The history of Boley began when Lake Moore (White) recognized a splendid opportunity for the development of a Negro Civic leadership in the establishment of an exclusive Negro town in East Central Oklahoma, which has grown to become the largest all-Negro town in the United States of America.

The writer of this bit of history came to Boley, Indian Territory in 1905 (a bride of two months), as wife of the late Attorney M. J. Jones, who was then the Assistant townsite Manager and the townsite Attorney. After the town was incorpated, he became Boley's first City Attorney, in which position he served for a number of years. He was very active in the settlement and progress of Boley, and an ardent church worker. He was never too busy to serve his church when he was needed. In 1918 he went to Phoenix, Arizona, because of ill health and died March 9, 1919.

In 1904, the town of Boley was platted and was named for Mr. Boley (white) (the railroad manager of the Fort Smith and Western Railroad which ran through the townsite), because he manifested such a profound interest in the establishment of the town.

Boley was formally opened on September 22, 1904, on an application granted to the 200 Citizens of Boley, Indian Territory, who made the application through T. M. Haynes, townsite Manager, Attorney M. J. Jones, H. C. Cavil, Merchant and Hillard Taylor, gin operator. The Charter was granted on May 10, 1905.

During the early territorial days of Boley, its area was surrounded with Indians who soon made friends with their new neighbors through the natives of said area, among the being the James Barnett family, who at that time lived in a dug-out on his allottment near the townsite of Boley, the Israel Johnson, Sr., family and the Lige Walker family. A part of the Boley townsite is on the Johnson and Barnett allottments.

Many hostilities arose between the natives and State people. On such occasions many were wounded, some of the wounds ended in death.

It was a common sight to see natives armed with guns in a funeral procession. The purpose of which was to be protected on the return home from the Cemetery should anyone molest them.

Two or three nights each week some of the natives and Indians would go on a horseback parade of the Boley settlement; amusing themselves by whooping and shooting. At the sound of the first shot all lights along their trail would go out to prevent a shot from ringing through the house as they passed by in a gallop. A burning light in the house served as their target. Your informer happened to be housed along their trail, and spent many fearful nights sitting in the dark house for safety.

This area was infested with many coyotes which would disturb the community at nights with their howls. A relief finally came when people with dogs began to move in. Some had as many as fifteen dogs which by some people were kept in their tents with them at night. I say tents because many had to live in tents until homes could be built.

There was one D. S. who was located on Main Street with his tent, which provided a shelter for his family and his fifteen dogs. This situation became so unsanitary that the townsite manager ordered the removal of the whole thing to a back street. His order was obeyed and things moved on.

When this writer first came to Boley, there were very few houses in what is now the town of Boley which at that time had been cleared of trees as far up Main Street as the Farmers State Bank, the rest of the town was a wooded scene with a tent seen now and then which were occupied by new comers.

There was only one building in the town to house people on entering the town; this was a two-story frame building located on South Main Street where the J. D. Welch building now stands. This building was owned by T. M. Haynes, townsite manager, in which was located his real estate office and accommodations for his special friends until other arrangements could be made. My husband (Atty. M. J. Jones) and I roomed there until time permitted him to cut out enough trees on lots 5 and 6 in Block 142 (where I am now located) to build a two-room shot-gun house with three windows and opening for two doors, into which we moved minus the doors. We were very happy to have a place to call home.

This was the Big House of the addition. Finally, one room houses began to replace the tents. At this time, my husband had become a little more prosperous and replaced our two-room shot-gun house with a seven room house in which we lived until his death March 9, 1919. In 1926 this seven room house was replaced by a 12 room house which burned in less than a year, in 1927 it was replaced by the one in which I now live on the same lots 5 and 6 in Block 142-- Johnson Addition to the town of Boley.

The old two-story frame building down South Main Street was moved to a back street, in its place the two-story brick building (which is occupied by J. D. Welch) was erected, in which, the management of T. M. Haynes, Proprietor.

