Revolutionary War Soldiers Series: Remembering William Boatman

By Betty F. Crum and Pat Young
Waw-wil-a-way Chapter Daughters 
of the American Revolution, 250 Project

On Oct. 17, 1834 before John W.  Price president and Moses Patterson, John Mathus and Hugh Smart Associate Judges of the court of Common Pleas, for said county of Highland personally appeared in court William Boatman, 77, of Highland County and State of Ohio who being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration: In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832, that he served in the service of the United States, under the following named officers, as herein stated, first in the company of Capt Swerengin [sic: Josiah Swearingen], in col Hyetts [Hyatt’s?] Regt. under General [Lachlan] McIntosh, in September 1777 or 1778 as a substitute for a man living in Shepherdstown va his name not recollected. 

Marched thence to Martinsburgh, Va., [Martinsburg now in W.Va.], thence to the mouth of big beaver, on the Ohio River [at present Beaver, Pa., Sept. 1778] there built a fort call’d fort McIntosh, marched thence to Tuscarawas a fork of Muskingum River there built fort Laurence [Fort Laurens near present Bolivar, completed Jan. 1779], then marched back to fort McIntosh, and at the expiration of four months, was discharged, and returned to his residence near Redstone Fort, Pa. [now Brownsville], second tour was drafted in June 1778 or 1779 to guard the united states property at Redstone fort, under Sergeant [William] Colvin of Capt. Clems company of militia, served under him one month, and was dismissed in July 1778 third tour was drafted in January 1779 to guard united states property at Redstone for under said Seargent Colvin and served one month and was dismissed by said Colvin in February 1779 or 1780 making in all six months service, that he has no documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whos testimony he can procure who can testify to his services.  

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity, except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of any state.  (s) William his X mark Boatman
Question by court: Where were you born and in what year?  Ans.: - In Faurquer [Fauquier] County, Va. in December 1757. Q: Have you any record of your age and if so where is it now?  Ans. - I have no record evidence of my age at this time but often heard my Father and Mother say I was born in the year 1757. 

Q: by Court - Where were you living when called in to service and where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live?  Ans.: When I entered the service I lived near Redstone Fort, Pa. from there I moved to Shirtee near Catfishes Camp [sic: Catfish Camp], now Washington Pa lived there several years, then move to Kentucky resided in the counties of Fayette and Bourbin [sic: Bourbon] several years, from there I moved to where I now live, Highland county Ohio about the year 1800 and have lived there ever since and do at this time.  Q - How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute, and if a substitute for whom? Ans.- I first entered the service as a substitute for a man who lived in Shepherdstown Va. whose name I do not recollect, I never saw him before nor since, I served four month for him the second, and third, tours I was drafted, and served one month each time under Sergeant Colvin at Redstone fort Pa. 

Q -  Did you ever receive a discharge for the service and if so by whom was it given, and what has become of it? Ans. - I believe I received a discharge for the first tour at fort McIntosh but by whom it was signed or given, or what has become of it I cannot tell at this time.  The two last tours I was dismissed by Sergeant Colvin without any discharges. I am not at this time able to say whether any of the officers in McIntoshes campaign were regular officers or not but suppose General McIntosh was. 

(s) William hisXmark Boatman

"Common Pleas Court Records of Highland County, Ohio" 1805-1860 by David N. McBride, Page 20  
This day came into open court William Boatman an applicant for a pension who in open court was sworn to and subscribed his declaration also at the same time came into court Charles B. Smith a Minister of the Gospel and George W. Barrera who being duly sworn testified as to the age and veracity of the applicant and their belief in his services as a Revolutionary Soldier which is ordered to be certified. 
Order Book No. 6, 1834 - 1837, page 69, Oct. 17, 1834

Friends of Fort Laurens Foundation, P.O. Box 272, 11006 Northwood Avenue NE, Bolivar, OH 44612
These men either marched to the Fort Laurens site with General McIntosh on his November 1778 journey, most likely helped construct the fort, actually served in defense of the fort, or they were on one of the attempted resupply missions to Fort Laurens from Fort Pitt. This information was obtained from the applications the men submitted to the American government to qualify for a Revolutionary War pension. 

