In his 1984 book, BOON GENEALOGY - 1984, Rupert Farnham Thompson lists Benjamin's son, James, as marrying Caroline Turner, when it SHOULD BE Caroline Thomas.

This page is dedicated first to Sharon Courtney, descendant of James and and Caroline (Thomas) Boon. Thank goodness for the 'savers' in our family. Sharon and her family has provided us a wealth of information, even giveing us a personal first-hand written description of a journey in late 1845 from Wake Co., NC to Madison Co., TN. This young girl, and later an older woman, as the diary spands many years, shows us her emotions and feelings through her descriptions, prose, recipes, etc.

Secondly, this page is dedicated to Julia Mortenson, a Thomas descendant and researcher, who has heped to fill us in the many Thomas - Boon - Winston connections.

Thank you both for sharing a bit of our heritage and helping to preserve this for future generations.

James H. Boon was born about 1823 Franklin Co., NC to Benjamin Boon and Anny (Winston). At the age of 2, he migrated with his parents and siblings from Franklin Co., NC to Madison Co., TN. This would be where he would spend his entire life.

Caroline C. Thomas - 1st wife, Mother of Children

She was born about 1830 in North Carolina and married James H. Boon on December 12, 1850 in Gibson Co., TN. They had four children, though two died as infants. Caroline died on January 27, 1862 probably in Madison Co., TN just as her daughter, Fannie, turned two and her son, William Walter was not even quite a month old. She had come to Tennessee from North Carolina with her parents at the age of 15.

Actual Scanned images of Marriage Bond and Record

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Frances R. 'Fannie' Thomas - 2nd wife

Frances, or Fannie as she was known, was the older sister of Caroline. James, a widower with two small children, married her on April 27, 1863 Gibson Co., TN - fourteen months after Caroline's death. It was the middle of the civil war and times were hard for everyone. At this time, Fannie was a widow herself. Her husband, Robert Billingsley had died April 5, 1862. She had also lost a ten year old daughter, Roxanna Frances Billingsley, in 1857. Fannie and James would be married for 2 years before James, too, would die.

She was now a widow again with two step-children, actually a niece and nephew to raise. On October 28, 1868, she married James M. Sharp, a man who was twenty-five years older than herself. She appears with him on the 1870 and 1880 Madison Co., TN census.

Fannie would marry for the fourth time on November 25, 1884 to Elisha Billingsley, a brother to her first husband. He would die in May of 1891. Robert and Elisha Billingsley were sons of Jeptha Billingsley and Miriam Randolph who had married October 1, 1803 Greene Co., TN.

As you can see, Fannie, wasn't having much luck with the men in her life. She kept a diary (some of which is scanned - see links below) in which we get a glimpse of her rather sad life.

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Multigenerational Diary
Possession of Sharon Courtney who gives us this description

Inside cover: The diary is a small, leather bound book, 3 ½ by 5 ¾ inches, sort of like an autograph book. On the inside front cover - or back - I can’t tell which is which, but the writing seems the same as the diary of 1845, are the words “Frances R. Billingsley.” In addition there are a lot of numbers as if adding something, some legible, some not. Under that, the same signature is written twice, less legible. Maybe Frances Billingsley was the original owner rather than Anna. Her signature and the writing of the 1845 trip look the same to me. Much of the written strokes and punctuation in the book has faded after 154 years (which is why I traced the copies).

At least half of it is poetry, short essays and such. YEARS ago I got it under a lighted magnifying glass and with enlarged copies, carefully traced over the fading lines, then reduced back to original size. BUT it is 120 pages (both sides). Those pages I have finished are easy to read, the others are a major job.

Sharon has scanned some of the diary pages for us and they can be found on the links below.

• Diary: Part 1 - Cover Page, Page 1, Page 2 Top/Bottom , Page 3 Top/Bottom, Page 4 Top/Bottom
  --October 27, 1845 - December 8, 1846, Trip from Wake Co., NC to Madison Co.,TN

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Thomas Family

Caroline and Fanny Thomas, wives of James H. Boon, were the daughters of William R. Thomas and Martha V. Garrett who married May 8, 1823 Wake Co., NC and granddaughters of Athanatius Thomas and Gilla 'Gilly' Winston. Gilly Winston who married Athanatius Thomas was the daughter of an Isaac Winston I'm quite certain that they were related to 'Anny' (Winston) - the wife of Benjamin F. Boon. Therefore they were actually cousins of James H. Boon.

William R. Thomas and 2 of His Daughters
Believed to be two youngest ones: Harriet and Geneva
Courtesty of Julia Mortenson - Thomas Researcher

The Thomas, Winston and Boon families intermingled for several years. John Peace Thomas was the brother of William R. Thomas, both sons of Athanatius and Gilly Winston Thomas of Franklin Co., NC.

Family Bible Record of Athanasius Thomas - s/o John Peace Thomas
Family Findings, Vol. II, No. 1, January 1970, pp. 21-22.

Will of Athanatius Thomas 4/24/1830, Franklin Co., NC

• Wife, 166 acres.
• Son Willie W., son David, son Wm. R., son John P., son Alexander; 208 acres called Knott Tract where I now live.
• Son Samuel gets widow's share at her death.