A postmaster was needed for this fast growing. town, the honor was given to Mrs. Hallie S. Jones who became Boley's first Commissioned Postmaster, Post Office building on Lot 22, Block 17, City Proper. A thriving business was done under her administration, having as her assistants Miss Mable White Milton Jones. After several years the Postmastership went to Bill Jones, C. F. Simmons, Mrs. J. E. Perry, Kennedy, Ira Anderson and the present L. L. Dolphin. This is said to be one of the best 3rd Class Post Offices in the State of Oklahoma. Under Mr. Dolphin's administration its business has grown by leaps and bounds. He has as his assistants, Mrs. E. J. Paxton and Mrs. Jeanette Perry.

Its rural carriers were H. O. Mariott and A. G. W. Cowan. Cowan has resigned on a pension, leaving the combination of routes 1 and 2 manned by H. O. Mariott as carrier.

In the years of 1905 and 1906 people came to Boley by train loads. In some instances eight and ten familes would alight from the same train. Their luggage would fill the depot platform and would be piled six and seven feet high. Gangs like that started Boley off in a big way. Many persons of the town would meet the trains to welcome the new comers.

During 1908 and 1909 H. Gladney came to Boley. After looking the situation over, he came to the conclusion that a Business College in Boley would do much good, later he erected the Boley Business College and became its President.

From this college many boys and girls went out into the world able to cope with the business situation. Many of them are today making good in the business and professional world.

After giving up the work as President, Gladney moved with his family to Weleetka, Oklahoma, where he became the principal of Weleetka colored school, in which position he served until his life was taken by one of his patrons, leaving a wife, Daisy D. Gladney and several children who still survive. This incident was much regretted by the Citizens of Boley.

Again, to the sad memory of the Boley population the Fort Smith and Western Railroad is no more, having been replaced by automobiles and bus transportation. The railroad agents and operators were: D. C. Fitzgerald, Eugene Hyder, C. H. Holloway. Express Agents were: Ellice Hyder, Perna Grant and Eva Mae Carrol.

Many inducements were offered to bring new settlers to Boley. The townsite manager gave big celebrations with free eats, which were advertised through circulars sent to friends throughout the United States. Did they come? I'll say they did. They used every conceivable way possible to be on hand. They were here by the hundreds, with no homes to shelter them, neither did they expect to find shelter, for they came prepared to sleep out in the open. On such occasion many lots were sold to people who soon moved to Boley and the Boley area, bought farms, built homes and settled down to help make Boley go, as they thought Boley an ideal place to rear their children.

In the early days of Boley, horse thieves were prevalent in the Boley area. After the Citizens of the area had been terrorized for quite a while by the thieves stealing their animals, the law (who was Dick Shavers) of Boley decided to put an end to it. He did, and the end came to him.

Dick with some of his men went out to the camping place of the thieves one night (which was south of Boley in the woods). There they laid in wait for the thieves. Just before day the thieves made their appearance, the shooting followed. When the smoke cleared away, three thieves lay dead, also Dick Shavers. The remaining camp members moved away, so the horse stealing in this area ceased, much to the pleasure of the population.

As the population of Boley increased, it became necessary to establish a school and churches. A little one room frame school building was erected on the corner of Cedar and  ____ Avenue. The first teacher of this school was Mrs. Duke of Mississippi. Following her was the Rev. U.S. White and Miss Mary E. Welch, then came Mrs. P. C. Bradley and Miss Millie Welch.

As the community grew, a need was seen for a better and larger school system, so the present 8 room Boley Grade School Building of brick was erected in May, 1909 in City View Addition and this little one-room frame school building was removed and placed on the. new school campus and used as the first Home Economics Building with Miss Nannie Amery as teacher.

These accommodations soon became inadequate for this growing population and provisions had to be made for the children leaving the Grade School Building, so the present High-School Building and later the Industrial Arts building were erected which helped to accommodate the town's 500 or 600 school children.

