W.W. Boulware, local historian of the Chicago Inter-State Pub. Co., was born near Yelvington, Daviess County, Ky., May 31, 1829. His father, John Boulware, was born near Lexington, Ky., in 1798. John Boulware, father of the subject of our sketch, learned the blacksmith’s trade in Lexington, and when eighteen or nineteen years of age came to Daviess County, and opened a blacksmith shop in Owensboro. He was married here to Elizabeth, daughter of Dabney Sergeant, carpenter and joiner of Owensboro. Mr. and Mrs. Boulware were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They had a family of nine children, three still living – William, Margaret, wife of William T. Washer, a celebrated contractor and bridge-builder, of Troy, Ind., and Edward H., a carpenter and contractor, of Troy, Ind. William W., the subject of our sketch, moved with his parents to Troy, Ind., in the fall of 1831, where the old gentleman still resides, at the ripe old age of eighty-four. He is one of the oldest blacksmiths in the country, having been engaged in the business over sixty years. William W. remained in Troy, Ind., until twenty-one, when he engaged in running flat-boats down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, La., until 1860. During this time he learned the carpenter and mason’s trade, and followed carpentering and contracting during the summer season. Jan. 1, 1854, he was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie J. Axton, of Rome, Ind., born June 15, 1835. She was a daughter of Dr. Benjamin F. and Nancy (Claycomb) Axton, natives of Kentucky and Indiana. After his marriage, Mr. Boulware located in Grand View, Spencer Co., Ind., where he purchased, laid out and improved lots; at the same time worked at his trade of contractor and builder until the spring of 1869, when he sold and removed to Evansville, Ind., where he purchased property and engaged in the real estate business, still working at contracting and building. In 1871 he engaged in the mercantile trade, and opened a dry-goods and millinery store on Main street. In the winter of 1872 he removed his store to Flora, Ill., left it in charge of his wife and went to Chicago, and assisted in rebuilding the city; was one among 50,000 mechanics who were engaged in rebuilding the city after the great fire. In the winter of 1872 returned to Flora, Ill., and ran his store and engaged in contracting and building until the spring of 1872, when he was employed by the Union Atlas Company, of Chicago, to assist in making the Illinois State atlas; had charge of the men in thirteen counties of this State for one year. In 1876 returned to Flora, Ill., and engaged in contracting and building, until 1879. During this time assisted in building the St. George Hotel in Evansville, Ind. In the fall of 1879 was employed by the Philadelphia Publishing Company, and assisted in making county atlases for various counties in Kansas and Missouri. In August, 1881, left Wichita, Kas., for Flora, Ill. Soon after went to Springfield, Ill., and was employed in December, 1881, by the Inter-State Publishing Company of Chicago, publishers of State and county histories; is still working for this company. Mr. and Mrs. Boulware have had a family of nine children, five living – Benjamin W., born in Grand View, Ind., Dec. 23, 1858, is employed by the O. & M. Railway; Ullie B., born in Grand View, Ind., is the wife of Richard Field, a carpenter and contractor of Springfield, Ill.; Louie L., born in Grand View, Ind., Jan. 1, 1866; Mamie P., born in Evansville, Ind., in 1870; Lizzie, born in Flora, Ill., Dec. 11, 1874, at home with her parents.

Source: History of Daviess County, Kentucky. Chicago: Interstate Publishing Co., 1883. Print.