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Dunlop of that Ilk
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Our Boyds and Some Allied
Families
Right or Wrong – Our Kinfolks, Angie Boyd Hansen 1953
When one backtracks on the
trails of their ancestors by means of the twigs, bent this way and that,
they find that the majority of these trails lead to Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, as the port of entry of the original immigrants to America,
especially if they entered after 1718. And, as far away as South Carolina
seems, most of her pioneer settlers arrived by this route. It is quite true
that many came on the twenty-five “Bounty” ships, which anchored at
Charleston, bringing the Scotch-Irish Protestants (Ulster-Scots) from North
Ireland. These ships, though, brought few immigrants compared to those
entering at Philadelphia. Most of the settlers of the whole country who came
prior to 1630 and the “Bounty Ships” immigrants of 1762-1772 came for
religious freedom. Those who came after 1630 came, mostly, for economic
reasons.
Many of the immigrants remained in Pennsylvania, while others, for one
reason or another, followed the Indian trails, north, west and south,
through the never-ending forests. These trails soon became wagon roads.
Because of the danger of attack by Indians, many families formed wagon
trains, and traveled to new territory together. Some of these had known each
other in their native land, across the Atlantic.
We are told that the counties of York, Chester and Lancaster, in S.
Carolina, were named for counties of the same name in Pennsylvania. It would
appear from this, that large numbers of settlers of these counties had once
made their home in Pennsylvania, and, doubtless, many left parents and other
relatives there, while the young couples, being more able to withstand the
hardships of the trails, and more venturesome, forged ahead into the
wilderness, to conquer new lands and push the Indians ever backward. History
and the early maps show that the states nearest Philadelphia were the first
to be settled, but it was an age of migration, and we see each state
overflow into the next until the Pacific coast was eventually reached. The
settling of Georgia follows the same pattern, and the first counties to be
formed, were those along the border of South Carolina and the Atlantic
Coast.
By the spring of 1821, we find the Georgia Legislature establishing the
county of Henry, a large tract of land in the heart of Georgia, which land
had been obtained, by treaty, from the Creek Indians and Indian Springs,
Georgia. In the fall of the same year, Newton County was carved out of
Henry, Jasper, and Walton Counties. It was to this section, and about 1819,
that the first of that brave band of Associated Reformed Presbyterians, left
their parents, relatives, and home in Chester, Fairfield, Lancaster, and
York Counties, South Carolina and migrated to Georgia to establish a new
home and community. Apparently most of them came from the Hopewell Church
community in Chester County since they named the church they eventually
established in Newton County, “Hopewell”. Which is still active, nearly a
century and a quarter afterward.
The writer of this record had the pleasure of visiting the Hopewell Church
of Chester and learned that descendants of the original founders and members
who worshipped there often visit the hallowed spot, some from as far away as
Oklahoma. Among these have been Boyds, and a community nearby, is known as
the Boyd Community.
The writer was told that prior to the establishment of “Hopewell” in Chester
that the three branches of the Presbyterians established one church and
called it the catholic Presbyterian, catholic meaning “universal”, but when
the population had increased sufficiently to warrant a church for each
branch that the Associate Reformed established their church and called it
“Hopewell” The first building was of logs built in 1787; the second, of
brick; the third, was of frame 50X70 feet, with a gallery along three sides
for the slaves; and the fourth, a modern brick structure, which was built in
1942, a war year, after the third burned the previous year. The same site
was used by all four churches. Mr. John Sterling, the Secretary, said that
many times they did not know on Monday morning where the money would come
from to pay the workmen on Saturday night, but it came. In 1952 they
purchased a Hammond Organ, and the members proudly boast that they do not
owe one dime on church or organ. Descendants of the original members often
send them contributions.
For the story of the Boyds and allied families (Wylies, Merrits, Aikens,
Robinsons, Thompsons, Gardners, Lowerys, Christians) all of Scotch-Irish
descent, for the most part, we owe much to the Associate Reformed
Presbyterian Church of Hopewell in Newton County. They have preserved the
records, which tell much of the story of those far away days of the years
between 1819-1830, before they had an established church, when they divided
the community into groups, which met at different homes to teach the Bible
and conduct prayer meetings.