Boley School System has three permanent buildings. The High School is accredited with twenty-four units of work and maintains a Chapter of the Oklahoma High School Honor Society.

The Athletic Department also grew rapidly and called for better accommodations. Under the Superintendency of the late L.A. Hill, the Letchin A. Hill Athletic Stadium was erected through the assistance of teachers, friends, and the W. P. A.

The graduates of Boley High School measure favorably with the boys and girls of other High Schools, because of the well trained teachers by whom they were taught.

Boley High School Superintendents were S. L. Hargrove, O. D. Hutton, N. Pyrtle, ___ Sullivan, L. A. Hill and George Tillman. High School Principals: Mrs. F. L. Langrum, L. G. Ashley and Robert Henson, respectively. Boley Grade School Principals were: E. M. Watson, Sr., Mrs. B. E. S. Taylor (deceased), Mrs. Eva Tillory Person (decesed), T. M. White (deceased), Mrs. Hallie S. Jones and M. H. Martin, Jr.

There were nine Protestant Churches and one Catholic Church erected in Boley, Before the churches were erected all services were held in the little one-room frame school building. The Methodist would hold their services in the morning and the Baptist in the afternoon. The population at that time was very small (less than 100). This population made up the congregation for both services.

After service those who wished recreation would meet down on Main street where logs and stumps were used for seats and pass away the time. These logs were trees which had been felled in clearing the Main Street of trees. In the middle of the street was a well or good water which supplied the water needs of the population. A very pleasant time was passed.

The night Church programs were often broken up, as well as our Christman Programs, by someone standing in the door of the building which was the only exit and firing a shot into the building, which made it very necessary to find another way of escape. Many made use of the opportunity to break through the windows or through any available hole that could be found. I thank the Lord for not being pulled apart on one occasion when my husband jumped through a window and pulled me through behind him, with many others trying to make an excape through the same opening at the same time. As I write this, I take a deep sigh of relief. On such occasions, one should be happy to reach home safely.

On another occasion when shooting began in a night meeting, an officer stationed himself on the outside by the door, when the shooting parties began to shoot and run out of the door to excape on waiting horses tied on the outside, the officer, T. R. Ringo, gave them a chance to climb onto the horses and get in a position of taking a seat in the saddle, when he would let loose with both barrels or his gun, making it impossible for the intruder to sit any place. This finally stopped the disturbers.

The Boley Townsite management gave to each congregation a church site upon which to erect a church building. The C. M. E. congregation was the first to erect a building, which was located on the corner of Cedar Street and ___ Avenue. The A. M. E. congregation worshiped under an arbor until they could erect a building. Pastor K. W. Oliver, Trustees and Stewards; Atty. M. J. Jones and T. M. Haynes. Hallie S. Jones organized the choir and was its first organist and chorister, the latter position she still holds.

For more than twenty years the C. M. E. congregation operated and maintained a church school known as The Oklahoma Normal and Industrial Institute which was headed by the following school men at different times: W. H. Peters, H. Langrum, Sr., and M. K. Jones. The Music Department was under the direction of Mrs. F. B. Jones and of the A. M. E. Church.

Mrs. Jones has taught private music classes for more than 25 years in and about Boley. She has had charge of and has played for the A. M. E. Church chori during that same period of time. She is still playing for that choir.

Fraternal organizations followed the Churches into existance in Boley. Eight or ten in number, some of which yet exist.

On the first Annual Sermon Day of the Odd Fellows Lodge, disturbers were present and broke up the affair with a gun duel. The officer, H. E. C., assisted by his son, E. R. C., attempted to settle the affair which proved too much for them, so they decided to Join the other fleeing gang. Home seemed the most safety for this pair, so they Started running toward home. In haste they lost the trail and ran into the path of a tree. The officer came in contact with the tree; being very polite and thinking that he had run into a man, he quickly said, 'Excuse me, mister," and ran on.

