Butte County
Biographies
VOL WALKER BOATRIGHT
VOL WALKER BOATRIGHT.--Both as a business man and rancher, Vol Walker Boatright is meeting with success in Butte County. Born in Huntsville, Ark., March 5, 1890, he is a son of Thomas Lafayette and Phoebe (Logan) Boatright, both natives of that place. The father was a farmer and business man in Huntsville, being engaged in the hotel and livery business in that city. Grandfather Boatright was born in Virginia and served in the Confederate army during the Civil War. Thomas Lafayette Boatright brought his family to Lassen County, Cal., in 1898, and engaged in contracting and painting in Susanville, where he and his wife are still living. To this worthy couple were born four children, as follows: Mrs. Mary O’Dette, of San Francisco; Vol Walker; Wood, in the United States Army; and Pansy, of Chico.
Vol Walker Boatright was, from an early age, reared in California, receiving his education in the public schools of Susanville, and finishing with a high school course. At sixteen, he began work on his own account, in Susanville, where he ran a confectionery store. Later he sold this business and followed clerking for a while, then painting. In 1910, he came to Chico, and engaged in contracting until 1912, when he opened a music store. As his business increased he enlarged the establishment, which is now located on Third Street, between Main and Broadway, and he now carried a well selected stock of pianos, and musical merchandise. He specializes in the Kimball pianos, and in the talking machine line, carrying the Pathe and Edison, also handling a large stock of records for both machines. In small instruments he uses Stewart’s line. An enterprising and energetic young man, his business has grown from a small beginning to one of considerable importance and he has the good will and patronage of the community. Mr. Boatright married, in Sacramento, November 29, 1916, Mrs. Ora Lee (Prior) Broyles, born in Eagleville, Modoc County, a daughter of Frank A. and Tabitha (Parman) Prior, natives of Illinois, and Yolo County, Cal., respectively. The father was a large farmer and stockman in Surprise Valley, his biography appearing in another part of this work. Mrs. Boatright was the second youngest of seven children born to her parents, and completed her education in Butte County, in the Chico high school. Her first marriage was to Matthew Broyles, a native of the county and the son of an old pioneer. His death occurred in San Francisco.
Aside from the music store, Mr. and Mrs. Boatright are engaged in ranching, owning and operating a ranch twelve miles north of Chico, and are also interested in Modoc County, ranching and stock-raising on a one-thousand-acre ranch in Surprise Valley. Both are member of the Fraternal Brotherhood, and Mr. Boatright is a member of the Business Men’s Association of Chico. In political matters he supports the Democratic party.
Transcribed
by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1267-1268, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Joyce Rugeroni.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County
Biographies