Notes for Lilburn Wycliffe Boggs

Notes for Lilburn Wycliffe Boggs

!US Census 1850 (31 October) California, Sonoma Co.., Sonoma Township, Roll M432_36, Sheet 30, Page 15B, House No. 117-118, Lines 33-41: L W Boggs (b. 1797 - 53 - in KY - Occ: Merchant - Property Value $15000) married to Panthea (b. 1802 - 48 - in KY). Children listed (born in MO) are: Albert G Boggs (son b. 1831 - 19 - Occ: Clerk); John Boggs (son b. 1833 - 17 - Occ: Clerk); Thoodore Boggs (son b. 1834 - 16); Minerva M Boggs (dau b. 1836 - 14); Geo W Boggs (son b. 1839 - 11); Sophia Boggs (dau b. 1841 - 9); and Joseph C Boggs (son b. 1845 - 5).

!US Census 1860 (31 July) California, Napa Co., Napa Township, Napa City PO, Roll M653_61, Sheet 110, Page 110, House No. 892-870, Lines 3-10: Panthea G Boggs (b. 1806 - 54 - in KY - Occ: Farmer - Property Value $21000 + $4000). Children Listed (born in MO) are: Minerva W Boggs (dau b. 1836 - 24); George Boggs (son b. 1839 - 21); Sophe Boggs (dau b. 1842 - 18); Joseph Boggs (son b. 1845 - 15); and John M Boggs (son b. 1833 - 27 - Occ: Day Laborer). ALSO LISTED are: P Finlon (b. 1831 - 29 - in Ireland - Occ: Day Laborer); and J A Olney (b. 1810 - 50 - in RI - Occ: Day Laborer)

!Bernard DeVoto, "The Year of Decision 1846" (1943), page 378; from website - http://philnorf.tripod.com/william.htm
Notable Members of the Russell/Boggs Wagon Train - The expedition which William Campbell and his party joined was perhaps the most famous wagon train in the history of the Western Frontier! Hereinafter, for convenience and for reasons, which will be made clear below, I call this expedition the "Russell/Boggs Train." This was the train that included the ill-fated Donner Party, many of whom later died on the trip and/or were reduced to cannibalism to avoid starvation. In addition to the Donners, several historically significant men were leaders and/or members of this wagon train.
On 11 May 1846, Colonel William "Owl" Russell of Kentucky and Missouri, was chosen as the captain of the wagon train to which William Campbell belonged. Owl Russell was a grandson of the Virginian, General William Russell, of Revolutionary War fame and a distant relative of some of the "White David" Campbells of Southwest, Virginia. Russell was the former secretary to Henry Clay and was a noted orator of his day. He was a tall, charismatic figure, a consummate extrovert who had served in the Black Hawk War and held several political jobs in Missouri, including that of U. S. Marshall. He obtained the nickname "Owl" from a story that was often told among Kentuckians and Missourians. It seems that while camping in the Kentucky woods one night, he heard the cry of an owl going "whoo! whoo!" The indomitable Colonel Russell immediately leapt to his feet shouting: "I am Colonel William H. Russell of Kentucky and the bosom friend of Henry Clay!"
The former Governor of Missouri, Lilburn W. Boggs was also with the train. In 1838, Boggs, while Governor of Missouri, had dispatched six thousand militia to attack the Mormons in Ray and Daviess Counties, Missouri. This was done by his issuance of the infamous "Extermination Order" of 27 October 1838. The Mormons have not forgotten the event, even to this day. In revenge, one of the Mormon "Destroying Angels," Orin Porter Rockwell, attempted to assassinate Boggs at his home on the night of 06 May 1842. Boggs was seriously wounded but recovered. As a result of these and other events, there was great antipathy between the Mormons and the Missourians during all of the 1840's. In St. Louis, Governor Boggs had married a sister of the Bent brothers of "Bent's Fort" fame, and removed to Independence on the western frontier of Missouri. There he engaged in the outfitting business catering to traders who were bound for Santa Fe and other locations in the West. Ultimately, Boggs decided to go West himself, hence his presence during the 1846 trek. Several weeks after the train had embarked, dissatisfaction with Russell's leadership reached the crisis point and he was deposed as wagon train commander; although he was allowed to save face by resigning on the plea that his ague had returned. Governor Boggs was elected as the new wagon train commander, replacing Russell, just prior to the train reaching Fort Laramie on 28 September. Boggs had originally intended to go to Oregon; however, in late August after reaching the California/Oregon fork in the trail just outside of Fort Hall, he decided that it was safer to go over the Sierras rather than risk the Oregon mountains; hence he opted for California.