Boley has long been considered an educational center for Negroes, as its population is made up principally of business and professional people.

In the northwestern part of Boley was located the Creek and Seminole Junior College; J. C. Leftwich, President. The work of this college was appreciated throughout Oklahoma. It was finally destroyed by fire in which several students were burned to death.

Many business establishments were erected in Boley; among which were: grocery stores, dry goods stores, drug stores, shoe stores, furniture stores, variety stores and many other businesses as those of any other town, including services offered in many larger towns of the nation.

The Broom and Ice Plant was managed by Mr. Palmer, Boley Neckwear Co., M.W. Lee, Boley Funeral Home, Robert Partridge, Boley Bank and Trust Co., Dr. W. H. Sims, First National Bank, S. J. King, President; Farmers and Merchants Bank, D. J. Turner, President, Farmers State Bank, Forrest Anderson, President.

The business enterprises of Boley were established in the face of adverse critics and strong competition. The businesses which remain have been maintained and have grown in spite of the depression in the last 50 or 53 years.

The Boley Telephone Exchange is operated by Mr. and Mrs. M. T. Hunter, who give excellent service to the public.

The ministers of Boley have been of untold benefit in bringing Christ to the unsaved and causing many youngsters to look onward and upward. Without this influence, Boley could not have progressed so fully.

Boley is surrounded with many substantial farmers who own their farms and serve as a backbone to Boley. Among them are: Earl Owens, Lewis Dolphin (deceased) L. M. Henson, Ross Ellis, A. W. Ward (deceased), W. C. Ward, Joe McCormick (deceased), Sam Callahan (deceased); Chas. Childs (deceased), and many others.

Of paramount importance is the Farmers State Bank. The name of the bank carries with it the history of banking in Boley. In the early days farmers and new comers to the town left their money with D. J. Turner, who was a drug store operator and co-partner in Boley's one real estate business. He owned a safe in which he kept money. In this, he saw the necessity for the establishment of a Trust Company and from that, the Farmers and Merchants Bank was developed.

On the heels of World War I, came the First National Bank of Boley, and later the Boley Bank and Trust Company. Out of the First National Bank of Boley, H. C. McCormick came into prominence, later, he became head of the Taft Institution of Taft, Oklahoma.

McCormick, who, when the First National Bank became affiliated with the Farmers and Merchants Bank in June, 1938 (through the influence of Turner, the president) became the bank's assistant cashier.

The Pretty Boy Floyd' s gangster, George Birdwell was killed at the hands of McCormick during an attempted robbery of the Farmers and Merchants Bank in November, 1932, for which the Governor, William H Murray, named him a Major of his staff.

Turner, one of the most highly respected citizens of Boley, was killed during the holdup by Birdwell's men. The infuriated citizens of Boley also killed Birdwell's Negro gangster as he made an attempt to get away with the bag of money and wounded the other white gangster, whose life was saved by his surrender and the pleading of the colored deputy sheriff, Langston McCormick. By the cool-headedness of some of our white friends and some of our colored leaders a most serious race riot was averted.

The State Banking Commission closed the Farmers and Merchants Dank in December, it remained closed until September, 1935 when Forest Anderson furnished sufficient funds to reopen a Bank in Boley which was named the Farmers State Bank. Forest Anderson, President, M. W. Lee, Vice-President and Cashier, which positions Lee held until the summer of 1942. In the fall of 1942 he connected himself to the Boley High School faculty as Manuel training teacher, after resigning as clerk of the school board of education.

Boley's need for a newspaper was filled when O. H. Bradley began to edit and publish the Boley Progress. Through this medium many persons were attracted to Boley, who, with their families came and settled down. In many instances, whole communities moved to Boley in a body and formed new communities in the Boley area. Rusk is a good example. The people came from Rusk, Texas and settled in the same community here and named their settlement the Rusk settlement, which is at this time a thriving community with a good District School and an oil well dotted here and there.

