Jackson County, West Virginia Biography of WALTER FRENCH BOGGESS This file was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 645-646 WALTER FRENCH BOGGESS who has practiced law at Ripley for fourteen years, is former prosecuting attorney of Jack- son County and is one of the prominent citizens as well as leading lawyers in that section of the State. The name Boggess is of English origin. People of that name were early settlers in Old Virginia. Mr. Boggess' grandfather, George Boggess, was born in 1837 and was a Confederate soldier in the Civil war, participating in Gettys- burg and other engagements. He was a farmer in Jackson County, West Virginia, for many years and died there in 1917. His wife Martha Smith died at their home near Meadowdale in 1914. Perry A. Boggess, father of the Bip- ley lawyer, was born in Jackson County in 1857, and is still living on his farm near Millwood in Jackson County. In former years he conducted farming on an extensive scale, but has now limited his activities commensurate with his ad- vancing years. He is a republican. Perry A. Boggess married Ida Hartley who was born near Liverpool, Jackson County in 1852. Their family consists of three children: Ona, wife of Otho C. Williams, a teacher and farmer living at Millwood; Walter F.; Rubie, wife of Frank Spicer, a farmer and assistant county assessor of Jackson County, living at Leroy. Walter French Boggess was born near Liverpool in Jack- son County, March 25, 1886. While a farm boy he showed a strong inclination for study and partly through his own efforts and earnings acquired a liberal education. He at- tended rural schools and at the age of seventeen began teaching and made a commendable record during the five years he was connected with the rural school work of Jack- son County. In the meantime he attended Marshall College at Huntington one year, spent one year in the Preparatory School of West Virginia University, and in June, 1908, graduated from the University Law School at Morgan- town. Mr. Boggess was admitted to the bar June 3, 1908, and in the same year began practice at Ripley. He is an able attorney in both the civil and criminal branches of his pro- fession. His law offices are in the Starcher Hardware Build- ing on Main Street. Mr. Boggess is one of the leading republicans of Jackson County. He was secretary of the County Committee from 1912 to 1916. He was elected prosecuting attorney in No- vember, 1916, and held that office from January 1, 1917, to January 1, 1921. Since retiring from office he has been chairman of the Republican Committee of the county. Mr. Boggess is a Past Grand of Ripley Lodge No. 30 Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, is a member of Ripley Camp Modern Woodmen of America. During the World war he was Government Appeal Agent for Jackson County, and through his profession and as a private citizen exerted him- self to the extent of his needs and abilities in securing the successful outcome of every local campaign. September 26, 1906, at Duncan in Jackson County he married. Miss Lillian Ice. Her parents Rev. David M. and Amy (Sturn) Ice live on their farm at Buffalo in Putnam County. Her father is a farmer, a teacher and a minister of the Christian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Boggess have two daughters, Marie, born March 25, 1908, and Pearl, born March 25, 1909.