James McLelland Boal

  General Notes:

"JAMES M. BOAL was a native of Pennsylvania, and came to St. Paul in 1846. He was known by the "Old Settlers" of that day as "McBoal," doubtless from his true name being James McClellan Boal. A prominent street in St. Paul is named from him, McBoal street. He was a conspicuous character in the early days of the territory, a good hearted and genial fellow, a friend to all he knew, generous, being sometimes even liberal to a fault. He was elected in 1849 from St. Paul as a member of the Territorial Council for two years. He was appointed by Governor Ramsey[p.149] as Adjutant General of the Territory, and held that position till his successor was appointed in 1853 by Governor Gorman. He died in 1862, after a long and severe illness, at Mendota, where his remains were buried. "

...Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society, Vol. 9, page 149

"BOAL, JAMES McCLELLAN - Usually called "Jimmy McBoal" by the old settlers, he was one of the curious characters around St. Paul in the early days. Born in 1805 in Pennsylvania, he was likely a discharged Fort Snelling soldier. He was a painter by occupation, and something of an artist, the first to pursue that occupation in St. Paul.

He was in partnership with Marshall Sherman in 1849-50. Boal was known for his good-heartedness and generosity, and would loan or give away anything he had. In 1849, he was a member of the Territorial Legislature from Ramsey County. He was also appointed as Adjutant-General of the Territory, a position he held from 1850-53.

He moved to West St. Paul in 1851, where he went into partnership with Thomas Odell in the trading business. He was also elected to the House of Representatives from Dakota County in 1852. In 1855, he moved to Mendota where he died in 1862, leaving a family. There is a street in St. Paul named after him, but the city used his sobriquet, McBoal, rather than his real name. His real estate holdings were valued at $5,000 in 1850."

...Pig's Eye Notepad

"JAMES MCLELLAN BOAL, usually termed 'JIMMY Mc BOAL' by the old settlers, was one of the curious characters of early days. BOAL was a Pennsylvaniiian by birth, and had served a term in the army. He was probably discharged at Fort Snelling, shortly prior to his coming to Saint Paul. He was a painter by occupation, and quite an artist also, and was the first who ever pursued that calling in Saint Paul. He was in partnership with MARSHALL SHERMAN, about I849 or I850. BOAL was renowned for his good-heartedness and improvidence. He would loan or give away anything hlie had, without any thought of the morrow. In 1849, BOAL was elected a member of the Territorial Council from Ramsey county, for two years. About I85I, he moved to West Saint Paul, and formed a partnership with THOMAS S. ODELL, in the trading business. While residing here, he was appointed by Gov. RAMSEY as Adjutant General of the Territory, and held that office until a change of administration occurred in I853. He was also elected a member of the House of Representatives, in I852, from Dakota county. He removed to Mendota about I855, and died there, after a long illness, in the year i862, leaving a family. There is a street in Saint Paul named for him, but is called by his sobriquet, 'Mc BOAL,' instead of by his correct name.

...A History of the City of Saint Paul, and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota, page 158

"James McClelland Boal--called 'Jimmy McBoal' by the old settlers, which version of his name has been micalled and perpetuated by naming a St. Paul street for him, and in other ways--was a Pennsylvanian by birth. In his youth he enlisted as a drummer and came to Fort Snelling with the first detachment of troops under Leavenworth. He and Joseph R. Brown were musicians and bunkmates at Snelling, Brown being a fifer for some time. Boal was a painter by occupation after he left the army, but in 1851 became a trader in St. Paul. He was a charter member of the Republican party of Minnesota, and Governor Ramsey appointed him Adjutant General of the Territory in 1849 and he served until 1853. In 1852 he was elected to the Legislature from Dakota County. He died in Mendota in 1862."

...Minnesota in Three Centuries, Volume Four, pages 442-443

"Brown's comrade drummer boy was James McClellan Boal, (often erroneously called James McBoal) an intelligent, accomplished man who became a prominent citizen of St. Paul, where a street was named for him."

...Minnesota in Three Centuries, Volume Four, page 92 footnote

"THE FIRST PAINTER AND ARTIST.
From all I can learn James McClellan Boal was the first artist, who came to ST. PAUL in 1846. He was at one time member of the Territorial Legislature, Adjutant General and member of the House of Representatives in 1852. He was a peculiar character, very generous, and his generosity led him to poverty. He died at Mendota in 1862. "

...Pen Pictures of St. Paul, page 53

"The settlers in 1846 were William H. and William Randall, Jr., father and son, James McBoal, Thos, S. Odell, John Banfil, Harley D. White, David Faribault, Louis Denoyer, Jo Monteur, and Charles Roleau. Randall, Sr., engaged in trade and became immensely rich, but was wrecked in the financial panic of 1857. He died in 1861. Randall, Jr., is best remembered as an artist and caricaturist of no mean ability. He died in 1851. McBoal was also an artist, the first who pursued that calling in St. Paul. He was a member of the territorial council in 1849-50, and was adjutant general of the Territory during Gov. Ramsey's administration. He died in Mendota in 1862."

...Fifty Years in the Northwest, page 536

"Here is a land sale worth noting. On January 8, 1849, James McBoal sold to John R. Irvine the undivided third of the northeast quarter of section 1, township 28, range 23, for $500. This is about $10 per acre. It is now a part of Dayton and Irvine's addition, embracing the very heart of the best part of our residence district, and one single front foot of it on Summit avenue has sold for $500,--just what Irvine paid for a third of the whole tract."

