Fifth Generation

34. Johann Sebastian "Boston" [Klein] CLINE {1.4} was born before 17 Jun 1716 in Postorff, Alsace.¹³ He was baptized on 17 Jun 1716 in Hirschland Church, Postorff, Alsace, sponsors: Joh Nickel Stroh, Sebastian Gangloff of Postorff, Maria Christina Cucian of Schallbach. He was confirmed on 4 Jun 1730 in Hirschland Church, Postorff, Alsace.⁵⁹ Church record states that another Sebastian Klein, but meaning this Sebastian, goes "to America". The other Sebastian (grandchild of Nicholas, Table I) dies as an infant. He emigrated on 3 Sep 1739 from Believed to arrived on ship Robert & Alice at Philadelphia, PA..¹³ He was naturalized on 16 Jul 1755 as an American citizen in North Carolina with son, Sebastian, Jr..¹² He signed a will on 27 Dec 1791 in Lincoln County, North Carolina.⁶⁰

His Last Will and Testament of Bostian Cline of Lincoln County, NC read as follows:

State of North-Carolina Lincoln County. The twenty seventh day of December in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and ninety one. In the name of God, Amen.

I, Bostian Cline of Lincoln County and State aforesaid, being very weak of body, but of sound mind and memory, thanks be to almighty God. Therefore, calling into mind the mortality of my body, and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this, my last will and Testament that is to say, principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of my God who gave it, and my body to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executors nothing doubting, that I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God. And, as touching such worldly estate where in has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give and dispose of the same, in the following manner and form. I give to Elizabeth, my beloved wife, all my household furniture and my husbandry, goods and Still and furniture thereto belonging, and one Mare, and all my cash, and my outstanding Debts, for her use during her lifetime of aforesaid estate, it is equally shared by all my children. And to my son Christopher, my Executor must pay out of my estate within three months, the sum of twenty shillings. Likewise, my daughter Utillity, wife of George Heffner, her part of my estate, I give unto my grand children, Henry Heffner and Catherine Huard .

I constitute, and appoint and ordain me beloved wife Elizabeth Executrix, like wise, my son Michael Cline Executor, of my last Will and testament. And, I do hereby disallow and revoke, and disannul all and every other former Testaments, Wills, and bequests and legacies and Executors by me before named, Willed and bequeathed, rectifying and confirming this to be my last Will and Testament.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal and pronounced and declared

by the said Bostain Cline in the presence of us the subscribers.

BOSTAIN CLINE (SEAL)
John Deitz
Witnesses
Samuel Killian

The above Will was probated in 1792, and it is believed that the Testator died early in that year.
He died estimated 1792 in Lincoln (Catawba) County, North Carolina.⁶¹ He was buried in Old St. Paul's Church Cemetery, Newton, Catawba County, North Carolina. The grave was not marked until 2004 when the Cline Reunion Association purchased a marker. The placement of the stone was arbitrary. He was Tanner. Boston Cline's will names two of his sons, Christopher and Michael, and his deceased daughter Utilly Cline Hefner (wife of George Hefner) and Utilly's two children, Henry Hefner and Catherine Huyard. Michael Cline conducts the sale of the personal property in Boston Cline's estate on September 6, 1794. Since many of the items sold are furnishings and house wares that Boston's widow Elizabeth would have needed to continue to "keep house", it seems that she retained this estate until her death, probably in 1794. The estate sale list of attendees includes many of Boston's heirs as well as his neighbors. His sons John, Stuffle (Christopher), Michael and Jacob Cline are present. His grandsons William Cline, Daniel Cline, John Cline Jr, and Henry Cline are present. His daughter Elizabeth's husband Henry Propst attends. John Yoder and David Yoder, the sons of Boston's daughter Christina Cline Yoder are present. Also present is Sally Cline, who is determined to be the wife of Christopher Cline.

