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JAMES BOLY.-It is with pleasure that we are enabled to incorporate in this history of Union county a brief review of the interesting career of the estimable gentleman whose namee appears above and who has wrought here with assiduity and energy for many years manifesting meanwhile those qualities of stability and faithfulness that have ever characterized him, while also he has displayed ability and keen foresight in his manipulation of affairs that have given him the meed that his efforts justly deserve in the competence and broad estates that now are his.

In Jefferson county, Missouri, on April 30, 1839, our subject was born to Michael and Jemima (Moorehead) Boly, natives of Missouri, the father being a farmer in Jefferson county until 1861, when he removed to Illinois, whence two years later he removed to the vicinity of Denver, Colorado, where he passed one season and then came across the plains, in 1864 to Walla Walla, our subject accompanying his father in all these journeys. They each bought a quarter-section in this last county and settled to farming, remaining there until the early seventies, when they sold and came to Union county, our subject purchasing a quarter adjoining the homestead that his father took, four and one-half miles east from Elgin. He gave himself to producing the fuits of the field and success has attended his efforts constantly, his farm being increased to three hundred and twenty-four acres, all well improved and skillfully kept. The father lived on the homestead until the time of his death, which occurred in the fall of 1880, being buried in Walla Walla, whither he had gone for the purpose of being doctored, and there passing away. The mother lives with her son John. The children of the parents of our subject were William, deceased: James: Thomas and Martha, deceased: Sarah: John Simeon. Those deceased are buried in Missouri.

In the fall of 1862 our subject married Miss Susan Stone, daughter of Jerry Stone, and two children were born to them: Mateland died, while they lived in Walla Walla: Anna who died on February 22, 1893, being aged twenty-two years and the wife of W. Rube Breshears, and three children were left to mourn their mother, namely, Jessie, Charlie and Herman. The wife of our subject was also called away by death before he left Walla Walla. Mr. Boly has always manifested the qualities which characterize him at this day, faithfulness, energy and good ability, and he enjoys the esteem and hearty good will of his fellows being one of the stanch, loyal and patriotic citizens of the county and a good man and a genial neighbor.

JOHN BOLY.-The stanch and reliable citizen of whom we are now privileged to speak is a man of ability and sound practical judgment and has demonstrated these qualities in faithful career in this county which extends over a period since the early seventies, wherein he has constantly pursued the commendable work of developing the resources of the county and has gained a competence meanwhile that is the proper reward of honest effort, and he is numbered with the intelligent and thrifty agriculturists of the county.

Mr. Boly was born in Jefferson county, Missouri, being the son of Michael and Jemima (Moorehead) Boly, the date of this event being May, 1842, his parents also being natives of Missouri, Our subject went with his parents to Illinois and thence to Colorado, whence in 1864 he came with them to Walla Walla county, Washington, where they farmed until the early seventies, when they all removed to Union county, and a few years after coming here he took as a homestead is present place four miles northeast from Elgin. When he first came to the county he bought a threshing machine and operated it in all parts of this county for some time. After taking the homestead he also continued in the threshing business.

It was in the fall of 1863 that Mr. Boly sought a companion, being married then, in Colorado Springs, to Miss Ellen Stone, a sister of his brother's wife. Shortly after this happy occasion death rudely snatched away the beloved wife, and Mr. Boly's mother is now living with him, her husband also having passed away, as is mentioned in another portion of this work. Mr. boly is a man of sound principles, interested in and laboring for the welfare of the county, and always manifesting a prudent and sagacious spriti in his manipulation of business enterprises, while he is justly entitled to the esteem and confidence of all, which is his to enjoy in unstinted measure.