Noah Boyles, Travel Writer

My great-great-great grandfather, Noah Sylvester Boyles, sent a series of letters back to the Cedar Falls (Iowa) Gazette detailing his family's migration from Cedar Falls to Texas.  In this photo he is shown with his wife, Elizina (Hackett) Boyles.  (photo sent to me by Glen Martin)

I love to use old newspapers to bring ancestors “to life” by filling in details about their everyday lives and personalities. One of my most exciting newspaper finds is a series of three letters written by my great-great-great grandfather, Noah Boyles, to describe his family’s migration from Iowa to Texas in the fall of 1876. The letters were printed in the newspaper of his former town in Iowa. From these letters I learned what route the family took, how long it took them to travel, and what kinds of conditions they experienced (including one of the infamous Kansas grasshopper swarms). I could also tell that my ancestor was well-educated, with a strong interest in agriculture and a wry sense of humor. As I read the letters, I almost felt I was hearing the story from my great-great-great grandfather himself!

Below are links to the three published letters.

Letter 1
Letter 2
Letter 3


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