Bolton, James M. (1850-1931)

BOLTON

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/16/2019 at 00:35:06

James M. Bolton
Sep 14, 1850 - Aug 19, 1931

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.439)
JAMES M. BOLTON is ranked among the intelligent and well-known citizens of Washington Township, Pottawattamie County, and resides in section 24. He was born in Botetourt County, Virginia, September 14, 1850, son of David and Martha (FISHER) BOLTON, natives of Virginia. James was 12 years old when his parents moved to Cedar County, Iowa. The family lived there for many years, after which they came to Pottawattamie county. His parents are now residents of Wheeler, this county. To them were born 11 children, James M. being the third.

He was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools of Cedar county. He moved to Guthrie County, Iowa, and three years later to Grove Township, Pottawattamie County. After residing there several years, he moved to Mapleton, Monona County, same state, where he engaged in the dairy business. In 1886 he returned to Pottawattamie County and bought his present farm of A.B. Clark, who had partly improved the place. Here he has since made his home, having 160 acres of land under a splendid state of cultivation. He has a good two-story house, 18 X 26 feet, well located with a grove and orchard nearby. His barn is 30 X 38 feet.

Mr. BOLTON is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has met with success in his agricultural pursuits. He is an expert mechanic, and has invented two machines which he has had patented. One, a four-row corn planter, was patented September 14, 1885, and has proved to be a valuable machine, giving Mr. Bolton no little notariety. The other, a washing machine, was patented in June 1890 and is equally successful. It has six small rollers and one large fluted cylinder roller. It is considered the best machine in the county for practical use.

When he was 20 years old, Mr. Bolton was married to Sarah ANDERSON, a native of Miami County, Indiana, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (DRAKE) ANDERSON. To them six sons have been born: Clyde, Herbert, Homer, Roy, Harry and Grant. Their only daughter, Gracie, is deceased. In his political views, Mr. Bolton is a Republican. He is a member of the Farmers' Alliance. In all his business relations, he is regarded as an honorable and upright man.