Their “seasonal Record” contains records of baptisms of many years prior to
the building of the first church in 1830. Services, with preaching as well
as baptisms were held under the trees where the church was later built, by
visiting ministers who traveled hundreds of miles on horseback to visit this
and other communities. Chester’s Hopewell is not so fortunate for their
records go back to 1932, only, as they were burned when the home of the
secretary was burned. It is hoped that Newton’s Hopewell will have her
records duplicated to safeguard against such loss.
According to tradition, Robert Boyd
was born in Chester County, South Carolina, about 1790; he died in Newton
County, Georgia, in 1849 and is interred at Hopewell Church there. It is
claimed that he came from the section where the Union ARP Church is still
active, about ten miles northeast from Chester, the county seat, but it has
been handed down in from previous generations that he came from Chester’s
Hopewell community And that his family were among the founders of that
church, which is near Blackstock, and the Fairfield County border, about ten
miles southeast from the town of Chester. Some estate papers seen by the
writer in the courthouse at Chester would indicate that the latter record is
correct. Robert Boyd is mentioned in the Sessional Record as one of the
founders of Newton’s Hopewell. Like most settlers of America, and of those
who migrated to Newton County, he was a farmer.
His farm in Newton was not far from the present paved highway from Covington
to Shapping Shoals and near the place known as the “Dr. Martin” place, which
Miss Belle Gardner now owns, but which was first settled by William Robinson
and wife, Annie (Merritt) Robinson, who were also pioneer settlers and
Presbyterians from S. Carolina.
Robert Boyd was married, August 10, 1820 in Chester County, S. Carolina, to
Mary Wylie, who was born circa 1800, probably in S. Carolina, and died in
Newton County, in 1880, at her old home, near Hopewell, and is interred
beside her husband there. Her sister Rosannah (Wylie) Cowan, wife of
Alexander Cowan, and her brother, Samuel Wylie, were among the founders of
the original community of Hopewell in Newton, and came in the same wagon
train from Chester County.
One of Mary (Wylie) Boyd’s two living grandsons, Samuel Thompson Boyd of
Blair, Oklahoma often writes reminiscent stories of her, which illustrate
her ability, both mental and physical. He gives her full credit for the
character training she gave him and his two brothers.
Their mother died when they were quite small, and Mary (Wylie) Boyd saw to
it that they attended church and Sunday school and spent Sunday afternoons
in the study of the Bible. He states that she taught them, by word and
example, the value of growing good character day by day.
The following record has been constructed from the record of the family
Bible furnished by Samuel T. Boyd; the Sessional Record of Newton’s
Hopewell; from records furnished by some member of each family of the
original children, from court house records, tombstones, etc. Legend has it
that their third child was a year old when they migrated, so this would fix
their migration in 1825.
Children:
I. The first baby, born in Chester County, SC, May 31, 1821, died in
infancy, interred in Chester County, SC.
II. Margaret Boyd, born April 18, 1822, died in infancy, interred in Chester
County, SC.
III. John Patterson Boyd, third child of Robert and Mary (Wylie) Boyd, born
in Chester County, SC April 10, 1824. He died in Newton County, Georgia at
his home, December 24, 1892.
He is interred at Salem Camp Ground, in Newton, where his family worshipped,
after his marriage, because Salem Methodist Church was nearer than Hopewell
ARP Church.
He married, in Newton County, July 2, 1846, Sarah Paul Robinson, daughter of
William and Annie (Merritt) Robinson, near neighbors of the Boyds, and also
pioneer settlers. She was born in S. Carolina, August 17, 1821; died in
Newton County, at the home of a daughter, September 6, 1901; and is interred
beside her husband at Salem Camp Ground.
The records of the Confederate States of America show that John Paterson
Boyd’s name appears on the roll of Company G, 2nd Regiment, Georgia State
Troops. The home spun and woven blankets (wool), which he carried through
the war, have recently been turned over to a museum in Atlanta. Furlough
papers in family records prove that he served though out the greater part of
the war and legend has it that he served through all 4 years.
http://clanboyd.info/state/Georgia/civil
Children:
IV. Martha Jane Boyd was born January 16, 1827; baptized in Hopewell, the
fourth Sunday in February 1828; died at her youngest sister’s home, in
Athens, Georgia, September 1892; is interred at Hopewell, in Newton County.
She spent a life of services to the members of her family.