Thus, the evidence of the records clearly shows Sebastian (Boston) Cline and wife Elizabeth living out their lives in North Carolina from 1755 to 1792 as well as the presence of their five sons Boston Jr, Christopher, John, Michael and Jacob Cline. There is nothing in any early North Carolina record to verify a sixth son Daniel as cited in Cicero Cline's account. However, there is evidence of a grandson named Daniel who is probably the source of the rumored son Daniel in Cicero Cline's account. Daniel is determined to be a son of Boston Cline Jr (1.4.1) in the following section entitled "Determination of the Children of Boston Cline Jr and Christopher Cline". Christopher and Michael are documented as sons in Boston's will. Jacob is documented as Boston's son by his signed statement that he is Michael Cline's brother, as discussed later in Jacob Cline's section of this chapter. John is not directly documented as Boston's son, but Cicero says he is Boston's son and John has a documented son named Sebastian. In addition, Boston and Elizabeth Cline deed part of their home plantation to John Cline in 1775. Thus, it seems clear that John is a son of Boston. Boston Cline Jr is presumed to be a son of Boston because they share the same unusual first name and there is no other Cline in the area old enough to be Boston Cline Jr's father.

Per Cicero Cline, the daughters of Boston Cline are Utilly, Elizabeth, Mary, Christina and Catherine Cline. Utilly Cline Hefner is directly documented in Boston's will. Cicero states that Elizabeth Cline marries Henry Propst and that Christina Cline marries Conrad Yoder.

Boston Cline deeds part of his home plantation land to Henry Propst in 1775, at the same time that Boston deeds part of the home plantation to his son John Cline. Henry Propst is closely associated in other records with Boston Cline and his family and Henry's wife is named Elizabeth. Therefore, it is reasonable to presume that Boston Cline has a daughter Elizabeth who marries Henry Propst.

Cicero states that Christina Cline Yoder has sons John and David Yoder. John and David Yoder attend Boston Cline's estate sale in 1794. It is presumed that the oral family history of Cicero is correct and that Christina is a daughter of Boston Cline.

Cicero states that Boston Cline has a daughter Mary Cline, who marries William Bost. However, Lorena Eaker notes that Mary would have to marry William Bost prior to his 1762 marriage to Catherine Goodhart in Anson county. Since the Cline oral family history cited by Cicero Cline says that Mary was the wife of William Bost, she is included here as a possible, but unlikely, daughter of Boston Cline.

The Catherine Cline, wife of Christopher Sigman, cited by Cicero Cline as a daughter of Boston Cline is determined instead to be a documented daughter of Martin Cline (4.1.2) as discussed in his section of this chapter. The records establish that the pioneer Boston Cline is the earliest Cline in Lincoln county and head of the largest of three Lincoln county Cline families. These records establish the identity of his five sons and one of his four possible daughters.

The children of Sebastian (1.4) are outlined as follows:
Children of Sebastian (Boston) Cline (1.4)
(1.4.1) Sebastian (Boston) Cline Jr, born about 1740-1745.
(1.4.2) Christopher Cline, born 1740-1745.
(1.4.3) Mary Cline , possible daughter, born about 1740-1745.
(1.4.4) Christina Cline, probable daughter, born 1745-1750.
(1.4.5) Otilla (Utilly) Cline , born about 1750-1755.
(1.4.6) John Cline, born 1750-1755.
(1.4.7) Elizabeth Cline , probable daughter, born 1755-1760.
(1.4.8) Michael Cline , born November 16, 1761.
(1.4.9) Jacob Cline, born 1765.
Sebastian appears to be the son of Moritz Klein, a citizen of Postorff in Alsace who arrived on the ship Robert and Alice 3 Sept. 1739 at Philadelphia. (Table A, #14). [18th Century Emigrants from Northern Alsace to America by Annette K. Burgert, Picton Press, Camden, Maine, 1992; Descendants of Michael Klein by A. Campbell Cline, Charlotte, NC, Crabtree Press. 1973]

Rowan County NC Court Records show that Sebastian Cline [? Sr.] naturalized 16 Jul. 1755 and Sebastian Cline, Jr. is naturalized 16 Jul. 1775, lending strength to the theory that Sebastian m. in Alsace and that Sebastian, Jr. was born there or on the way to America. He is the only apparent child of Sebastian to appear in naturalization records.

"Boston" receives another Granville deed on May 10, 1762 for 598 acres on Clarks Creek, in current day Catawba county. This land is adjacent to a 693-acre grant of same date to Mathias Beaver (Bieber, in German), Boston's brother-in-law. On March 29, 1764 Boston and his wife Elizabeth sell half of their Elk Creek land to George Smith with the deed witnessed by their son Boston Cline Jr. The other half of this Elk Creek land is sold to George Pope in November 1771.

