William Bolle

BOLLE

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/20/2009 at 00:38:30

William Bolle owes his success entirely to his own efforts. He had no friends or inheritance to aid him when he started out in life, but has depended upon industry and unremitting toil. He came to Boone county on September 18, 1854. He is a native of Germany born May 16, 1821 and in that country he was reared to manhood. He was a railmaker by trade, following that pursuit for a number of years, but thinking that he might have better business opportunities in the new world he crossed that Atlantic in 1854, taking passage on a sailing vessel which left the harbor of Bremen for New York. There were two very severe storms during the passage, but at length the vessel reached its destination in safety about September 1st.
Mr Bolle made his way west, passing through Chicago. The latter part of his journey was made by team and he came at once to Boone count, locating near Madrid. Here in order to Provide a living for himself he began work as a farm hand by the month and was thus employed for two and one-half years. He then purchased land just north of Madrid, securing 40 acres which he broke, fenced and improved by the erection of substantial buildings as well as by the cultivation of the fields. He made his home thereon for several years and then sold that property, purchasing another farm three miles east of Madrid comprising 120 acres of land. Upon it she built a good residence and made substantial improvements transforming the farm into a valuable property. It was his home for some time, but about 1890 he rented his farm an d removed to Madrid where he has since lived a retired life, enjoying a well earned rest. In his political views Mr Bolle is a stanch Republican and in 1856 he cast his first presidential vote for John C Fremont, since which time he has given his support to every presidential nominee of the Republican party. He belongs to the Christian church and has attended it services very regularly, although of late years he has been at a disadvantage because of impaired hearing. He is well known in Boone and vicinity, being numbered among the few remaining early settlers who have long witnessed the growth and development of the county. When he came here much of the land was in a primitive condition, the settlers were widely scattered and far apart , but as time passed others came to the court and the land was claimed and developed into good farms. Mr Bolle bore his share in this work and through his enterprising efforts met with success.
1902 Boone County History Book