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African-American Boat(w)right Family Genealogy

Generation 1

1-1. HENRY BOATRIGHT was born 1850 in South Carolina, and died Bef. 1930 in Pee Dee, Florence County, South Carolina. He married (1) ELIZABETH. She was born 1853 in South Carolina, and died Bef. 1885 in South Carolina. He married (2) SYLVIA. She was born Nov 1866 in South Carolina.

Notes for HENRY BOATRIGHT:

Source: Boatright Family, Inc. website: BoatwrightFamilyInc.com

Henry Boatright (20 yrs old) and Elizabeth Boatright (17 yrs old), were married in 1869 circa. Their first son was named Alexander Boatright. With this union, others were born such as Caroline, Emanuel, Willie, and Lawrence. Elizabeth (Lizzie) died bef 1885. Henry then married Sylvia and from this union the following were born: Howard, Robert, Noka,…

About 1895, two of Henry Boatright’s sons, (Alexander and Emmanuel), left the Carolinas to pursue a livelihood in the turpentine industry and other related businesses. They ended up in Tallahassee Florida where one of them, (Emmanuel), met Susan Evelena Hicks who later became his wife. Alexander had already started his family.

When Emmanuel and Susan were married, they moved from Tallahassee further south to an area called Highlands County, now named Avon Park, Florida. Since his father-in-law passed away, Emmanuel took into his household his mother-in-law as well as his wife’s siblings, (Nathan, Ben, Edward, Pricilla, and Sylvia). He facilitated setting them up in Avon Park. His mother-in-law remained in his household until her death. Emmanuel produced nine children of his own, (two boys and seven girls).

The two brothers, (Alexander and Emmanuel) lived on the same street in Avon Park Florida. Also, the Hicks’ children all lived in homes within close proximity to each other on adjoining properties.

In the Late 1930’s to 1950’s, Emmanuel made several visits to South Carolina to reunite and commune with his other siblings, especially Caroline, with whom he normally stayed. Also, in the late 1950’s his brother Willie visited Avon Park, Florida where the three brothers started a historical REUNION. The fact that three elderly brothers felt a need to reunite on an occasional basis without sadness, but with joy and fellowship, should spark a fire in the belly of our youth to continue these FAMILY REUNIONS for years to come!

Boatrights and Hicks started reunion gathering in 1970 circa. In the backyard of Ben Hicks (Uncle Ben). There we would, on occasion, slaughter, roast and barbeque a hog and fry fish along with other customary vegetables such as collard, mustard, and turnip greens, potato salad, and other foods. This was usually a one-day affair in Avon Park, Florida.

Boatwrights started to get together in the Pamplico, South Carolina area in 1980 circa. This gathering was initiated by John H. Boatwright, Sam Green, Hubert Boatwright, and others. At first, this began with local relatives and immediate members thereof. Later, about 1983, John and Lue Boatwright visited Avon Park, Florida and helped unite the family efforts. They invited the Family in Florida to attend the reunion in Pamplico, South Carolina in 1984. The Boatrights of Florida and the Boatwrights of South Carolina were now united along with other “Family Connections” such as Stuckey’s, Hicks’, and many others.

The Reunions have been held every even year in Pamplico SC, Marion SC, Sebring/Avon Park Florida, Somerset NJ, Baltimore MD, Buffalo NY, South of The Border SC, Orlando FL, and Hampton VA.

Source: The 1860 Marion County, South Carolina Census:

The 1860 Marion County Slave Census shows two Boatwright brothers, ABIJAH and THOMAS W. that were slave holders. The Census shows that each brother had three slaves total and each had a male slave about the correct age for Henry.

Thomas and Abijah are the only two Boatwright slave owners in Marion county according to the 1850 and 1860 census. My assumption is that Henry was born and raised in Marion County and then after the Civil War settled in Pee Dee, South Carolina. Pee Dee was part of Marion County in 1870 and later became part of Florence County.

1870 Census:
Name: Henry Boatright
Date: August 31, 1870
Estimated birth year: abt 1850
Age in 1870: 20
Birthplace: South Carolina
Home in 1870: Pee Dee, Marion, South Carolina
Occupation: Farm Laborer
Race: Black
Gender: Male
Post Office: Lynches Creek
Census Place: Pee Dee, Marion, South Carolina;
Roll: M593_1503; Page: 246; Image: 495.

1900 Census:
Name: Henry Boatwright
Date: June 16, 1900
Home in 1900: Pedee, Florence, South Carolina
Age: 53
Estimated birth year: abt 1847
Birthplace: South Carolina
Relationship to head-of-house: Head
Spouse's name: Sylvia
Occupation: Farmer
Race: Black
Census Place: Pedee, Florence, South Carolina;
Roll: T623 1528; Page: 17A;
Enumeration District: 43.