The 1768 Rowan county tax list includes Boston Cline, another Boston Cline (who must be Boston Jr), Stuffle Cline (who is Boston's son Christoffel, or Christopher), and John Cline (who is another of Boston's sons). Boston's neighbor William Bost is on this tax list and is also a witness on Boston's November 1771 land deed to George Pope.
Boston files for 350 acres on Lyles Creek on October 20, 1767 in the Mecklenburg county jurisdiction. The use of Mecklenburg county to file a land claim for land in what was then Rowan county was, no doubt, due to the inability to file within Rowan county from 1763-1778. Lord Granville died in 1763 and his land office, controlling these lands, was closed. The fledgling state of North Carolina resumed land transactions in the former Granville area in 1778. Apparently, enterprising residents were managing to enter their claims and continuing to acquire land by going on "record" in Mecklenburg county. Boston obtains a grant to this 350 acres on November 6, 1771 and on that day sells 282 acres of it to George Smith.

John Olphant's List of Taxables Rowan County, NC, NC 1768: Bostian Cline and John, 2 tithables; Stuffle Cline 1 tithe; Bostian Cline [?Jr.] 1 tithe.
Rowan County, NC Deed Book 8:334-Boston and Elizabeth Cline sell 166.14 acres of their 598-acre grant of 1762 on Anthony's Branch of Clarks Creek to their son John Cline. Also on that date, they sell 90.14 acres of this grant to Henry Propst, husband of their daughter Elizabeth Cline Propst.

Rowan County, NC Deed Book 7:396 - 15 Nov. 1777 Boston Cline and wife Elizabeth sell 320 A on Elk Creek which was part granted to him 28 Feb. 1755 by Lord Granville. See also Lincoln County, NC Deed Book 3:542; some think this land was in Cabarrus Co., NC. Not so! See Rowan County, NC Deed Book 7:371, 396. Elk Creek later became Lyles Creek.

On August 11, 1778, Boston Cline claims 100 acres on Clarks Creek in then Burke county, which was formed from western Rowan county in 1777. Boston's son-in-law Henry Propst and his neighbor, William Bost, are chain bearers for the June 19, 1779 survey of Boston's 100-acre claim. The 100 acres is granted to Boston on March 14, 1780. Also on June 19, 1779, Boston's son, John Cline, and William Bost help survey 50 acres for Boston's son-in-law, Henry Propst. This land adjoins Henry's existing land and the land of Boston Cline, his son John Cline and the Killians'.

On December 22, 1791, just before his death, Boston and Elizabeth Cline sell 151 acres of their 1762 grant of 598 acres on Clarks Creek to their son Jacob Cline. Boston's son Michael Cline witnesses this transaction. Boston and Elizabeth Cline are then left with 190 acres of their 1762 grant. The original 1762 grant land is noted in the 1791 record to be Boston and Elizabeth's plantation where they live. This land adjoins the land of Boston's son, John Cline.

Children's Confirmation records by Rev. John Gotfried Arandt: Michael 1776; Jacob 1779; Henry and Catherine 1783, Salome 1788; Catherine 1792; William 1793.

1790 Lincoln County, NC Census:
Christie: 3 m <16, 1 m 16+; 1 f
John: 3 m <16, 2 m 16+; 4 f
Jacob: 1 m <16, 3 m 16+; 2 f
Michael: 2 m 16+; 2 f.

In the North Carolina 1790 census, Boston Cline does not appear by name as a head of household, but the entry for his son Michael Cline shows an adult couple living with Michael and his wife. They are probably Michael's parents, Boston and Elizabeth Cline. It appears that Michael and his recent bride, Fanny Killian Cline, are probably living on his parents' 190-acre home place to care for Michael's elderly mother and father.
Michael is named as an executor in the will of his father Boston Cline, dated December 27, 1791. Boston's widow Elizabeth is also named as an executor. The will is probated in April 1792, indicating that Boston dies in February or March 1792, between the January quarterly court session and the April session.

Lincoln County, NC wills: Bostian Cline makes will 27 Dec. 1791, probated Apr. 1792: Boston Cline's will names two of his sons, Christopher and Michael, and his deceased daughter Utilly Cline Hefner (wife of George Hefner) and Utilly's two children, Henry Hefner and Catherine Huyard. Michael Cline conducts the sale of the personal property in Boston Cline's estate on September 6, 1794. Since many of the items sold are furnishings and house wares that Boston's widow Elizabeth would have needed to continue to "keep house", it seems that she retained this estate until her death, probably in 1794.

