Billy Boles

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William R. "Billy" Boles, Sr.
In office
1952 – 1956
Preceded by Ralph E. King, M.D.
Succeeded by Ralph E. King
Born 1927
Rayville in Richland Parish, Louisiana, USA
Political party Democratic
Spouse Catherine Boles
Children Including William R. Boles, Jr.
Occupation Attorney and banker in Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana (semi-retired)
Boles and Jamar Adcock, both of whom served in the Louisiana State Senate, were cofounders of what is now Regions Bank in Louisiana.

William R. "Billy" Boles, Sr. (born 1927), is a Monroe attorney and banker who was one of the youngest individuals ever to have been elected to the Louisiana State Senate. At twenty-four, Boles represented his native Richland as well as neighboring Franklin and Catahoula parishes in northeastern Louisiana from 1952-1956, during the administration of Governor Robert F. Kennon, his fellow Democrat. Boles succeeded and preceded the pro-Long state senator, Ralph E. King, a physician from Winnsboro, the seat of Franklin Parish.[1]

Boles was born in Rayville, the seat of Richland Parish, located east of Monroe. He attended the University of Louisiana at Monroe (then Northeast Junior College) and Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, the seat of Lincoln Parish. He was student body president of his law class at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

Boles and a close friend, the late State Senator Jamar 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, 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.[2]

Known for his close ties to important Louisiana politicians, including Governors John J. McKeithen and Edwin Washington Edwards, Boles was in 2004 inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.[3] He is semi-retired in Monroe in the practice of law with his son, William Boles, Jr.

Boles and his wife, Catherine, are honored 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.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.legis.state.la.us/members/s1880-2004.pdf#search='c.c.%20taddy%20aycock'
  2. ^ Jamar Adcock obituary, Monroe News-Star, December 24, 1991
  3. ^ Winnfield, La - Old L&A Depot, LA Political Museum
  4. ^ Untitled Document


Preceded by
Ralph E. King, M.D.		 Louisiana State Senator from Catahoula, Franklin, and Richland parishes

William R. "Billy" Boles, Sr.
1952–1956

 Succeeded by
Ralph E. King