• 1823 - Franklin Co., NC
  --James H. Boon born in Franklin Co., NC

• 1825 - Arrival in Madison Co., TN
  --at age of 2, James with his parents arrived in Madison Co., TN

• 1840 Madison Co., TN Census
  --James, age 17, would be with his parents

• 1850 - December 12, Gibson Co., TN
  --Gibson Co., TN Marriages 1824-1950, B- Listings
  "4152.BOON, JAMES H. and THOMAS, CAROLINE C. - 1850"

  Actual Scanned images of Marriage Bond and Record

• 1850 - Madison Co, TN Census, p. 683
  

  Benjamin BOON 	        66 NC
  Nancy                 	46 NC
  Sion                    20
  Sarah                  	17
  James                 	27
  

  *James is age 17 with his father and stepmother.

• 1860- Madison Co., TN, District 14, Jackson P.O., Page 241, #1725-1759
  

  Ben BOON	       76 farmer, 470 3000   NC
  James 		       38                    NC
  Caroline 	       30                    NC
  Mary 		       9/12                  Tn
  

  *James and his wife and daughter are with his father.

• 1862 - Jan, Madison Co., TN
  --Caroline (Thomas) Boon died

• 1863 - April 27, Gibson Co., TN
  --Gibson Co., TN Marriages 1824-1950, B- Listings
  "4150.BOON, JAMES and BILLINGSLY, G. F. - 1863"

  *She was widow of Robert Billingsley and sister to Caroline C. (Thomas) Boon

• 1865 - Octobe 16, Madison Co., TN
  --James Boon died

• 1868 - October 27, Madison Co., TN
  --Madison Co., TN Deed Book 26, pp. 306-307 - transcribed by Jonathan K. T. Smith

  "Whereas a marriage was shortly to be solemnized between JAMES M. SHARP and FRANCES R. BOON, he gave her part of the 175 acres on which he "now resides." Oct. 27, 1868.
  Reg Oct. 27, 1868.
  Wits W. L. Boon, J. B. Boon. /Madison County marriage record shows James M. Sharp married Mrs. Frances R. Boon, October 27, 1868/"

• 1870 - Madison Co., TN, District 13, Jackson P. O., Stamped page 287, #8-8
  --enumerated June 18, 1870

  J. M. SHARP		_5	M W	farmer	$3000	$500	NC
  F.			_6	F W				NC
  W. W. BOON		11	F W	at school		TN
  ---also listed are several black Sharps, persumably freed slaves
  

  *This Census is very difficult to read and obviously the enumerator made a few mistakes. W. W. SHOULD BE male- not female. Also, J. M. and F's ages are off or transcribed wrong. There are several Thomas families nearby.

• 1880 - Madison Co., TN, District 13, page 293A
  

  J. M. SHARP   	Self   	M   Male   W   78   TN   Farmer   	NC   NC  
  Faney SHARP   	Wife   	M   Female W   53   NC   Keeping House  NC   NC  
  Walter BOON   	SSon   	S   Male   W   18   NC   Farm Hand   	NC   ---  
  Frank BANES   	Other   S   Male   W   24   TN   Practicing M.D. TN   TN  
  

• 1880/84 - James Sharp died and Fanny went to Texas

• 1884 - November 25, Bastrop Co. Texas
  --Fannie married for the 4th time to Elisha Billingsley, brother to her 1st husband

• Unknown when/where Fannie died or his buried

  Elisha Billinglsey died May 9, 1891 at Elgin, Bastrop Co. Texas and is buried at Young's Prairie Cemetery at Elgin, Bastrop Co., Texas. Fannie, unless she has no marker, is not buried there. It is now known whether she returned to Tennessee.

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1. Martha Ann (Boon)

   --b. August 24, 1853 Gibson Co., TN
   --d. September 16, 1854 Gibson Co. TN
   ----buried Eldad Baptist Church Cemetery, Gibson Co., TN
   

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2. Armanita Vann Boon

   --b. August 14, 1856 Gibson Co., TN
   --d. March 15, 1858 Gibson Co., TN
   ----buried Eldad Baptist Church Cemetery, Gibson Co., TN
   

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3. Mary Frances 'Fannie' (Boon) Long

   --b. December 7, 1859 Beech Bluff, Madison Co., TN
   --d. July 31, 1950 Abilene, Taylor Co., Texas
   ----buried Cedar Hill Cemetery, Abilene, Taylor Co., Texas
   --m. William Henry 'Billy' LONG
   --February 10, 1880 Madison Co., TN
   ----(November 27, 1849 TN - April 19, 1903 Elgin, Williamson Co., Texas)
   ------buried Elgin Cemetery, Elgin, Williamson Co., Texas
   

   Fannie (Boon)
   Courtesy of Sharon Courtney

   

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   Children of Fannie (Boon) Long)

   *Click on her name - above (lots of pictures, more information, etc)

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4. William Walter Boon

   --b. December 29 1861 Madison Co., TN
   --d. after April 15, 1930 probably Jackson, Madison Co., TN
   

Additional Information, Pics, etc.

*Have any additional information or picutres of James H. Boon or his children or grandchildren - please e-mail me, Ann (Jobe) Brown

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Return to Boon 'entry page', Ann's Genealogy or visit my Personal Page

Write me - Ann (Jobe) Brown

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