V. William Perry Boyd was born November 1, 1828, baptized at Hopewell the
second Sunday in January 1829; was killed in the battle Resaca, Georgia in
1865. The exact date of his death and place of interment have never been
known by his family. The Federal and Confederate records appear to not show
it. The Battle of Resaca was fought May 13th and 14th 1864.
He was opposed to both slavery and secession. He thought the Government
should buy up the slaves and return them to their native land—Africa. He
never lost an opportunity to speak against secession. Once, at a rally, at
Shapping Shoals, on Southern river, near his home, he hoisted the American
flag and challenged anyone to pull it down. No one did. However, when
Georgia seceded, he and his four brothers, who were likewise opposed to
slavery and secession, volunteered in the cause of the Confederacy, and gave
their best, and he and Robert gave their all; John, James, and Thomas only
returned. William Perry Boyd served as a private of Company B, 42nd Regiment
Georgia Infantry, Confederate States Army, enlisted May 1862 at Covington,
Georgia. The last record of him, held by the AGO, was the Company muster
roll for April 30 to October 31, 1865, which showed him present.
VI. Robert Watson Boyd was born in Newton County, Georgia December 1, 1830;
he was baptized at Hopewell, the fourth Sunday in June 1851. According to
family tradition he enlisted from Covington, Georgia in 1862. He died in
Camp Chase prison camp, Virginia (Ohio??) in 1865. The exact data and place
of his death are not known. Both the Confederate and the Federal records
fail to give a record of Robert Watson Boyd but the Federal records do show
a R.W. Boyd on two muster rolls, of the Confederate Army, both serving at
the defense of the Arsenal at Columbus, Georgia. Place of enlistment is not
shown. This R.W. Boyd appeared both times as a private in Company C, 1st
battalion Infantry, Georgia State Guards formerly known as Company C,
Ordinance Battalion, Georgia, Confederate States Army. One muster roll was
that of Major F.G. Wilkins, dated 29 August 1864 and the other of Capt. J.B.
Welch’s Company ©, Lt. Col. J.B. Oliveros commanding, for the defense of the
city of Columbus, Georgia. In the latter he appears to have enlisted August
4, 1863, to serve six months of the war.
Robert Watson Boyd was married in Newton County, Georgia, by Rev. Willis G.
Morris, on September 18, 1849, to Mary Anne Robinson, born July 26, 1826;
died June 6, 1909 at her home in Alabama; interred at Harmony Methodist
Church, (now Presbyterian), near Newsite, Alabama. She was the daughter of
William and Annie (Merritt) Robinson, and sister of Sarah Paul Robinson, who
had married her husband’s oldest brother a few years before.
At some time after the end of the War between the States, Mary Anne, now a
widow with five children, together with her parents, migrated to Cobb
County, Georgia near Lost Mountain (now Powder Springs) and settled on a
farm, near her oldest sister, Elizabeth, who had married Thomas Newton
Guffin, and preceded them to Lost Mountain. While living at this place she
lost two of her children,--a boy 18 and a girl aged 8. Both are interred at
Midway Presbyterian Church where they all worshipped, and where Mary Anne’s
parents are buried. By 1877 Mary Anne’s only remaining daughter, Elizabeth,
had married Jackson Burnette and moved to Alabama, so, again, Mary Anne,
with her two remaining sons, Robert Perry and Ross Merritt Boyd, leave their
home in Cobb County to make their home in Alabama. Their first stop, of a
year, was at Goldville, an active gold mining town at the time. Her next and
last move was to Newsite, Alabama, not far from Goldville, and about 14
miles northeast of Alexander City. She purchased her a home at Newsite and
lived her remaining years there, near her son, Robert Perry Boyd’s home and
is interred near him and his wife, Susan (Burnette) Boyd, in Old Harmony
Church Cemetery, nearby.
VII. James Thomas Boyd was born in Newton County, Georgia December 6,
1832;baptized at Hopewell July 21, 1833; died at his home near Hopewell
April 26, 1908 and is interred at Hopewell. He was married on December 20,
1859, by Dr. Henry Quigg, pastor of Hopewell, to Susannah F. Thompson,
daughter of Samuel Thompson and Nancy (Aiken) Thompson, pioneer settlers of
Hopewell. She was born July 22, 1836; died August 30, 1874; and is interred
at Hopewell by the side of her only daughter, who died young.
