Sixth Generation

69. Sebastian "Boston" CLINE Jr. {1.4.1} ^68,69,70 was born before 1743 probably in Alsace or on the way to America.¹² He died before 1788 in Georgia.¹² Boston (Sebastian) is a unique name in the Cline families. Finding a Boston Jr. in the records closely associated with the elder Sebastian (Boston) Cline almost certainly assures that Boston Jr is the son of Sebastian (Boston) Cline. Boston Jr. witnesses a deed by his father in 1764 indicating he is of legal age. This implies that Boston Cline Jr. is born by 1743.

Boston Cline Jr. appears in the 1768 Rowan county tax list along with his father Boston and brothers Christopher and John Cline. Boston Jr. also appears in several court records as he is assigned to road projects in 1767, 1769 and 1771 in Rowan county. Boston Cline Jr is deeded 200 acres on Clarks Creek by Derrick Ramsour in September 1770 in Tryon county during the brief period that it existed (1769 to 1779) and included the area that would become Lincoln county. On June 6, 1771, this 200 acres is sold to Jacob Carpenter by Boston Cline Jr. and his wife Margaret. Boston Jr. is appointed as a local constable in 1772.

Boston Jr's wife, Margaret, is mo0st likely the daughter of Derrick Ramsour. On the same date that Derrick deeds the 200 acres to Boston Cline Jr, husband of Margaret, Derrick also deeds 200 acres to Jacob Carpenter, the husband of his daughter Catherine Ramsour. Lorena Eaker (GSP) states that Margaret Ramsour Cline is born 1740-1744 and dies on January 5, 1789 in Lincoln county. This is consistent with the fact that she does not appear in the 1790 North Carolina census.

In September 1766, Boston Cline Jr. files for land on Lyles Creek, which is granted on April 28, 1768. Boston and his wife Margaret then sell this 350-acre tract to John Leufever [Lefevre] on April 6, 1769. These three transactions are recorded in Mecklenburg county during the 1763-1778 period when land transactions could not be done through the Granville office in Rowan county, which was closed after Lord Granville's death. Apparently, some enterprising residents of the Granville land area are managing to conduct their land transactions through Mecklenburg county, even though the land lies in the domain of Rowan county. The most intriguing thing about Boston Jr's April 6, 1769 transaction is that it utilizes a "lease and release" type of conveyance and that a Jacob Cline signs for the lease portion of this, while Boston and Margaret sign the release portion. The only Jacob Cline of legal age known in North Carolina in 1769 is the Jacob Cline in Mecklenburg county. This Jacob Cline is the probable brother of Sebastian (Boston) Cline and, therefore, Jacob is Boston Cline Jr's uncle. Presumably, Boston Jr had to execute this deed over in Mecklenburg county and needed a resident of Mecklenburg county to be a party to the transaction.

A court petition filed in October 1774 against Boston Cline Jr. reveals that he has abandoned his wife and family of small children and has "run off to Georgia" with Hannah Fry Burns, wife of Conrad Burns. One record is found in Richmond county, Georgia in 1777, wherein Boston Jr. signs a petition to the Continental Congress seeking removal of a General Mcintosh as an incompetent officer.
Nothing further of Boston Jr's life and death in Georgia has yet been found. However, Lincoln county court records in 1787 and 1788 document Hannah Fry Burns' return to Lincoln county with a son Jacob Cline Burns, born in 1777. GSP notes that Boston Jr and Hannah Fry Burns also have a daughter Elizabeth, born 1785-1786. Elizabeth's subsequent fate is unknown.

It is assumed that Boston Jr. dies in Georgia prior to 1790, since he does not appear in any of the surviving 1790 Georgia tax lists. Perhaps Hannah Burns returned to Lincoln county in 1787, due to Boston Jr's death. Hannah Burns is found in Lincoln county court records in 1795 with an abuse complaint against her brother's wife for abusing her son Jacob Burns, and in 1799 contesting being disowned in her father's 1784 will.

Sebastian, Jr. appears in the records many times. Nicholas Fry disinherits his daughter, Hannah Fry Burns, for deserting her husband Conrad Burns and going to Georgia with Sebastian Cline, Jr.

Hannah returns to Lincoln County, NC ca 1788 with her two illegitimate children, Jacob b. 1777 and Elizabeth b. 1785-6 and they appear in Lincoln County, NC records. Jacob is often referred to as Jacob Burns/alias Cline. What happened to Elizabeth is not known but Hannah, d. ca 1818, in Lincoln County.

