August Bolte was born in Franklin County, Missouri in 1854 to William Henry Bolte and Wilhelmina Charlotte Haase Bolte. He married Christina Arand in 1882 and had two children. He was a lawyer and served as a probate judge from 1881 to 1894 and was the Franklin County prosecuting Attorney in 1895.
Upon reaching the end of his term on January 14, 1901 and following his election loss, August Bolte retired from politics. Bolte died in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 24, 1920, aged 65. He is buried at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Washington, Missouri.