The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-09-02
Identified With the Early His
tory Of Reynoldsville and
Vicinity.
WAS BURIED AT RIMERSBURG
Was One of the Oldest Odd
Fellows in Western Penn
sy1vania and Also Served in
Union Army During War.

Dr. r. NJ. Boyles, who was identified
with the early history OF Reynoldsville,
having embarked in business at this
place thirty-seven years ago, died at
the home OF his brother-in-law, ]. Van
Reed, in Reynoldsville at $40 p. m.
Wednesday, August 20, 1908, after an
Illness OF over four months. Last April
Dr. Boyles stepped on rusty tack
In the bath room at his home In Dubois
and taxamia set in and was cause
OF his death. On the Goth OF May
Doctor was brought to home of Mr.,
Reed in this place. He lost his
appetite and did not eat enough In
the last three months to make one
square meal for hungry man, and
during the last seven weeks OF his
life Doctor did not take any nourish-
ment at all A little water and some
medicine was all he took during the
seven weeks. Considering the fact that
he was in a very weak condition when
he quit taking nourishment, his was
certainly remarkable case. For al
most three weeks the family expected
him to die any hour.
DR.. Robert Morse Boyles was born
near Leatherwood, Clarion county, Pa 4,
April 26, 1910, and was In his Goth year
at time OF death. He was bright and
apt boy and at the age Of sixteen years
he taught public school. He grad
uated from the Glade Run academy
at Dayton, Armstrong Co., In 1859.
He commenced reading medicine under
DR.. j. N. Beck at Rockdale Mills In
the fall Of 1859. He spent one term
at Ann Harbor, Mich, and graduated
in the Western Reserve University
Cleveland, Ohio. During the civil
war he was member OF the 10th
Pa. militia, but most OF his army ex-
periences we're confined to the hospital
steward service, to which he was de-
tached shortly after his enlistment.
July A. 1864, DR.. Boyles was married
to Miss Margaret Ann Bollman. Unto
them five children were born, four
OF whom survive the father. Mrs.
Boyles died In Reynoldsville In 1876
In 1871, when the Low Grade rail-
road was being built and Reynoldsville
was in the midst Of the first boom that
struck the town. DR.. Boyles moved
to this place and he and J. Van Reed
opened store OF general merchandise
and drugs in small wooden building
at corner of Main and Fifth streets,
where the Arnold block now stands.
In 1873, after the building they first
occupied was destroyed by fire, they
erected the building now owned and
occupied by E. L. Evans at corner OF
Main and Third streets, and opened an
exclusive drug store. In 1880 DR..
Boyles was elected burgess of this
borough for one year. He was a
charter member Of the l. o. o. F.
lodge in Reynoldsville, and was one
Of the Oldest members of that order
in this section, having joined the order
at Rimersburg in 1865.
In 1884 DR.. Boyles opened drug
store in Dubois and at the time of the
big conhagration in that town in 1888
he owned two drug stores there and
both were destroyed by fire. He
started a new store, there as soon
as possible after the fire. In 1894 he
opened drug store at Falls Creek
and ten years later he sold his Falls
Creek store. During his residence at
Falls Creek the town was Incorporated
and he was the first burgess OF the new
borough. In the spring OF 1905 he
bought II. Alex Stokes drug store
and brick block in Reynoldsville and
once more became citizen OF our town.
In the fall Of 1905 he sold his drug store
to the Stoke & Feicht Drug Co. and
retired from business. Last year he
moved back to Dubois.
When fourteen years old the deceased
united with the Presbyterian church
at Leatherwood, brought his letter to
the Presbyterian church In this place
in 1871, and was reunited with the
Reynoldsville Presbyterian church July
IS, 1908. He departed this life without
fear Of entering the Eternal Land. he
was ready for the transition.
DR.. Boyles is survived by two sons
and two daughters, Mrs. Inez L. Keim,
Of Watsontown, Miss inertia A., at