The William Clayton Boles Family

By Lois Boles

William Clayton Boles came to Garrison, Texas, from near Birmingham, Alabama, in 1858. On a visit to his uncle, Cale Boles, who lived east of Jacksonville, he met Mary Pickens, and they were married in 1879. Mary's parents were Robert and Racheal Pickens, and she had two sisters, Texana (Mrs. Wesley Love) and Frankie (Mrs. Jim Arnwine).

Clayton and Mary bought a farm located about a mile south of the old O'Keefe Dairy (now owned by Fender May), where Clayton raised cotton, corn and "ribbon" cane. Velma, Troy and Sam were born there.

In 1887, the family bought a farm two miles east of Jacksonville. They lived here until 1892, when they moved to town so the children would be near school. Dan was born that year. The family home was at the corner of the present Neches and Nacogdoches Streets. The Marshall home, 350 Neches, is a part of the old home place.

Clayton belonged to the Masonic Lodge and was a member of the First Baptist Church. He died in 1896. Mary and children continued to farm.

Troy took a job as night watchman for the T. & N. O. railroad. He was killed in 1903 in an accident at the railroad yards.

Velma attended college at Huntsville and taught at Corinth school. She died of tuberculosis in 1907.

Mary was an active member of the First Methodist Church until her death in 1938.

Dan became a dentist and lived in Breckenridge, Texas, until his death in 1965. He had one daughter, Mrs. Mary Rebecca Moore, who lives in San Diego, California.

Sam continued farming and in 1916 married Gussie Cunningham (deceased). Their daughter, Lois Boles, is a teacher at Jacksonville High School.

Sam, a retired farmer and fruit grower, still lives in Jacksonville. He has been a director of the First National Bank for 30 years, was a charter member of the Chamber of Commerce, and served on the Jacksonville Good Road Committee for 28 years. He participated in activities of the first Jacksonville Fire Department, which was organized in 1906, but could not be a member until 1907 when he became 21 years of age. Sam belongs to the Masonic Lodge, the United Methodist Church and is a Shriner.

Mrs. Mary Boles, right, with her children. Seated, l. to r., Velma and Dan; standing, l. to r., Troy and Sam.

Boles family home in 1899. Shown are Troy, Dan, Mrs. Mary Boles, Sam, Velma.