It was also found in the early days of Boley that it was necessary to provide for the transient public, so Jeff Gooden and wife decided to open a hotel, which they did. The hotel was a two-story frame building with about 12 rooms on the second floor, and on the first floor was the dining hall, office, reception room and a kitchen. This building filled a much needed purpose. After operating the hotel for a long, long time they decided to sell out, which they did and went west.

Succeeding the Goodens in the hotel business were: Mrs. Rosetta Rombay and Mrs. Francis Berry, also Mrs. Ruby Fisher. Each ran a very successful business. Mrs. Rombay finally left Boley and Mrs. Fisher and Mrs. Berry maintained private rooming houses and both are still in the business.

Along with the opening of the "Hotel Gooden" restaurants began to be opened. The first was opened by H. J. Jones and mother, south of the present Boley Neckwear building on south Main Street. This neckwear building was the old Farmers and Merchants Bank building. This restaurant was followed by many others. Jones, who had a family of boys to educate, finally moved to Langston, Oklahoma, near the State Agricultural School, where the boys would have an opportunity to obtain an industrial education. He, himself, followed his carpentry trade and built a strong business. He acquired some valuable property there.

Uncle Ike Robinson with his wife Mollie, and four children; Estella, Ada, Obie and Russell, made his home on North Main Street across from the C. M. E. Church building. He built and opened a grocery and dry goods store in that part of town on Main Street, operated by his oldest daughter, Estella. Under her management the business thrived wonder- fully. Uncle Ike decided to move to the country on his bottom land farm with his wife Mollie, (the children having become grown and out for themselves) leaving the business with Estella, who finally became its owner.

About this time Estella was married to O. Bacon and moved her business into her down town property and opened business in the name of Bacon and Bacon. They are enjoying a very successful business.

We also find John Owens, Hattie Daniels, B. Oliver, W. H. McCloud and family, Jas. A. Jefferson and E. B. Cabbell ardent supporters of Boley.

John Owens was a fearless business Christian gentleman, having served as law enforcement officer of Boley for a number of years. He feared no one and was finally relieved of the authority to carry a gun. He owned and operated a very subsustantial business until his death in 1942, leaving his wife Gladys and his young son T. W. to mourn his loss.

Hattie Daniels was a substantial business woman who after her husband's death continued in business successfully. She possessed much real estate. She was proprietor and operator of the Yale Theater, being Boley's first amusement house. This entertainment was appreciated by the whole town. Becoming tired of this kind of business she began to operate a filling station at Boley's entrance to the city from the highway, and was ticket agent for the bus company. After losing her filling station by fire, she reitred from business because of ill health. In 1942 she died. She was attended in business by Henry Sanders, to whom she referred as her son. After her death, H. C. McCormick became ticket agent for the bus company.

L. A. Hill who served as Superintendent of Boley City School; for a number of years raised the standard of education for the town's schools. Although a young men he was one of the leaders in all civic affairs of Boley. He died in 1941 and was buried on Boley High School Campus. His wife, S. R. Hill Brown is still teaching in the Boley School system.

W. C. Owens, another leading character of Boley, has been active in civic affairs of Boley and Ofuskee County for a number of years. He is the proprietor of the Place of Sweets, assisted by his wife, Pearl C. Owens, a member of one of our pioneer families.

E. B. Cabbell was one of Boley's pioneers. He served the town as Justice of the Peace for a long period of time in the early life of Boley. He served faithfully until his death several years ago.

The early history of Boley reveals the true pioneer spirit of the middle westerners whose chief industry was the cultivation of farm crops. This industry has grown from a large crop production of cotton to a more diversified type of farming, giving to the farmer an easier means of supporting his family and a market for home grown products.

These new farmers give credit for their improved methods to the Okfuskee County Home Demonstration and Farm Agents namely, C. E. Johnson and Mrs. L. B. McCain and within the last eight or nine years to the assistance of the Vocational Agriculture Teacher in the High School, namely, L. G. Ashley.

