Martin E. Boulware

MARTIN E. BOULWARE. One of the oldest families to locate in Kansas was the Boulwares. The family in America was founded by Richard A. Bouldware, and the name has been slightly changed in spelling since his time. This ancestor was born in Germany. He married a Miss Fischer, an heir to the estate of the noted Adam Fischer, of Germany. Richard A. Bouldware located in Missouri, living in RaIls County, and was a slave owner there. He was preparing to transfer his residence from Missouri to Kansas when he died, and his remains were laid to rest in Ralls County.

His widow and her children completed the removal to Kansas, and in 1847, seven years before the Kansas-Nebraska bill, and before Kansas became the territory of blood and turbulence of the struggle over freedom or slavery, she located in Doniphan County. She exercised a settler's right in that county. Kansas lands had not yet been surveyed. The widow of Richard A. Bouldware died in Kansas and is buried in the Doniphan cemetery. Her children were: Richard A.; Mildred Ann, who married Henry Cornelius and died in Doniphan, Kansas, in 1880.

Richard A. Boulware, father of Martin E., was born in RaIls County, Missouri, in December, 1837, and was ten years of age when he accompanied his widowed mother to Eastern Kansas. He helped carry a chain when the lands of Doniphan County were surveyed. The old home was six miles southwest of Troy, and within three miles of Doniphan the family lived for many years. Richard Abraham Boulware secured a limited education on the Kansas frontier. He attended the log schoolhouse then known as the Horton schoolhouse. During the war he served in the Kansas State militia, though he belonged to a slave holding family. He lived a quiet life as a farmer and was one of the early fruit raisers in Eastern Kansas. He was very successful in the growing of fruit. He built up one of the best orchards in Doniphan County. He was a life-long democrat, a member of the Christian Church, and for many years was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity.

Richard A. Boulware prospected over several of the Western Kansas counties in 1880, and in that year visited Rush County before it was organized, and also took a pre-emption in Lane County. In 1883 he left Doniphan County and moved to Rush County, locating near LaCrosse. He took a homestead and remained a resident of the county for nineteen years. In Rush County he had the distinction of sowing the first wheat crop, and with his partner, McNamee, owned the first header and the first threshing outfit. In 1902 he went still further west, into Lane County, and bought a farm near Pendennis. That was his home until age made it necessary for him to abandon active farming, and he then removed to Utica, where his death occurred December 4, 1916.

Richard A. Boulware was married in Doniphan County, Kansas, March 19, 1866, over fifty years before his death, to Miss Arab J. Swicher, daughter of Henry Swicher and Hattie (Tarlton) Swicher. The Swicher family formerly spelled their name Switzer. They were German people, and came west from Virginia. Henry Swicher and wife are buried at LaCrosse, Kansas, and they were among the early settlers of Doniphan County. Mrs. Richard A. Boulware, who was one of several children, died March 7, 1916. She was the mother of the following children: Martin E.; Mrs. W. C. Clodfelter, of Osborne, Kansas; Mrs. C. W. Deighton, of Rozel, Kansas; Mrs. J. S. Clodfelter, of Utica, Kansas; Richard Hugh, of Rozel; Wesley Morgan, of Brownell, Kansas; Mrs. J. F. Harvey, of Utica; and Miss Nona BouIware, of Kansas City, Kansas.

Mr. Martin E. Boulware is a native of Kansas, having been born on the home farm in Doniphan County July 9, 1871. He was about twelve years of age when his parents moved to Rush County, where he secured the greater part of his education in the country schools. He attended one of the pioneer sod school houses maintained in that county. He lived at home until reaching his majority, and went out of the state to the mines of Colorado. He spent four year in the Colorado mining district, chiefly at Cripple Creek. For a time he was employed in the Stratton Independence mine, where he put in eighteen months of work without losing a single shift. While in that region he also did considerable prospecting, though without results to encourage him to go further.

On leaving the mines Mr. Boulware returned to Kansas with the capital he had saved from his wages, and set up in the mercantile business at Utica. For eleven years he remained a merchant at Utica in partnership with R. C. Webster, a brother-in-law, and at the same time they carried on extensive farming operations and stock raising. In Trego County he proved up a claim twelve miles northeast of Utica.

From Utica Mr. Boulware came to Modoc in 1906 and became associated with D. L. Countryman, a brother-in-law, in the firm of Boulware & Countryman. This firm put up the first general business house in the town, and they have developed a very extensive and varied business. They are farmers as well as merchants, and are perhaps the largest wheat raisers in Isabel Township. They also ship stock, are buyers and shippers of grain, and for some years they conducted a line of elevators along the Missouri Pacific Railway.

Mr. Boulware began voting as a republican. Some years ago he was defeated on the republican ticket for the Legislature by only sixteen votes. He is an independent thinker and voter, and in recent years has become identified with the Reform element in politics and tends toward Socialism.

In August, 1898, Mr. Boulware was married in Ness County, Kansas, to Miss Era Webster, daughter of Reuben C. and Harriet (Secrest) Webster. Her father was born and reared in Kentucky, and in 1880 came from Missouri to Kansas, taking a claim in Stafford County. Mrs. Boulware died at Utica September 19, 1899, a little more than a year after her marriage. In December, 1900, Mr. Boulware married for his present wife the younger sister of his first wife, Miss Ura Webster. They are the parents of two children: Reuben Abraham and Theodore Martin.

Pages 2124-2125.