Boughner Lineage

According to PlacesNamed.com, "Boughner" is the 17,866th most popular last name in the U. S.

Just to clarify, this branch of the Boughner name pronounces it "bough" (like tree) - "ner." We know little about the history of this line, but learning more every day. Charles Edmund Boughner's father Roy was out of his life when he was very young, and Roy himself died young. There are three other Boughners buried in Danville, IL, with Roy R. Boughner: Charles Aceil (his father), Lizzie Bell (Charles A.'s wife), and Mark (brother to Roy), who died as a child. All four of these people died in Chicago, but found their final resting place in Danville. "Why" is a complete mystery. The three adults died of complications of diabetes.

Peter, my ggg-grandfather, was born about 1818 in Kentucky, according to census records. I don't know at this time when or where he died, or where he is buried. His wife's name was Sarah Grindley or Lindley, born about 1822 in Pennsylvania. As far as I can determine, they had four sons, George W., Wesley (or Westley), Luther (on one census as Harmond), and Charles A.

Since Peter is not found anywhere on the 1880 census, I suspect he died between 1870 and 1880. A volunteer couldn't find him listed in any cemeteries in Fountain County (where he was in 1870), but he had two sons in Warren County in 1880. I'm trying to find him in Warren County. (30 Mar 2003)

With the aid of the librarians in the Fountain County Public Library in Covington, IN, I have learned pretty much nothing. The researcher who answered my query couldn't find Peter in Fountain County, and couldn't find him buried in Warren County, either. I have no idea what happened to him after 1870, and it's driving me crazy! If you have a connection to any of these Boughners, I would love to share information with you.

George W.
2nd generation

George was the oldest son of Peter and Elizabeth Boughner. He was born in Ohio in about 1841, and died some time before 1915. He served in the Civil War, and his tombstone in Upper Mound Cemetery near Covington, Indiana only says "Geo. W. Boughner Co. E 63 Ind. Inf." with no dates on it. He enlisted 30 August 1862, and mustered out 21 June 1865.

He was first married to Caroline Fulton, and with her had four children: Harvey L. (m. Anna Sheumaker), Amanda M., Susey D. (m. George H. Shoemaker), and Martin Louis (m. Ethel M. McLaughlin). He married a second time (I don't know if Caroline died; probably, but don't know where) to Mamie P. Doulap (she married again when George died to Thompson G. Douglass).

A descendant of George contacted me and shared a story he'd heard as a child. George had been shot in the face in the war, and wore a beard for the rest of his life to hide the scars.

The family plot in Springhill Cemetery in Danville, Illinois holds three graves, but four caskets. Lot #348, in Block 20A, 120 square feet, was purchased on 3 July, 1918 for $66.50 by Charles Aciel Boughner. There is a large monument with the family name on it, and three markers with the names of the individuals buried there. Facing the monument, from left to right, are buried: Lizzie Bell, Mark | Roy (shared marker) and Charles A.. Lizzie’s marker bears the emblem for the Order of the Eastern Star. Mark and Roy’s marker has the emblem of the Odd Fellows under Roy’s name.  

Charles A. (December 9, 1859 - May 24, 1941) died in a diabetic coma, in St. Francis Hospital, Blue Island, IL at the age of 81. He was buried on 28 May, 1941. His funeral home was Robert Krueger, of Blue Island, IL. That funeral home was wonderful when I wrote them for information. Not only did the funeral records list his widow as Elizabeth Belle, but also Charles' father Peter Boughner, whose birthplace was Kentucky. It further states Charles' birthplace as Covington, IN, and his occupation as a flagman for the railroad.

My aunt Debbie remembers vaguely the idea that Charlies A. was a "mean man" but doesn't recall why she remembers that or what the circumstances were that she heard that.

From the Chicago Tribune, page 22, 26 May 1941 (obtained through the Newberry Library's lookup service)
BOUGHNER - Charles Aciel Boughner, formerly of 8745 Harvard avenue, Chicago, husband of the late Elizabeth Belle, beloved father of Don and the late Lon, Mark and Ray.* Resting at funeral home 13050 Greenview avenue, Blue Island, Ill. Services Tuesday, 8 p. m. Internment Spring Hill cemetery, Danville, Ill.

*This is a typo, possibly, or whoever recorded the information took it down wrong; this is my great-grandfather Roy.

Martin Louis Boughner was born in 1879 and died young in 1918. He and his wife Ethel McLaughlin had three children: Francis Cullen, George William and Opal. Ethel married John Young, a widower, when Martin died. She and Martin are buried Hopewell Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Highland Township, Vermillion County, Indiana. His grandson recalls this cemetery being called "Twin Churches" but the churches are long since gone.

