Ezekiel Boggs Sr. ⁴⁵⁰

  General Notes:

One source I have states that Ezekiel Boggs was born near Fort Henry (now known as Wheeling, West Virginia). He was early apprenticed to the millers trade, but being cruely used, escaped down the Ohio River with his Uncle John, stopping near Maysville, Kentucky where he was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade in 1798. It was said that Ezekiel Boggs was Irish, six feet four in height and over 200 in weight.

"Between 1812 and 1816 families came to Springcreek Township, Miami County, among them Ezekiel Boggs. The Township was organized on July 4, 1814. On the first Monday in April 1815, Ezekiel Boggs was among six supervisors elected."

Among the biographical notes given on Jacob Rench in the History of Miami Co. by Beers, is the following information given in 1880 by his third wife, Sarah Boggs Valentine to an interviewer about her father Ezekiel Boggs. "My father Ezekiel Boggs was born in PA on November 20, 1782. He was the only child of the family and was early apprenticed to the Mason's trade. Being cruelly used, he was induced by his uncle to run off, and was brought by him to this State, where he was apprenticed to the Blacksmith trade, which he followed a short time. He married in 1804 or 1805 Eva C. Haney. His financial circumstances were meager. He served six months in the War of 1812 on the frontier, made a trip to New Orleans by flat boat with produce, then purchased a horse and wagon, embarking in the peddling business with gratifying results. In 1819, he came to this county (Miami), locating near Piqua, and engaged in farming until 1828, when he erected a grist and saw mill and woolen factory above Piqua, OH on the Miami River. He subsequently moved to Piqua, where he died on September 22, 1864. He left an estate worth $25,000 or $30,000. His wife (Eva) Catherine was born in PA on January 29, 1783 and died February 26, 1867. They had six sons and seven daughters; four still survive (1880)."

A letter, dated 31 Jan 1947 and written by Mrs. Netty Hall, which has been passed along to Ezekiel Boggs’ descendants gives similar but different details on Ezekiel’s early life. Mrs. Hall’s mother was Mary Boggs, who was, in turn, a granddaughter of Ezekiel. Her story of Ezekiel surmises that Ezekiel was the illegimate son of Ebenezer Zane. Ezekiel was a large man with red hair as was Ebenezer Zane. See Appendix A for Netty’s story and also an account of the controversial “powder exploit “ at Fort Henry, VA(now WV and near Wheeling) in 1780 during an attack by the British and the Indians. According to a Boggs genealogy compiled by James L. Boggs in 1960, Ezekiel was reputed to be 6 feet and 4 inches in height and over 200 lbs. in weight. Ezekiel and Eva Catherine had 13 children, according to their daughter Sarah Rench. Ezekiel, Jr. and Aaron were administrators of Ezekiel's Estate in January 1865. In addition to the above three children, payments were made in settlement of his estate to Nancy Rench, John Boggs, Mary Adams, Jessy Morgan, Adam Weaver, and Oliver Kindle; we assume that these persons were either children or husbands of children. His Estate included:
Currency on hand $3678.82
Gold on hand$157.00
Silver on hand $83.24
Bank Stock $3800.00
Bonds $1800.00
Premium on Gold & Silver Sold $250.85
Amount of Sale Bill $1365.00
Whole amount of Notes and accounts as per Inventory $8045.40

Total $19,180.31

Ezekiel is reputed to be illegimate, his mother being Sally Boggs according to W. Keith Fisher. ⁴⁵⁰

  Birth Notes:

Fort Henry

  Life Events:

1. Occupation: Miller, Mason & Blacksmith. ⁴⁵⁰

Ezekiel married Eva Catharine Haney, daughter of Jonas Haney and Unknown, in 1804-1805 in Maysville, Mason, Kentucky, USA.⁴⁵⁰ (Eva Catharine Haney was born on 29 Jan 1783 in Mason County, Kentucky, USA,⁴⁵⁰ died on 26 Feb 1867 in Piqua, Miami, Ohio, USA ⁴⁵⁰ and was buried in Forest Hill Cemetery (Piqua, Miami, Ohio, USA) ⁴⁵⁰.)