Hon. John Boyd ~ (1) Emeline (Osborn) Phelps (2) Mary E. Brown

Hon. John Boyd is the leading attorney of Pinckneyville and is a man prominent on his profession in Perry County, having won a high reputation among his professional brethren and with the public at large as the result of his skill and ability. He was honored with an election to the State Legislature and is everywhere regarded as a progressive and valued citizen. The record of his life is as follows:

Born near the village of Preston, Randolph County, June 30, 1833, our subject is a son of William Boyd, who was born near Milledgeville, Ga., 1806. The grandfather, John Boyd, was born in the same state and was a soldier in the War of 1812. His father, William Boyd, Sr., was a native of the Emerald Isle. Coming to this county during the Revolution, he joined the Continental army under Washington and fought valiantly for the independence of his adopted country. When its freedom was achieved he located in Georgia, where he died in 1818. John Boyd and his family removed from Georgia to Tennessee, and in 1823 came to Illinois. After a short residence in Nashville, Washington County, they located in Randolph County, settling at what is now known as Dutch Hill Prairie, where the grandfather died in 1837.

William Boyd, father of our subject, married Isabel Douglass, daughter of Lancelot Douglass, a native of Scotland, who crossed the Atlantic to America in 1830 and located near Chester, Randolph County where he engaged in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Boyd were the parents of seven children, of whom our subject was the eldest. He has three brothers and one sister yet living. Thomas Boyd is a resident of Pulaski County, Ill., has twice served as County Commissioner, and was twice Mayor of Mound City. Lansus Boyd was a soldier of the Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry during the late war, and during his service was killed in a railroad wreck at Chattanooga. James Boyd, who was also one of the boys in blue and served throughout the war in I Co. 49th Inf Reg. IL, is now a farmer of Jackson County. The father of this family died in 1854, and the mother passed away in 1880.

Mr. Boyd of whom we write spent his boyhood days upon the home farm and acquired his education in the common schools. He then learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for six years, and during that period he spent his leisure hours in reading and study. In 1860 he determined to abandon carpenter work, and coming to Pinckneyville, entered the law office of Judge Lewis Hammack, where he studied for the legal profession two years. He was then admitted to the Bar and has since been engaged in active practice. For one year he was in partnership with his preceptor. In 1866 he formed a partnership with Hon. William K. Murphy, which connection continued until 1882.

Another important event occurred in 1866, when was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Boyd and Emeline (Osborn) Phelps, sister-in-law of Mrs. William K. Murphy. She survived her marriage only a short time however, and in 1868 he married Mary E. Brown, daughter of William G. Brown, of Pinckneyville, who was a soldier in the Mexican War. Seven children were born to them, and with the exception of one who died in infancy, all are yet living, namely: Elizabeth J. Boyd; Mary E. Boyd, wife of Fred Beck, a merchant who died January 30, 1894; William W. Boyd, Florence Boyd, Marrilia Boyd and John Volney Boyd, who are at home.

In 1876 Mr. Boyd was elected on the Democratic ticket to the State Legislature and served on several important committees. As a member of the House he discharged his duties with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituency. He has also held some local offices, and from personal preference he has given the greater part of his time and attention to the legal profession, and but few attorneys in southern Illinois can boast of a larger or more successful practice than Mr. Boyd.

Source: Portrait and biographical record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe counties, Illinois : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties. Includes index; published: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Company., 1894. - FHL Film 825600

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