My Genealogy Hound

STEPHEN N. BOLTON. One who has seen Jamestown grow from a country village to a live wide-awake city, is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He came to Jamestown in 1851, where he has lived ever since. Stephen N. Bolton is a son of Hollis and Betsy (Sawin) Bolton, and was born at Westminster, Worcester county, Massachusetts, August 20, 1829. The Boltons were among the earliest white people who came to the cold and dreary winter climate of New England, but when the verdure of spring and summer burst forth, found the home pleasant and nature hospitable. Our indisputable record is when William Bolton married Elizabeth White, at Middlesex, Mass., in 1720. It is supposed that he came up from the settlement made on the James river in Virginia. He died at Reading, Massachusetts, September 10, 1725, leaving a young widow with two little sons. The mother was of New England origin and these sons laid the foundation of the Bolton family of the present. One of the sons mentioned, William Bolton, was the direct ancestor of Stephen N. He married Mary Roberts, who was born November 30, 1725, and they had ten children: one of them, Ebenezer Bolton, born June 12, 1749, was the great-grandfather of our subject. He was married at Reading, on February 20, 1771, to Elizabeth Damon, a daughter of David Damon, and who was born May 3, 1749. Ebenezer Bolton enlisted in the Colonial army during the Revolution and served as a corporal. He was present at the battle of Bunker Hill, and was one of the minute-men, ready for immediate service all through that struggle. He had four children, of whom Ebenezer Bolton, Jr., was the grandfather of Stephen N. He was born February 14, 1778, married Linda, daughter of Simeon Leland, and served as a clerk in the War of 1812. His family consisted of four sons and two daughters. Hollis Bolton was born December 1, 1799, and is still living (May 1, 1891). He is a farmer, living near Mount Wachusett, Mass., and is enjoying excellent health for one of his years. He married Betsy Sawin, June 4, 1821, and had ten children: Charles H., born June 24, 1822, lived in Massachusetts and Maryland until 1852, and then went to California, and has lived there and in Oregon and Washington ever since, and was the first treasurer of Douglas county, Washington; Simeon, born November 27, 1823, lives at home with his father; Franklin, born May 24, 1825, has been a selectman of his town; Almond A., born December 28, 1826, lives in Akron, Ohio; Aaron S., born April 3, 1828, served in the late war under Gen. Banks; Stephen Nelson; Eveline E., born May 6, 1831, died October 14, 1853; Andrew J., born January 17, 1833, now living in Massachusetts, a carpenter; Henry Clay, born May 20, 1834, married Anise Phillips, entered the Union army with Co. B, 100th regiment, N. Y. Infantry, and was present at Drury’s Bluff, in 1864, captured and taken to Andersonville where he was held from May until December. He took part in the Seven Days fight, White Oaks and other battles, and was promoted to corporal; and Alonzo D., the youngest, enlisted from Massachusetts, but was discharged on account of poor health.

Stephen N. Bolton lived in Massachusetts until twenty-two years of age, when he came to Jamestown and worked as a wood-turner and chair-maker for nearly a score of years, and the subsequent five or six years was spent in the grocery business. Since that time he has been living a comparatively retired life. He was a sergt. in Co. B., 68th N. Y. S. M., which was called out by Gov. Seymour during the invasion of Penna., by Gen. Lee’s army; enlisted in the U. S. service for thirty days and served their term of enlistment. Mr. Bolton has always voted with the Republican party, and served the city as assessor for nine years. He is a member of Ellicott Lodge, No. 221, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.