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- John Boots was born in 1810 (the baptismal records of St. James Church, Ewhurst, Sussex County, England, show his baptism dated 17 June 1810), in Sussex County, England, and died 20 September 1853, in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
He married, in Sussex County, by license issued 7 April 1829, Sylvia COLEMAN, daughter of William COLEMAN and Lucy _____, who was born 13 September 1809, in Sussex County, England, and died 2 August 1884, in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Baptismal records of the parish church of St. James the Great, Ewhurst, Sussex County, England, reflect her baptism on Septemger 27, 1808. They are buried in the North Sewickley Cemetery, North Sewickley Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
A search of the public records of Beaver and Lawrence Counties, Pennsylvania, reveals no record of a last Will and Testament of John Boots.
Contained in the Concord Methodist Church booklet is the following:
"The following notes were written from memory about the year 1907 by Mary J. Belles, deceased, eldest sister of W. J. Horner: 'Among the original members I would mention:...John Boots, a local preacher, and the first Sabbath school superintendent that I have any recollection of. He died in the prime of life, just when his friends felt that they needed him most. He left a wife and a large family of children.'"
The Concord Church booklet contains the following obituaries of John and Sylvia Boots:
"OBITUARY of John Boots: "ADVOCATE, Friday, October 14, 1853. John Boots departed this life on the 20th of Sept., 1853, aged 45 years, after an illness of five days. Brother Boots was born in Sussex County, England. Came to this Country at the age of 19; experienced religion and united with the M. E. Church some four or five years after his arrival; was subsequently appointed to the charge of a class, and after filling that office with acceptability and usefulness for some time he was licensed to exhort and afterwards to preach as a local preacher.
J. Monroe, Beaver, Sept. 26, 1853."
OBITUARY of Sylvia Boots: "Advocate, Aug. 21, 1884. Sylvia Coleman was born in Sussex County, England, Sept. 13, 1809. She was married to John Boots in 1829, and soon after with a large party sailed for America. They settled in Western Pennsylvania, where she lived until her death, which occurred Aug. 2, 1884. In early life, Sister Boots gave her heart to her Saviour and joined the Wesleyan's, but on coming to this country, she soon found a home in the M. E. Church, in which she has ever adorned her profession. Her sainted husband, who for many years was a devout and useful local preacher in our church, preceded his wife to the spirit land, in Sept., 1853. Since then Sister Boots has lived a widow. Her last sickness was very short. Only five minutes. But her lamp was trimmed and burning. By the kindness of our Presbyterian brethren we buried her from their church in North Sewickley, Aug. 3rd. Surely a Princess has fallen in Israel.
Andrew L. Kendall."
United States Census Records of 1840, for Beaver County, Pennsylvania, show the following:
North Sewickley Township - Page 67:
Head of family - John Boots. Members of family, including head of family:
2 males under 5
1 male aged 5-10
1 male aged 30-40
1 female under 5
1 female aged 30-40
1 female aged 60-70.
The two males under 5 were probably John Wesley Boots, born 26 October 1837, and William D. Boots, born 16 February 1840; the male aged 5-10 would have been Edward Nicholas Boots, born c1834; the identity of the female under 5 is unknown, perhaps a child who did not survive infancy, perhaps even a visiting relative; the female aged 30-40 would have been Sylvia Boots; and the female aged 60-70 was undoubtedly Elizabeth Boots, John's widowed mother.
United States Census Records of 1850, for Beaver County, Pennsylvania, show the following:
Name of Individual Age Sex Occupation Value of R/Est Birthplace
Marion Township - Page 182, Family No. 74
John Boots 40 M Farmer England
Sylvia Boots 42 F England
Edw. N. Boots 16 M Farmer Pa
John W. Boots 12 M Pa
William Boots 10 M Pa
Horace Boots 8 M Pa
Sylvia Boots 6 F Pa
Lucy Boots 4 F Pa
Richmond Boots 3 M Pa
Daniel Boots 1 M Pa.
United States Census Records of 1860, for Beaver County, Pennsylvania, show the following:
Name of Individual Age Sex Occupation Value of R/Est Birthplace
Marion Township, Page 429, Family No. 976.
Sylvia Boots 57 F 800 England
Edward N. Boots 27 M Teacher Penna
John W. Boots 23 M Farmhand Penna
William Boots 20 M Farmhand Penna
Horace Boots 18 M Farmhand Penna
Sylvia Boots 16 F Penna
Lucy Boots 14 F Penna
Smith Boots 12 M Penna
Jabez Boots 10 M Penna.
It is interesting to note that in 1850 the family referred to the youngest son as Daniel Boots, aged 1, but in 1860, he shows up as Smith Boots, aged 12. The casual researcher might conclude that these were two different children when, in fact, both records actually refer to Smith McDanel Boots, born in 1849, who, according to family members, was commonly referred to as 'Dan'.
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