1910 Census:
Name: Henry Boatwright
Date: May 3, 1910
Age in 1910: 59
Estimated birth year: abt 1851
Birthplace: South Carolina
Relation to Head of House: Head
Father's Birth Place: South Carolina
Mother's Birth Place: South Carolina
Spouse's name: Silver
Home in 1910: Pee Dee, Florence, South Carolina
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Farmer
Race: Black
Gender: Male
Census Place: Pee Dee, Florence, South Carolina;
Roll: T624_1457; Page: 22A;
Enumeration District: 30; Image: 1052.

1920 Census:
Name: Henry Boatwright
Date: March 4, 1920
Home in 1920: Pee Dee, Florence, South Carolina
Age: 79 years
Estimated birth year: abt 1841
Birthplace: South Carolina
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's name: Sylva
Father's Birth Place: South Carolina
Mother's Birth Place: South Carolina
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Farmer
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Able to read: No
Able to Write: No
Census Place: Pee Dee, Florence, South Carolina;
Roll: T625_1696; Page: 10B;
Enumeration District: 62; Image: 415.

1870 Census:
Name: Elizabeth Boatright
Date: August 31, 1870
Estimated birth year: abt 1853
Age in 1870: 17
Birthplace: South Carolina
Home in 1870: Pee Dee, Marion, South Carolina
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Post Office: Lynches Creek
Census Place: Pee Dee, Marion, South Carolina;
Roll: M593_1503; Page: 246; Image: 495.

1900 Census:
Name: Sylvia Boatwright
Date: June 16, 1900
Home in 1900: Pedee, Florence, South Carolina
Age: 33
Estimated birth year: abt 1867
Birthplace: South Carolina
Relationship to head-of-house: Wife
Spouse's name: Henry
Race: Black
Census Place: Pedee, Florence, South Carolina;
Roll: T623 1528; Page: 17A;
Enumeration District: 43.

1910 Census:
Name: Silvia Boatwright
Date: May 3, 1910
Age in 1910: 35
Estimated birth year: abt 1875
Birthplace: South Carolina
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Father's Birth Place: South Carolina
Mother's Birth Place: South Carolina
Spouse's name: Henry
Home in 1910: Pee Dee, Florence, South Carolina
Marital Status: Married
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Census Place: Pee Dee, Florence, South Carolina;
Roll: T624_1457; Page: 22A;
Enumeration District: 30; Image: 1052.

1920 Census:
Name: Sylvia Boatwright
Date: March 4, 1920
Home in 1920: Pee Dee, Florence, South Carolina
Age: 50 years
Estimated birth year: abt 1870
Birthplace: South Carolina
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Spouse's name: Henry
Father's Birth Place: South Carolina
Mother's Birth Place: South Carolina
Marital Status: Married
Race: Black
Sex: Female
Able to read: No
Able to Write: No
Census Place: Pee Dee, Florence, South Carolina;
Roll: T625_1696; Page: 10B;
Enumeration District: 62; Image: 415.

Children of HENRY BOATRIGHT and ELIZABETH are:

2-1.     i. ALEXANDER BOATRIGHT, b. Mar 1870, Pee Dee, Florence County, 
                                  South Carolina; d. Dec 1962, Avon
                                  Park, Highlands County, Florida.
2-2.    ii. CAROLINE BOATRIGHT, b. 1873, Pee Dee, Florence County, South 
                                 Carolina.
2-3.   iii. EMANUEL BOATRIGHT, b. 1875, Pee Dee, Florence County, South 
                                Carolina; d. Jun 1968, Avon Park,
                                Highlands County, Florida.
2-4.    iv. WILLIAM "WILLIE" BOATRIGHT, b. 1877, Pee Dee, Florence County, 
                                         South Carolina.
2-5.     v. LAWRENCE BOATRIGHT, b. 1879, Pee Dee, Florence County, South 
                                 Carolina.

Children of HENRY BOATRIGHT and SYLVIA are:

2-6.    vi. NOLA BOATRIGHT, b. Sep 1886, Pee Dee, Florence County, South 
                             Carolina.
2-7.   vii. DESSIA BOATRIGHT, b. Nov 1889, Pee Dee, Florence County, South 
                               Carolina.
2-8.  viii. RACHEL BOATRIGHT, b. Dec 1891, Pee Dee, Florence County, South 
                               Carolina.
2-9.    ix. NOKA BOATRIGHT, b. Dec 1893, Pee Dee, Florence County, South 
                             Carolina.
2-10.    x. EDWARD BOATRIGHT, b. Nov 1895, Pee Dee, Florence County, South 
                               Carolina.
2-11.   xi. HOWARD ELWELL BOATRIGHT, b. Apr 1897, Pee Dee, Florence County, 
                                      Carolina.
2-12.  xii. ROBERT BOATRIGHT, b. 1904, Pee Dee, Florence County, South 
                               South Carolina.
2-13. xiii. MAMIE D. BOATRIGHT, b. 1905, Pee Dee, Florence County, South 
                                 Carolina.
2-14.  xiv. MOSES BOATRIGHT, b. Jan 1909, Pee Dee, Florence County, South 
                              Carolina.

URL: http://www.boatwrightgenealogy.com

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