Three Boak lines from Co Tyrone are connected via DNA tests but the actual
family members that link us together is not known. The surnames include these
spelling variations Boak, Boake, and Boag. None of the matched people via the
DNA testing have information that allows us to make a connection to a common
ancestor. Hoping someone on this site might be able to assist with more
information and/or potential contacts. Please contact jsrdgrace excite
com if you have information or suggestions. THANK YOU! BOAK/BOAG Line 1.
Robert Boak (Sr), born circa 1740 was a flax farmer and linen weaver in
Northern Ireland. He married a McCormick (given name unknown). They had 12
children. Robert (Sr) had at least two brothers per a family-held 1833 letter
written by his son Robert (Jr) to another son, Charles. In the letter Robert
(Jr) writes "You wished to know if any of our uncles are alive, none on our
Father's side. An uncle Charles McCormick is in this country and Uncle John is
still alive in Ireland." While I'm largely focused on finding Robert Boak's
brothers and parental line, I would also like to learn more about his wife's
McCormick family. Robert Boak (Jr) married Mary Calderwood who died of cholera
in 1833 just before the above mentioned letter was written. Robert Boak later
remarried a Jane ___ and lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Charles Boak
came to the United States long before Robert (Jr). He was made a naturalized
citizen in 1811 and resided in western Pennsylvania. Another of Robert's sons,
Aaron Boak, along with Aaron's son William farmed part of the Peacockbank /
Marquis of Abercorn land. Their lines are well documented including several
citations found within this CoTyroneIreland site. (side bar THANKS to all who
have posted and indexed so many stories and electronic versions on CTI). Two
male descendants, from the brothers Charles and Aaron Boak respectively, have a
perfect FTDNA-Y37 match distance '0'. This confirmed the research each family
had conducted separately to match us back to the Robert Boak (Sr) born circa
1740. * * * * * * *BOAKE Line 2. A male descendant of Robert Boake (note
spelling) has a close FTDNA-Y37 match, distance '1', with the two DNA matches
in Line 1 above. This Robert Boake, 1820-1878, married a Lucy Marie (Mary)
Rigdon. It is guessed that Robert Boake's ancestor was a brother or 1st cousin
to Robert Boak from Line 1. Rigdon is the daughter of Dr. Loamun Rigdon and
Rebecca White Dunlevy. * * * * * * *BOAK Line 3. A female descendent of the
Berkeley, Virginia Boak brothers is a distant cousin match (Ancestry.com) to
the Line 1 descendant of Charles Boak. The three Berkeley, Virginia Boak
brothers are Robert, John, and William. It is thought their father was a John
Boak b circa 1745 Co Tyrone. Given his estimated year of birth this John Boak
and Robert Boak (Sr) might be brothers or close cousins. The three brothers and
their families are well documented in Dorothy Panzer's 'The Beech Tree'. It is
a descendant of the brother Robert, spouse Eleanor Lee, with whom the DNA match
was made. This connection led to finding four different Ankrum descendants also
matching to Line 1 via DNA testing. One is a well-documented match to
descendants of Robert Boak and Eleanor Lee. * * * * * * *Other - Gordon.
FTDNA-Y testing shows both the Line 1 Boaks matching with a distance of just
'1' with three different males, surname Gordon. Two of the three have the same
Y-Haplogroup and one is from a different Y-Haplogroup. While this is not a
correct use of Y-DNA testing it did lead to these findings: There was a Gordon
family who lived on a farm in Co Tyrone also belonging to Marquis of Abercorn.
Two Gordon family members (father and son) married two Boake women, their
relationship unknown. From the Gordon Genealogy site "Peter Gordon was married
to Mary Boake and had five children. William Gordon married Mary Ross, sister
of Aaron Ross. William & Mary had at least four children; Mary Gordon (m)
McNutt; Margaret Gordon (m) Martin; William 1738- and Aaron 1740-1817. Aaron
Gordon married Margaret Boake 1744-1837 and had four children."Side note: Mary
Boak and Peter Gordon were born circa 1690. Another coincidence? Aaron Gordon
and Robert Boak (Sr) are listed one after the other in a document signed by
Flax growers petitioning for more governmental support. * * * * * *
*Additional information. BOAK Line 1.Robert Boak and McCormick's children, all
born in Northern Ireland, are as follows:-McCandless Boak-Elizabeth Boak
(married, name unknown)-Sarah Boak (married, name unknown. Had 3 children.
Lived in Pennsylvania.)-John Boak (married, name unknown. Had 2 daughters Mary
and Martha)-Margaret Boak (married, name unknown. Had 7 sons and 1
daughter)-Rebecca Boak-Charles Boak (married Mary Bell; had 11 children. Lived
in Western Pennsylvania.)-Aaron Boak (married Ann Crocket; had 5 sons. Lived in
Co Tyrone all his