Bolton, George & Avis

BOLTON, MUNRO

Posted By: Linda Linn (email)
Date: 7/6/2011 at 22:23:54

George Edward Bolton was born at West Tanfield near Bedale, Yorkshire, England on Sept. 14, 1838. He sailed for the United States on May 15, 1858 on a cattle boat, Ship Washington, and landed in New York, July 9, 1858. He joined the United States Army and was in the President's Guard. It was too tame for him so he was transferred and was assigned to General Sherman's Cavalry and made the "March to the Sea." He then returned to Illinois and married Avis Inez Monro, the daughter of Eddy and Chloe Cole Munro, on July 4, 1866 at Champaign, Illinois. George E. met Avis I. Munro in New York, possibly before the Civil War. Her family lived at Poughkeepsie, New York. She was 11 years old when her mother died. She kept house for her two sisters, Sarah and Alice, and their father. As she grew older, she taught in a nearby school.

George E. and Avis took their two sons, Edward M. and Walter E., to York, Nebraska and homesteaded. They moved to Kingsley in 1887 and purchased two large lots at 109 Rutland Street. Another son, James Clyde, was born June 6, 1890.

George E. was very proud of his early history in America. He talked about the war, he was injured in one shoulder and received a military pension all of his life. They planted fruit trees on their lots, which bore well, so with the sale of the fruit, growing their own vegetables, and strawberries, and his pension, they enjoyed a good life.

George E. died April 1, 1923 at Kingsley and Avis I. died September 11, 1936 at Kingsley. They are both buried at the City Cemetery at Kingsley, Iowa.