Don Boughner (June 14, 1885 – July 6, 1949) is a new member of the family that was discovered with the information sent to me by Krueger Funeral Home of Blue Island, IL when they sent me information about Charles Aciel. I have learned that Don was the son of Charles A. Boughner and "Lizza Bell La France" and that he worked as a railroad clerk for the Rock Island Rail Road. He was born in Homer, IL, and was married to Ida A. (May 8, 1888 - November 1972). Her funeral was not done by Krueger; the lovely woman there looked for me, and didn't find her.

Also on the funeral report was where Don is buried: Cedar Park Cemetery, in Blue Island, IL. The woman I spoke to there did indeed show him buried there, and that there is a companion marker with his. I'll be going there soon to investigate! I don't have his wife's maiden name, but I did find her social security number; I'll have more about her soon, too.

Mark Boughner (January 1890 – January 1895) is buried at the "head" of Roy’s grave. It is likely that the two were brothers. Mark died of unknown (unstated) causes the first week of January, and was buried in Chicago (possibly on 9 January, 1895).  His body and Roy’s were disinterred and reburied in Danville on 5 July 1918.

When Roy died in 1918, his son Charles was almost 4 years old. Some time before that, Hazel had divorced him and remarried Kenneth Reed in 1916. It must have been quite a scandal, but no one ever talked about it, so we have no further answers to this puzzle.

Just as Lizzie's marker has the Eastern Star on it, Roy's marker bears the chain links of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. (Click on the emblem below for more information about the IOOF.)

Roy R. Boughner (March 31, 1892 – February 6, 1918) died of nephritis in Chicago, IL at the age of 25. He was buried in Springhill Cemetery on 5 July 1918. His local funeral home was E. R. Pape of Danville, IL. I do not currently know where his first burial was.

Francis Cullen Boughner was born in Covington, IN 1 July 1905, and died in South Bend, IN 9 November 1984. He was a grocer in Muncie, IN before he retired. He married Wilma E. Compton (1907-1973), and had three children with her: Colleen, Earl, and Richard.

Thomas Boughner recalls his father talking about visiting his grandparents (likely after his father was already dead) in Chicago, travelling by train. He also remembers Charles saying that they were unfriendly people. None of us know the circumstances of Roy's marriage to Hazel Martin, what caused the divorce or when it happened.

We do know that "Charlie" was raised by his grandparents, called his grandmother (Dessie Martin) "Mom" and his mother "Hazel." He started school in a big redbrick schoolhouse in Perrysville, which is gone now.

As a very young man, he worked on the docks in Chicago. He served in two wars: the end of WWII and the start of the Korean War, achieving the rank of Master Sergeant. Before Korea, he worked at Central Foundry in Tilton, Illinois. He was the NCO (non-commissioned officers) club manager in Mississippi at Camp Shelby between the two wars. It was in Mississippi that he met Mabel Thompson. It is currently believed that he married Mabel in Mississippi, then brought her home to Indiana. When he was called to duty during the Korean conflict, Mabel and their two children, Tom and Janice, stayed with George and Dessie Martin.

Charlie (whom his half-siblings called "Chick") and Freddie (Charlie's half-sister Eddie's husband) served in the Army at the same time. Freddie lived in Cayuga, Indiana, with his parents. Young Tom stayed with Aunt Eddie and Uncle Fred for a time.

After Korea, he commuted in a carpool to Danville, Illinois, from Perrysville, Indiana to go to his job at the Veteran’s Administration. He started there in laundry and worked his way up to Personnel. After that, he worked at a Pontiac dealership, then a Rambler dealership, and finally at the Mercury dealership. He was working there when he had a slight heart attack, and he retired with Mabel to Mississippi. There were tax incentives to encourage seniors to retire there, the cost of living was lower, and Mabel wanted to go "home."

When Charles died, his son Thomas was stunned to learn that both his parents had been previously married. Charles was married once before he married Mabel, to a woman named Josephine in Cayuga, Indiana. None of the immediate family knows the circumstances of those previous marriages.

From the Hattiesburg American, Nov. 1983 [around the 7th, no date on clipping]
“Charles E. Boughner
Services will be held at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Moore Funeral Home chapel for Charles E. Boughner, 69, of Glendale community, who died unexpectedly Monday at Ochsner Foundation Hospital in New Orleans, La.

The Rev. Steel will officiate. Internment will be in Highland Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Kevin Fairley, J. L. and David MacArthur, Roy Colby, and Robert and Leon Lee.

