Bio of Bolton, Thomas G. (b.1843) Wabasha Co., MN ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm ========================================================================= This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920. Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some of the bios on her pages. Bolton, Thomas G. (page 258), business man, agriculturist, druggist, editor and city official, for many years exerted a strong influence upon the affairs of Plainview and the surrounding territory. As a business man he was ever alive to Plainview's best interest; as a druggist he was accurate, courteous and obliging; as a newspaper man he labored constantly for the progress of the village; as an official he succeeded in introducing a number of municipal improvements; and as an agriculturist he foresaw the future and ever urged the breeding of better stock and the adoption of constantly improving methods. He was born in Logan, Ohio, November 12, 1843, the son of Graham and Nancy (Miller) Bolton. The father was born in county Derry, Ireland, in 1816, and died in 1852. He was married in New Jersey, in 1837, to Nancy Miller, who, like himself, was a native of County Derry, Ireland, and born in the same year, on April 19, 1816. She had come to America as a girl and met Mr. Bolton for the first time in New Jersey. In 1842, accompanied by their two first born children, Ruth and John, they settled in Logan County, Ohio. Later two other children were born to them, Thomas G. and Martha. After Graham Bolton's death his widow removed with her four children to Cleveland, Ohio, and in 1855 brought them to Wabasha County, Minnesota, settling in Wabasha. She spent a long and useful life here, and died at the home of her son, Thomas G., at Plainview, September 12, 1898. Thomas G. Bolton came to Wabasha with his mother and the other members of the family, when that city consisted of a few buildings on the banks of the Mississippi river. When about fourteen years of age, he spent two years as a cabin boy on a Mississippi steamboat. In 1861 he commenced his long business career as a druggist in the employ of James Crowley, of Wabasha, and in 1863 he assumed the management of the first drug store in Plainview, opened as a branch of the Wabasha store. Two years later he returned to the Wabasha store for a short time, but soon started a drug store of his own in Eyota, where he lived several years. In 1874 he returned to Plainview for a permanent residence, again engaging in the drub business, this time as a partner of George S. La Rue, whom he later bought out. This, however, was only oneof many business activities. For a while he was Plainview agent for the Laird-Norton Co. of Winona, and for some time he was an implement dealer. He also found time for the development of a fine farm on the site of the old village of Greenville, one of the deserted store buildings of that village being used by him as a sheep shed. He was one of the most progressive farmers of the county, at a time when scientific farming was not so common as at present, he being one of the first to introduce superior breeds of blooded stock on Greenwood Prairie. He was editor of the Plainview News, which was the development of smaller papers which he had previously published in Plainview and Eyota. He held several important city offices, and was a leader in all the progressive movements for advancing the welfare of the community one of the most beneficial being the organization of the Electric Light co. of which he was manager until his illness. Not only in the business world was his influence strongly felt, but also in the social and religious life of the city. His ready humor, inexhaustible fund of stories, reminiscences of his travels, practical wisdom and literary tastes, made him a delightful companion, and the generous hospitality of his home, gathered about him a large circle of friends, by whom he is still sadly missed. Mr. Bolton's life exemplifies strongly the fact that hardships of pioneering tend to develop all one's latent powers, for probably considerable of his ability as a leader, resourcefulness and power of initiative were gained during those early years of our country's history. He took an active part in the Greenwood Prairie Old Settlers' Association, regretting exceedingly that he could not attend the 1917 meeting, the last meeting before his death. Although he had received but a common school education he was a life-long student, reading extensively and gaining a wealth of valuable information from various sources, as well as by keen observation. For many years he was a prominent member and officer of the Methodist Episcopal church, a fine Bible student, and a Sunday school worker. He was a member of the Masonic brotherhood, and the Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Bolton was married September 1, 1869 to Ella Foster, only child of A. P. and Harriet (Thompson) Foster, and this union was blessed with four children: Alonzo C., Miller T., Mary L. and John F. Mrs. Ella Foster Bolton died October 7, 1884. Alonzo G. was born June 15, 1870, and died November 15, 1887. He was a high school student and deeply beloved for his upright life and engaging qualities. Miller T. and John F. are Plainview druggists. Mary Lee was born July 1, 1874, was educated in the Plainview schools, enlisted in the service of the W. F. M. S. (most likely the Women's Foreign Missionary Society of Methodist Episcopal Church), was sent to France, where she did notable work in the war, and in the devastated regions after the war, and returned to America in November, 1919.