William & Elizabeth (West) Boyles Family

William Boyles was born about 1826 in Kentucky. William Boyles and his father, Joseph Boyles, came to Texas prior to 1848 and both received land as a part of Peter's Colony that settled North Central Texas. William died about 1863 in Collinsville, Grayson, Texas. It is believed that he died from a gunshot wound and exposure as he hid from the same group responsible for the hangings. Diamond stated that Boyles was "later killed at Collinsville." We have added him to the list of the victims of the Gainesville Hanging, since his death was a result of his participation in the Peace Party and resulting arrests, trials & Hangings. (See biography on previous post.)

• THE FAMILY LEGEND OF WILLIAM BOYLES, March 2000 By Sammy Harrison: According to family legend, William Boyles did not want to fight in the Civil War. He hid out in the hills, contracted pneumonia, and died. Mother said the way she had heard it, he was a very kind hearted person and could not stand the thoughts of taking the life of another individual. At the time, I wondered what a person like that was doing on the Texas frontier where he was forced to defend his home and family.
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• From another descendant: My Great Great Great grandfather William boyles married an Elizabeth West May,19,1849. In the 1860 census it shows that an Ann West was living with William and Elizabeth. She was 18 at the time. I also know of a Susan Emeline. She married David Miller Leffel and moved from Ohio to Grayson Texas in the late 1850's. They may have traveled and settled there as a family because that is where William and Elizabeth (Boyles) and Ann West were also during the same time. David was hung during the great hanging in texas 1862 and William is believed to have been shot in the back when he tried to run and later died a month later from his wounds.

William married Elizabeth T. West daughter of Michael West and Susannah McKee West on 19 May 1849 in , Grayson, Texas. Elizabeth was born on 5 Dec 1831 in Champaign, Ohio. She died on 14 Mar 1898 in Erath, Texas. She was buried in Mar 1898 in Alexander Cemetery, Erath, Texas.
They had the following children:
1. Joseph McKee Boyles was born on 6 Dec 1852 in Sherman, Grayson, Texas. He died on 19 Mar 1933 in Portales, Curry, New Mexico. He was buried in Portales, Curry, New Mexico.
Joseph married (1) Mary Rose Auvenshire "Polly" on 5 Jul 1877 in Jonesboro, Coryell, Texas. Mary was born on 1 Jan 1860 in , Carroll, Tennessee. She died on 3 Apr 1879 in Aurora, Wise, Texas. She was buried in Old Bethel Cemetery, Rhome, Wise, Texas.
Joseph married (2) Sara Elizabeth Pennington in 1880 in . Sara was born on 14 Jun 1861.
2. Sarah L. Boyles was born about 1855 in , , Texas.
? IGI possible spouse: Sarah L Boyles; Female; Birth: 1855 , Texas married spouse: Thomas Grimes; Marriage: 14 APR 1872 , Coryell, TX
3. Martha S. Boyles was born on 2 Jun 1857 in , Crawford, Arkansas.
Your information on the Boyles is the same family as mine. My husbands Great Grandmother Martha Jane Boyles was born June,2 1857. She had 4 brothers, one who was Joseph McKee Boyles born 1853 according to our information. Elizabeth married a Issac Lee April 30, 1865 and Elizabeth died March 14, 1898 in Earth Co
Texas. We have been told that Martha Jane is part Cherokee Indian. I have a picture of her and Andrew Jackson Roberts her husband, and she looks Indian. But, so far I haven't been where I can check out the Indian information. My husband's niece has a Dawls Book and she showed a Martha Jane Bowles. But, her Dad's last name was Boyles. But, I need to study the book better if I ever get back to Abilene Texas where she lives. My husband's Dad always said his Grandmother was a Cherokee Indian.
4. William Tomes Nelson Boyles was born in 8 Nov 1859 in , Cooke, Texas.
William preferred to spell his name as Boils. There was much discussion over the fact that he felt Boils was the proper spelling.
Marriage 1 Martha J. Pennington, 2 MAY 1881 in Coryell Co., TX

