WILLIAM L. BOLDING

The following bio was taken from page 117 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

William L. Bolding, his wife, Letitia, and their children – William, George, Sarah, James and Caroline – came to Texas with a wagon train led by the Patrick family. In November 1854, they settled in the area known as the Patrick Community.

On January 12, 1857, George Bolding married Mary Elizabeth Patrick, born June 8, 1842 in York County, South Carolina. She was the daughter of John and Elenor Patrick. To this union were born three children – James L. (March 3, 1866), Mary Jane Elizabeth (November 8, 1867), and George, Jr. (April 5, 1869).

By September 1870, Mary Patrick Bolding was a widow. She returned to live with her mother. Following her mother’s death in 1876, Mary opened a small store in her home where some groceries and supplies could be purchased. She also tended the community post office. When telephones were introduced, she operated the central switchboard.

The latter half of the 1880’s was not kind to the Patrick-Bolding families. The deaths of Robert Daniel Patrick and his wife Francis, and Martha (Mrs. John Currence), Patrick left Mary and her brother, John Currence, with the responsibility of the children. Hannah, a former slave who had come with the family to Texas following the Civil War, helped Mary and John with the care of the children until her death in 1895.

Mary’s eldest son, James, passed away at Calvert, Texas on September 13, 1898. Mary Patrick Bolding passed away December 18, 1916.

Mary Jane Elizabeth Bolding remained single. She did sewing and needlework for ladies of the community. She was a skilled quilt maker and did embroidery work with many fancy stitches. She passed away September 20, 1930.

George Bolding, Jr. married Margaret Callie (Maggie) Dark on August 27, 1904. She was the daughter of Isaac Vernon and Martha Dark of the Flint Community in Smith County and a native of Marshall County, Tennessee. They had three children – Jadie Pope (June 11, 1907), Edna Mae (March 16, 1910), and Annie Belle (November 7, 1911)

George worked at many occupations – depending on the season of the year – to support his family. He was active in the organizations of the community; often keeping books for those that had them. In the winter of 1917 there was a measles epidemic in the community. George passed away January 4, 1918 after developing complications from the measles. George’s widow remarried in 1932 to James Ed Rhea, a widower with six children.

Jadie Pope married Margie Gary on February 22, 1947. Her parents were John Matthew and Lois (Parker) Gary. They have two girls, Nancy Ann and Gloria Jean. Annie Belle married Walter W. Miller on June 6, 1938. His parents were Walter and Carrie Miller. They have one daughter, Dorothy Ann.

Submitted by Nancy Brown