Map of Robert E. Boulton's family movments:

1. 1850-1860: Winslow, Camden, NJ

2. 1865: Salem, NJ

3. 1868: Detroit, MI

4. 1867-1871: South Pittsburgh, PA

5. 1875-1885: Baltimore, MD

6. 1888-1893: Ithaca, NY

7. 1893-1896: New Kensington, Westmoreland, PA

8. 1900-1906: Halethorpe/Baltimore, MD (split family)

9. 1900: Cabell, WV (split family)

10. 1906: Smethport, McKean, PA

11. 1909-1945: Coudersport, Potter, PA (split family, seasonal job travel)

12. 1916: Charleston, WV (court filing)

13. 1920: West Union, Doddridge, WV 

Baltimore, MD (1875~1885)

By 1875, father John S. Boulton headed south to the big, bustling city of Baltimore, Maryland. And by 1878, the whole family joined him. They lived downtown at different addresses: Leadenhall near Cross; 397 Scott; and 359 South Sharpe Street.

Robert Enzign Boulton, 21, and Flora, 19, give birth to two children in Baltimore, Maryland: John Stratton Boulton (1878), who is named after his grandfather, and newborn daughter Minnie (1880). 

There are no Census records for 1890 because, in 1921 a careless smoker caused all of the Census paperwork to be destroyed in Washington, D.C., from the water used to put out a building fire. 

Fortunately, the Boulton family moved to Ithaca, New York sometime between 1885 and 1888. There, the NY State Census for 1892 shows father John Stratton Boulton, 61, living with wife Phebe, and brothers Reuben, 36, and Andrew, 23. 

Robert Enzign Boulton and Flora were living nearby with 4 children then, including Phebe May (1885) who was born in Baltimore, and Robert Andrew (1888) who was born in Ithaca.

About McKean County, Pennsylvania in the early 1900s

From the McKean Planning Commission, 1982, "A Brief History of the County of McKean."

"Glass and Port Allegany.... The glass industry was established in the late 19th century, due to a local abundance of silica sandstone and cheap natural gas. Factories were established in every town. In the 1895-1905 period. McKean led the nation in glass production. Although window glass was the primary product, bottles, wireglass, and fireproof windows and doors were produced as well."

www.smethporthistory.org

The Dolans of Ohio and Darrahs of West Virginia

An Explanation of the Darrah-Baker and Dolan Tree

This section is an explanation of genetic connections back to a specific set of families who ended up in northern West Virginia -- Baker, Darrah, Yoho, and Dolan. The mother of Adam Howard Johnson came from this lineage, by way of a woman named Julia V. Dolan (1872). 

Rachel E. Baker (1849) was the daughter of Henry Baker (1806) and his second wife, Mary Darrah (1827). 

Here, you see Rachel's parents and their family names are Baker and Darrah:

Julia V and Charles E Glass would go on to have two children together:

• Grace Lucile Glass (1901), Dubois, Clearfield, PA (married Clifford Odell Drake)

• Beatrice Lenore Glass (1909), Kane, McKane Pennsylvania (married Robert Lee Dew). 

After the birth of Lucy in 1901, the family moves to Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania for a short while. 

Julia’s father, James Dolan, dies in September of 1902. Obituaries said he was a Civil War vet and Moundsville Prison official; who died rather suddenly from "acute affection of the bowels' only ill for 2 days, and also "strangulation of the bowels" of only 3 days.  Another short report claims he had 2 strokes, as well.

Two Missing Years (including 1906)

The Glass family move back to New Castle, PA from 1903 to 1905, and they were listed as living there in the City Directories. But, they were not in the 1906-1907 Directory. So, we seem to have a 2-year gap that includes the period when Julia may have become pregnant with Robert Enzign Boulton's child.

A 1910 City Directory confirms their location in Kane, but on the 1910 Census, the family is marked as “Out of Town” with no other info. 

Julia V Dolan Glass and her husband continued to live in Kane, PA till at least 1912 according to the City Directory.

Julia's mother, Rachel E Baker Dolan, 66, died in 1915, of valvular heart disease. And her obituary said Julia V. Glass lived in Shinglehouse, a town in Potter County, Pennsylvania, which is about an hour’s drive from Kane in the adjacent county of McKean. Subsequent documents also place the Glass family in Shinglehouse, till at least the 1920 Census. 

