A. Bolton Biography, Contributed by, Russ Jenkins.
A. BOLTON
Among the successful agriculturists and stock raisers of Linn County who have
attained success in life through their own individual efforts is the subject
of this biographical notice. He is engaged in his independent calling on
section 33, Brown township. The parents of Mr. Bolton were Abram and Rosanna
(Miller) Bolton, both born in Virginia, he of English and she of German
ancestry. They grew to man and womanhood in their Native State, in
Rockingham County, VA. They were married, and continued to reside until
1816, when they removed to Harrison County, in what is now West Virginia.
There they passed the remainder of their lives. The father of our subject
was a farmer by occupation, and became the head of a family of eleven
children, ten of whom lived to attain the age of man and womanhood, and one
dying in infancy. Margaret died in Saline County, Mo,; John is living in
West Virginia; Barbara departed this life in that State; Noah lives in this
county; Saloma died in West Virginia; A. is the subject of our sketch;
Betsy died here; Peter departed this life in West Virginia; Lydia died in
infancy in that state; Mary A. still resides there, as likewise does Delilah.
A. Bolton was born in Rockingham County, Va., June 11 1814, and was but two
years of age when his parents removed to what is now West Virginia. Our
subjects father made his home in the woodlands of that State and, as Abram
grew to youth and manhood, he spent his time in assisting his father in the
clearing of his land and in the duties appertaining to farm life. He
continued to reside with the old folk until he was twenty-one years of age,
when he worked out on a neighboring farm by the month for two years. He had
a natural taste as well as talent, for music, and having received
instructions in that art, he began teahing in West Virginia. From that State
he removed to Fayette County, Ind., where he continued teaching music in
connection with agricultural pursuits, and was thus occupied for some
thirteen years. In September, 1849, he left Fayette County, Ind., and,
turning his face toward the setting sun, terminated his journey in this
county. The trip was made with two teams and five head of horses, and he was
possessed at that time of a cash capital of $200. The trip required eleven
days time, and on his arrival in the county, he entered 200 acres of land,
160 of it located on section 33, Brown Township, and forty on section 61 Linn
Township. He paid $150, with land warrants, for the former tract, and $45
for the latter. Locating on section 33, he for two years rented land, which
he cultivated, and at the expiration of that time began to improve his own
land. He first erected a log hose, which he occupied until 1872, by which
time he had accumulated sufficient means to enable him to erect a fine
residence, in which he is living at the present time, a view of which is
presented on another page of this work. He has erected two fine barns on his
place, and his farm is one of the best to be found within the boundaries of
Linn County. He s the proprietor of upward of 600 acres of valuable land,
and has given 340 acres to his children. He keeps on his place about 150
head of cattle, and fourteen head of horses, and fattens about seventy-five
head of hogs for the market annually.
Mr. Bolton was first married in Harrison County, W. Va., Feb 20, 1837, to
Miss Nancy Campbell, a native of Fayette County, Pa. who was born in 1817.
She bore him eight children, Sarah A., Noah, Mariah J., John B., William T.,
Anderville E., Mary and Henry. Sarah A. is the wife of George Lyons, a
resident of St. Clair County, Mo.; Noah died in Linn Township in 1857, age
seventeen years; Maria J. became the wife of Jacob Corbly, and departed this
life in Southern Kansas, April 5, 1875; John B. is living in Montana;
William T. married Barbara Ilyenfritz, and resided in St. Clair County, Mo.,
until his demise in 1873; he was a soldier in the late Civil War, enlisting
in the 24th Iowa Infantry, and fought bravely and well for his country's
honor; Anderville B. is living in Linn Township; he was twice married,
first to Emily Hill, and after her demise chose Miss Jane Griffin as his life
companion; Mary is the wife of Jacob Wilson, and they are living in Warren
County, this State; Henry selected Miss Mary E. Dunn as is wife, and they
are residents of Linn Township. John and Anderville also served their
country honorably in the late war.
Mrs. Bolton departed this life Feb 9, 1857, and our subject was again
married, in Harrison County, W. Va., to Nancy Linnville, was blest by the
birth of three children, Rosanna, Noah, and George B. Rosanna is the wife of
Edward Axtel, a resident of Montana; Noah married Annie Gibson, and they are
likewise living in Montana; George B. is a resident of Brown Township, and a
farmer by occupation. The second Mrs. Bolton departed this life April19,
1863, and seven years later our subject formed another matrimonial alliance,
Mrs. Susanna (Kearns) Stewart being the other contracting party. She is the
widow of James J. Stewart, and was born in Wayne County, Ohio, Jan. 17, 1831.
Of the latter union two children have been born, Ida M. and Delilah E.
Mr. Bolton of this notice has been content to follow the even tenor of his
way, and has been so occupied in his own affairs that even had he the
inclination to accept office at the hands of his friends and citizens, he
would not have had the time to faithfully perform the duties. He has
therefore, never sought office, and has held few of the minor offices in his
township. Coming here in 1849 comparatively a poor man, he has accumulated a
sufficiency of this world's goods to enable him to enjoy the sunset of life
in peace and quiet. It is his to say that in the accumulation of property he
has never wronged his fellow man. He is a true and consistent Christian
gentleman, holding fellowship with the Baptist Church, and is respected and
honored for his sterling worth and integrity. In politics he votes with the
Republican Party.
(source: Bradley S. McGowan, Coralville,
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