Boley represents today what its pioneers had hoped for in 1904, and the citizens of Boley still maintain those ideals of liberty and Justice toward which Boley citizens have worked for about 39 years. The town.has grown since 1904 to a population of 3,000 in 1925. Since that time the population has decreased, caused by settlers moving westvard, the activities of Chief Sam, who promised to take them to Africa where a new colony would be formed which would give them more freedom, and the depressions which drove the people to the eastern and mid-western cities.

Mrs. Viola Griffith has shown much interest in the progress of the negro teachers under her supervision, and a better educational system for negro children has been developed under the supervision of Mrs. Octavia Douglass, Supervisor of Okfuskee County Negro Schools, who supervises the work of some 30 teachers in the districts over the county.

Equipment for the use of the children is much improved and conditions in general have shown much improvement during the past serveral years.

Okfuskee County has had four county supervisors for the Separate Schools. (Mrs.) Hallie S. Jones being the first one, and is spoken of as a pioneer in the educational field of Okfuskee County. To her, Mrs. Octavia Douglass gives credit for an opportunity given her to work in the office of the County Superintendent at different times, which gave her an insight on the workings thereof and an idea of how the separate schools were managed under the supervision of a Supervisor. This opportunity came when Mrs. Jones needed some one to help with the records of the office, as pertaining to the colored schools and teachers.

Under the supervision of Hallie S. Jones, school sites were purchased, new buildings replaced the old delapidated ones, new furniture bought and school grounds were beautified. She served under Superintendents Garrett and Morris.

As an encouragement to the children of the County to improve their spelling ability, a county wide spelling contest was instituted by Mrs. Jones, giving first, second, and third prizes to the winners This form of entertainment was looked for with much interest each year. The spelling contest was just a stepping stone to higher things, but it created an interest in learning how to spell. The County was blessed with a number of boys and girls who could measure shoulder to shoulder with any group of boys and girls when it came to good spelling.

Under the supervision of Mrs. Douglass, a different form of entertainment was instituted, such as: Academic Contests, participated in by all grade representatives, all forms of athletics and Industrial Art Contests. Prizes were first, second and third.

The second and third supervisors were Miss Willie A. Cavil and Mrs. Lillian P. Zollar, respectively. Mrs. Octavia Douglass being the fourth. All were citizens of Boley.

The CCC Camp located here, was one institution which did much for the residents of Boley area, and particularly the farmers.

Manned by white officers, there were more than 100 Negro youths who worked on farms of the district, showing what could be done in the way of soil conservation and careful planting of crops.

It also provided money for many of the youths who had no other way to secure it, and gave them a practical education. Health was also an important matter for Camp Supervisors, who provided excellent medical attention.

This Camp was located here through efforts of the Boley Chamber of Commerce and other sources.

The N. Y. A. headquarters for girls was also located here through the same influence. Many girls were housed in its concrete block building on Main Street. Under the Supervision of Mrs. Alfonso Jordan, they were taught to do many helpful things, at the same time were earning money with which to support themselves. Many saved money to help with their college education.

One of the aims of the Chamber of Commerce during 1939 was to obtain much needed street improvement through W. P. A. grants. This included sewers, curbing as well as hard surfaced Main arteries through the main business section of the town, which was accomplished in 1942. This plan was outlined by E. D. Alexander, Chamber President, who is one of the leading merchants and one of the City's Civic boosters and municipal officer.

Alexander is now serving as Mayor of the city of Boley. He is assisted in his grocery business by his wife, Mrs. Lettie Alexander.

Boley is very proud of its newly added business known as Sanders Clinic Hospital located on South Main Street. It ranks favorably with the leading institutions of its kind in the State of Oklahoma. This institution can accommodate with beds about eight or ten patients at one time. In it we find a well equipped operating room, clinic room, mess room and several office rooms and a lovely reception room.

