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Both Thomas Bouldinge, best known as Thomas Bouldin, Ancient Planter, and his wife Mary are noted on the list of ‘Ancient Planters.’ According to Jamestown history, a settler who emigrated to America prior to 1616, paid their own passage, prior to departure of the governor and who survived the massacre of Jamestown in 1622 (i.e., lived at least three years after the attack) was qualified to be listed as an Ancient Planter.
Thomas, the "Immigrant" as described by W. B. Bickley in his compilation of the Bolding Pedigree, decided to leave England for the promise of a better life in America. He and his wife Mary Bowling embarked for the new land on the sailing ship SWAN arriving in Jamestown, America in August 1610, after a voyage of 144 days.
Thus far we do not know the children of Thomas and Mary Boulden. It is assumed that one was William Bouldin, of Bohemia River.
Maryland Genealogy Society Bulletin, Fall 2007, Volume 48, Number 4. Published by the Maryland Genealogical Society, Inc., Baltimore, MD
Some people have claimed that Thomas Bouldin I had other children. According to The Powell Families of Virginia and the South by Rev. Fr. Silas Emmett Lucas Jr , a Richard Bouling or Boulin of Lower Norfolk made a will on 14 July 1668, naming William Ellis as his “brother.” Lucas believed that the name might be Boulding and that Richard might be a younger son of Thomas Bouldin I. He also added that Elizabeth, wife of William Ellis, was a sister of Richard and thus a possible daughter of Thomas Bouldin I.
While it is clear that Richard Bouling’s wife Elizabeth named in his will was not his first wife, she or his prior wife could have been a sister of William Ellis. Richard Bouling signed his name clearly as Boulin in his will, which showed that he was literate. The largely intact 17th-century Norfolk County records do not show any familial relationship between Elizabeth and Richard Boulin under any spelling to Thomas Bouldin I or his son William Bouldin (I?), who could only sign with an initial “W.” Nor do these two Bouldins appear in the Norfolk County records under any spelling. Moreover, Lower Norfolk County was located further south of the Corporation of Elizabeth City while Elizabeth City and Gloucester County was located further north.
No documented proof for possible siblings or half-siblings in either Kecoughtan, Elizabeth City, Newport News, or Warwick, Gloucester and Norfolk counties has come to light. To date, there is no conclusive proof of any connection between Thomas Bouldin I, his son William (I?) and these Boulin(g)s of Lower Norfolk County.
References
- http://www.ancient-planters.org/ancestors.html
- Mary Bowlden arrived in Jamestown, Virginia 1610 with Thomas Bouldinge as per Nugent, Nell, Family Member: Wife Mary, Pub. Code: 6220 Primary immigrant: Record of 20,000 very early immigrants, with much relevant information. Taken from Patent Books 1 through 5. Title page states, "In 5 volumes," but up to 1979 only three had appeared. See nos. 6221, 6223 for 2nd, 3rd volumes, published in 1977. Second source immigration is 1616 when Thomas filed patent on land he had purchased. DAVIS, VIRGINIA LEE HUTCHESON. Jamestowne Ancestors, 1607-1699 Publication Code: 1451.56.50, known as Primary Immigrant: Boulding, Mary. Annotation:Date, place of settlement. Bibliography: DAVIS, VIRGINIA LEE HUTCHESON.
- https://genealogy.danahuff.net/2006/12/thomas-bouldinge/comment-pag...
- Thomas Bouldinge in < The Bolling Family Association >
- < Corrected Bouldin Saga Genealogy > By Katherine E. Harbury (August 20, 2006).
- DNA results: Groups and Immigrant Ancestor or Family head: Group 2 Thomas Bouldinge 1580 Fh 665 Swan Immigrant in 1610 < The Bolling Family Association > (view file doc )
- https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Bolling?iframe=yresults (Green) Family Group 2 R-M269
- Archival resources of the Virginias: finding aid: < link >