The Generally Accepted Lineage: . . . . and the Problems ! The early history of this Boone family in America has been described most clearly in the two volumes of data published in 1984-85, by Rupert Farnham Thompson. Every other immigration description that I've found seems to follow Thompson's line.This line begins with a: Nicholas Boon, merchant of London, living 1620 to at least 1648. No other info is provided, except that he has a son: Thomas Boon (2nd generation) who is born about 1648, and who travels to Virginia about 1663. This Thomas marries Elizabeth Ratcliff, daughter of a prominent Virginia family, lives in the Isle of Wight County or Southampton County area of Virginia, and has children, one of which is: Joseph Boon (3rd generation), born about 1677, and who marries Anne Axtell, daughter of David Axtell, in 1714 in Chowan County N.C., lives in eastern North Carolina, and has children including: Thomas Boon (4th generation), who is born about 1723 in eastern North Carolina and dies about 1800 in Northampton County, N.C., and who appears to be the Thomas Boon of my search. . . . . the Problems ! For me, problem #1 has been the lack of supporting detail. It may exist somewhere, but I live in the center of this historic area, within 50 miles of Jamestown, Roanoke Island, Isle of Wight County, Northampton County -- all of the areas where these people are supposed to have lived 300 years ago, and I've not found much to support the Thompson description prior to the death of Thomas in 1800. In fact, what I have found indicates that there were many more immigrants than have been described in Thompson's Volumes; that they may have been much more "mobile" than earlier assumed; and that seems to refute several key elements of the generally-accepted theory. I'm providing the generally-accepted theory, as well as these "problem" areas, in hope that anyone who DOES have the documentation supporting Thompson's theory, will send me copies of it !!! Problem # 1 Theory: Thomas Boon, immigrant, marries Elizabeth Ratcliff, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Ratcliff. Thomas is born about 1648, immigrates about 1663, and dies by 1723 (age 75); Elizabeth is born about 1668, has at least 7 children (one named "Ratcliff Boon" b:1685 d:1752), and dies before 1713 (age 45). Problem: RICHARD and ELIZABETH RATCLIFF are listed among the earliest members of the QUAKER community in Virginia. They are covered in some detail in Hinshaw's AMERICAN QUAKER GENEALOGY, variously as RATCLIFF "of Chuckatuck", or "of Isle of Wight County", or "of the Trerasco Necks" (between Chuckatuck and Smithfield, in Isle of Wight County, Virginia). They had seven children. ELIZABETH RATCLIFF: B:07/21/1668; D: ; she married on 03/29/1688 (3-years after Ratcliff Boon is supposed to be born), in the home of John Copeland, JAMES JORDAN: B:11/23/1665; D:06/__/1695, son of another local QUAKER family, THOMAS and MARGARET BRASHARE JORDAN SARAH RATCLIFF: B:06/19/1670; D: ; M:07/20/1696 to JOSEPH KENERLY of Maryland. RICHARD RATCLIFF: B:07/13/1672; D: ; M:07/18/1700 to ELIZABETH HOLLOWELL: B: unk CORNELIUS RATCLIFF: B:01/15/1674; D: ; M:09/23/1706 to ELIZABETH JORDAN: B: unk MARY RATCLIFF: B:02/05/1679; D: ; M:02/13/1699 THOMAS NEWMAN: B: JOHN RATCLIFF: B:02/20/1681 REBECCA RATCLIFF: B:05/03/1684; D: ; M:06/22/1706 RICHARD JORDAN: B: The JORDAN family is also presented in detail. THOMAS JORDAN: B:__/__/1634; D:10/08/1699; M: ca. 1658 to MARGARET BRASHARE: B:07/__/1642; D:10/7/1708 "ten hours short of nine years" after her husband, according to Quaker details. They were also members of the Chuckatuck Monthly Meeting, had ten sons. THOMAS JORDAN: B:01/06/1660; D: ; M:06/10/1679 ELIZABETH BURGH JOHN JORDAN: B:06/17/1663; D: ; M:12/09/1688 MARGARET BURGH JAMES JORDAN: B:11/23/1665; D:06/__/1695; M: ELIZABETH RATCLIFF, daughter of Richard Ratcliff ROBERT JORDAN: B:07/11/1668; D: ; M:(1st) 12/09/1687 CHRISTIAN TABERER OUDELAND: B: ; D:06/26/1689, dau.of ; M:(2nd) 03/10/1690 MARY BELSON: B: ; D:10/23/1723 RICHARD JORDAN: B:06/06/1670 JOSEPH JORDAN: B:07/08/1672 BENJAMIN JORDAN: B:07/18/1674 MATTHEW JORDAN: B:11/01/1676; D: ; M:07/06/1699 DORRITHY BUFKIN SAMUEL JORDAN: B:02/15/1679 JOSHUA JORDAN: B:06/30/1681 Problem # 2 Theory: Joseph Boon, son of Thomas, marries Ann Axtell in Chowan County, N.C. in 1714, and has at least 6 children, including a Ratcliff Boon (b:1715) and a Thomas Boon (b:1723). Joseph is born in 1677, dies in Surry Co. N.C. in 1728. Ann is believed to be his second wife, and is the widow of George Alexander and the daughter of David Axtell. Problem: A Joseph Boone does marry an Ann Axtell Alexander in 1714, but they both appear to live in Charleston (still the capitol of "Carolina" at that time) and both leave great detail in that area that can not be reconciled with the theory. There are at least three "Boone" families in the Charleston area prior to 1700, that have been traced back to common ancestors in the Somerset and Dorset areas of England. Joseph, who marries Ann Axtell Alexander, is Indian Interpreter for the Colony, and serves as Agent to the Crown, travelling back to England several times before his death, about 1734. He leaves extensive records in Carolina and England, and a will in Charleston. Ann Axtell Alexander is born about 1670, the daughter of Daniel Axtell, (there is no DAVID in extensive Axtell records) Landgrave in the Carolina Colony, and she is the wife of John Alexander, who dies about 1705, leaving a detailed will. She is the sister of Elizabeth Axtell Blake, wife of an early Governor of the Colony and mother of a later Governor. She is the cousin of another Daniel Axtell, who comes to Charleston from the "main" Axtell clan near Boston, to build one of the first tar-kilns for producing pine tar -- a valuable naval store for export to England. There is a daughter "Ann Axtell Alexander" born in 1698, who marries Thomas Waring, in Charleston. In 1714, Thomas and Ann Alexander Waring sell the land that she inherited from her father's will to Joseph and Ann Axtell Boone.