WABASHA COUNTY, MINNESOTA
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Biography transcribed & donated to Wabasha County, MN Bios by
Barbara Koska Timm.  For more information, please check
out her site "Biographies and Historical Sketches of Wabasha County,
Minnesota" at <http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio>.
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			HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY


            TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL MATTER, STATISTICS, ETC.
                   GATHERED FROM MATTER FURNISHED BY 
                       INTERVIEWS WITH OLD SETTLERS,
        COUNTY, TOWNSHIP AND OTHER RECORDS, AND EXTRACTS FROM 
                FILES OF PAPERS, PAMPHLETS, AND SUCH OTHER 
                     SOURCES AS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE. 

                                   ALSO A 

                        HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY

                                  CHICAGO:
                      H. H. HILL & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS.
                                     1884



Bolton, Thomas J., a prominent business man of Plainview, was born in Logan, Ohio, November 12, 
 1843. The death of his father occurred when Thomas J. was but nine years old, and the year 
 following his mother removed with her family to Cleveland. In 1855 they came to Wabasha county, 
 and our subject spent two years as a cabin-boy on a river steamboat. About the year 1861 he entered 
 the drug business at Wabasha with Jas. Crowley. In December, 1865, this firm decided to open a 
 branch store in Plainview, and Mr. Bolton assumed the management of the same. This was the first 
 drug store ever established in Plainview. A store was erected for their business. Two years later they 
 sold out to Mr. Felton, and Mr. Bolton returned to Wabasha and resumed his place in the old firm, but 
 soon after sold out and went to Eyota, where he opened up a pioneer drug store on his own hook. The 
 winter of 1873-4 he sold his Eyota store and returned to Plainview. He now owns about two hundred 
 acres of land in Plainview township, and is a partner with Geo. S. La Rue in the drug business. His 
 farm is situated on the site of Greenville, and he uses one of its old store buildings for a sheep-shed. 
 He was for a time agent for Laird & Norton, lumber dealers, of Winona. Mr. Bolton is at present 
 dealing in agricultural implements. He has had some experience as a publisher, having issued a regular 
 advertising sheet for several years while engaged in the drug business, both in Plainview and Eyota. 
 He is a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Plainview. In politics he is a 
 republican, and has been chairman of the town board; is also a member of the Masonic brotherhood, 
 and of the Order of Odd-Fellows. Ella, only child of Hon. A. P. Foster, of Plainview, became his wife 
 on September 1, 1869. They have four children: Alonzo G., Miller T., Mary L and John.