John R. Boyd ~ Virginia Dagley

John R. Boyd, abstractor of titles, and real estate and insurance agent, was born in Gallatin County in 1848, the eldest of nine children of Thompson Boyd and Martha (Langford) Boyd. The father, of Scotch-Irish origin, and born in Maysville, Ky., in 1820, was a son of John Boyd, a native of Ohio, and a brick-mason and plasterer by trade. Thompson went to Illinois with his parents when a young man, and in 1847 married in White County, and spent his life in the northeastern part of Gallatin County as a farmer and plasterer, and an esteemed and respected citizen. He was postmaster at Cottonwood from its establishment until his death, since which time it has been under the charge of Mrs. Boyd. Our subject, educated in the home schools, began the plasterers' trade at thirteen, under his father's instruction. He taught for eight years after his twentieth year, and farmed during his vacations. October 7, 1869, he married Virginia Dagley, daughter of Jonathan B. and Catherine Dagley, of White County, where she was born in 1849. Their children are Samuel O. Boyd, Thannie Boyd, Arthur L.. Boyd, Thompson Boyd Jr., and Ethel Boyd. In 1875 he was elected county treasurer and assessor, and re-elected in 1877, during which terms he made his present abstracts. He has since also been engaged successfully in real estate. He is a Democrat, and first voted for Seymour. He is a Mason, a Knight of Honor, and is a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church. Altogether he owns about 3,300 acres - 120 in Polk, and the rest in Gallatin and White Counties - one of the largest land owners in the county.

Source: History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin, and Williamson counties, Illinois : from the earliest time to the present; together with sundry and interesting biographical sketches, notes, reminiscences, etc., etc. Micro-reproduction of original published: Chicago : Goodspeed, 1887. - FHL Film 873820 Item 1

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