Presidents, Soldiers, Statesmen H. H. Hardesty, 1898; page 567.
John Boley was born Jan. 20, '35, in Allegheny county, Pa., and settled in Pleasants county, W.Va., in '52, where he was married in '57 to Caroline Decker, daughter of Elias and Mary (Kinzer) Decker, both now deceased. The children of this union are: Levi W., b. April 2, '61, Andrew J., b. Dec. 9, '64, Angenora, (now Mrs. Sunderman) b. '66, Charlotta, (Mrs. Adams) b. April 22, '73, John A., b. Sept. 5, '75, and
Robert, b. Feb. 4, '79. Mrs. Boley died June 27, '89, and Mr. Boley was married, March 5, '91, to Mary Russell, daughter of Samuel and Ruth A. (Enochs) Russell, both of whom are living. On the 1st of November, '61, he enlisted at Wheeling, W.Va., in Co. K, 1st W.Va. Inf.; he was in
hospital on account of rheumatism, at Cumberland, Md., for six weeks in the winter of '62, and the following spring had a thirty days furlough, rejoining his command at Catlett's Station, Va. In June, '64, he received a gunshot wound in his left hand, at the battle of Lynchburg, and was in the hospital at Gallipolis, O., until the following September; he was twice detailed for special service, once with General Pope's staff, from July until September, '62, and again for about two months with sharpers, in '64; he took part in the battles of Front Royal Road, Port Republic, Cedar Mountain, Rappahannock, Second Bull Run, Catlett's Station, New Market, Cumberland, Hunter's Raid, Lynchburg, Piedmont, Lexington, Cedar Creek, and numerous skirmishes; he was finally discharged Nov. 26, '64 at Wheeling, W.Va., and now draws a pension, having an application on file for increase. Mr. Boley's father, David Boley, was in the same regiment, serving three years; and his grandfather was a soldier in 1812. He is a member of Hazen Post 66, Dept. of W.Va., in which he has held various offices; he farms about 95 acres of land, about one mile south of St. Marys, Pleasants Co., W.Va., which is his postoffice address.
