Miami County, Kansas

Randolph Boyd, civil engineer and farmer, Section 20, Township 16, Range 25, has 120 acres, P. O. Louisburg. He was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania in 1824. Received a free school and academic education; studied the theory and practice of civil engineering while in the engineer service of the B. & O. Ry. Co.  Was employed as sub-assistant engineer in various capacities, on location, and construction between Cumberland, Md., and Wheeling, Va., for about four years. Appointed leveler on location of C. & M. Ry., in Ohio; transitman or surveyor on location of Pittsburgh branch of B. & O. Ry; in charge of construction of nine miles from Connellsville west, and upon the resignation of C. P. B. Jeffries, was made engineer in charge of construction of Sand Patch Tunnel and approaches through the dividing ridge of the Alleghany Mountain in Somerset Co, Pa. Was superintendent of Central Basin Oil Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa., during the winter of 1864, and in the spring of 1865. Came to Kansas in the spring of 1866 and purchased a quarter section of land in the Indian Reservation known as the Ten Sections, then just offered for sale, the titles for which were made by the United States Government in pursuance of treaty stipulations previously made with these Indians. About a year later Mr. Boyd sold out and bought his present farm on Section 20. In 1867 he surveyed and plaited the village of St. Louis since called Louisburg and now a city. He was employed for a short time as civil engineer by the M. K. & T. Ry at Harrisonville, Mo. and for five consecutive years as station agent at Louisburg, commencing with the opening of that road in this vicinity.

Source: History of the State of Kansas by William G. Cutler; Published: Andreas' Western Historical Pub. Co; Chicago, Ill; 1883  ISBN:072224875X