DR. LEONARD BOLTON OUTLAR
The old Bolton Place (Valhalla)-1846- Two miles west of Wharton
FOUNDER: Colonel Charles L. Boilton of Wilkes Co. Georgia
1977 CO-OWNERS: Kirkland Bolton Haase Outlar of Wharton
Dr. and Mrs. Leonard Bolton Outlar Jr. of Wharton
Miss Leslie Patricia Outlar of Wharton
Colonel Charles L. Bolton who was a member of the Georgia Legislature and a colonel in the Georgia State Militia, moved to Texas in 1846 where he acquired extensive property and plantations in both Wharton and Galveston areas. Part of his holdings, the land which came to be known as the Old Bolton Place, was originally part of property deeded by Baron deBastrop to Alexander Jackson, a settler with Stephen F. Austin s colony. Cotton, corn, hay, and pasture for livestock were raised on the founder's land. Colonel Bolton helpe4d to establish the First Baptist church in Wharton and served as a deacon. Unable to fight, because he was crippled, he provided financial aid to the Confederate cause during the Civil War. Colonel Bolton and his wife Mary (Nolen) had nine children, but only one, John Thomas, lived to maturity. In 1871, John Bolton received approximately 866 acres from his father. A graduate of Tulane University Medical School, the senior Bolton served as assistant surgeon during the many extensive Texas campaigns of the 35th Texas Calvary in the Confederate Army. A county treasurer in Wharton County, he also served as county commissioner and was instrumental in the construction of the large bridge over the Colorado River. He also served as alderman and city councilman in Wharton.
John Thomas Bolton married Mary Rogers in 1869. Mary was originally from Aberdeen, Mississippi, and was the daughter of General William P. Rogers, a relative of Sam Houston and executor of Houston's will. Mary Bolton organized the J.E.B. Stuart chapter Number 230 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1889, and with three ancestors in the Revolutionary War, was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The Bolton's had seven children, three of whom survived: Lily (Outlar), Mabel (Sanders) and John Rogers. In 1920, each of the Bolton children received 150 acres of the family land where the production of cotton, corn , p[pasture, Irish potatoes, and small amounts of sugar cane and hay were grown. Lily and her husband Leonard Bela Outlar had two pecan trees which still stand. Lily and her mother served as the only primary teachers for the first 100 years of the First Bptist Church.
The land then passed to Leonard Bolton Outlar Jr., son of Nannie (Bennett) and Dr. Bolton Outlar, whose parents were the third-generation owners, and to Dr. Leonard Outlar Coleman and Lillian Ruth Coleman Conkling, of Navasota, Texas, whose parents were Mabel(Bolton) and Dr. S.D. Coleman. Leonard Bolton Outlar Jr., eventually bought out his cousins' interest in 1965. He now raises hay,corn, wheat, rye, oats, soybeans, pecans and cattle.
Dr. Outlar, Jr,. is a Board Certified obstetrician and gynecologist. He and his wife Myrtis (Sealy) co own the property with their children. Dr. Outlar Jr., has been active in many community activities over the years, including serving on the vestry of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, as president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year in 1972, and has served as a member of the Wharton School Board and director of Security Bank and Trust Company. Dr. Outlar id active in the Outlar and Atkinson Cattle Company and Wharton County livestock Market as well as being a supporter of the County Youth Fair.
Leonard B. Outlar was born on a tobacco farm near Greensboro North Carolina on Dec 28, 1871. He left home at the age of 16 to join a friend in Alton, Texas. He liked to tell about this long railroad trip. His money ran out on the last leg of his journey, but the determined young man boarded the night train from Houston to Alto anyway. Most of the passengers were asleep, so Leonard quickly sat down, pulled his hat over his face and pretended to be asleep. The conductor didn�t notice him so he arrived at his destination without incidence. Months later he met the conductor, told his story and paid for his fare.
He got a job working in a general store and his salary was $5 a week. He was eager to become a doctor so he started saving one half of his earnings. This meant sleeping on a cot in the store at night. Of course, as time went on he got better jobs, and by the time he was in his early twenties he had almost acquired enough for college. His best friend needed money to start a drug store and Leonard loaned him his savings thinking it would be a good investment. But a year later the friend died and all Leonard had for the loan of his savings was a stock of drugs. This is when he decided to become a pharmacist. He worked in the drug store, hired a druggist to fill prescriptions and studied pharmacy at night. Soon he was able to pass his State Board Pharmacy exams and began to look around for a more prosperous community in which to set up business on his own.
When he boarded the train in Houston he was en-route to Victoria, Texas, but became very fascinated by a lovely young lady seated across the isle from him on a train. Leonard hardly realized what he was doing when he followed her when he got off the train at Wharton. He had never heard of Wharton!
Incidentally, L.B. Outlar�s name was spelled Outlaw when he came to Texas from North Carolina, but he changed the W to an R because people kidded him about being an �outlaw�.
By the time he was 30 years old in the year 1900 the young man had a prosperous business in Wharton, the L.B. Outlar Drug Co. In June of that year he married the young lady he had followed off the train.____Lily Bolton, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. John T. Bolton.
L.B. Outlar was a prominent citizen in the community until his death March 1928. His drug store was the popular meeting place in town. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Wharton Schools for many years, and he was always active in any movement to help the town. The Outlars had two children Mabelle (Mrs. S.D. Coleman of Navasota) and Dr. Leonard Bolton Outlar of Wharton.
Lily Bolton Outlar lived all her life in Wharton. She was born March 4, 1879, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. John T. Bolton. After graduating from Wharton High School she continued her education at Baylor College in Belton, Texas. In 1900 she married Leonard B. Outlar a prominent local druggist. Lily, who was affectionately called �Miss Lily� by all the young people, followed in the footsteps of her mother and became active in the Baptist church at an early age. She succeeded her mother as superintendent of the Beginners department in the church__a service she rendered for almost 50 years. And her Buick Cadillac became �the gospel chariot� (the name given to her mothers� surrey) as she faithfully gathered little children every Sunday morning to take them to Sunday school. Her thought fullness was shown that each child�s birthday was celebrated with a special cake and candles. On Mothers day �Miss Lily� gave each child a corsage of sweet peas to take to their mothers. She also sent a tiny white bible and a pair of white bootees to every child born at Caney Valley Hospital.
She was also very active in the Ladies Aid Society of her Baptist church; in the J.B.B. Stuart chapter of the United Daughters of The Confederacy, of which she was president for many years; and in the Daughters of The American Revolution. She was a charter member of the New Century Club, a ladies civic club of Wharton.
Although she was confined to a wheel chair the last several years of her life she never considered herself an invalid. Two or three times a week she would be helped into her car and have her �driver� go by to take �shut-in� friends for a ride. In fact, the day before she died, which was Easter Sunday, she drove around delivering flowers to close friends.
One of the biggest events of the year for children in her Sunday School department was the annual Easter egg hunt held at her home. Thirty or forty children participated in this hunt and were served refreshments afterwards. A picture and account of her last Easter Egg hunt appeared in the same newspaper that carried an account of her death which occurred April 19, 1958.
She was survived by two children, Mabelle Outlar Coleman of Navasota, Texas and Dr. Leonard Bolton Outlar of Wharton, Texas; three grandchildren, Mrs. W.S. Conkling and Dr. Leonard Outlar Coleman both of Navasota and Dr. Leonard Bolton Outlar, Jr of Wharton; eight great grandchildren.