John A. Boland Biography


	This biography appears on page 915-916 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JOHN A. BOLAND. 

	Among the efficient and representative business men of Keystone, 
Pennington county, is John A. Boland, who carries the largest and most 
complete grocery stock in that city and who is connected with a number 
of local enterprises. He was born at Rapid City, South Dakota, on the 
2d of May, 1884, a son of Abram C. and Catharine (Green) Boland. His 
father, who was born in Renfrew county, Ontario, Canada, on the 22d of 
October, 1838, grew to manhood in the Dominion and until he was thirty 
years of age was a lumber foreman. He then removed to Wingham, Ontario, 
and there engaged in the hotel business. After five years he turned his 
attention to the grain business and also dealt in real estate at 
Wingham and Blythe until 1877, when he came to the states and joined 
his brother, George C. Boland, who was conducting a stage station and 
road house and resided at Buffalo Gap. That fall Abram C. Boland 
returned to Canada but the following year removed with his family to 
Buffalo Gap and engaged in the stock business there until 1880. He then 
removed to Rapid City and turned his attention to the feed business and 
to dealing in real estate. He erected a number of buildings at Rapid 
City and also operated in several other towns in the Hills. He and 
Jacob Lambert erected the first grist mill at Rapid City and he also 
put up the first brick building in that city and had much to do with 
its material growth and development. He continued to deal in real 
estate and also engaged in ranching until 1901, when he removed to 
Keystone, after which he entered the flour, feed and lumber business. 
At that time he had partially disposed of his Rapid City holdings and 
he finally closed out his interests there entirely in 1910, in which 
year he was appointed superintendent of Wind Cave National Park near 
Hot Springs, South Dakota. He continued in that position until his 
demise, which occurred suddenly on the 13th of June, 1912, as the 
result of heart failure. 

	In addition to the interests already mentioned Mr. Boland was 
connected with a number of mining ventures and during the many years 
that he resided in the Hills country he was well known and took an 
active part in the development of the region. In 1880 he was appointed 
deputy United States marshal and served in that important office for 
four years, making an excellent record in the preservation of law and 
order and the apprehension of criminals. In the early '90s he was 
elected county commissioner and again filled that office from 1904 to 
1908, serving altogether for six years in that position. In 1894 he was 
elected to the state legislature on the republican ticket and proved an 
able and capable member of the legislative body. He was one of the 
leaders of his party in South Dakota and attended the first state 
convention held in South Dakota and also the last one before his 
demise. He was married in Wingham, Ontario. Canada. to Miss Catharine 
Green, who was born in County Clare, Ireland, on the 26th of August, 
1850. She is still living and makes her home at Rapid City. To their 
union were born eight children, of whom our subject was the seventh in 
order of birth. 

	John A. Boland attended the Rapid City high school and was later 
a student in the School of Mines of Rapid City. When eighteen years of 
age he began his business career, engaging in the feed and flour 
business at Keystone. The following year, however, he became his 
father's partner in the lumber business and a year later again entered 
school, devoting two years to study, graduating from the Lincoln 
Business College of Lincoln, Nebraska. At the end of that time he 
engaged in the flour, feed and grocery business and has built up an 
excellent patronage and has gained a reputation for fair dealing that 
insures the continuance of his success as a merchant. He carries the 
largest grocery stock in Keystone and spares no pains to meet the 
demands of his customers. He also has a good trade in flour and feed 
and he likewise has a number of other interests, being a stockholder in 
the Columbia Mining Company and owning a sawmill at Keystone and a 
valuable tract of timber land. 

	Mr. Boland is a republican and although he has never desired to 
hold political office he was for seven years a member of the school 
board and was reelected in June, 1915, to serve another three years, 
term. He has always taken a keen interest in the welfare of the public 
schools. His religious faith is that of the Episcopal church and its 
teachings guide his life Fraternally he belongs to Mount Aetna Lodge, 
No. 128, A. F. & A. M., and the Elks lodge at Rapid City. He is one of 
the shrewd, energetic and successful business men of Keystone and in 
building up his trade has at the same time contributed to the 
commercial growth of his city. All who know him respect him for his 
ability and integrity and there are many who hold him in high regard. 

	On September 2, 1915, at Buffalo Gap, South Dakota, Mr. Boland 
was married to Miss Ethel Winne, of Shoshoni, Wyoming, a daughter of 
Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Winne, who were early residents of the Black Hills, 
living at Hill City, South Dakota, and near Buffalo Gap, South Dakota.