The Confederate States Army Records, in Washington, DC show that J.T. Boyd,
a private and sergeant of Companies E and A, 42nd Regiment Georgia Infantry,
Confederate States Army, enlisted 4 April 1863 at Covington, Georgia.
The company muster roll for 30 April to 31 October 1863, dated December
1865, latest on file shows him present. He was paroled 1 May 1865 to
Greensboro, NC.
After the death of his first wife, Susannah, James chose for his helpmate
with his three little boys of the first marriage, a cousin of his first
wife, Zippora A. Thompson, born January 27, 1846; died September 8, 1923;
interred at Hopewell. There were no children by the last marriage.
VIII. Mary Susannah Boyd was born November 1835, and baptized at Hopewell
the first Sunday in May 1836. She was enumerated on the 1850 Federal Census
of Newton County, as fifteen years of age, by her mother, Mary (Wylie) Boyd,
who was head of the family at that time, her husband, Robert Boyd, having
died the previous year.
There is no record of Mary Susannah having married, or of her death, and no
marker has been found for her grave, so it is concluded that she must have
died young and lies in an unmarked grave at Hopewell.
IX. Eliza Matilda Boyd was born February 22, 1837; baptized at Hopewell May
1, 1837; died February 24, 1901, and is interred at Hopewell. She was
married in Newton County on December 22 1859 to James F. Gardner, who was
born May 8, 1833 in Newton and died July 12, 1887 of wounds received while
serving in the Confederate army. He is interred at Hopewell. They were
members of the Hopewell church and made their home on a farm nearby, where
their three children were born and reared. Their son, William Andrew
Gardner, and two daughters, Matilda Elizabeth and Sarah Eliza were well
known in the Hopewell community. It was the pleasure of the writer to know
“cousin Sarah” well. I never heard her speak an unkind word of anyone, and
she really lived by the golden rule.
X. Margaret Rosannah Boyd was born September 2, 1939 in Newton County; died
March 1909 in Athens, Georgia, by the side of her husband William G. Lowery,
MD. They were married in Newton County, December 6, 1860 by Dr. Henry Quigg.
All seven of their children were born in Newton County but they later moved
to Athens, where it is believed all the children were married and all but
two are interred in the same cemetery with the parents. Mary (Lowery) Crowe
is interred at High Shoals, Georgia and Laura (Lowery) Hardeman is interred
at West Palm Beach, Florida.
XI. Thomas Alexander Boyd was born July 25, 1841; died January 2, 1929; and
is interred at Hopewell beside his wife.
He was married in Newton County on September 26, 1865 by Dr. Henry Quigg, to
Mary Isabel Christian, who was born November 1, 1843 and died June 22, 1916.
She was the daughter of Presley and Elizabeth (Sappington) Christian,
residents of Newton County. When Thomas and Mary married they made their
home near the home of his birth and childhood, in the community where his
pioneer father and mother had been among the founders of the community,
And church, and when they passed to their reward, their son, Robert Presley
Boyd, who had established his home nearby, took up the gauntlet which they
had laid down, and worked for church, family, and community until he too was
called to bow before the inevitable, and left the gauntlet for his daughter,
Mabel (Boyd) Stewart, who is still wearing it and carrying on the tradition
of the Boyds in Hopewell, by both word and deed.
The Confederate States Army records in Washington, DC show the following:
“The records show that Thomas A. Boyd, a corporal of Company E. 42nd
regiment of Georgia Infantry, Confederate States Army, enlisted 4 March 1862
at Covington, Georgia.
Union prisoner of war records show that he was captured 4 July 1863 at
Vicksburg, Mississippi and paroled at that place 7 July 1863.
The company muster roll for April 30 and October 31, 1863 dated 10 December
1863, latest on file, shows him present.
The records are admittedly incomplete. See more on the military service of
the brothers. http://www.clanboyd.info/state/Georgia/civil
VII. The children of James Thomas and Susannah (Thompson) Boyd:
1. Nannie Boyd born November 23, 1860 and died April 14, 1864, interred at
Hopewell.
2. Thomas James Boyd born August 19, 1863 in Newton County; died at the home
of a daughter in Fayetteville, Arkansas, April 4, 1947; interred at Blair,
Oklahoma.
