|
a.
|
Note: Probate: JAN 1823 Lincoln Co.,NC Will: 29 APR 1811 Lincoln Co.,NC From "The Heritage of Catawba County, North Carolina, 1986", Item #79, page 69: by Mrs Gwen Bost Sherril, an eighth generation Bost who descends through William's son Elias. Posted on GenForum by Carroll Creitz, December 22, 1998.) William Bost (Geman - Johannes Wilhelm Bast) was one of the pre-Revolutionary pioneer settlers in Catawba County. The name BAST was Anglicized to Bost in North Carolina. All who are related to this family are descendants of Johannes Bast. who was the early settler in North Carolina by the name of Bast or Bost. William, the oldest son of Johannes and his sister Anna Marie were confirmed October ?8, 1753, in Williams Township Congregation (Lutheran) Church, now St. Luke�s in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. It is also recorded there that he took communion late in the summer of 1754. The name of William�s mother is unknown but his father married a second time to Susanna Catherine before 1740. The Bost family moved to North Carolina in 1754 and settled in a community of Germans near St. John�s Lutheran Church in what is now Cabarrus County. Most of the family remained in the Cabarrus and Rowan community areas according to Mary Pegram West, the Bost historian. William married 19 January 1762 (Anson County bond) Catherine Goodhart of whose family nothing more has been learned. On August 28, 1762, in Rowan County, William received an Earl Granville grant of land for 565 acres of land on Clark�s Creek in Lincoln County (now Catawba). The young couple likely moved to their land and at once set about building a house and barns and clearing land to place crops. William added more acreage to his holdings. When his three sons were grown, each was deeded a tract of land cut from the homeplace. Johanes must have taught his sons to read and write as none of them, including William, used an X mark to sign his name. On January 9, 1775, the Rowan County Court appointed William as constable in his area. The Mecklenburg County Court, in January 1777, named him to serve as one of the two administrators to settle his father�s estate. And in the official bonds, in loose court papers and records, is recorded his 1782 appointment as deputy Sheriff in Burke County for that year. (William�s acreage has always been here in now Catawba County. But because of the county�s formation and the enactments which changed the Lincoln-Burke County line before it�s settlement, one may find documents on William Bost in all these counties) William and four of his brothers: Elias (1747-1822), John (1743-1794), Jacob (1753-1830) and George (died 1808) served in the Revolutionary War and are listed in the DAR Patriot Index. Johanes Bast is on the approved ancestor list for Daughters of American Colonists. Descendants have the credentials to join SAR, DAR, and DAC. Through research it is known that William�s brother, Elias married Katherine, John married Catreena Shuford, daughter of John Shuford of Lincoln, now Catawba County; Jacob married Catherine Cress; George married Hannah Gregory; his brother Leonhardt Bast was born in 1740 but nothing more is known about him. His sister Anna Marie (Mary), married Mark House (Max Haus) and half sister Margaret, married Jacob Faggart, Jr. son of Jacob �Fegget�. Other half sisters were Maria Catherina, Margaretha Barbara, Elizabeth, a daughter (name unknown), Dorothy and Christena. *See below William died in late 1822 as his will was probated in Loncoln County Court January 1823. His widow was alive in 1824 when the estate was settled. In his will he names his wife, Catherine, and their children: Utilla, wife of John Smier; Margaret, wife of Adam Winkler; Magdalena, wife of Andrew Sitz; Catherine, wife of Conrad Bost; Elizabeth, the youngest daughter and sons John, Elias, and William. Graves for William and Catherine have not been been found. It is believed they were buried in Old St. Paul�s Church graveyard where so many Bost kin lie buried. The families of William�s children have been folowed. Elizabeth never married. The Adam Winkler family migrated to Kentucky; Andrew Sitz moved his family to Tennessee; John married Alice ? and early in 1817 moved to Tennessee. Catherine (born ca. 1779) married her first cousin, Conrad Bost (ca 1775-ca 1815), son of John and Catreena (Shuford) Bost. Conrad died young leaving five children. They were Joseph, Susannah, Silas, Elizabeth and Jacob Bost. Catherine, who died in 1845, is buried in Old St. Paul�s graveyard. Utilla (1764-1834) married John Smier/Smyer (1760-1846) and resided here in now Catawba County. They became the parents of The North Carolina Smyers and are buried at Old St. Paul�s in unmarked graves. They had six sons and three daughters. John, Daniel, Jacob, Elias, David, George, Sarah, Catherine, and Mary Ann Smyer. Elias Bost (1772-1857) married Mary M. Ikerd (ca. 1775-1841) and they lie buried at Old St. Paul�s. Their nine children are Jonas, Salome, Jonathan, Nancy, Jesse, Mary, Leah, Eli, and William Robert Davidson Bost. William, Jr. (ca. 1775-1840), who married Catherine Ikerd, sister of Mary M., has a tombstone in Old St. Paul�s Cemetery but Catherine has no marked grave there. Catherine was born ca. 1783 according to the 1850 Catawba County census. Her estate was settled in 1857. Their children were a daughter (name unknown), Eliza, Margaret, Daniel, Sarah, Lawson, Mary, Elizabeth, Salena, Rhoda, Jemimah, Jethroe. Descendants of Pioneer William and Catherine Bost are scattered from the Atlantic to the Pacific and many have been prosperous and successful. They are good citizens and church members with many who still cling to the Lutheran faith. There are three old Bost homes still standing in Catawba County. (1) The Elias Bost house is on part of the original land grant to William Bost. Family tradition has it that William and Catherine lived northwest of this house. It was also known as the Ann Bost Place, and after her death, the Charlie Burrus Place. A descendant still resides here. (2) The Jonas Bost home in Newton is being restored by Joe Knox, a descendant. And (3) The Joseph Bost home has been restored and is located near Startown. On October 12, 1975, over two hundred Bost kin gathered at Old St. Paul�s Church for a memorial service honoring William Bost and to dedicate the handsome six foot granite stone in the church yard which gives the names of William, Catherine and their children with a brief account of his life. It was with great love of family that descendants subscribed to this stone. The excess funds from this subscription were donated to Old St. Paul�s Lutheran Church Cemetery Fund. From legal documents, church and family records, the early story of William Bost and his family has been pieced together. I am an eighth generation Bost and descend through William�s son Elias. --- Mrs. Gwen Bost Sherrill. *The statement above that William's half-sister Margaret married Jacob Faggart Jr. is in error the dates on their tombstones indicate that the Margaret who marries Jacob was the daughter of Elias, (Williams half-brother). ---James Hill---
|