Bolen, William

BOLEN, THOMPSON, LAMB, HUMES

Posted By: Gary Norris (email)
Date: 11/30/2012 at 07:47:40

One of the representative stockmen and public-spirited citizens of Madison township is William Bolen, who is a native of Poweshiek county, his birth having occurred in Sheridan township on the 12th day of January, 1874, his parents being Michael and Elizabeth Ann (Thompson) Bolen. The father was born and reared in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, but was of Irish extraction, while the mother was a native of Quebec, Canada, and of Scotch descent. They came to Iowa in 1869, first locating upon a farm in Madison township, which they cultivated for a year, and then removed to Sheridan township, settling upon a place a mile east of the present homestead of their son Edward. They continued to reside there for twenty-seven years, at the expiration of which they retired to Tama, Tam county, Iowa, where the father passed away on the 1st of February, 1907. The mother, however, is still living makes her home in Tama. Mr. Bolen was a veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted in Company K, Sixty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he went to the front, and he remained in the service for three years and six months, during which time he participated in twenty-six of the most severe battles of the war. Upon receiving his discharge at the expiration of his period of enlistment he immediately reenlisted and served until the close of the hostilities.
William Bolen was reared upon the homestead where he was born, obtaining his education in the district school and afterward he assisted his father in the cultivation of the arm until he was twenty-three years of age. He then left the parental roof to begin working for himself. He bought eighty acres of land in Sheridan township which he disposed of three months later, purchasing one hundred and twenty acres elsewhere in the same township. After cultivating this place for six years he decided to become a citizen of Madison township, thereupon purchasing his present homestead, which consists of one hundred and sixty acres of land. In addition to the latter place he also owns one hundred and twenty acres in Sheridan township. Mr. Bolen is one of the largest and best known feeders and shippers of Madison township, as he sells annually from eight to ten carloads of stock in the Chicago market. He engages in general farming, all of his land being under cultivation, and keeps a good line of graded stock.
Mr. Bolen married Miss Sylvia Lamb on the 22d of February, 1898. Her parents, Tobias and Rachel (Humes) Lamb, were natives of Ohio and Indiana respectively. After their marriage, which occurred in Indiana, they removed to Bureau county, Illinois, locating upon a farm in the vicinity of Princeton. They subsequently came to Poweshiek county and located upon a farm in Malcom township. There Mr. Lamb passed away in 1901 and for nine years following Mrs. Lamb continued to reside on the homestead, but in the spring of 1910 she removed to Brooklyn, where she is now living. Mr. Lamb was a soldier of the Civil war. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bolen have been born five children as follows: Michael, who is twelve years of age; Verner, aged ten years; Ephraim, aged eight years; Gerald, aged six years; and Gladys, who has passed the fourth anniversary of her birth. The four older children are all attending school in district No. 9 Madison township.
Fraternally Mr. Bolen is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, his local identification being with Brooklyn Lodge, No. 114, I.O.O.F., while he and his wife belong to the Rebekah lodge of Malcom. He has always supported the candidates of the republican party and takes an active interest in local politics, having served for a number of years as a school director in district No. 9, Madison township, and at the present time he is also acting as assessor and trustee and was at one time township clerk. A man of sound judgment and practical ideas in addition to the capable discharge of his private affairs he find time to assist in the management of the township, where he is highly regarded as a citizen and a business man.

History of Poweshiek County Iowa
- A Record of Settlement, Organizations, Progress and Achievement, Vol. II
written by Prof. L. F. Parker.
Published by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., in 1911
Pages 704-705