He was married in Newton County on December 12, 1885 to Martha Ann Castles
born April 27, 1866 in Yorkville, S. Carolina; died February 17, 1946 at her
home in Paul’s Valley, Oklahoma; and id interred at Blair, Oklahoma. They
made their home in Newton County, Georgia for about three years after they
were married, then moved to Mississippi; to Texas; to Oklahoma, where they
resided for twenty-three years; then moved to Arkansas, where they spent
several years; then, finally back to Paul’s Valley, OK where they resided
until her death in 1946.
3. Samuel Thompson Boyd was born March 22, 1866 in Newton County, Georgia
where he lived until he was married on January 2, 1901, by Rev. I.G. Walker,
to Lula Edna Estes, the daughter of James Watson Estes and Genoa Frances
(Jones) Estes on Newton County. Lula was born in Newton on January 13, 1876.
She died January 28, 1912 at her home near Blair, Oklahoma and is interred
in the Blair cemetery.
They moved to Oklahoma shortly after marriage and made their home on a farm
there where all their children were born. The children were all quite small
when his wife passed away but Samuel never married again, because, to use
his own words, “he didn’t want another woman placed over his children”. He
reared them all alone and from all I have heard, he has done a creditable
job. Even his sister-in-law says: “Sam is a remarkable man”. On March 22,
1954 he will be eighty-eight years old, but from his pictures you would
never know it. He is active, erect physically, and alert mentally, I am told
by his daughter Edna, with whom he takes his meals and his letters and
snapshot pictures tell the same story. He maintains his Boyd love of freedom
by living in a small cottage close by the home of Edna. Being the oldest
living Boyd, the rest of us salute him as Chief.
4. John Riley Boyd was born October 25, 1871 in Newton County, Georgia. He
is the youngest son of James Thomas and Susannah Boyd. He, like his other
two brothers migrated to Oklahoma about the turn of the century and has made
his home there since. He married on September 20, 1896 to Dora Almeta Lewis
born April 5, 1877.
Children of Samuel Thompson Boyd and Lula Edna (Estes) Boyd
A. James Boyce Boyd born 17 September 1902 and married 1927 Maria Breed.
Children:
1. James Boyce Boyd Jr. married Vivian Bevill 4 Aug 1948.
Children: Patricia Diane Boyd and James Lewis Boyd.
2. Donald E. Boyd
3. Son died in infancy, interred at Blair.
4. Annette Boyd
B. Edna Madge Boyd born 18 February 1904 married 18 October 1924 Cecil
Clinton Biddy born 21 August 1901. Children:
1. Carter Boyd Biddy born 26 October 1925 married 17 April 1942 Alma Clarena
Ard born 22 February 1931. Children: Shelley Annette Biddy born 8 March 1951
2. Samuel Frank Biddy born 26 November 1935.
C. Ernest Thompson Boyd born 27 Mar 1905 married 23 January 1924 Willie
Biddy born 21 January 1905. Children: 1. Norma Jean Boyd born 19 January
1925 married 8 August 1947 Gene Arnold Sizemore born 2 June 1926. 2. James
Olen Boyd born 1 March 1927 married 29 November 1948 Clydel Jean Woods born
5 June 1926.
D. Paul Spurgeon Boyd born 22 April 1907 married 1926 Allie Juanita Baker.
Children: 1. Nita Paul Boyd born 5 December 1928 married 17 August 1951
Charles Ray Richards born 16 June 1928.
E. Samuel Estes Boyd born 28 April 1909 married 1927 Lavaughn Latham born 5
October 1911. Children: 1. Lavesta Louise Boyd born 9 March 1928. 2. Joyce
Lee Boyd born 1 April 1935 married 15 June 1952 Clifton Drake born 18 June
1952. 3. Betty Boyd born 30 March 1940
F. George Maxwell Boyd born 14 January 1911 married 1st Lois Hart. Children:
1. Daughter died in infancy and interred at Denver, Colorado.
2. Nancy Louise Boyd born 11 Jan 1941. George Maxwell Boyd married 2nd 17
April 1947 Mary Hill born 15 May 1922. Children: 1. William Thomas Boyd born
18 April 1952. 2. Mary Jane Boyd born 21 November 1953.
G. Son born 51 Jan 1912 died in infancy and interred at Blair, Oklahoma.
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