JOSEPH BOLTZ.

View Portraits of Joseph Boltz, Civil War soldier and Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Boltz
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         Joseph Boltz, who for many years was engaged in agricultural pursuits but is now living retired in Morning Sun enjoying the ease which is the just reward of a well spent life, was born in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, on the 20th of June, 1834. He is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Shires) Boltz, now deceased, who were also natives of the Keystone state. They were the parents of ten children: Simon, who died on the 1st of June, 1909; Joseph; William, a resident of Lebanon, Pennsylvania; John, also of Lebanon; Elizabeth, deceased; Rebecca, the widow of Ephraim Mochamore, of Sinking Springs, Berks county, Pennsylvania; Catherine, the wife of Samuel Clark, of Lebanon; Mary, the deceased wife of R. R. Snavely, of Annville, Pennsylvania; Fannie, the wife of William Elliott, also of Annville. The eighth in order of birth died in infancy.

         After the completion of his education, which was obtained in the common schools of his native state, Joseph Boltz remained a member of the paternal household until he had attained his twenty-third year, at which time he left home to begin life for himself. He made his way westward to Iowa and there engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1860, when he went to Denver, Colorado. After spending a few weeks there he returned to Fairfield, Iowa, and in the spring of 1861 came to Louisa county and entered the Union army. He enlisted at Burlington on the 2d of June, 1861, and was mustered out on the 9th of September, 1864. He was under the command of Major Levi Chase, and at Bayou Meto, Arkansas, received two bullets which he still . . .

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. . . carrying. After his discharge he returned to Louisa county, where he purchased one hundred and five acres of land, upon which he located in the spring of 1866. He engaged in the cultivation of his farm and stock-raising until 1891, when he retired to Morning Sun, where he has ever since continued to reside.

         Mr. Boltz was married on the 4th of June, 1865, to Miss Elizabeth Sarah Edwards, a daughter of Hugh and Eleanor (Williams) Edwards, now deceased. The parents, who were natives of Wales, had the following children: Margaret, the wife of Benjamin Jones, of O’Brien county, Iowa; Manassa, who is a resident of Burlington; Ellen, the wife of John K. Brown, of Louisa county; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Boltz; Emma, the wife of D. R. Jones, of Louisa county; Robert and Edward, both deceased; Kate, the wife of A. Orris, of Des Moines; Mary, the wife of Jake Miller, of Kansas; Baxter, who was killed in Los Angeles, California; and Edward, deceased. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Boltz were born six children: Joseph E., a resident of Louisa county; William S., who is living in Green Ridge, Missouri; Eleanor, deceased; Nancy Emma, the wife of William Reynolds, of Upland, California; Mary Eva, who married Charles Morrison, of Morning Sun; and Oscar, who is living in Fairfield, Iowa.

         His first vote Mr. Boltz cast for Fremont and he has ever since given his political support to the candidates of the republican party and has held various township offices. Both he and his wife have long been members of the Presbyterian church, in whose congregation they have many friends to whom they extend the hospitality of their pleasant home.