Biography of J. D. Bolton - Conway Co, AR

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Submitted by: Cathy Barnes <bbarnes@cswnet.com>
        Date: 21 Jun 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1891.

page 45

J. D. Bolton, of the firm of Bolton & Millen, general merchants, at Springfield,
Arkansas, which firm was established in January, 1889, with a stock of general
merchandise to the value of $6000, being one of the most substantial mercantile
houses in Springfield. Mr. Bolton was born in Hamilton County, East Tennessee,
in the year 1856, and is a son of Yell and Jane (Steele) Bolton, who were
natives of Virginia, where they were reared and married. Mr. Bolton was born in
1812. They removed from Virginia to East Tennessee, where Mrs. Bolton died in
1861. Mr. Bolton afterward married Mary Ervin in 1863, and continued to reside
in Tennessee till 1880, when he removed to Denton County, Texas, where he still
resides. In early life Mr. Bolton followed railroading for some years, but of
late has devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. He is a worthy member
of the Christian Church, and is a son of Noah Bolton, who was born at the Town
of Bolton in England, and while yet a young man immigrated to the United States;
married and settled in Virginia, and from there he removed to Tennessee and died
at Bristol in that State. His father was William Bolton, who was an Englishman
by birth, but in an early day immigrated to the United States, and served in the
war for independence and spent his last days in the Old Dominion State. James
Steele, the maternal grandfather of J. D. Bolton, was a native of Rockbridge
County, Virginia from whence he removed to Tennessee, and died at Charleston, in
that State. Mr. Bolton is the ninth of a family of five sons and seven
daughters. He was reared to manhood on a farm, and his education is due to his
own effort, assisted somewhat by the county schools of his neighborhood. He
began for himself at the age of nineteen years, and in 1878 came to Conway
County, and for some years was engaged as clerk for his brother, J. W. Bolton,
at Springfield, but who is now one of the leading merchants of Morrilton. After
a few years as a clerk he was placed in charge of the business at Springfield
for one year, and in 1885 and 1886 was engaged in the saw-mill business. October
10, 1888, Mr. Bolton was married to Miss Emma Bardin, a daughter of James and
Sallie Bardin, who immigrated from South Carolina to what is now Faulkner
County, Arkansas, where Mr. Bardin died, and where Mrs. Bardin still resides.
Mrs. Bolton is a native of South Carolina, and is the mother of one daughter,
and is a member of the Methodist Church. Politically, Mr. Bolton affiliates with
the Democratic party. He is an enterprising and a public-spirited man and a man
of good business ability.