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| occupation=[[Attorney]] and [[banker]] in Monroe​

| occupation=[[Attorney]] and [[banker]] in Monroe​

| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]}}

| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]}}

 

'''William Russell Boles, Sr.''', known as '''Billy Boles''' (April 30, 1927 &ndash; August 16, 2008), was an [[attorney]] and [[banker]] who, at the age of twenty-four, served a single term as a [[Louisiana]] state senator for his native Richland Parish and neighboring Franklin and Catahoula parishes in the  northeastern part of the state. His term extended from 1952 to 1956 during the administration of his fellow [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], [[Governor]] [[Robert F. Kennon]]. Boles succeeded and preceded the [[pro-Long]] state senator, [[Ralph E. King|Ralph Elijah King, Sr.]], a [[physician]] from Winnsboro in Franklin Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=

'''William Russell Boles, Sr.''', known as '''Billy Boles''' (April 30, 1927 &ndash; August 16, 2008), was an [[attorney]] and [[banker]] who, at the age of twenty-four, served a single term as a [[Louisiana]] state senator for his native Richland Parish and neighboring Franklin and Catahoula parishes in the  northeastern part of the state. His term extended from 1952 to 1956 during the administration of his fellow [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], [[Governor]] [[Robert F. Kennon]]. Boles succeeded and preceded the [[pro-Long]] state senator, [[Ralph E. King|Ralph Elijah King, Sr.]], a [[physician]] from Winnsboro in Franklin Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=

http://senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/1880membership.pdf|title=Historical Membership of the Louisiana State Senate, 1880 - Present|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=April 24, 2020}}</ref>​

http://senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/1880membership.pdf|title=Historical Membership of the Louisiana State Senate, 1880 - Present|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=April 24, 2020}}</ref>​

==Background==

==Background==

Boles was born on Louisiana Statehood Day 1927 to Vernon and Ruth Boles in Rayville east of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], where he was engaged in his law practice and banking. He attended the [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]] (then Northeast Junior College) on a [[basketball]] scholarship and then served eighteen months in the [[United States Navy]]. Thereafter, he procured his [[Bachelor of Arts]] from [[Louisiana Tech University]] in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] in Lincoln Parish]]. He was student body president of his law class at [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]].<ref name=advo>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/theadvocate/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=115868378|title=William R. "Billy" Boles Sr. obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=August 2008|accessdate=April 24, 2020}}</ref>​

Boles was born on Louisiana Statehood Day 1927 to Vernon and Ruth Boles in Rayville east of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], where he was engaged in his law practice and banking. He attended the [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]] (then Northeast Junior College) on a [[basketball]] scholarship and then served eighteen months in the [[United States Navy]]. Thereafter, he procured his [[Bachelor of Arts]] from [[Louisiana Tech University]] in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] in Lincoln Parish. He was student body president of his law class at [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]].<ref name=advo>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/theadvocate/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=115868378|title=William R. "Billy" Boles Sr. obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=August 2008|accessdate=April 24, 2020}}</ref>​

 

==Career==

==Career==

Boles and a close friend, State Senator [[Jamar Adcock|Jamar William Adcock]] of Monroe (service: 1960-1972), co-founded what is now Regions Bank of North Louisiana, originally the American Bank in Monroe. Adcock and Boles also started Fidelity Bank in Slidell in St. Tammany Parish, the Colonial Bank in [[New Orleans]], and Progressive Bank in Metairie in Jefferson Parish. They bought into the former Bossier Bank and Trust Company in [[Bossier City]] and the Jena Bank in Jena in La Salle Parish. Boles met Adcock when they were LSU students. Their First Fidelity Mortgage Company was later part of Chase Bank.<ref>Jamar Adcock obituary, ''[[Monroe News Star]],'' December 24, 1991.</ref>

Boles and a close friend, State Senator [[Jamar Adcock|Jamar William Adcock]] of Monroe (service: 1960–1972), co-founded what is now Regions Bank of North Louisiana, originally the American Bank in Monroe. Adcock and Boles also started Fidelity Bank in Slidell in St. Tammany Parish, the Colonial Bank in [[New Orleans]], and Progressive Bank in Metairie in Jefferson Parish. They bought into the former Bossier Bank and Trust Company in [[Bossier City]] and the Jena Bank in Jena in La Salle Parish. Boles met Adcock when they were LSU students. Their First Fidelity Mortgage Company was later part of Chase Bank.<ref>Jamar Adcock obituary, ''[[Monroe News Star]],'' December 24, 1991.</ref>

Known for his close ties to important Louisiana [[politician]]s, including [[Governor]]s [[John J. McKeithen]] and [[Edwin Edwards]], Boles was in 2004 inducted into the [[Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]] in Winnfield.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lapoliticalmuseum.com/inductees.php|title=Inductees|publisher=Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame|accessdate=April 24, 2020}}</ref>  

Known for his close ties to important Louisiana [[politician]]s, including [[Governor]]s [[John J. McKeithen]] and [[Edwin Edwards]], Boles was in 2004 inducted into the [[Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]] in Winnfield.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lapoliticalmuseum.com/inductees.php|title=Inductees|publisher=Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame|accessdate=April 24, 2020}}</ref>  

==Personal life==

==Personal life==

Boles was married until his death for sixty years to the former Mary Catherine Furlow (ca. 1928-2010), a native of Elizabeth in Allen Parish, and the daughter of Adelaide and John Furlow. She was a [[Roman Catholic]]. The Boleses are remembered for their philanthropy through the Catherine and William R. "Billy" Boles Terrace on the seventh floor of the [[library]] at the [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]].

Boles was married until his death for sixty years to the former Mary Catherine Furlow (ca. 1928–2010), a native of Elizabeth in Allen Parish, and the daughter of Adelaide and John Furlow. She was a [[Roman Catholic]]. The Boleses are remembered for their philanthropy through the Catherine and William R. "Billy" Boles Terrace on the seventh floor of the [[library]] at the [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]].

<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thenewsstar/obituary.aspx?n=mary-catherine-furlow-boles&pid=145677187&fhid=12536|title=Mary Catherine Furlow Boles|publisher=''The Monroe News Star,'' September 28, 2010|accessdate=April 24, 2020}}</ref>

<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thenewsstar/obituary.aspx?n=mary-catherine-furlow-boles&pid=145677187&fhid=12536|title=Mary Catherine Furlow Boles|publisher=''The Monroe News Star,'' September 28, 2010|accessdate=April 24, 2020}}</ref>

==References==

==References==

{{reflist}}​

{{reflist}}​

 

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[[Category:Louisiana People]]

[[Category:Louisiana People]]