This blogger caught up the other day with his third great-grandfather, J.R. Boyce, for a graveside interview at the Benton Avenue Cemetery in Helena, Montana. Though available for only a few minutes before returning to his rightful place in heaven, James Richard (1817-1898) was characteristically gracious and clear-minded during his first contact with a live […]
Confederate Major J.R. Boyce Fled to Montana to Avoid Proscription
Confederate Major J.R. Boyce fled to Virginia City, Montana, in 1864 to avoid proscription after the Civil War. Boyce, who lost his Missouri plantation after the conflict, later told a biographer that while his head sympathized with the Union and “he loved his country,” his heart sided with the Confederacy. Though Boyce was born in Kentucky, his family hailed from Virginia, where […]
Ancient Document Reveals Tie to Legendary Mountain Man
Legend has it that mountain man Peter Wright, snowbound in a cave for four days, resorted to eating part of his moccasin for sustanance. Thankfully, before he had consumed all of his footwear, a deer ambled by. He promptly shot it and made a meal out of raw venison. He returned home safely, most likely with very cold feet. A recent trip […]
J.R. Boyce Pays Tribute to Dead for Benefit of Living
James Richard (J.R.) Boyce was a real sweetheart, a deep believer in the nobility of womankind. The Confederate Army major, who became a Montana dry goods merchant, wanted to ensure his ancestors knew what outstanding stock they came from. So he left behind a highly detailed October 23, 1893, letter addressed to his grandchildren. Unfortunately, […]