Sunday’s Obituary~Drury Boatwright

Drury Boatwright was born abt 1794 to Lewis Boatwright and Sarah Lundy. He was their first born son but had an older sister – Sarah “Siddie” Boatwright.

Drury Boatwright married Levicia “Vicy” Thurman about 1816. Their first born, a son called Thomas, was born about 1819. together they had 4 known children:

• Thomas Boatwright, b. ca 1819; md. Artimica Wynne, moved to Bibb Co., Georgia
• Sarah Ann Boatwright, b. 3 Feb. 1824; md. Malachi Rivers, b. 22 August 1812
• John Martin Boatwright, b. 13 Mar 1826; md. Eunice Atkinson, b. 30 Apr. 1828
• Rebecca Jane Boatwright, b. 18 Oct. 1828; md. Isaac Benjamin Smith, b. 26 Aug. 1811

For years it was thought that Drury Boatwright died about 1838. After his death, his widow Levicia Thurman Boatwright married Obadiah Gulledge.

The 1838 death date was based on this newspaper notice¹ found in “Miscellaneous Abstracts from Pre-Civil War Cheraw, South Carolina Newspapers” by James C. Pigg. 

SHERIFF’S SALES
By order of the Court of Ordinary, will be sold on the first Monday in December next at Chesterfield Court House, within the legal hours of sale, all the real Estate of Drewry Boatright deceased, lying on Jemmie’s Creek and Abram’s Creek, containing eight hundred and sixty nine acres, more or less.
Terms--As much cash as will defray the expenses of the sale will be required on the day of sale.--For the balance, one half payable the first day of January 1840 and the other half on the first day of January 1841 with interest from day of sale. Purchasers to give Bond and good security and a mortgage on the premises (if required) to the Ordinary to secure the purchase money, and pay for all necessary papers.
AM. LOWRY, Sheriff C.D.
Nov. 19, 1838.
Nov. 28, 1838

During he past week I found new information that requires this 1838 death year to be adjusted to an earlier date.

On October 23, 1832, the South Carolina House of Representative met in Columbia, South Carolina.²  
The House after concurring on a bill introduced by Mr. Preston, Special Joint Committee,  voted on resolutions appointing mangers of elections districts.
The following are comments from the house meeting:



In Chesterfield, at Blakeley’s Store, John W. Hudson, vice Murdoch Ray, removed; At Archibald Johnson’s, Hector M’Neil, vice Drury Boatwright, deceased;….

Based on these House & Senate minutes from the 23-24 October 1832, session we know that Drury Boatwright died before this date. We are still missing an EXACT date for his death.  We also know that he was alive at the enumeration of the 1830 Census.³The official enumeration day of the 1830 census was 1 June 1830.





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[1] James C. Pigg, Miscellaneous Abstracts from Pre-Civil War Cheraw, South Carolina Newspapers (Tega Cay, South Carolina: James C. Pigg (self-Publish), 1998), page 25.
[2] Legislative Acts/Legal Proceedings obituary, The Charleston Courier, Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 27 October 1832, Page 2. Minutes of the Meeting.
[3] 1830 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, page 236, Line 13, Berry Boatwright; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 12 January 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M19_172.