The original German spelling was BOHLI. The meaning is "plank roadway", or in a name, "one who builds a plank roadway", or possibly a "logger". According to a German professor at the Mt. St. Mary Seminary in Norwood, Ohio, it was common for a final e to change to i in names, usually a result of a French or Swiss variant.
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His Grandpa Boley & 2 or 3 brothers came from Germany to Lorotto, (western) PA near St. Michael's Parish, a primary seat of German & Irish Catholic migration between 1800-1830. A number of Boleys are buried in St. Michael's Cemetery there, possibly his Grandpa's brother's families. His branch of the family relocated to Somerset, OH abt 1840 where St. Joseph's was a similar parish.
Mike was one of at least 9 children. He went to school in Perry Co. & married Rose on May 8, 1895 in Perry Co. They had 10 children. In 1910, they had a mortgaged farm in Monday Creek Twp. next to brother, Clem, and sister, Mary Shriner's families. He & several siblings relocated to Lancaster in Fairfield County, Ohio.
Mike was only about 5'7", but according to his son, Willis, he was strong as an ox. They moved from Maxville to Lancaster. abt 1918. He & his sons drove the livestock on foot through the town of Lancaster to Hooker while the girls rode the train with their furniture. They had a big farm on Cedar Hill Rd. The 2,000 bushels of wheat, 80 acres of corn & 200 tons of hay had to be harvested with horses, wagons & pitchforks. The weeding & hoeing of the vines was done by hand. They shared the crops with their tenants, but shipped most of the crops to So. Carolina on the train.
However, the 1920s were not kind leading into the depression and they lost the farm. His wife was a hard working woman who kept her money separate & she paid cash for their last residence at 820 Beck's Knob Rd., Lancaster where this photo was taken. Their son, Willis Sr., bought the three-room house next door & added 2 more rooms onto the house.
They attended a great Boley-Bowe Family Reunion of 1924 in Lancaster, Ohio at brother Clem's home (attached). Mike was nearly blind the year before he died, but he pulled every weed in his garden. He died of cancer & was buried on 11-12-1955.
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Ohio Births and Christenings Index, 1821-1962
Name: Micheal Boley Gender: Male
Birth Date: 6 Jun 1869 Birth Place: Jackson Twp, Perry County, Ohio
Father: Christian Boley Mother: Mary Bowe