...Minnesota Land Concerns, page 423 (Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society, Volume 10, Part 1)

"I built my palatial dwelling upon this lot, which afterwards became the "Hotel Wild Hunter" ("Zum Wilden Jäger"). The work was done by Aaron Foster (who married one of the widow Mortimer's girls), J. Warren Woodbury, and Jesse H. Pomroy. The latter is still alive and with us; the other two are dead. The painting was done by James McBoal, one of the best and laziest mortals that ever lived."

...Minnesota Historical Society, page 383 (Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society, Vol. 9)

"It may be interesting to know that the first temperance society in Saint Paul-perhaps in Minnesota-was organized this summer, by a few young folks-some of them scholars in Miss Bishop's school. The pledge itself was drawn up by James M. Boal. who was quite an artist, and decorated it with drawings and emblematic designs. Miss Bishop still has the paper, the first written temperance pledge, beyond doubt, in the State. Shortly after this, the young men of the town organized a temperance society about thirty of them taking the pledge. Alex. R. McLeod was elected president-but, Miss B. adds. regretfully, that he did not keep the pledge very well."

...A History of the City of Saint Paul, and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota, page 180

(Witnesses to the sgning of the treaty with the Sioux at Traverse Des Sioux, 1851)
"On the part of the whites there were...James McC. Boal..."

...Minnesota in Three Centuries, Volume Four, page 297

"A public meeting was held at St. Paul's, January 24, 1848, to consider the situation with regard to the suggested western bouncaries of Wisconsin and their effect upon, 'the proposed new Territory of Minnesota.' James McBoal* was chairman and Alex. Roderic McCleod was secretary.

*As he signed his name to the proceedings although his real name was James McClelland Boal."

...Minnesota in Three Centuries, Volume Four, page 357

"FIRST TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE.--HELD SEPT. 3 TO NOV. 1, 1849.
Council. David Olmsted, president; district No. 1, James S. Norris; No. 2, Samuel Burkelo; No. 3, William H. Forbes, James Mc.C. Boal; No. 4, David B. Loomis; No. 5, John Rollins; No. 6, David Olmsted, William Sturgis; No. 7, Martin McLeod."

...Fifty Years in the Northwest, page 648

"In St. Paul James McC. Boal, a good house and sign painter of some pretensions as a scenic artist, who left the army at Fort Snelling and came to St. Paul in 1846, was elected Councilor over the gifted David Lambert, by a vote of 98 to 91. His partisans were so elated over his victory that they hauled about the streets in a chariot improvised from an oxcart, amid great cheering and enthusiasm."

...Minnesota in Three Centuries, Volume Four, page 435

"McBoal: named for James McClellan Boal (1805-1862,) generally known as "Jimmie McBoal", who was born in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, served as a drummer boy and soldier at Fort Snelling under Colonel Leavenworth, and after discharge, settled in St. Paul in 1846 and was employed as a painter and artist, in partnership with Marshall Sherman in 1849-50. Boal married Angelique Prevost and the couple had four children, Marguerite Ann Boal (1854- ,) John Quinn Boal (1856- ,) George Boal (1859-1907,) and Mary Georgina/Minnie/Mamie Boal ( -1885.) He was a member of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature in 1849 from District Number 4, Ramsey County, and was a member of the House of Representatives in 1852 from Dakota County. In 1849, James McBoal sold to John R. Irvine the undivided third of the northeast quarter of section 1, township 28, range 23, now a part of Dayton and Irvine's addition, for $500, or $10 per acre. He also served as State Adjutant General, appointed in 1850 by Governor Alexander Ramsey. Boal's successor as State Adjutant General was appointed in 1853 by Governor Willis Gorman. Boal was a conspicuous character in the early days of the Minnesota Territory, a good hearted and genial fellow, a friend to all he knew, generous, being sometimes even liberal to a fault and was known as "one of the best and laziest mortals that ever lived." His real estate holdings were valued at $5,000 in 1850. He moved to West St. Paul in 1851, where he went into partnership with Thomas Odell in the trading business. In 1855, he moved to Mendota, Dakota County, and died there after a long and severe illness. Angelique Prevost (1836-1892) was a daughter of Hypolite (Paul) Prevost (1803- ) and Marguerite Brunelle (1812- ,) was born in Mendota, Dakota County, and died in Minneapolis. Mary Georgina Boal married Nehemiah Lapping (1857-1921) and the couple had one child, Jasper Edward Lapping (1883-1965). Jasper Edward Lapping married Adelaide A. Mayer (1884-1962) and the couple had one child, Marjorie Lapping."

...Thursday Night Hikes: Irvine/Cherokee Park Hike Architecture Notes, Part 2

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  Things to check:

Enumerated in his household in the 1860 US census is 7-year-old Antoine Brunell.

  In his life:

• In 1850 he lived in St. Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota Territory. ¹

• He worked, in 1850, as a painter in St. Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota Territory. ¹

• James was counted in the 1850 US census for St. Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota Territory. ¹ Page 41.

• In 1860 he lived in Mendota, Dakota, Minnesota. ⁶

• He worked, in 1860, as a painter in Mendota, Dakota, Minnesota. ⁶

• James was counted in the 1860 US census for Mendota, Dakota, Minnesota. ⁶ Page 28.

James married Angelique Provost, daughter of Hypolite Provost and Margaret Brunelle. (Angelique Provost was born on 13 December 1836 in Wisconsin Territory, christened on 28 June 1839 in Iowa Territory and died on 22 February 1892 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota.)