The estate sale list of attendees includes many of Boston's heirs as well as his neighbors. His sons John, Stuffle (Christopher), Michael and Jacob Cline are present. His grandsons William Cline, Daniel Cline, John Cline Jr, and Henry Cline are present. His daughter Elizabeth's husband Henry Propst attends. John Yoder and David Yoder, the sons of Boston's daughter Christina Cline Yoder are present. Also present is Sally Cline, who is determined to be the wife of Christopher Cline.

Thus, the evidence of the records clearly shows Sebastian (Boston) Cline and wife Elizabeth living out their lives in North Carolina from 1755 to 1792 as well as the presence of their five sons Boston Jr, Christopher, John, Michael and Jacob Cline. There is nothing in any early North Carolina record to verify a sixth son Daniel as cited by Cicero Cline. However, there is evidence of a grandson named Daniel who is probably the source of the rumored son Daniel by Cicero Cline. Daniel is determined to be a son of Boston Cline Jr.

Christopher and Michael are documented as sons in Boston's will. Jacob is documented as Boston's son by his signed statement that he is Michael Cline's brother, as discussed later in Jacob Cline's section of this chapter. John is not directly documented as Boston's son, but Cicero Cline says he is Boston's son and John has a documented son named Sebastian. In addition, Boston and Elizabeth Cline deed part of their home plantation to John Cline in 1775. Thus, it seems clear that John is a son of Boston. Boston Cline Jr is presumed to be a son of Boston because they share the same unusual first name and there is no other Cline in the area old enough to be Boston Cline Jr's father.

Per Cicero Cline, the daughters of Boston Cline are Utiliy, Elizabeth, Mary, Christina and Catherine Cline. Utiliy Cline Hefner is directly documented in Boston's will. Cicero Cline states that Elizabeth Cline marries Henry Propst and that Christina Cline marries Conrad Yoder.

Boston Cline deeds part of his home plantation land to Henry Propst in 1775, at the same time that Boston deeds part of the home plantation to his son John Cline. Henry Propst is closely associated in other records with Boston Cline and his family and Henry's wife is named Elizabeth. Therefore, it is reasonable to presume that Boston Cline has a daughter Elizabeth who marries Henry Propst.
Cicero Cline states that Christina Cline Yoder has sons John and David Yoder. John and David Yoder attend Boston Cline's estate sale in 1794. It is presumed that the oral family history of Cicero Cline is correct and that Christina is a daughter of Boston Cline.
Cicero Cline states that Boston Cline has a daughter Mary Cline, who marries William Bost. However, GSP notes that Mary would have to marry William Bost prior to his 1762 marriage to Catherine Goodhart in Anson county. Since the Cline oral family history cited by Cicero Cline says that Mary was the wife of William Bost, she is included here as a possible, but unlikely, daughter of Boston Cline.

The Catherine Cline, wife of Christopher Sigman, cited in GSP as a daughter of Boston Cline is determined instead to be a documented daughter of Martin Cline.

The records establish that the pioneer Boston Cline is the earliest Cline in Lincoln county and head of the largest of three Lincoln county Cline families. These records establish the identity of his five sons and one of his four possible daughters.

Johann Sebastian "Boston" [Klein] CLINE {1.4} and Susan Christina Elizabeth [Beiber] BEAVER were married between 1735 and 1738 in possibly Alsace.⁶² Susan Christina Elizabeth [Beiber] BEAVER⁶⁰ was born about 1720 in Alsace-Lorraine, France.⁶¹ She was born about 1720 in Alsace.⁶¹ She died after 1792 in Lincoln County, North Carolina.^61,63 She died after 1792 in Lincoln County, North Carolina.⁶¹ Some believe she was dau. of Matthias and Susanna Beaver. This writer suspects she was dau of Christoph and Anna Elisabetha Ludmann Biber and a sister of Matthias. Christoph d. 28 June 1733 in Alsace and his widow remarried to Bernhard Klein, and family was on ship Lydia at Philadelphia 29 Sept. 1741.
Johann Sebastian "Boston" [Klein] CLINE {1.4} and Susan Christina Elizabeth [Beiber] BEAVER had the following children: