John Boswell
Weik, Jesse William.
Weik's history of
Holding worthy prestige as a citizen and standing in the front rank of
deserving of mention among the representative men of his township and it
is with much satisfaction that the following brief outline of his career
is herewith presented. The Boswell family in this country
were among the
early colonists of
state the name is still a familiar one. John Boswell, the subject's
grandfather, a Virginian by birth, was reared in the
and there married Catherine Peffley, whose
antecedents were also old
residents and well-to-do-planters. Some time in the early
forties this
couple moved to
settling on the west fork of
Boswell built a saw-mill which received its motive power from the creek.
His sons, Jacob, Daniel, John and Samuel came about the same time and
settled nearby, also a daughter, Mrs. William Richardson, all of whom
became well known residents and were greatly esteemed by their neighbors
and friends. John Boswell, Senior developed a good farm and spent the
remainder of his life in
his son John for some years previous to his death,which occurred in his
81st year, his wife preceding him to the grave. Jacob Boswell was born
in
parents moved to
pursuits and in due tim elocated
on a farm in Washington Township where
he remained a few years, removing thence to Clinton Township where he
lived until some time in the 50s when he purchased the farm in Madison
Township, on which the remainder of his days were spent dying there on
12 August 1886, age 68. In connection with tilling the soil he did
considerable carpentry work in his neighborhood and was esteemed a very
proficient mechanic. He was an enterprising, industrious man and an
excellent citizen, devout christian,
having long been a member of
Brethren near his place of residence. Sarah Darting, whom Jacob Boswell
married in Clay County Indiana departed this life at th ehome farm in
namely: George W, a carpenter, who was murdered some years ago
in
her husband dying later in the state of
returned to
the third of the family moved to
and
a prosperous farmer of
sketch is the next younger. Zimiri lives in
now Mrs. Samuel Wells.
young womanhood, sometime after becoming the wife of Robert Gardner, who
after her death married her older sister, Elizabeth as stated above.
William Boswell, of this review, was born June 4, 1853, on the family
homestead in
about 23 years of age, receiving in the meantime a fair education in the
public schools. On August 23, 1876, he entered the marriage relation
with Miss Jane Wells, daughter of Peter Wells of
immediately therafter began farming for himself on
the old Boswell
homestead, where he lived until the death of his wife, four years later.
Mrs. Boswell was only 21 when summoned to the Great Beyond, and her loss
was greatly deplored by all who knew her. She left beside her husband
one son, Ora A, a railway employee at Greencastle, a
daughter, Minnie
May, dying in infancy. Mr. Boswell's second marriage was solemnized on
September 23, 1881, with Lucy Wells, daughter of Joseph and Delilah Love
Wells and a half sister of Peter Wells, father of his first wife. Joseph
Wells was a native of
a Miss Stoner, whose death occurred some years later at Crab Orchard,
purchased a tract of land which in due time he cleared and converted
into a fine farm. He was quite a successful man, owning at one time 360
acres of valuable land, 240 in his home farm and 120 in the same
locality, which he subsequently sold. He died in March 1884 at the
advanced age of 91, being the oldest member of the
men of the community and stood high in the confidence of his fellow
citizens, both locally and throughout the county. He gave unyielding
support to the Democratic party and was tenacious in
the support of his
opinions. A sincere Christian, he exemplified his faith in his every day
life and as a profound student of the Bible was long an authority on
scriptural subjects, also on church history and general religious
matters, concerning which he was frequently consulted. Mr. Boswell's 3rd
wife was Delilah Wells, to which union were born two children, the first
being Mary, who married David Bennett and spent her entire life on her
father's farm, dying there September 29, 1900 leaving two sons and one
daughter, Joseph, Gerald and Alta, now Mrs. Charles W. Keyt,
of Clinton
Township. The second child being Lucy, wife of William
Boswell, subject
of this sketch. Mr. Boswell now resides in
given his entire attention to agriculture and stock raising,
in both of
which his success has been very gratifying. His home farm of 120 acres
is under a high state of cultivation and otherwise well improved in
addition to which he owns another farm of 160 acres, a half mile
distant, the latter also being successfully tilled and containing good
buildings and other improvements. Mr. Boswell operates both farms and
tills the soil on quite an extensive scale. He also breeds and raises
high-grade stock, his cattle, horses and hogs being among the best in
his section of the country. In poltics he is a
Democrat; he keeps in
touch with the times on all matters of public interset,
lends his
influence to all laudable enterprises and stands high in the community.
Although connected with no religious organization, he is strictly moral
and upright in his dealings and a regular attendant of and liberal
contributor to the
membership. Mr. and Mrs. Boswell have six children: Alva T, who lives
with his parents; Anna M, wife of FH Alspaugh of
married Wallace Morris of Greencastle; Herbert D; Homer Vilas and J.
Lee, the last three still at home.
From: Virginia Smithson Mason <mailto:[email protected]>
Jeff- I have a copy of a list of names of the Boswell family that used
to hang on the wall of Joe and Bessie Boswells home. It was probably
from an old family Bible.
The names are:
Jacob Boswell was borned February the 27th 1818;
Sarah Boswell was borned January the 5th 1821;
Barbery E. Boswell borned
December the 11, 1843;
George W. Boswell borned March the 2nd, 1845;
Catherine Boswell borned May the 24th, 1847;
John W. Boswell borned November the 1st, 1848;
David Boswell borned June the 14th,1851;
William Boswell borned June the 11th,1853;
Zimry Boswell borned August
the 8th, 1855;
Mary A. Boswell borned Febuary
the 7th, 1857;
Elisabeth P Boswell borned Febuary
17th, 1858;
Susana Boswell borned July the 30th, 1861;
Rachel S Boswell borned June the 11th, 1865.
Joseph D. Boswell was born on July 19, 1877 in
of David and Mary Wells Boswell. He married Bessie Smithson (my aunt) .
Joe died on April 4, 1958. Joe and Bessie were second cousins, Bessie
being the daughter of Zachary Taylor Smithson and Abbie
Ellen Richards
Smithson. Abbies' mother was Susana Boswell. There
are many decendents
of this family. My father was Ross Earl Smithson, son of Zach and Abbie.
He was born on January 24th, 1891. I have done extensive research on
this line. Have met a number of cousins in the process.
Virginia Smithson Mason in CA.
File Created: 2007-Jul-06
--
Jeffery G. Scism, IBSSG