My Genealogy Hound

W. H. BOIES, of the firm of Boies & Breese, dealers in grain and stock Gridley; was born in Livingston Co., N. Y., Jan. 22, 1833; at the age of 18, he became a clerk in a store in Moscow, where he remained until 1856; he then came West and located in El Paso, Ill., when that place contained but five houses; in the spring of 1857, he engaged in the lumber business and, shortly afterward, in the grain and grocery trade; he was then in moderate circumstances, yet, during his residence of five years in El Paso, he took a leading part in all the enterprises of the town; he was a member of the Town Council, and helped to form the first charter. In January, 1862, he went to Watseka as agent of the T., P. & W. R. R., but, the same year, removed to Gridley and began dealing in grain, Mr. Breese becoming a member of the firm in 1869; they dealt, also, in agricultural implements until 1877; since Mr. Breese joined him they have been dealing largely in stock; they have 900 acres of land in this vicinity, and are engaged extensively in farming and stock-raising, having from 150 to 200 head of cattle, and usually about 200 hogs. Mr. Boies was station agent here for thirteen years. In 1867, he built the elevator known as the Boies & Breese Elevator, having a capacity of 25,000 bushels of grain; he is an energetic business man and public-spirited citizen, at the same time genial in manner and possessing social qualities of the highest order. He was married Nov. 18, 1867, to Miss Mary A Taylor, of Perry, N. Y., and has four children — George V., Nettie W., Charles C. and Willie H. Mr. Boies has been a member of the Village Council a number of years.