Obituary for Mrs Nancy Louisa (Lou) Boles, Williamson County, Illinois Marion Daily Republican, Monday August 4, 1941 MRS. LOU BOLES DIED SUNDAY Pioneer of Williamson County and Widow of Noted Christian Church Minister Mrs. Nancy Louisa (Lou ) Boles, widow of the late Rev. William Henry Boles passed awayat 10:30 a.m. Sunday, August 3, 1941 after an illness of more than three years. She was the oldest of fourteen children of William Jackson and Susan Elizabeth Goodall Spiller. And was born at the old Spiller home 21/2 miles north of Marion near Spillertown. At the time of death she was 86 years 8 months and 11 days of age. She received her early education in the log school known as Rawls School and later attended school in Marion. During summers she taught subscription schools at Lance school south of Marion and the old Will Young place at Western Star School. After she reared her family she entered the Kirksville Mo. School of Osteopathy and graduated from there at the age of 52, but never practiced in Illinois. In her childhood she met a Rev. William Henry Bowles ( the family later changed the spelling to Boles) who was preaching at the log school house in Spillertown. Later Rev. Boles became pastor of the newly organized Christian Church in Marion and on March 29, 1877 took Miss Louisa Spiller as his bride. They started housekeeping in a small house near where the present Christian Church now stands. Otis A. Burgess, President of Butler University if Indianapolis Indiana dedicated the new Christian Church and thru his interest the new pastor Rev. Boles and wife moved to Indiana to enter school and to preach in nearby churches including Mooresville and martinsville in Indiana. The United Missionary Board of the Christian Church later sent the Boles family to Topeka Kansas where he organized the first Christian Church of that city. While the family lived in Indiana their three children were born. These were David (Clara) Mills who died in August 1920; Mrs. Harriet B. Stephenson with whom Mrs. Boles lived and Burgess Boles of Lincoln Illinois. Grandchildren who survive are Mrs. Harold (Rosemary Mills) Ray of Marion; William C. Stephenson of Evansville Indiana; Mrs. Edward (Emma Lou Stephenson) Emerine of Boise Idaho; William Boles of St. Louis; Mrs. Glen (Mary Boles) Courtright and Mrs. Frank (Betty Lou Boles) Barrick of Lincoln, Ill. Great grandchildren are Anne Elizabeth Stephenson, Evansville; Edward Stephenson Emerine, Boise Idaho; Geraldine Boles, St. Louis Mo. Having broken down his health in Kansas, Rev. Boles and family moved to Dixon County, Illinois where he purchased a farm and divided his time between evangelistic work and farming. He was always interested in higher education acting as field agent for Eureka College for years and was one of the founders of the Alma (Illinois) Industrial College. Following the death of her husband at Alma on December 9, 1915, Mrs. Boles and her daughter Harriet Stephenson moved to Marion to make their home in 1916. Since 1919 they have lived at 205 East College where death occurred. Besides the family, three sisters, Mrs. Amanda Cochrum and Mrs. Nellie Walker of Marion, Mrs. Emmett Harris of Carbondale and two brothers, John and James Spiller of Marion also survive. Mrs. Boles was a member of the Royal Neighbors and an active member of the Marion Christian Church as long as her health permitted her to take part in its work. Funeral services will be at the Christian Church at 10 a.m. Tuesday with Rev. Marion Frank of Carterville in charge. The body will lie in state at the Ozment- Mitchell Funeral Home until 9:00 a.m. Tuesday when it will be removed to the Christian Church. The casket will be closed at the church at the time of the funeral and will not be re-opened. ------------------------------------------------------------- UGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organiza- tions or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contri- butor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------- File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bailey Williams