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Below is a family biography included in the Biographical Review Volume of Biographical Sketches of The Leading Citizens of Hampshire County, Massachusetts published by Biographical Review Publishing Company in 1896.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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REV. JAMES BOYLE, rector of All Saints’ Catholic Church at Ware, Hampshire County, Mass., is a native of Birkenhead, England, where he was born August 15, 1845.

His father, Nicholas Boyle, was a native of Ireland. He learned the trade of a stone mason, which he followed with success throughout his life. In 1848, accompanied by his wife and three children, he came to the United States, and settled at Dobbs Ferry, in Westchester County, New York, where he became a contractor. He was killed in a railroad accident when but thirty-seven years of age, leaving his widow and five children, of whom those now living are: James; Margaret, of Washington, D.C., the widow of Samuel Watkins, a non-commissioned officer in the United States Navy, who died in middle life, leaving one son; and Lawrence Boyle, of New City, N.Y. Mrs. Boyle, whose maiden name was Mary Bray, and who was born in Dublin, Ireland, afterward married John Aungier, and had five children by this union. She died in 1878, at the age of fifty-two years.

James Boyle acquired his early education in the public schools, in 1870 entered the college at Allegany, N.Y., and later on attended the St. Theresa College in Canada. He obtained his theological education at the Grand Seminary of Saint Sulpice in Montreal, where he was ordained on the 18th of December, 1875. His first appointment was at Uxbridge, Mass., where he remained for two and a half years. From there he went to Springfield, and served as curate for three years, at the expiration of which time he was appointed rector of a parish in Grafton, Mass., remaining there from 1881 to 1887. On February 8, 1887, he was appointed to the parish at Ware. The society was then worshipping in an old church adjoining the Catholic cemetery on the Palmer road; but in the following year work was begun on the present fine large brick edifice, known as All Saints’ Catholic Church, which was completed in November, 1894, at a cost of about one hundred thousand dollars. Father Boyle now has under his charge about two thousand souls, and the church is in a prosperous condition.

Although only in his sixteenth year when the patriotism of the North was aroused by the siege and fall of Fort Sumter in April, 1861, James Boyle was among those who rendered efficient service during the great civil strife that followed, having entered the army as a volunteer in May, 1861, from New York City. He enlisted in Company C of the Thirty-seventh New York Regiment, and served as private, Corporal, and Sergeant until November, 1862, at which time he was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant. At the battle of Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862, he was wounded by a gunshot which passed through his left wrist; and, after being in the hospital at Baltimore a short time, he returned home on a furlough, but within six weeks was with his company again. He was with his regiment in the second battle of Bull Run, in the battles of Chantilly, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville, and was mustered out of service with his regiment on the 22d of June, 1863, the regimental term of service having expired several days previous to that date.

In political views Father Boyle is a Republican, and has served on various town committees, among others the building committee of the new high school. He is also an active temperance worker, and has won the esteem and respect of many besides his parishioners. He is a member of the Third Army Corps Union, the Society of the Army of the Potomac, and also of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in the Biographical Review Volume of Biographical Sketches of The Leading Citizens of Hampshire County, Massachusetts published in 1896. 

View additional Hampshire County, Massachusetts family biographies here: Hampshire County, Massachusetts Biographies

View a map of 1901 Hampshire County, Massachusetts here: Hampshire County Massachusetts Map

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