J. FRANKLIN BOLE.

 



	J.Franklin Bole is one of the best known residents of Regina an
this part of Saskatchewan, where he has lived since he was a lad of
thirteen. He came out west in 1882, moving from Watford, Ontario, his
birthplace, with his parents, who took up a homestead near this city.
The son of James and Ann (Murdock) Bole, he was born on the 23d
April, 1869, and received his early educational training in the Watford
public schools.  His parents were both natives of Ireland, who were
brought to Canada as children, grew to manhood and womanhood in the
Dominion and here were married.  James Bole was a foundryman by
trade and as long as he lived in Ontario was connected with a manufac-
turing concern that produced farm implements. When he came to Sas-
katchewan he took up a homestead, which he cultivated with
success for fourteen years, finally retiring from active life in 1896.
took an active part in the development of this vicinity, especially in pro-
moting immigration, so that today there are living in this region hun-
dreds of people who are the children and grandchildren of the early
settlers he assisted in getting a start in the new country. For some time
he was president of the Northwest Territory organization of the Patrons
of Industry.  In politics he was a Liberal and in religion a Methodist,
both he and his wife being prominent. members of the local congregation.
As a Mason he was a charter member of Wascana Lodge, A. F. & A. M.,
and for many years chaplain of the lodge. Three of the six children born
to this early pioneer and his wife are living in Regina: J. Franklin Bole,
the youngest child; and two of his sisters, Mrs Smith and Mrs. 
Dawson.
	For a short time after the family came west, J. Franklin Bole attended
school in Regina, but at the age of fourteen he set out to make his own
way in the world.  His first occupation was that of letter carrier in
Regina, at which he worked for a few months. From this he turned to
newspaper work, becoming the first "printer's devil" on the Leader and
in this capacity helped put out the first issue of this paper ever printed.
Eventually, however, he returned to his father's farm and was engaged
in the tilling of the soil until 1898, when he established the trading com-
pany which he ran successfully for seventeen years.  In 1915 he was
appointed liquor commissioner for the province and in connection with
the duties of this office spent the following twelve months in organizing
the stores under government supervision, continuing in this position until
1916, when the Prohibition act went into force.  He is now engaged in
the life insurance business as a representative of the Saskatchewan Life
Insurance Company.
	Mr. Bole is a Liberal in his political views and has not been unknown
in political circles. He has sat on the Regina city council, served as chair-
man of its committee on public works in 1904, and was three times
elected to the Provincial Legislative Assembly as a member for the city
of Regina in 1905, 1908 and 1912.  He resigned from the Legislature
in 1915 to accept his appointment as liquor commissioner.  In addition
to these public duties he has been connected with some of the financial
projects for the upbuilding of the city and province, among which his
connection with the Saskatchewan Mortgage Trust Company is deserving
of especial mention. He was instrumental in securing the organization
 of this company in 1910 and held the presidency for the first thirteen
years of its history, having only recently resigned from that post. Much
of the success of the trust company is due to his work as its chief execu-
tive officer, in which he displayed a sound knowledge of business prin-
ciples in laying down the policies of the concern and putting them into
efficient operation.
	True to his early training, Mr. Bole has kept his affiliations with the
Methodist church and as a Mason is identified with Wascana Lodge, No.
1, A. F. & A. M., of which his father was one of the charter members. He
enjoys golf and other forms of athletic sports and belongs to the Wascana
Country and Assiniboia Clubs, being president of the 
latter.
	In March, 1896, Mr. Bole was married to Miss Agnes De Coursey,
who was born and educated at Lucan, Ontario.  They are the parents of
two sons: Albert C., a young man of twenty-six; and Arthur F., who is
holding a position as cashier in the Regina city hall. The older son is a
veteran of the Great war, having served practically throughout the con-
flict. Enlisting in the Canadian army in 1915, he later was assigned to
the Motor Machine Gun service, in which he saw active fighting in France.
He received military citations for bravery in the field, and was also
awarded the war medal by the Canadian government, as well as a French
medal. He was gassed and wounded in the knee in the course of his
service at the front, but was able to continue in the service to the close
of the war. The Boles reside in a beautiful home at No. 3004 Albert
street, in Regina.




	
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