Biography - George W. Boys
GEORGE W. BOYS. A member of a family highly respected and honored in the
community in which he resides our subject is one of the pioneers in the
central part of the state. He was there growing to manhood while Lincoln was
maturing and preparing for the career which has made his name immortal. Mr.
Boys resides on section 26, of Ridge Township, Shelby County. He is a son of
Alexander and Virginia Boys, of whom notice may be found under the sketch of
James Boys, in another part of this volume. Our subject's father was born in
the beginning of the present century and when the War of 1812 occurred, he
was old enough to remember something regarding it.
He of whom we write first saw the light of day in Vermilion County, this
State, January 23, 1834. When only two years of age his family removed from
that county and located in Shelby County. Here he grew to manhood and
assisted in the improvement of the farm, making his home under the paternal
roof until he attained his majority. When twenty one years of age, he
attended school for one winter, and the next year he was married to
Elizabeth Hardy, daughter of Thomas and Nellie Hardy. Their marriage was
celebrated February 26, 1856. The lady was born in Fairfield County, Ohio.
For the further history of her family see sketch of William Hardy in another
part of this Record.
After marriage, Mr. Boys rented a tract of land which he operated for two
years. He then purchased eighty acres in Todd's Point Township, there
residing for several years, engaged in plowing, planting and reaping, and
the general improvement of his place. They then removed to Ridge Township,
and purchased a larger tract comprising one hundred and sixty acres, which
was the nucleus of his present farm, which was at the time of purchase but a
little improved. He is now the possessor of three hundred acres of finely
cultivated and highly productive land, upon which he has expended large
amounts in improvements. Although Mr. Boys follows general agriculture as
his calling, he particularly favors the branch of stock raising and has many
fine animals that are noted throughout the county for the purity of their
breeding. For some years he devoted himself to wheat raising.
Mr. Boys and his amiable and charming wife have been the parents of eight
children, six of whom are living. They are Ollie, Luella, Emma, Sarah, Cora
and Hope. Of these, Emma is the wife of Lawson Killam. Sarah is the wife of
Cyrus Killam. Politically, our subject favors the Democratic party and
although he is much interested in local politics, desiring that the best man
should receive the favors to be awarded, he has never been prevailed upon to
accept office. Religiously, Mr. Boys is a believer in Christianity, but has
never connected himself with any church, finding good in all. His daughter
Ollie, however, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which she
is an efficient worker. Our subject has felt that in being entrusted with
the care of children, an almost sacred obligation is upon him to enrich
their intelligence to the greatest possible extent, and he has never spared
any means to give his children the best educational advantages. Two
daughters, after finishing at the home school, attended the Wesleyan
College, at Bloomington, and two others finished at St. Mary's, near Terre
Haute, Ind. Their course in the Shelbyville schools prior to their college
life, was thorough and practical. His children are cultivated and refined
women, who are adornments and desirable additions to the social and
intellectual life of the community in which they live. Miss Cora is a
teacher of music, in which art she is proficient, having a wide local
reputation for the beauty and sympathy of her piano forte performances.
Extracted 17 Aug 2020 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 689-690.