Mr. Boughner was a native of Covington, Ind., and had lived in Hattiesburg since 1978. He was retired general manager for Sheppard Lincoln Mercury. He was a member of the Elks Club and the American Legion Ridden Post 210, Danville, Ill.

Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Mabel Thompson Boughner, a son Thomas A. Boughner of Fithian, Ill.; two daughters, Mrs. Janice Hoggard of Glendale and Mrs. Debbie Steward Shaw [sic - Debbie Stewart of Shaw AFB] of Edward Air Force Base, S. C.; six grandchildren; his mother, Hazel Reed of Hillsboro, Ind.; one brother, George Reed of Black Hawk, Ind.; three sisters, Mrs. Dorothea Farror of Catlin, Ill., Mrs. Deloris Bowman of Hillsboro, Ind., and Mrs. Edna Marie Burris of Fairmont, Ill.; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be after 4:30 p.m. today at the funeral home.”

Here are some memories Charlie's daughters (Tom's sisters) have of him:

"Every Thanksgiving as Mom made the dressing, she would have Dad taste it for seasoning. It was raw, and I’m sure it was gross, but that was his function." (Debbie Boughner Stewart)

"Fathers Day 1982, Lyn and I decided that we would take Mom and Dad out for Father’s Day brunch. If you remember, Dad would be eating one meal and talking about the next, so all week long he had been deciding what he was going to eat. Lord, how that man loved to eat! Well, anyway, the day dawned clear and bright, and all was well, and in just a few seconds we would be on our way. There we were, 10 seconds from the door, and the phone rings. Mom answers… big mistake.

"You may or not know that corn comes in down [in Mississippi] around the middle of June, well guess what? Aunt Frances is on the phone and she has 300 ears of corn for us and is on her way over. Well, after Dad said a few choice words that I will not repeat, Dad says ‘Janice go get us some sausage biscuits while your mother and I wait on this [expletive deleted] corn!’

"Well, for the next 7 and 1/2 hours we all shucked, cleaned, cut, cooked, boiled, bagged and put up corn. That was the first time I had ever ‘put up corn,’ and I still have two bags of that corn in my freezer. I do not know if I will ever cook it, but every time I see it in the freezer, I think of that day and Dad’s Corny Father's Day. That is one of my most fond memories of Dad on his special day." (Janice Boughner Hoggard)

Charlie was also a member of the Danville Elks Lodge. I don't believe that he continued his membership in Mississippi. (Click on the logo for more information about the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.)

Thomas started school in Perrysville, Indiana, in the same redbrick schoolhouse his father attended. His first grade school year was completed in Perrysville, while he stayed with his grandparents, Grandma Hazel and Grandpa "Skinny" (Kenneth). His parents and sister had already moved to Danville, but Tom finished his school year in Indiana, moving to join his family when he was seven.

The first house Charles and Mabel had in Danville was at 104 W. Clay St., which was kitty-corner from an all-black fire department. It was near an old Meadowgold Dairy. When Thomas was 7, he used to "drive" those old dairy trucks, as they were parked in the lot. The trucks in those days were not yet refrigerated, and the drivers used to give neighborhood boys ice, and sometimes milk or orange juice. He attended Franklin school (1954-1955). His first job was at Syd’s Grocery on Clay and Gilbert Streets, cleaning up, bagging groceries – whatever needed to be done. His sister Debbie was born when his parents lived in this house.

The second house was at 1001 N. Gilbert, in a black neighborhood, and he attended Garfield school until 5th grade. When he was attending North Ridge Middle School, he was "too cool" to ride the bus, so he walked several miles to get there, rather than be uncool.

The third house in Danville (and the last house that Tom lived in with his parents), was at 419 Montclaire, in a subdivision called Edison Terrace. This house was just behind the middle school.

Tom attended Danville High School on Hooker Street, and his future wife (Sharon Offutt) was also there at the same time for one year, although the two didn’t meet there. After high school, Tom left home and joined the Army. He was stationed for a time in Kansas (and remembers it being a boring and flat place). He served during the Vietnam War, although he served stateside, having his requests to serve overseas denied. He worked on Jeeps and helicopters.

After he left the service, he met Sharon Offutt through mutual friends, and soon married. They first lived in a duplex on Smith Avenue, then in a house a few doors down from that. Sharon was divorced with a son (Donnie Ferris, Jr.). Sharon was 8 months pregnant on their first anniversary with their daughter, Wendy.

When the city started talking about bussing young Donnie from a good (white) north-side school to a bad (black) south-side school, the family (with infant Tom, Jr.) packed up and moved to Fithian, Illinois. Fithian is between Danville and Champaign, where Tom was working at the time.