On Oct. 17, 1834 in Highland Co., Ohio. William (X) Boatman of said county, aged 77, declares he served first in the company of Capt. Swearingen in Col. Hyett's regiment under Gen. McIntosh in Sept. 1777 or 1778 as a substitute for a man living in Shepherdstown, Va. He marched to Martinsburg, then to the mouth of Big Beaver on Ohio River and there built Fort McIntosh, and then to Tuscarawas, a fork of the Muskingum River, and there built Fort Lawrence. They marched back to Fort McIntosh and at the expiration of four months he was discharged and returned to his residence near Redstone Fort, Pennsylvania.  William Boatman was born in Fauquier Co., Virginia in December 1757.  

He lived near Redstone Fort when called into service and from there moved to Shirtee near Catfish camp, now Washington, Pennsylvania. He moved to Kentucky and resided in Fayette and Bourbon counties for several years. About 1800 he moved to Highland County, Ohio. Boatman was placed on the Ohio pension roll at $20 per annum. Certificate 29742 was issued 13 Feb. 1835.  

William BOATMAN was born DEC 1757 in Fauquier Co., VA, and died DEC 1840. He was the son of Henry Boatman & Margaret Unknown. Children of William BOATMAN are:
1.  Elias Boatman was born 1785, and died 2 FEB 1847 in Oklahoma. He married Mary (Polly) KINNER 5 SEP 1805, daughter of William L. KINNER. She was born 1786 in VA, and died AFT 1850. - 2. George W. Boatman was born 1790, and died 1814. He married Jane WHITLEY 31 MAR 1810.-3. John Boatman was born 1791, and died 1829. He married Sarah Katherine FETTERS 3 OCT 1819 in Adams Co., OH. She was born 1790 in PA, and died AFT 1850. - 4. Mary Boatman was born 1794.  She married John COMPTON 4/7/1808, in Highland Co., Ohio. - 5. Henry Boatman was born 1795, in Kentucky.  He married Leah Marcus 12/30/1827 in Highland Co., Ohio.  He married Sarah Rice 3/5/1830 in Mason Co., Kentucky. 6. William Cyrus (Sye) Boatman was born 3/17/1795 in Ohio and died 5/14/1858, in Ohio. Buried Presbyterian Cemetery, Village of New Market.  Married Eliza Teboe 8/20/1822 in Highland Co., Ohio. Married Mary Ann Nesbit 1/26/1824 in Highland Co., Ohio, daughter of William Creighton Nesbit and Mary Sanderson.  She was born 5/13/1804 and died 8/19/1972.  - 7.  Mitchell Boatman was born 2/15/1797 in Bourbon Co., Kentucky and died 1/25/1870, in Highland Co., Ohio.  Buried in Presbyterian Cemetery, Village of New Market.  He married Sally Kenner 1/14/1819, in Highland Co., Ohio, daughter of William L. Kinner, she was born 1799 and died 1864. .  Married Mary (Polly) Gibler 12/10/1865, in Highland Co., Ohio. - 8. Robert Boatman was born 1799 in Kentucky, and died 4 APR 1859, in Highland Co., Ohio. He married Hannah ROGERS 1825. She died AFT 1870. - 9. Nancy Jane Boatman was born MAY 1802, in Kentucky and died 11 AUG 1876 in Grant Co., IN. She married James Stuart FOSTER 9 APR 1827 in Adams Co., OH, son of Robert FOSTER and Margaret MCCORD. He was born 1798 in Adams co., OH (then Northwest Territory), and died 13 JUL 1880 in Howard Co., IN. - 10. Margaret Boatman was born 1805. She married George MITCHELL. - 11. Isaiah Boatman was born 1812, in Ohio.

B- December 1757 Prince William, Fauquier Co., Virginia. 
D-December 1840 New Market Twp., Highland Co., Ohio.                    
It is unknown where he is buried.
His name is on the plaque at the Highland County Courthouse.
1840 United States Federal Census, Name: Wm Boatman, Military service: Veteran, Township: New Market, County: Highland, State: Ohio  
Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters, Pension Application of William Boatman S8085. State of Ohio Highland County.