Centennial history of Rush
County, Indiana
Edited by A. L Gary and E. B. Thomas
Rushville, Ind.
In Two Volumes
Illustrated
VOLUME II
1921
HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
INDIANAPOLIS

WILLIAM M. BOSLEY, proprietor of the grain elevator at Milroy and who also is engaged in the coal and seed business at that place, a progressive and well known business man of this county, was born at Milroy and has lived there all his life. For ten years he was a member of Rush county's excellent teaching staff and then took up work at the elevator, presently buying the same and for nearly twenty years past has been proprietor of the plant, the business of which during that time he has greatly enlarged. Mr. Bosley was born on July 17, 1873, son of Samuel H. and Nora (Smith) Bosley, both of whom spent their last days here, the latter dying in 1911 and the former in 1918. Samuel H. Bosley was born in Anderson township, son of Elijah Bosley, a Kentuckian, who had come to this county and settled in the Milroy neighborhood in the early days. Some time after coming here Elijah Bosley moved up into Boone county but did not remain long there, presently returning to this county and locating at Williamstown, where for many years ho was engaged in the general merchandise business. Samuel H. Bosley was reared in Anderson township, received his schooling there and as a young man became engaged as a carpenter and wagon maker, which trade he followed all his active life. When the Civil war broke out he enlisted his services in behalf of the Union and went, to the front as a member of K Company, Fifty-fourth regiment. Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and upon the expiration of that term of enlistment re-enlisted and returned to the front as a member of E Company, One Hundred and Twenty-third regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, serving about three years, and was thus with "Pap" Thomas on that general's memorable campaign South and took part in the battle of Atlanta. Upon the completion of his military service Samuel H. Bosley returned to his home in this county, resumed his activities as a builder at Milroy and here spent the remainder of his life, a well known and useful citizen. He and his wife were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follows: Frances, wife of W. 0. Fishback; George C, of Richmond; Maude, wife of L. E. Berner, and Nell, wife of J. L. Parsons. William M. Bosley was reared at Milroy and received his schooling in the excellent schools of that place. He prepared himself for teaching and for ten years was occupied during the winters as a teacher in the schools of this county. In the meantime during the summers he had been more or less engaged about the elevator at Milroy and in 1903 bought the elevator, which he ever since has been operating and which he has enlarged in every way. The Milroy elevator has a capacity of 15,000 bushels and is the center of the grain trade of a considerable area about Milroy. Mr. Bosley also does quite an extensive business in coal and seeds and has for years been recognized as one of the leading business men of that part of Rush county. In 1899 William M. Bosley was united in marriage to Laura Bowling, daughter of Hiram and Alzina Bowling, and to this union two children have been born, William, who died in 1914, at the age of six years, and Catherine, born in December 2, 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Bosley are members of the Christian church and take an active interest in church work, Mr. Bosley having been an office bearer in the church since 1896 and an elder from 1898 to January, 1921. In his political views Mr. Bosley is a life-long Republican, and takes a proper part in local civic affairs. He is a York-Rite Mason, a member of the Milroy blue lodge, and of the commandery, Knights Templar, at Rushville, and is also a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with Murat Temple, Indianapolis. He also is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at Milroy and in the affairs of these several orders takes a warm fraternal interest.