James R. Boyce Jr
History of Montana, 1898
US Genweb Montana Archives

James R. Boyce Jr, a highly respected citizen of Butte City has 
been identified with Montana since 1865.  He was born in Missouri, 
April 20, 1844 and comes of an old Virginia family, his father 
being Hon. James R. Boyce Sr., further mention of whom is found 
elsewhere in this work.

The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in his 
native state and in 1865 came up the Missouri River with his 
mother and the rest of the family to join the father in Montana, 
the father having come to Virginia City the year before.  He 
met them with teams at Ft. Benton and brought them across the 
mountains to Virginia City where he was engaged in the 
mercantile business.  James Fr. had just arrived at maturity 
and he was given employment as a collector by the firm of 
which his father was a member-Tootle, Leech and Company.  
When the firm moved their business to Helena he went with 
them and continued in their employ until 1875.  He then 
succeeded his father and the firm name was changed to Sands 
and Boyce.  In 1879 they removed the business to Butte City and 
Mr. Boyce continued in charge of it.  In 1887 another change 
was made, Mr. Boyce and Mr. A.J. Davis becoming equal partners 
in the business, which was done under the firm name of J.R. 
Boyce Jr. and Company until after the death of Mr. Davis.  
In 1891 the First National Bank of Butte City, through a 
misunderstanding and as Mr. Boyce believes, in an 
unavoidable way, attached Mr. Davis' interest and in that 
way the business was wrecked.  The matter has since been 
in the courts, Mr. Boyce suing for damages and it is firmly 
believed that he will get his rights.

Since 1891 Mr. Boyce has been retired from mercantile business.  
He resides with his family in their commodious residence, No. 523 
West Galena Street and gives his attention to looking after his 
real estate interest.  He owns a large and beautiful ranch at 
the mouth of Black Tail Canon, nine miles south of Butte City, 
which for beauty of scenery is unsurpassed.  He keeps a 
tenant on this place.

Mr. Boyce was married April 26, 1870 to Miss Bettie Fant, a 
native of Missouri, who died at the age of thirty three after 
nine years of happy married life, leaving four children-Lyman 
F., Wilber, Thomas and Bettie.  She was greatly beloved by her 
husband and family and her untimely death was a source of 
great bereavement to all who knew her.  March 6, 1881 Mr. 
Boyce married Miss Lynnie Fant, a sister of his first wife 
and they have two sons, Owen and Alvin.

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