In 1924, Julia and Charles E. Glass moved to a new home in Charleston, West Virginia. 

Another move followed, to Clarksburg, West Virginia by the 1930 Census, and in 1932, Charles E. Glass died. Two reports only say he died "of complications." But records say he died of years of arteriosclerosis.

It says Charles Glass died in State Hospital in Weston, West Virginia, less than an hour from Clarksburg and West Union, West Virginia. 

Julia V. Glass is listed as a widow in the 1939 Clarksburg Directory, and in the 1940 Census she is living with her married daughter, Beatrice L. Glass Dew.

Julia V. Dolan Glass lived for another four years, and on September 27, 1944 a news article in the New Castle News says Julia Glass died “after a long illness” … at an unexpected location: Spring Grove Hospital, in Catonsville, Baltimore County, Maryland, commonly known as a leading mental-health facility of that era.

Her death certificate says she died of: Cerebral thrombosis due to hypertensive cardiovascular-renal disease. It says her father was James Dolan of New York and Rachel Baker [misspelled Baher] of West Virginia. She was in Spring Grove for 6 months and 18 days; and deathly ill for 5 days.

On the 1950 Census, Julia's daughter Beatrice L Glass Dew is living in Falls Church, Virginia with her husband, Robert, and their two young children, Charles, 7, born in West Virginia, and Sharon, 5, born in New York. But it says she did not live in Falls Church the previous year. Instead, a note at the bottom says that, in 1949, Beatrice lived in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Ships Passing In the Night? The Evidence.

Again, 1906 is the point in the story where Adam Howard Johnson was conceived. 

And there is no direct proof that Julia V. Dolan Glass met Robert Enzign Boulton, much less had a sexual relationship with him that resulted in a baby. 

BUT, there is a great amount of circumstantial evidence that was not planned or sought in any way. And yet, we end up examining these two people, from unrelated families with significantly overlapping circumstances.

Same Time and Place (1906 -- McKean)

• 1906, October 10 -- Robert Enzign Boulton is in Smethport, in McKean County, Pennsylvania for the wedding of his son, Robert Andrew.

• After 1905 -- Julia V. Dolan Glass moved to Kane, in McKean. 

• 1909, March  -- Julia gives birth to daughter Beatrice in Kane, McKean County. 

• 1909, May -- Robert Andrew Boulton’s first daughter Port Allegheny, McKean County. 

• 1910 -- Robert Enzign Boulton is living in Coudersport, in Potter County.

• 1915 -- Julia and Charles are living in Shinglehouse, in Potter County.

Conclusion: The families of Robert Enzign Boulton and Julia V. Dolan Glass were both in McKean County and Potter County during overlapping years.

Same Occupation and Traveling Circles

• In the late 1800s to early 1900s, glassmaking was a growing industry, and it was not fully automated to machines till the 1900s. Many mid-Atlantic states had glass-making factories, including Northwest Pennsylvania. The factories were supported by seasonal workers who traveled for employment as needed.

• The entire Boulton family worked in the glassmaking industry from the 1860s. They traveled a lot for their work -- through NJ, MD, NY, PA, WV.

• The Glass family also works in the glassmaking industry. Charles E. Glass and his brother Joseph worked for window glass makers in Pennsylvania. Charles Glass was known as a “boss cutter” and “glass inspector” during his marriage to Julia V. Dolan.

Conclusion, Julia and Robert’s families being of similar employment interests may have made it more likely for them to meet.

For Julia V. Dolan, we have 2 close matches for Chip on 23AndMe. They are two male cousins named Drake.

• Peter Drake -- estimated to be 3rd cousin to Chip.

• David D -- estimated to be 2nd cousin to Chip.

• Peter and David are estimated to be first cousins once removed.

• Family record investigation shows this to be true, along with some helpful messages from Peter.

• The connecting point is Julia V. Dolan’s daughter Grace Lucile Glass Drake.

Conclusion: By using triangulation of living cousins who have been genetically registered in 23AndMe and Ancestry.com databases, we are given a huge tree of proven connections -- both genetically and through the historical records. The Drakes' triangulation seem to point to Julia V Dolan Glass; and the Drakes are Chip Johnson's closest paternal relatives on 23AndMe.

(Discussion of the weaknesses in this evidence is at the end of this document. *)

Robert Enzign Boulton’s life after 1906

Marriage to Second Wife Disintegrates

Despite being outside of Maryland (most of the time), Robert Enzign Boulton was still listed as living in Baltimore City. 