Sources
1. 1850 U.S. Census, Texas, Grayson, pg 674, 9 Dec 1950."Boils, William, 24, m, Kentucky, cannot read or write " , Elizabeth, 20, f, Ohio, cannot read or write, Boils, Jos, 64, 400, Virginia, cannot read or write (Next door to Father-in-law, Michael West)."
2. 1860 U.S. Census, Texas, Grayson, Sherman P.O., hh 148, pg 23/145. "Name: Wm B Boyl Age in 1860: 34 Birth Year: abt 1826 Birthplace: Kentucky Home in 1860: Grayson, Texas Post Office: Sherman Value of real estate: Household Members: Name Age Wm B Boyl, 34, m, farmer, 1600/900, Kentucky E S Boyl, 27, f, domestic, IllinoisJos Boyl, 7, m, TexasLouisa E Boyl, 5, TexasMartha S Boyl, 3, ArkansasWm F N Boyl, 5.12, TexasAnne West, 23, domestic, OhioSource Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: , Grayson, Texas; Roll: M653_1295; Page: 145; Image: 290 (**Note: Also listed in 1860 Cooke County Census)."
3. 1860 U.S. Census, Texas, Cooke County, Gainesville, pg 232-233, hh 178/184."Boyles, William, 34, m farmer, no real estate, $750 personal estate, Kentucky " , Elizabeth, 30, f, Ohio
" , Joseph, 7, m, Texas " , Sarah L., 5, f, Texas " , Martha S., 3, f, Arkansas " , Wm. T., 7/12, m, TexasWest, Ann, 18, f, Ohio (note: Not sure where Ann West fits into the family. She is most likely one of Elizabeth's nieces.) Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: , Cooke, Texas; Roll: M653_1291; Page: 232; Image: 473.(**Note: Also listed in 1860 Grayson County Census)."
4. McCaslin, Richard B., Tainted Breeze, The Great Hanging at Gainesville, Texas, 1862 , Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press, 1993. xvi, 234 pp. Intro. App. Illus. Map. Index
"William Boyles came to Peters Colony as a single man before July 1, 1848. He served in ranger companies during 1846 and 1848, then married in May, 1849. The 1850 Grayson County census (F.N. 14) lists him as a farmer, age twenty-four, from Kentucky, and his wife, Elizabeth, as being from Ohio.The census taker in 1860 found him in Cooke County (F.N. 184) with $730 in personal property. He had three children -- ages seven years, five years, and seven months -- born in Texas, and a three-year-old born in Arkansas. His father died in October, 1857, and William, then in Crawford County, Arkansas, inherited his land in Cooke County. He paid taxes in Cooke County in 1861 on 311 acres of the "James" Boyles grant on the Red River, but in 1862 he was assessed for only a third of this grant, 4 horses, 20 cattle, and 4 sheep."
5. Land/Deed Records."William Boyles and his father came to Texas as a part of Peter's Colony that settled North Central Texas. He received from Thomas Wm Ward, commissioner for the colony agent, a single persons share as part of Peter's Colony, of 320 acres of land in Grayson County near the town of Dorchester. Today the survey is still known as the Wm Boyles Survey. 21 Oct 1854 -- William Boyles to Thomas A. Mounts -- bond for the sale of the Joseph Boyles land lying in Collin County, TX which was sold on the steps of the Grayson Co., TX courthouse. Grayson Co., TX Deed Records Vol G pg 80.26 Mar 1855 William Boyles sold his title and interest in his Head Right Certificate to John H. Wilson for $650.00. Grayson Co., TX Deed Records, Vol G pg 167."
6. George Washington Diamond's Account of the Great Hanging at Gainesville, 1862, ManuscripteEdited by Sam Acheson and Julie, The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Vol. LXVI, January, 1963, No. 3, pages 331-414. George W. Diamond was a brother of secessionists, John R. Diamond and James J. Diamond, who was a principal in the Great Hanging. After the hangings and the adjournment of the court, Diamond was given the records for the purpose of "preserving them and so disposing of them that the history of its (Citizen's Court) transactions might be perpetuated and justice done to those who participated in its deliberations. Diamond's compilation of "memoranda" was to be offered to the public as a just vindicaton of the conduct of those whose judgements were under national criticism. The members of the court examined Diamond's account and gave their unanimous and unqualified approval."
page 83 "Boyles was later killed at Collinsville."
7. Connor, Seymour V. , Peters Colony of Texas, A History and Biographical Sketches of the Early Settlers, Texas State Historical Association; Austin; 1959. "William Boyles migrated as a single man prior to July 1, 1848. He was issued a land certificate by Thomas William Ward in 1850, which was sold unlocated and was later patented in Grayson County (Fannin Third Class No. 1569). He is listed on the census of 1850 (Grayson County, family No. 14) as a 24-year-old farmer, born in Kentucky."
8. 1870 U.S. Census, Texas, Coryell, Prec. 2, pg 275."Lee, Isaac, 60, m, farmer, 500/500, NC " , Elizabeth, 40, f, keeping house, Ohio " , William, 18, m, Louisana " , David, 15, m, Texas " , Virginia, 14, f, TexasBoyles, Jos. M., 17, m, Texas " , Sarah L., 16, f, Texas " , Martha L., 13, f, Arkansas " , William F, 11, m, Texas."
9. 1880 U.S. Census, Texas, Coryell, Texas, pg 503A.Lee, Isaac A., self, m, marr, 69, NC, farmer " , Elizabeth, wife, f, marr, 49, keeping house, OH Boil, William, stepson, m, single, 20, farmer, Texas4 others in household.
10. Marriage Record, Grayson County, Texas Marriage Book A, pg 39.
11. Marriage Record, Grayson County, TX Marriage Book A, pg 39. "Name: Elizabeth West Marriage Date: 19 May 1849 Spouse: William Boyles Marriage County: Grayson Marriage State: Texas Source: County Court Records - FHL microfilm # 1290410 item 2."FHL # 1290410 item #2.