I would like to thank the contributors to the thread below.
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!category-topic/beagleboard/xPYp2vR6TDk
It allowed me to boot my eSATA SSD from an SD card without removing R444 and jumping J3 pins 1-2.
Special thanks to Angel Sosa for his 22 steps towards the end of the thread.
Here is my uEnv.txt in the /boot directory on the SD card I use boot to the eSATA SSD.