It must be noted that in the Sebastian Cline family history, Ciscero Cline does not recognize the existence of Boston Cline Jr. and attributes his wife Margaret, as well as his children, to be those of Boston Jr's brother, Christopher Cline. It is certainly understandable that the remaining Sebastian Cline family and descendants would not treasure the memory of this Boston Jr who abandoned his family and that they would not speak of him to the younger and succeeding generations. Therefore, by the time that Ciscero Cline is writing (1910-1915), he and his family of history contributors have no recollection of Boston Jr. They probably remembered only Boston Jr's abandoned children and had come to believe that they belonged to Christopher Cline. This association is natural because Christopher was the only other son of Boston Cline old enough to have fathered these children.

Margaret RAMSOUR was born in 1733 in possibly Tryon County, North Carolina.^71,72 and died on 5 Jan 1789 in Lincoln County, North Carolina or York County, SC.^71,72 She resided, 1763-1789, Lincoln County, N.C.
Sebastian "Boston" CLINE Jr. {1.4.1} and Margaret RAMSOUR had the following children:

Sebastian "Boston" CLINE Jr. {1.4.1} and Hannah FRY were married about 1774. Sebastian ran off to Georgia with Hannah Fry, the wife of Conrad Burns. He may never have returned to his first family. Even a marriage between he and Hannah is not documented. Hannah FRY⁷⁹ was born in 1745 in Berks County, Pennsylvania.^80,81 (14 Trinity 1745 ) She was baptized in 1747 in Tohicken Reformed Church, Berks County, PA.^82,83 Sponsors: Joh. Heinrich Babst and wife, Geretraut She died before 13 Nov 1818 in Lincoln (Catawba) or Burke County, North Carolina.⁸⁴ While married to Conrad Burns, Hanna deserted him for Sebastian Cline, Jr. to Georgia. While in this illicit union, a son, Jacob, and a daughter, Elizabeth, were born.
Hannah was disinherited by her father for deserting Conrad and her children and going to Georgia with Sebastian Cline, Jr. Hanna returned to Lincoln County, NC with these two children. They are listed in Lincoln County records. Jacob was known as Jacob Burns and/or Jacob Cline at various times. As to what happened to Elizabeth is unknown.
Note: Regarding Elizabeth in above paragraph, could she be the same Elizabeth Burns, age 11 [born c. 1785], that was bound to Peter Mosteller in 1796?

...."Here we will give another very important and mysterious incident that he {Solomon Deitz] passed through and performed a very sad and serious duty. There lived in his immediate neighborhood one MR. [Conrad] BURNS, who had married one of the old original pioneer NICHOLAS FRY'S daughters [Hannah], after this marriage they lived happily and peaceably together until one [Sebastian] KLEIN marred their peace and happiness by a sly and artful scheme in seducing his wife to elope with him. He at last succeeded in his plans and the day was set for the elopement. She told the children that she had to go to the spring for a bucket of water and when she did not return, an alarm was given and they with CONRAD BURNS began to make a rigid search for her, but she could not be found. At last the problem was solved. Some one came in and said they saw she and KLEIN going in full haste leaving the county. Then MR. BURNS had a sale and sold everything except a wagon and team, and in a few days they started west. The first night he camped in Burke County and while sleeping his horses broke loose or were stolen. He thought perhaps they had come back to the old farm. He left his wagon and children and came back to search for his horses, but would not find them. During his searching a mysterious tragedy occurred. He mysteriously disappeared, several days were spent in searching the neighborhood for some clue to where he was, but no trace of his whereabout could be ascertained. At last his bones were found by the buzzards. They buried them and SOLOMON DEITZ performed the burial ceremony in the German language. The old people said it was a very solemn affair. Now the great question was how he came to his death. Which was never solved and remains a dark mystery to this late day. The writer gained these facts from old people who knew all about the matter. The writer always made it his business whenever he met an aged person to gain all the information he could in regard to old historical matters and has been very successful in this direction. The foregoing mysterious act occurred about one hundred years ago."
["Catawba Cousins," Vol. 13, No. 2, September 1998, page 9, "Historical Sketch for the News" by G. M. Yoder, 16 February 1906 is the following:

HANNAH FRY was born and was baptized in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 14 Trinity 1745 at Moseleum Lutheran Church: "Baptized, fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, 1745; Hana, daughter of Joh. Nicholas Frey and his wife, Elizabeth, nee Papstin. Godparents: Michael Hauer and Hana Hillin".

Hannah was the daughter of NICHOLAS FRY who was born about 1724 in Germany (son of JOHANNES AND JOHANEVA FREY) and died 11 June 1784 and MARIA ELIZABETH PABST born 10 January 1726, Thaleischweiler, Rhineland-Pfaltz, Germany. ELIZABETH PABST FRY was the daughter of JOHANNES HEINRICH PABST and GERTRUE KIEFFER. NICHOLAS FRY and wife ELIZABERH migrated from Germany to Pennsylvania and resided in Bucks (Now Berks)County. (ELIZABETH PABST FRY married a second time on 22 May 1787 in Lincoln County, NC, MICHAEL WEIDNER, a widower and died April 1813 in Lincoln County, NC).

HANNAH FRY married CONRAD BURNS in Berks County, Pennsylvania, at about the age of 14 years, being so young, her father and mother must have agreed to the marriage or early marriage could have been an accepted custom. Her first child, PHILLIP BURNS was born when she was about 15 years old. HANNAH and CONRAD BURNS migrated to North Carolina with her father around 1760. It must have been very difficult to have a husband and family at such an early age and then leave all that was familiar to her and move to a new land that was a virtual wilderness. At that time, the Lincoln/Catawba County area was sparsely populated and was still inhabited by Indians.

HANNAH and CONRAD BURNS lived near her parents in what was then known as the Clark's Creek area. We do not know the names of all the children of Conrad and Hannah. She was still a young woman when she began an affair with SEBASTIAN (BOSTIAN) CLINE, JR. and ran away with him to the Georgia Province (now Georgia and Alabama). BOSTIAN and MARGARET RAMSEUR CLINE were neighbors of CONRAD and HANNAH BURNS in the Clark's 'Creek area. After Hannah's return to North Carolina from Georgia, it is believed by the writers of "The Lowman Story" that she resided with her son PHILLIP BURNS in Eastern Burke County, NC. They also state that they believe that she is buried in the old Burns Cemetery (George Hildebran Area) and that the cemetery was started by her son, NICHOLAS BURNS. The writers of this family genealogy believe that she could have been buried near her son, Jacob at the Old Hauss Cemetery located near Newton, North Carolina. Jacob settled her Estate in Lincoln County and she may have resided with Jacob as he is buried there in a marked grave. There are sunken graves beside and above him that are not marked, which are probably his mother and his wife.

NICHOLAS FRY'S WILL:
HANNAH'S father NICHOLAS FRY'S will was dated 11 June, 1784 and probated in Lincoln County NC, 19 June 1784. He names the following heirs:
Wife, ELIZABETH
Sons, GEORGE, PETER, NICHOLAS JR and JACOB
Daughters, MARY, BARBARA, CATHERINE and SUSANNA
"all my children except HANNAH BURNS"

In an effort to claim her portion of her father's estate, HANNAH FRY BURNS filed the following civil action paper, found in the estate records in Raleigh, NC:

State of North Carolina
To the Sheriff of Lincoln County

Greetings:
You are hereby commanded to make known to ELIZABETH WEIDNER (the wife of NICHOLAS FRY - now married to MICHAEL WEIDNER), PHILLIP FRY, GEORGE FRY, JACOB FRY, MARTIN and MARY GORTNER, JOHN and SUSANNAH KILLIAN, GEORGE and BARBARA IKARD, JACOB and CATHERINE GORTNER that they personally appear before the Justice of the next County Court to be held at Lincolnton on the first Monday in January next, then and there to show cause if any they have why the nuncupative will of NICHOLAS FRY, deceased, should not be set aside and administration granted to HANNAH BURNS or such persons the Court shall think proper pursuant to order of Court. Herein fail not and have you then and there this writ.
JOHN DICKSON,
Clerk of said Court of Lincolnton
the first Monday in October in the 23rd year of American Independence
A.D. 1798.

From Court Minutes of Old Tryon County, NC:
Petition to the Court by CONRAD BURNS dated 10 October 1774:
"To the worshipful Court belonging to Tryon County, hoping you will be spectators and Judge the character of BOSTIAN CLINE, JR of Rowan County. Where we under named subscribers, will with much veracity, endeavor to inform you, as if though we were upon our qualifications, whereas divers oaths and information hath been made to CAPTAIN BLACKBURN, when he was in the commission of the peace, setting forth that said BOSTIAN CLINE, a vagrant jude fellow, several times feloniously took away or seduced the wife of CONRAD BURNS from him the lawful wedded husband, and with her carried off divers goods and chattels, the property of said BURNS and that he, the said CLINE, had himself a lawful wedded wife and a family of small children. There is no stop or perimade in regard to his malignant carrid practices, but still keeps hankering after that lude woman, said BURNS wife and makes no industry for a living to support his small comers at home. Said CLINE ran off with said BURNS wife into Georgia Province and left his own poor distressed family to vindicate their own course as well as they could and stayed with said lude woman between one and two years. During that time, she became pregnant with child, which he, the said CLINE, had one Bastard child with her before he had the instigation or motive of breaking the Bonds of Matrimony between BURNS and his wife, and himself and his wife.

We humbly petition, Gentlemen, that you will be circumspect Students in relation to the whole above written, for such practice and carrying must of consequence, be pernicious and malignant in the sight of God and you yourselves may Judge what it is in the sight of man."
Given under our hands this the 10th day of October, 1774
Witnesses:
CH (CHRISTIAN) BECKMAN
PETER MOLL
Court Officials:
FRANCIS PALMER
"German Name"
RUDOLPH CONROD
(Note: All of the above were residents of what is now Burke County, NC)

Note from the writers:
From the above petition, we know that HANNAH FRY BURNS and SEBASTIAN (BOSTIAN) CLINE, JR had at least three children together. One before the petition was filed, (possibly MARGARET BURNS, ophaned child in Tryon County court recors, one in 1774/75, JACOB BURNS, SR in 1777 and some sources state ELIZABETH BURNS born 1780-1784. One of these children was possibly CHRISTOPHER CLINE, born in 1774/75, but further research is needed before we can say for certain. These writers believe that ELIZABETH BURNS was the daughter of CONRAD BURNS and HANNAH FRY BURNS and that she married JACOB HAHN, son of JOHANNES and AGNES LANGLIN HAHN in Lincoln County, 5 November 1788, therefore, this ELIZABETH BURNS was probably born 1768 to 1770, assuming that she was 18-20 at the time of the marriage. We have included her in this history as being a child of CONRAD and HANNAH BURNS, she purchased items at CONRAD BURNS' Estate Sale in 1784 and if 1768 is indeed her birth date, she would have been about 16 years old at the time of the sale. It does not seem likely that HANNAH BURNS would have had two daughters named ELIZABETH. However there was a child named ELIZABETH CLINE born about 1785 or 1786 for which guardian bonds were granted in Lincoln County Court at the same time as JACOB CLINE/BURNS. This ELIZABETH would have been too young to be the child of HANNAH and CONRAD BURNS.

Note: Information received Lucy Cook
Letter of Administration
State of North Carolina, Lincoln County - October Session 1818

Know all Men by these Presents, That we JACOB BURNS, JOHN CLINE and WILLIAM BOST are held firmly bound unto PETER HOYLE, Esquire, Chairman of said court, in the sum of Fifty Pounds, current money to be paid to the said PETER HOYE or his successors; to the which payment well and be made, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents. Sealed with our seals and dated this 19th day of October Anno Domini 1818.

The condition of this Obligation is such, that if the above bounden JACOB BURNS, administrator of all and singular the goods and chattles, rights and credits of Hannah Burns deceased, do make or cause to be made, a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods and chattles, rights and credits of the deceased, which have or shall come to the hands, knowledge or possession of the said, JACOB BURNS or into the hands or possession of any person or persons for Him; and the same so made, do exhibit, or cause to exhibited into Lincoln county court, within the time prescribed by law, after the date of these presents: And the same goods, chattles and credits, and all other the goods, chattles and credits of the deceased, at the time of Her death, or which at any time hereafter shall come into the hands or possession of the said JACOB BURNS or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons for him do well and truly administer according to law; and further do make, or cause to be made, a true and just account of His said administration, agreeable to law, after the date of these presents; and all the rest and residue of the said goods, chattles and credits, which shall be found remaining upon the said administrated account (the same being first allowed by the Govenor and Council, Superior or County Court shall deliver and pay unto such person or persons respectively as the same shall become due, pursuant to the true intent and meaning of the act in that case made and provided. And if it shall appear that any will or testament was made by the deceased, and the executor and executors therin named do exhibit the same in court, making request to have it allowed and approved of accordingly, if the said JACOB BURNS above bounded being thereunto required, do render and deliver the said letters on administration, approbation of such testament being first had and made in the said court) then this obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of
V McBEE
JACOB (his "J" mark) BURNS (seal)
JOHANNES KLINE (seal)
WILLIAM BOST (seal)

Note: Information received from Lucy Cook
An Inventory of the Property of the Estate of HANNA BURNS deceased, which was sold by JACOB BURNS, administrator this 13th day of November 1818

Clodfelter, Daniel ................ to a book and Sundrys .................$ .50
Clodfelter, Daniel ................ to a padlock and cotten ............... $ .31
Fry, Phillip .......................... to a parcel of tobacco ..................$ .29
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to Sundry ? ..................................$ .06 1/4
Fry, John ............................. to Sundry ? .................................$ .06
Huett, George ..................... to a pot of fatt ................................$ .23
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to a pot of fatt ................................$ .23 1/4
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to a pot of fatt ................................$ .15
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to 2 pails .......................................$ .32
Fry, John ............................ to 3 pails .......................................$1.12 1/2
Huett, George ..................... to a parcel of Soap ........................$ .33
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to a dairy cow, Bacon ....................$ .29
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to 2 pots .........................................$ .09
Fry, John ............................ to a bag of coffee ...........................$ .50
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to flax and Sundrys .......................$ .30
Townsley, Aaron ................ to 3 bags dryed fruit ......................$ .61
Fry, John ............................ to a jug ...........................................$ .36
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to a Honey Pot ...............................$ .60
Townsley, Aaron ................ to a fir hen ......................................$ .32
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to a cask & ? ...................................$ .90
Rinck, John ........................ to an ascot ......................................$ .36
Huett, George .................... to 2 weeding hoes ..........................$ .32
Sullivan, Daniel ................. to ruff flax .......................................$ .30
Fry, John ............................ to a crout pickel ..............................$ .30
Townsley, Aaron ................ to a parcel of potatoes ....................$ .41
Townsley, Aaron ................ to a barrel ........................................$ .31
Fry, John ............................ to a chair .........................................$ .21
Huett, George ..................... to 2 chairs .......................................$ .66
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to one chair .....................................$ .65
Fry, John ............................ to a Table ........................................$ .14
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to a pot ............................................$ .13
Cook, Abraham ................... to a small pot ..................................$ .60
Townsley, Aaron ................. to a small iron .................................$ .60
Cook, Abraham ................... to a skillett .......................................$ .50
Fry, John ............................ to a oven .........................................$ .80
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to a straw basket ............................$ .04
Fry, John ............................ to a cow & calf .............................$ 15.12 2/3
Fry, John ............................ to a Heffer .......................................$ 6.50
Huett, George ..................... to 6 bushel of corn ..........................$ 4.00
Cook, Abraham ................... to cloathing .....................................$ 1.00
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to a bead & steads ..........................$ 7.90
Moose, George .................. to a bunch of yarn ...........................$ 1.19
Moose, George .................. to 2 bags .........................................$ .12 1/2
Sullivan, Daniel ................. to 3 bags .........................................$ 1.00
Cook, Abraham ................... to a Chafflingg ................................$ .26
Rinck, John ........................ to a bag of cotten .............................$ .65
Fry, John ............................ to a shawl ........................................$ .35
Cook, Abraham ................... to a shawl ........................................$ .76
Roneny, James .................. to a ? & ? & 4 bales .........................$ .40
Cook, Abraham ................... to jargon & coffee ...........................$ 1.12 1/2
Fry, John ............................ to a small sherot ............................$ .42 1/2
Cook, Abraham ................... to a bag of Sundrys ........................$ .30
Fry, John ............................ to a gobblet & saucer ......................$ .36
Cook, Abraham ................... to a pepper mill ...............................$ .63
Cook, Abraham ................... to a vase with medicine & 2 books...$ .12
Fry, John ............................ to a pewter cason with ? .................$ .51
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to a pewter cason ............................$ .90
Fry, John ............................ to knifes & forks & spoons ..............$ .14
Clodfelter, Daniel ............... to a dish ..........................................$ .79
Fry, John ............................ to a tea pot ......................................$ .81
Moose, George .................. to a chest & Sundrys ......................$ 1.15
Fry, John ............................ to a bunch of shell and grain ...........$ .38
Cook, Abraham ................... Corn to 20 wt of flour .......................$ .38
Cook, Abraham ................... and 7 of corn meal to a parcel of corn..$ .29
Burns, Jacob ...................... to 75 wt of corn poan at six and fourth cents
............................................ per pound ........................................$ 4.50
Burns, Jacob ...................... to the farming of corn, pound of flax.$ 1.00
Burns, Jacob ...................... to cash .............................................$ 1.56
Burns, Jacob ...................... to a parcel of oats ............................$ .12 1/2

Total .......................................................................... ........................$ 68.71 3/4
Jacob (his "J" mark) Burns
Sworn to in open court
V McBee

Sebastian "Boston" CLINE Jr. {1.4.1} and Hannah FRY had the following children: