The Minor Family of Somerset

The Boren Family of SouthWest Virginia, By Kerry Ross Boren
In the early courtrecords of Washington County,Virginia, ther
e are a few vague notations regarding the presence of a family n
amed Boren of whom little has ever been recorded. the primary r
eason for this is that the Borens were elusive "Movers" never re
maining long in one location. The history of the Boren family i
s a parallel of the history of Westward advancement, as we shal
l see.
The earliestof the name in America is hard to determine, but a
mong the early arrivals were William Boren who was Granted 1000
0 acres in Stafford County,Virginia, for the transportaion of 4
0 person into the colony in 1666; John Boran who wastransporte
d to Isle of County Wight, Virginia by William Dawson in Novembe
r1635 - another notation states that "John Boran died Novembr
e 20, 1635," butwhether or not this was the same John Boran i
s uncertain. ...
...The following will is recorded in Orange County, North Caroli
na:
"Then came before meWilliam Lea, one of his Majesty's justice
s of the Peace of the county of Orange, and John Currie and Jame
s Culbertson, both planters and made oath that they on the 11t
h of this month heard William Boring on his death bed will in pr
esence of Charles and Joseph Boring. To Charles he left a piec
e of gold value of 30 shillings, also a negro boy which Joseph B
oring may keep or pay hisbrother Charles the sum of 30 poun
s - to be paid by said Joseph, whit it suits, without any proces
s of law to be commenced agains his brrother Joseph. Alol res
t of estate to Joseph Boring and his heirs forever." June 20 17
68 -William Lea, John Currie, James Culbertson.
William Joseph and Charles Borenwere brothers and therewere prb
ably others, including John Boren (1726-1821)who lived for a ti
me near Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina, then removed t
o South Carolina and later to Tennessee where he died in Sumbe
r County.
Charles Boren is first enumerated in the 1755 tax list of Orang
e Co. NorthCarolina, and is again mentioned in the will of Will
iam Boring in 1768 and isknown to have married Mary, whose nam
e has not been determined.