In the clinic room all government patients, including school children, receive treatment regularly. Persons from all over the state and from many other states, some from as far as California, come to this clinic for treatment where special attention is given them.

Personnel: Dr. H. M. Sanders, Owner and Operator, Mrs. H. M. Sanders, co-owner and Superintendent, Dr. _____ Bowser, Chief Surgeon and a staff of qualified nurses.

The State Training School for Negro boys supported by the State of Oklahoma, is located here and is superintended by Major H. C. McCormick with Mrs. Bertha Hazel, wife of William (Bill) Hazel as his assistant.

Other heads of this institution were: J. H. Lilley, C. F. Simmons, J. J. Joseph, William (Bill) Hazel, W. C. Owens and T. P. Scott.

This institution was established March 15, 1915, J. H. Lilley, Superintendent. This was done by an act of the State Legislature.

The most outstanding club in Boley, as well as the oldest, is the Ladies Industrial Club, which over a period of several years, has raised sufficient funds to build and provide books for a city library.

Among other clubs of the town, as the Pleasant Hour Club, which maintained and supported a city playground for several years on South Main Street. Trees and flowers were planted which stand today in its memory, as a monument. The Entre Club, Past Time Club, Boley Read-A-Book-A-Month Club, Monte Carlo Bridgette Club, Home Makers Club and the Violet- Flower Garden club.

The Masonic Temple for Masons and the Eastern Stars of the State of Oklahoma is located at Boley. It is a three-story brick building. In this building is located the Boley Telephone Exchange on the second floor, on the first floor is located the Boley Funeral Home, Robert Partridge, Manager, Leon Cowan, embalmer and Margurete Cowan, Clerk. In connection with the home is Boley Burial Association. The office of the Farm Agent and the Home Demonstration Agent is also located in this building.

The Boley population would have been incomplete without lawyers, doctors, dentists and druggists. I shall mention a few of the outstanding ones: Attorneys E. P. Blackmore, J. J. Jones, W. S. Peters, J. S. Manning, D. Bailey, A. W. Whitfield, P. Anderson and N. H. Martin, Sr. Druggists: G. B. Thomas, Levi Fisher, D. J. Turner. Doctors: J. Allen White, W. A. Paxton, J. L. Scott, C. B. Powell, M. Burnley, J. D. Nelson and I. W. Young. Dentists: W. E. Foster, A. L. Sharpe, R. C. Patton and A. C. Sayles.

Other leading citizens of Boley, including pioneers, were: W. H. Peters, A. Peters, J. H. Williamson, E. L. Lugrand, Sam Callahan, A. W. Ward, W. C. Ward, Chas. Childs, Sr. Joe McCormick, C. L. White, T. J. McCormick, Earl Owens, Uncle Ike Mims, Isaac Robinson, S. J. King and D. M. Williamson.

D. M. Williamson owned and operated the first Drug Store in Boley. T. J. McCormick the first grocery store, S. M. Mathonican the first barber shop, O. H. Bradley owned and published the first newspaper, Hallie S. Jones, first Postmaster, first County Supervisor and the first to head all fraternal auxiliaries in Boley. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Toles was the first couple to be married in Boley and the first baby to be born in Boley was the Spears baby, who was named Boley Spears. N.J. Jones, first City Attorney.

I have seen the town of Boley and the county of Okfuskee grow up from a wilderness into a prosperous City and County.

In territorial days the business headquarters was at Okmulgee and Tecumseh. The voyage was made on horse-back, by wagon and buggy. The men would usually have to camp along the roadside at night in making the trip, because the trip was too much to cover in one day.

I have lived here all through the prosperous years and drouths and earned my living through professional work and the proceeds of my farms. I have yet great faith in the future of Boley and Okfuskee County. and the County of into a prosperous.

By - Hallie S. Jones

This page was last updated on 08/11/11

 

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