Before he left, his wife, Mary Baldensperger Logan, was embroiled in a string of lawsuits that seemed to be about businesses and investments.

In 1908, Robert E Boulton was listed as living with Mary, retail/grocer, at 1440 N Fulton Ave. 1910 Baltimore Census does not include Robert. Rather, Mary was shown living with her grown children -- last names Logan. The property in Halethorpe was transferred in 1912 from Robert “and wife” to one of Mary’s children. 

Newspaper notices in Coudersport say that, In 1912, Robert Enzign and Andrew B. traveled to West Union, Doddridge, WV to do glasswork. Also mentioned in 1918, as A. B. and R. E. Boulton. 

In the 1920 Census, Robert is listed as living with his son John S. Boulton in Doddridge, West Virginia.

A lagging Baltimore City Directory lists him there in 1921.

And … that is the last we see of Robert Enzign Boulton. But nothing else can be found. It is assumed that Robert E. Boulton, about 60, died in either 1920 or 1921. But No sign of Robert Enzign Boulton. No death records found. No gravesites. No newspaper mentions. Apologies for not having a total finale for this story.

The father, John Stratton Boulton, died in 1923 in Coudersport. Brother Reuben died in 1942; and brother Andrew B. Boulton died in 1945. Their graves are listed as being in Coudersport. 

Robert's Final Resting Place: Found!

After years of searching, we have finally discovered what happened to Robert. From a October 2, 1920 edition of a trade newspaper, called The Glassworker: 

Robert Boulton -- Well-known as a glass worker, died at Weston, W. Va., on September 22,[1920]. Internment was made at Arnold, PA, beside the graves of his wife and mother. Mr. Boulton was a son of John S. Boulton, of West Union, W. Va. He was born July 12, 1858, at Winslow, NJ. Surviving are two sons, two daughters, his father, two brothers, several grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Incredible! 

Addendum 

More Genetic Evidence

Discussion: Problems With This Process

I wish we could say this was a 100% perfect match, but some gaps exist and “a leap of faith” based on logical deduction was made.

• No obvious documentation of a relationship between Robert and Julia.

• Julia disappeared between 1905 and 1909. No currently available documentation has been found of the Glass family, yet.

• They were both married. Robert was probably unhappy, but Julia’s relation with Charles gives no clues in the record.

• They both had children and siblings who may have been the birth parents of Adam, but most are the wrong age or in the wrong place. 

• No adoption records for Adam have been found yet.

• The Boulton families had few children, and those children had few children, so we have 4 cousins pointing directly to Robert Enzign Boulton -- they are the closest registered relatives, though on Ancestry. 

• The Dolan-Glass families are similar -- only a couple children with each generation, so we have 2 cousins pointing directly at Julia V Dolan, again the 2 closest registered relatives on 23AndMe. 

• Julia’s mother, Rachel Baker had two known parents Henry Baker and Mary Darrah. But neither had any documentation. Yet, dozens of living cousins kept pointing back to Henry Darrah and Peggy Yoho, so I checked Ancestry for more info. And, indeed some people claimed Henry and Peggy had a daughter named Mary, born at the same time as Rachel’s mother, and with no other documentation. I made the connection and it all fell into place -- but, “leap of faith.” 

• Lack of photos. Despite requesting photos and receiving promises from several users, I never got any of the Boultons or the Dolans. There is one photo of Julia’s sister, and she does have similar features to Adam. But a potential photo of Julia’s daughter Beatrice Dew does not particularly resemble Adam, who would have been her half-brother.

• 23AndMe provides more DNA analysis, while Ancestry provides more records and tree matching. But they do different things and there are few users that are on both platforms to verify connections. But there is enough to prove, at the very least, that these two families are the ones at play.

• There are a lot of genetic cousins whose trees cannot be traced back far enough, or they do not seem to be matched at all. Database data may be completely wrong, or users may have made wrong assumptions, or they may have also been adopted or not known their fathers, for example. 

There are other possible issues involved, but they are genuinely minor in comparison to the proof presented by the records and the genetics so far. 

This evidence-based hypothesis is a very good possibility, perhaps 85 to 90% likely that Robert Enzign Boulton and Julia V. Dolan were the birth parents of Adam Howard Johnson.