Meanwhile, Tom’s parents moved to the last house that Charlie and Mabel lived in before moving to Mississippi. It was at 401 Chester. (This is the house that Wendy remembers. She especially remembers one particular Christmas eve, sprawling on a huge vinyl ottoman, watching "Santa Radar" on the Channel 3 news.)

(Memories about growing up in Indiana)
SR (state road) 32 had a steep hill, and cinders were piled next to the road so motorists could shovel some onto the road when it was icy. There were times of the year that it was underwater, being in the Wabash River floodplain. There were markers on either side of the road, above the floodwaters, so drivers knew where the road was. Along the river, there was a towpath, where horses used to tow barges in the river.

Tom played with his cousins, Earl Reed’s boys, and they taught him all forms of orneriness: peeing on electric fences, shooting out glass insulators on electricity poles with a .22 rifle, damming up the creek in a ravine not far from his great-grandmother’s house… Tom’s Aunt Eddie and Uncle Fred lived in Cayuga, Indiana, and he also stayed with them for a time.

(Facts about Danville)
At Burger Chef’s (now called Schoeder’s) on Gilbert Street, Tom could buy a burger, fries and a shake for a quarter when they were having promotional sales. Burgers there cost 19¢.

Tom got his first ticket when he and his dad went to Carleson’s Tree Service to get firewood for the Montclaire house. There were dealer plates on the shop truck that Tom was driving. (Dealer plates are only supposed to be on vehicles for sale, not shop trucks, and not for personal errands.) Charlie paid the ticket eventually, but tried to argue out of it.

Back to the Index

Janice and her second husband Lyn Hoggard live in Mississippi, just down the street from where Charlie and Mabel last lived.

Jan's a foster mom, and has adopted two of the boys she's fostered: Randy and Billy. She has taken many children into her home over the years.

Debbie is married to Jim Stewart, who's retired Air Force. They have three kids: Jefferson, Jamie and Mallory. During the course of their marriage, Debbie has lived all over the U.S. and they were stationed for several years in Germany. (It was always great fun getting Christmas presents from overseas!)

Debbie has an interesting way of remembering things. She'll come to the end of a story, and conclude it with "and then I threw up." This must be something she's grown out of, because I haven't heard of any recent occurrences.

Wendy was named primarily for the song Windy, by the Association, and because it was a name her father liked. Sharon, her mother, convinced him to call the baby "Wendy."

She attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, with minors in Sociology and Philosophy. She was the first person in her immediate family to graduate from college.

When Wendy was in college, she met the man who would become her husband, Marc Whipple. When the couple married after their college graduation in 1992, Wendy kept her maiden name, adding it as a second middle name, to hang on to a heritage she was just beginning to wonder about.

In 1997, she gave birth to her and her husband's only child, Diana. She's an at-home mom, and homemaker, just as her mom was, and proud of that.

Tom Sr., never wanted his son to be named after him. He acquiesced only if his wife agreed never to call the boy "Tommy," which he hated being called as a boy. Ironically, "Tommy" was what all Tom Jr.'s football coaches called him.

After graduating from Oakwood Township High School in 1991, Tom attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and entered their competitive art program. He graduated with his Bachelor's Degree in 1995. He married Lisa Spiegelman in May of 2001. They have two boys.

Charles A. Boughner's father's name was Peter Boughner, and his mother was Sarah. Peter was born in Kentucky about 1818, Sarah in Pennsylvania about 1822. They have been located in the Indiana 1860 and 1870 censuses. I am now trying to find Peter's first appearance on a census, determine when and where he married, and find his parents. If you have anything you can add, please do!

1860 Covington, Troy Township, Fountain County, Indiana

Line #	House #	Family #	Last Name	First Name	Age	Sex	Occup.	Birthplace
18	239	229	Boner	Peter	40	M	Cooper	KY
19	239	229	Boner	Sarah	30	F		PA
20	239	229	Boner	George	20	M	Cooper	OH
21	239	229	Boner	Westley	11	M		OH
22	239	229	Boner	Harmond	3	M		IN
23	239	229	Boner	Charles	8/12	M		IN
24	239	229	Boner	George	23	M	Cooper	KY

In Covington in 1860, I foung Peter and family listed as "Boner." The second George on this census is not yet identified. He is probably a nephew or a cousin.

