E. J. Boland, the present mayor of Leon, is one of Butler county's progressive business men and belongs to that type of successful men who do things. Mr. Boland was born in Henry county, Missouri, in 1872, and is a son of J. A. and Emily (Beggerly) Boland. J. A. Boland was a native of Indiana, his father was a Scotchman, and his mother was an English woman. E. J. Boland's mother was a native of North Carolina. The Boland family came to Butler county, Kansas, in 1886, the father trading his farm in Missouri for 240 acres of land in Butler county, located about seven miles from Leon. He was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising here until his death, January 6, 1911, and his wife died two days later and both were buried in the same grave. They were the parents of five children, two of whom are living, E. J., the subject of this sketch, and B. F., who resides at Carthage, Mo.

Mr. Boland was reared on a farm, and was successfully engaged in

farming and stock raising until 1913, when he left the farm and removed to Leon where he has since been engaged in the automobile business. While still on the farm, in 1911, he took the agency for the Ford automobile in Leon and vicinity, and his business in that connection developed so rapidly that in 1913, he gave up the farm and has since devoted himself to the automobile business. Upon coming to Leon, he opened a garage and in addition to his sales department, initiated a repair department. His business rapidly developed, and he rented an adjacent room to accommodate it, and it was not long until he found that his enlarged quarters were too small to accommodate his increasing business. In 1916 he built a garage, fifty by one hundred feet. The building is practically fire proof, being constructed of pressed brick with concrete floor, well lighted and is the best equipped garage in Butler county and one of the best in the State. It was completed and occupied about January 1, 1916. Mr. Boland has installed an electric dynamo in connection with his garage and his plan is to furnish electric light for the town, and there is no doubt but what this plan will soon be materialized, as Mr. Boland has a reputation for finishing almost everything that he has started up to the present writing.

Mr. Boland was united in marriage in 1894 to Miss Mina Bean, daughter of John and Hattie (Bridges) Bean, of Atchison, Kans., and to this union have been born four children, as follows: Earl, Lavon, Bertine and Kenneth, all attending the public schools of Leon, Earl being in the second year of high school.

As mayor of Leon, Mr. Boland is wide-awake to every idea that tends to the upbuilding and the betterment of the town. Being a man of pleasant manner and good personal address, he has many friends, and there is no doubt that the very best possible administration of the city's affairs will continue under his leadership.

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