Boyes Cemetery Undergoes a Facelift

By Slug & Poppy Mills

The town of Boyes was established by John & Claude Bruce in 1911. Soon after, it was a bustling community with many homesteaders and businesses.

John Bruce donated the ground for a cemetery in 1914 with the death of a traveler’s baby. Then, John was the first grown person to be buried there in 1915.

It was not until 1931 when the new highway was surveyed 3 miles south that the cemetery was surveyed and platted. At this time, the Bruce Cemetery Assn. was formed.

Through the efforts of fundraisers in 1931 a fence was put in place. In 1972, the community came together once again to repair and build the fence.

Here we are again nearly 50 years later and the community, friends and family far and wide have come together to build a new steel fence and gravel the cemetery road.

I would like to personally thank these families and friends for their support in this project: Gary & Theresa Alderman & family; Harry Liss; Gloria Rosencranz & family; Ted Liss & family; Bill & Mary Schaffer & family; Mark Borla & family; Mike & Tammy Bayles & family; Doris Bayles; Mike & Linda Morella; Slug & Poppy Mills & family; Ernie & Darla Reaves-Chester & Pam Bruce & families; Steve & Sis Mills & family; Wende Gianino; Ella & Bruce Williams & families; Lois Hopkins & family; Randy & Cynde Trucano & family; Barbero family; Bruce Cemetery Assn.; Boyes Community Club; Myles Gardner, Shaw & Clint!

Once again, I thank you all for your support. Clean up day at the Boyes Cemetery was held Sunday, May 24th with a potluck lunch at 1 pm in our yard.

History of Boyes Cemetery

The following article appeared in the “Powder River Examiner” on July 24, 1931:

A benefit dance at Aldrich Hall Saturday night given by Boyes Homemakers Club was well attended and very enjoyable affair. A very satisfactory sum of money was realized for the benefit of the Boyes Cemetery.

The following article appeared in the “Powder River Examiner” on July 31, 1931, page 8, column 3:

Thursday Mrs. John Beach and Mrs. A.E. Moulton solicited for posts for the Boyes cemetery fence. The necessary number were contributed by Mr. Harrington, A. Richardson and the J. Archbold family. Two acres had been contributed for the cemetery, but only about two-thirds of one acre had been fenced. All of it being surveyed makes it necessary to provide more fencing.

The following article appeared in the “Powder River Examiner” on August 7, 1931, page 5, column 1:

A number of people gathered at Boyes Saturday and fenced the cemetery enclosing the entire area contributed for that purpose.

A cemetery association was organized at Boyes July 25. The following board of trustees was elected: Roy Williams, O.J. Brownfield, Claude Bruce, Paul Bruce, Arthur Robinson, A.E. Moulton and Henry Deaver. The board of trustees met at Boyes August 1 and elected the following officers: Arthur Robinson, president; Henry Deaver, vice president; A.E. Moulton, treasurer; and Paul Bruce, secretary.

The following article appeared in the “Powder River Examiner” on September 8, 1933:

Town is Moved to New Highway

The little town of Boyes, established in 1911 by C.L. Bruce, is being moved from the location it has occupied since that time to a place about three and a half miles southwest, on the new federal highway.

About two years ago Mr. Bruce put in a filling station at this place. This was the beginning of the new town which is located on a portion of the Louie Julius ranch. The town site was purchased from Mr. Julius a short time before his death.

For some time Mr. Bruce has been moving buildings from Boyes to the new town site. He put in a small stock of groceries at the filling station last fall. He has recently put in a large basement and enlarged the store building. The old store where many people have traded in the past will be entirely dismantled and closed in a short time.

The government was petitioned for the privilege of moving the post office. Permission was granted, and mail will be delivered at the new town after September 23. The town which has served the public for so long has seen a considerable degree of prosperity during the 22 years of its existence. It has had, at various times, three stores, a post office, a flour mill, a saloon, two pool halls, a barber shop, a printing office, a garage, a blacksmith shop, a dance hall, two hotels, a livery stable, a church, a school house, and a U.S. land office. There is also a cemetery at Boyes. Very soon, however, all that will remain of the old town will be two or three residences and the church.

The new Boyes will shortly consist of the store, filling station and post office before mentioned, and the flour mill which Mr. Bruce expects to have in operation later. Success to the new town on the highway.