Randolph County, Indiana
Albert L. Boots
The large success that has attended the efforts of Albert L. Boots, one of Parker's wide-awake and progressive business men, who is conducting one of the largest hardware stores in Randolph county, has been well deserved, for he has worked earnestly, persistently and honestly, not depending upon others or stooping to any paltry tricks, so common in present-day commercialism. As a result of his fair dealing with his fellow men, his uniform courtesy to his hundreds of regular customers and his acknowledged public spirit, Mr. Boots enjoys the confidence and good will of all who know him and is deserving to rank among our leading citizens.
Mr. Boots was born in Randolph county, April 14, 1862. He is a son of Morgan and Elizabeth J. (Manor) Boots, and is one of a family of three children, he being the eldest, the other two are Rosel E., who was a farmer in Monroe township, died at the age of thirty-one years, and Lillie, who married Frank E. Keefer, a farmer of Monroe township, has the following children: One having died in infancy, the living are Bessie, Lloyd, Inez, Albert and Harold.
Morgan Boots, mentioned in the preceding paragraph, was born in Ohio, near the city of Xenia. He left that state when a boy, coming to Indiana, where he engaged in farming until his death which occurred in the prime of life. Martin Boots, the grandfather; was born in Virginia, from which state he came to Ohio when eleven years old, there grew to manhood and followed farming until fifty years of age, when he moved to Indiana, locating near Fairview, where he died at the age of seventy-three years. The death of the grandmother occurred at the unusual age of ninety-six years. The maternal grandparents of our subject came from West Virginia, having resided in Berkley county, from which they removed to Indiana when our subject's mother was a child.
Albert L. Boots grew to manhood on the home farm and he received his education in the common schools. On June 10, 1883, he married Emma Manor, daughter of David Manor, and she was one of a large family-sixteen children, eleven of whom grew to maturity. Mr. Manor was a farmer and merchant in Jay county.
Mr. Boots now owns the splendid farm near Redkey, which was formerly the property of his father-in-law. On August 5, 1912, Mr. Boots and George Murphy bought out E. E. Deal's hardware store in Parker City, which they are now conducting most successfully, enjoying a large and rapidly growing trade. It is one of the largest hardware, implement and general supply concerns in Randolph county. They carry a large, up-to-date and carefully selected stock of everything in the hardware and implement line used by the farmer, and their prices are always right, according to their customers.
Politically, Mr. Boots is a Prohibitionist. Fraternally, he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No.134, at Fairview. He attends the Methodist Episcopal church, and contributes liberally to the support of same.
Past and Present of Randolph County, Indiana, 1914.
Contributed by Gina Richardson