Richard Boyd ~ Jessie Ackman

Richard Boyd, a farmer on section 34, Oakland township, Schuyler county, is a native of county Donegal, Ireland, born in 1858, the son of James Boyd and Catherine Boyd; the parents of both died on the Emerald Isle, the father at the age of sixty years, and the mother at the age of ninety-nine. At the age of sixteen years Richard Boyd bade farewell to his home and friends and native land, and crossed the sea to America; he landed at the port of New York, and continued his journey to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to which point his ticket carried him. He soon secured employment at $2 a day, and worked until he had paid back his passage money which he was obliged to borrow; he remained in Pittsburgh three years and at the end of that time came West with his brother James Boyd, who had preceded him to America. He was in the employ of John Young for three years, at $16 a month; he then spent a year in prospecting, and ended his observations by purchasing a tract of eighty acres, a part of his present farm, the consideration being $600; he has since added forty-three acres, and has made many improvements, developing one of the most desirable farms in the township.

Mr. Boyd was married in March, 1891, to Miss Jessie Ackman, a daughter of Isaac and Nancy (Harmon) Ackman. Mrs. Ackman died when Jessie was a child of six years, and Mr. Boyd married a second time to Miss Maria Hay, of Ohio; he died May 26, 1886. He was a farmer by occupation, and was one of the pioneers of this county, settling here in 1842. There were nine children of the first marriage, and to these the second wife was a good and kind mother; she was as deeply and truly mourned as was the father: David Ackman Boyd lives in northern Kentucky; Georgiana Boyd is the wife of Edward Garrett, and lives in Kansas; Mary Boyd married Blair Simpson, a farmer of northern Wisconsin; the rest to the family live in Schuyler county. Mr. Boyd does a general farming business, raising grains and livestock; his preference in the latter is Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China hogs.

Mr. and Mrs. Boyd are both members of church and are liberal supporters of the religious denominations. Politically, he affiliates with the Republican party. Two of his brothers and two of his sisters are living in the United States, but the remainder of the family are in Ireland. Mr. Boyd is a man of many sterling traits of character, and has the respect of his adopted countrymen.

Source: Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown counties, Illinois: containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens; published: Chicago: Biographical Review Pub., 1892. - FHL Film 825555

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