1870 Covington, Troy Township, Fountain County, Indiana

Line #	House #	Family #	Last Name	First Name	Age	Sex	Occup.	Birthplace
14	219	238	Boughner	Peter	52	M	Cooper	KY
15	219	238	Boughner	Sarah	48	F	Keeping House	PA
16	219	238	Boughner	Wesley	19	M		OH
17	219	238	Boughner	Luther	13	M		OH
18	219	238	Boughner	Charles	9	M		IN

Peter and family are still in Covington, but the two Georges have moved out of the house. Looking further, I located them both; one in Covington (son), and the other outside Covington (relationship unknown), but still in Troy Township.

Line #	House #	Family #	Last Name	First Name	Age	Sex	Occup.	Birthplace
30	391	315	Boughner	George	28	M	Cooper	OH
31	391	315	Boughner	Caroline	20	F	Keeping House	IN
32	391	315	Boughner	Harry L.	2	M		IN
33	391	315	Boughner	Amanda M.	6/12	F		IN

1870 Troy Township, Fountain County, Indiana

Line #	House #	Family #	Last Name	First Name	Age	Sex	Occup.	Birthplace
39	108	111	Boughner	George W.	33	M	Farmer	KY
40	108	111	Boughner	Ferraby (?)	39	F	Keeping House	IN

1880 Kent, Warren County, Indiana

Last Name	First Name	Relation	Age	Sex	Marital	Race	Occup.	Birthplace	Father	Mother
Boughner	Charles A.	Self	21	M	M	W	Cooper	IN	KY	PA
Boughner	Ida E.	Wife	22	F	W	W	Keeping House	IN	OH	OH

This census is the first time I had any idea that Charles was married more than once. Whether Ida died or they divorced, he married Lizzie L. France in Vermilion County, Illinois on 17 May 1884.

I also found one of the Georges in 1880. Peter's son George is now living in Kent, Warren County, Indiana. I can't find the other George or his wife anywhere in 1880, and they are presumed to have died before 1880.

Last Name	First Name	Relation	Age	Sex	Marital	Race	Occup.	Birthplace	Father	Mother
Boughner	George W.	Self	39	M	M	W	Cooper	OH	NY	PA
Boughner	Caroline	Wife	34	F	M	W	Keeping House	IN
Boughner	Harvey L.	Son	12	M	S	W		IN	OH	IN
Boughner	Amanda M.	Daughter	10	F	S	W		IN	OH	IN
Boughner	Susey D.	Daughter	8	F	S	W		IN	OH	IN
Boughner	Martin L.	Son	1	M	S	W		IN	OH	IN

There's another group of Boughners living in Kent in 1880, and they're neighbors to George W. and Charles A. At present, I don't know who they are, but am willing to bet they're family somehow. I'm working on identifying these folks. It's possible that Sarah is Peter's widow (I can't find him in 1880) and she remarried, although it's a little strange that she married another Boughner.

Another odd little mystery: the child Ida M. Vllors is listed as "daughter" but her parents are from Illinois, she was born in Missouri, and obviously the surname is different. Still more interesting is that she's indicated as being mulatto. An orphaned girl, a young serving girl..? I don't have any idea.

Last Name	First Name	Relation	Age	Sex	Marital	Race	Occup.	Birthplace	Father	Mother
Boughner	H. L.	Self	59	M	M	W	Cooper	KY	PA	KY
Boughner	Sarah	Wife	58	F	M	W	Keeping House	PA	ENG	ENG
Boughner	Peter P.	Son	23	M	S	W	Cooper	IN	KY	PA
Vllors	Ida M.	Daughter	8	F	S	M		MO	IL	IL

I am also in possession of a very unique book, written and published by Arthur Gray Boughner, entitled The Boughner-Terry Family of Confluence and Brookhaven Pennsylvania 1900-1960. I am in the process of indexing the book, which is 194 pages, written sort of in diary form, with letters and other communications with his wife (Estella Marie Terry) and children. Until it's fully indexed, I can't do any lookups in it, but as soon as it is, I will be happy to aid researchers if I can.

Other Boughners

Here are some other Boughners. I don't know if any of them are tied to my line, but for a fairly uncommon name, we're everywhere!

Elisa Boughner - Boughnerart.com - an artist with some very vibrant works.

Bob Boughner - a Canadian hockey player from Ontario (where there are a great number of Boughners).

Katie Boughner - another artist, dealing with fantasy subjects.

Fred Boughner - a philatelist (stamp collector) - and author who wrote Airmail Antics, Linn's U. S. Stamp Yearbook 1985.

Terry Boughner - author of the book Out for all Time, and others.

Howard Boughner - the late cartoonist and illustrator - several books and strips to his credit, and a board game.

Boughner message board at Ancestry/RootsWeb - for others looking into their Boughner heritage, or try the mailing list.

Gary William Boughner - a Vietnam veteran - sadly, has his place on The Wall.