Marvin Boston Army Enlistee

In 1974, Marvin Boston Jr followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Army.  It wasn't a popular decision in those days.  Saigon had not yet fallen to the communist north.  We were out of Viet Nam, and the draft had ended, but the reputation of the Army was in very low esteeem.  There was a rumor going around that Marvin had gone to the army recruiter to sign up for his draft card (that's NOT the right place) and the recruiter convinced him that signing up was the only way to avoid trouble for not having a draft card.  I think the story was smoke an mirrors to cover for the real story, the story of a poor Iowa kid who saw only one way to avoid bringing his own kids up that way.

Family Meets in Honor of Bostons

Grandpa Homer Boston's brother, Clair Bryant Boston, moved to California at a relatively young age.  When he made the trip back to Iowa, it was a cause for celebration and family git-togethers.  This git-together around 1969-70 (Grandma never saved the dates on her newpaper articles!) would be one of the last.  The sons of Bill Boston are all gone now, and nobody in the next generation has had the desire and charisma to put one together.  Now my generation is straddling the half-century mark and we don't know who each other are to put something together.  I do know that we are spread far and wide: Iowa, Texas, California, Utah, Indiana, Minnesota and more I'm sure.

Hilda (Boston) Sinclair Probate

Hilda Boston Sinclair was my Dad's Aunt on his mother's side.  She never had any children, so her probate listed all her closest relatives.  It's a regular Who's Who of the first two generations under Rosa and Judd Boston.  I know who most of these people are, but not all.  I guess I have a new research project.

Reo & Bessie Bryant to have Anniversary

I've run into a batch of Bryant stuff lately.  I like the picture of Reo and Bessie.  Reo reminds me a lot of how Grandpa Homer Boston looked and Bessie has the smug look of, "I bet you didn't know he even had a tie."!

Bryant Family Reunion Set - 1994

Reo Bryant, my Grandpa Homer Boston's half-uncle and senior by only three months, was the father of nine children.  They got together from the 4 corners of the county in 1994 near Seymour Iowa to celebrate two wedding anniverseries and reunite a family that is geographically separated.

Harold Smith & Mabel Bryant Celebrate Golden Anniversery

Reo Bryant is a half-brother to my Great Grandmother, Myrtle (Bryant) Boston.  Although he was technically my Grandpa Homer Boston's uncle, Reo was only a few months older and they grew up more like cousins or brothers than uncle-nephew.  Mabel Bryant, now Mrs. Harold Smith, was one of Reo's daughters.

Mrs. Boyd Boston is First Polio Case of 1956

Mrs Boyd Boston was the first reported case of Polio in Lucas County Iowa for the year 1956.  I am glad to report that Mrs. Boston is doing well in the year 2011, not having suffered any loss of longivity from her polio incident.

Gene Boston - Letter to Santa Claus 1956

Letter to Santa Claus from my 2nd cousin on my mother's side, Eldon Eugene (Gene) Boston.  Gene is the first son of Boyd (RIP) and Margarette (Ballard) Boston.

Mardelle Boston and Charles Tighe

Mardelle is my mother's cousin. I never realized how short she is - and she's in heals in this picture.

Ferman Gray - 1870-1908

From the History of Lucas and Wayne Counties, Ferman E. Gray Died at the young age of 38.

I initially took interest in this article becuase my Grandpa Gwinn's sister, Ellen, had been married to Roy Gray and I wondered if there was a connection. Later, I noticed that one of Ferman's living sisters was a "Mrs. Boston". It was a sign of the time that Mrs. Boston's first name was not given, but that does not make it any less frustrating to a self-proclaimed geneologist.

After a little research, I learned that Mrs. Boston was Mrs. Eliza F. (Gray) Boston, 1861-1916, wife of James A. Boston. James and Eliza were aunt and uncle to my Grandma Gwinn, Leota Francis (Boston) Gwinn.

I still have no connection between these Gray's and Aunt Ellen's in-laws.

James Clell Boston - 1906-1908

It is a sad reminder that times were still hard at the turn of the century when you see a notice like this.

At the age of one year, nine months and three days, little James Boston died of whooping cough and pnuemonia. In March in Iowa in 1908, they may not have been able to get him to a doctor.

He was the son of David Adden Boston and Lunie Bell Benway. David was a bit unique for his time, being half of a pair of surviving twins. (James A Boston was the other half).

Dave and Lunnie would lose another baby, seven month old Lewis Otto Boston, in December the next year.

Mrs. J.B. Boston (Rosa Drake) Obit

Rosa Alton was married to Jeremiah Britton (Judd) Boston on 24 Dec 1891. According to a Drake family researcher, Rosa's mother separated with her father, James E. Alton, and married Josiah Leonard Drake. Throughout Rosa's life, she alternated between surnames. Her children's birth certificates even show this, with some reflecting Drake and others reflecting Alton.

This copy of her obit came from a microfisch copy and I had to doctor it up to get it this clean. Most of the information is available elsewhere.

ALSO: There is a family legend that Rosa was half American Indian. I have not been able to find any support for this position and, frankly, have my doubts. I would like to know if anybody knows anthing of this.