By: Jonesborough Genealogical Society
From Quaker records, we know that Robert Boothe presented certificate to Concord Monthly Meeting, Philadelphia on Oct. 14, 1713 from Yorkshire, England, Knairsbrough Meeting at Asquith, County of York dated 11 month 26 day 1712. He married first Alice Marshall May 12, 1698 at Knairsbrough Meeting and they had two children, Joseph and Mercy.
Robert Boothe married second Betty Caston April 23, 1715 at Chichester Meeting, Pennsylvania. They had four children, Robert II born March 5, 1716, Mary born March 11, 1718, Ann born July 13, 1720, and John born Nov. 26, 1723.
Robert Boothe II married Elizabeth Cloud April 18, 1741 at Chichester Meeting. She was the daughter of William Cloud and Elizabeth Hayes. Robert was a farmer and weaver. He and Elizabeth (Cloud) Boothe had twelve children seven of which were male. Their son Joseph born calculated 1750 married out of meeting in 1776 Sarah Dutton, a non-Quaker. She was the daughter David Dutton and Jane McClaskey.
Joseph Boothe and wife Sarah moved from Chester County, PA to Frederick Co., VA, and he joined the Hopewell Meeting in 1782. Joseph left VA and moved his family to Washington County, TN, where he bought land on Cherokee Creek from John Lemmons in 1791. Joseph purchased more land from Benjamin Brown in 1799 and before 1800 from William Ingle.
Joseph and Sarah had nine known children, three of which were male. David was the oldest male and we know little about him; Joseph II (1786-1849) married Nancy Lilburn in 1801 and they had nine children; John (1788-1864) married Sarah “Sally” Rogers in 1810, and they had thirteen children; Elizabeth is believed to have married Eli Edwards, Jemina is believed to have married a Rogers; Rachel married David Huffman 20 July 1821; Sarah (1779 after 1860) married John Million and they had seven children; Jane married Joseph Kyker 31 March 1802 and they had twelve children; and Phebe, no information.
Joseph and Nancy Boothe’s children were John B. Booth (1804- )., married Elizabeth Parks and settled on land in what is now Erwin, Unicoi County, TN. They had twelve children seven of which were male. Descendants of this line live today in Erwin. David (1807-1828) unmarried; Joseph G. (1813 – ) married Elizabeth Collett 8 Nov. 1838 and they had four known children before moving away; Amanda (1802-1871), married John Ault in 1818 and moved to Knox Co., TN; Jane (1811 – ), married first Henry Waggoner in 1834 and second Henry Warren before before 1840 and moved to Irving, ILL; Mary “Polly” married William Hatcher 1 Oct 1838; Margaret E. married first George Washington Cox in 1841 and second S. R. Scarborough in 1865 in Knox County, TN. Sadia died unmarried at age 18; and Nancy Elizabeth (1819-1880), married Elias Beal and lived in Hawkins Co., TN.
The third son of Joseph and Sara (Dutton) Boothe was John Boothe (1788-1864), who lived on part of the original land purchased by his father. There are still Booth descendants on that land today. John Boothe married Sarah “Sally” Rogers on 10 Jan. 1810 in Washington County. They had thirteen known children, seven of which were male, Madison Booth (1814-1880), married Elizira (Gillespie) Brown the 25 Aug. 1846, and they moved to Tarrant Co., Texas after 1850. They had seven known children, three males, and descendants live today in Texas; Ebenezer (1828-1913), married Martha Ellen “Ella” Wright in 1866. She was the daughter of Jonathan Pugh Wright and Sufina Boyed. They had eight children and there are many descendants of this line that remain in Washington County, today, as well as several other states. The author is descended from this line. Ebenezer was a lieutenant, B. Co., 12th TN Cav., during the Civil War and three of his brothers served in the same company. He was a school teacher for over 20 years and taught at the old Cash Hill School. Ebenezer and his wife are buried at the Cherokee Baptist Church Cemetery, as are many Booth descendants. Joseph (1830-1915) married Mary Roberts West in 1868 and they had four children. Descendants of this line live on original Booth lands. Jeremiah (1832-1915) never married. James Wesley (1834-1887) married Mary E. Keplinger in 1873 and they had three children. Their daughter Cynthia married George Garvin and there are descendants of that line living today in Johnson City and elsewhere. John Nathanial (1825- ) died young and unmarried. Caroline (1824-1884) apparently never married and lived at home. Elizabeth (1837-1908) also apparently was never married. Eliza Jane (1826-1861) never married. Mary Ann (1812- ) died young. Henderson (1817-1857) believed to have never married, Sarah A. (1823- ) married first Jacob K. Templin in 1848 and they had five children. She married second Col. Jonathan Hayes and is believed to have had one son. Harried (1815-1861) married Owen Coggins in Sept. 1861 and died shortly thereafter.
A book about Joseph Boothe and his descendants is currently being written by Marsha R. Poole, the author of this article. Countless Booth descendants have contributed to this work and many old photographs will be included.
I would very much like to get in touch with Marsha R. Poole, who researches and was writing a book on Joseph Boothe. Even if she has finished her book, I’d like to provide her with information and closure on Phebe Booth, daughter of Joseph Booth and Sarah Dutton. This woman was “missing in action” for many years, but several years ago I was able to establish that she is the same person as my ancestor Phebe, wife of Andrew Collett.