BY HENRY JAMES YOUNG, YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, VOL. II(1935). PAGE 202.
DAR Records (note they have "normalized" his surname Boon to Boone):
BOONE, JOHN (Pvt.) DAR Ancestor
Service: PENNSYLVANIA Rank(s): PRIVATE
Birth: 1755 YORK CO PENNSYLVANIA
Death: 7-17-1835 MONROE CO VIRGINIA
Pension Number: *SR1017
Service Source: *SR1017
Service Description: 1) CAPT SPANGLER, GEN GATES
COMMENTS 1) SOLDIER PENSIONED, HEIRS REJECTED.
RESIDENCE: 1) County: YORK CO - State: PENNSYLVANIA
SPOUSE 1) ELIZABETH ALFORD
