HISTORY OF THE BOYDS OF ALBANY, NY.

                     John Boyd and Ann Logan

John Boyd, the emigrant ancestor and founder of one of the Albany, New York, families of that name, was born in the North of Ireland in 1725 of Scotch parentage. There is a well founded belief that he was one of the Kilmarnock family of Boyd, descended from a branch that settled in Antrim County, Ireland. Many family characteristics and traditions testify to this, also the fact that he used as his seal the coat of arms of the Kilmarnock Boyds, his descendants continuing the use of the same to the present time. Shortly after John Boyd emigrated from Ireland, another family of Boyds came directly from Scotland to Albany, and they found themselves to be own cousins. However, the distinction remained of Scotch Boyds and Irish Boyds.

The data in the following sketch was taken from family Bible records, old letters, newspaper clippings and Munsell's Annals of Albany, and is authentic:

In the spring of 1762, John Boyd, with his wife Ann Logan and three children, came to Albany, New York, where he became a prosperous merchant. He resided in Albany until 1793, when, as it appears on the Session Records of the First Presbyterian church, of which he was an elder, he removed to the country, meaning Johnstown, New York. There he established a sawmill in partnership with John Rogers, his brother-in-law, and there he died, July 6, 1799, age seventy-four years. Ann Logan his wife was born 1739, married 1757, was also of Scotch descent. She had a brother James Logan who settled in the Champlain country of New York State, who died 1784, and a sister Agnes Logan, who accompanied the emigration to America, having married John Rogers the day of their sailing in the spring of 1762. Ann Logan Boyd, after the death of her husband, returned to Albany, resided with her daughter Nancy Boyd McHench until her death, February 9, 1815. She was buried at Johnstown by the side of her husband.

Nine (9) children were born to John and Ann Logan Boyd; a daughter and eight sons. The only daughter Nancy or Agnes, was born February 26, 176o, married at Albany, May 11, 1786, Peter McHench, and died February, 1851. They had five children - we have the record of only one - William McHench, who married his cousin Margaret Boyd, daughter of David and Margaret (Maxwell) Boyd, and had seven children, of these only one married - David Boyd McHench, whose wife was Elizabeth Dillon. They had one daughter Laura, who married Franklin Janes and had one son, David McHench Janes who died September 17, 1899, aged seventeen years.

John Logan Boyd, or John, Jr., as he was usually called, the eldest son was born October 8, 1758 in Ireland. He grew to manhood in Albany, then settled in Ballston now Charlton, Saratoga County, New York, where he was a millwright and farmer. He was the first supervisor of Charlton in 1791; later a justice of the peace; and was therefore of good standing and repute. In politics, he was undoubtedly a moderate Royalist or "Tory," was once arrested on suspicion by the Commissioner of Conspiracies of Albany County and his father was one of his bondsmen in the sum of L200. He was driven from home however, by Burgoyne's approach and with his neighbors petitioned the authorities for better military protection. He married Anna Northrop, March 25, 1779. They had twelve children, ten of whom were born in Charlton, one Mary or Polly in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in 1782, and the youngest child born in Newark, near Niagara, Ontario, Canada, to which place the family removed about 1799, where they probably died and were buried.

Polly Boyd, born 1782, married John Laird, a farmer and carpenter of Charlton, New York, prior to 1798, when they removed to Onondaga County. New York. Their first child was born 1804. Hon. John L. Boyd, son of John and Anna Northrop, moved to Cincinnatus, Cortland County, New York, in 1811. He represented his county in the State Legislature in 1828. Another son of John and Anna was well known in Albany, as Thomas Boyd, the hatter. James Boyd the second son of John and Ann, was born February 2, 1762, in Antrim, Ireland, and was an infant in arms when his parents arrived in Albany. When seventeen years old, he became a soldier in the Revolutionary War, serving as private under Colonel P. P. Schuyler, in the 3rd Albany Co. Militia, from October 28, 1779 to November 4, 1781. After the Revolution, he settled in Schenectady and became a well-known public man and prosperous farmer. He was for fourteen years in succession, supervisor of the town of Schenectady, held various other offices of trust, was twice elected, 1811, 1812, a member of the state Legislature, in which he voted for the building of the Erie Canal, which was at that time considered a wild project, never to be realized.

When quite advanced in years, he was obliged to part with his fine farm at Glenville on the Mohawk, because he had endorsed notes for a friend, which he eventually had to pay, and with his family moved to Warren County, NY., where in the Fourteenth Township, he established a saw mill.

He afterwards removed to Albany, and held the position of weigh master of the Erie Canal. He died February 2, 1839, aged seventy-seven years. He married January 16, 1783, Alida Conde’, born June 16,1763, and died August 4,1838, daughter of Jesse and Parthenia Ogden Conde’, of Chariton, Saratoga County. Her grandfather Adam Conde’ was High constable of Albany in 1725 and was killed in the Buel-Kendall Indian Massacre in 1748, at Schenectady. His wife Catherine De Graaf, born November 30, 1736, was daughter of Jesse and Altie (Hennion)_ Ackerman of New York, and granddaughter of Claas Andries De Graaf, who was born 1628, in Holland, and one of the early settlers of Schenectady, New York. James and Alida Boyd had two sons and seven daughters and many hundred descendants.

John Boyd, the eldest son of James and Alida, was born at Schenectady, February 12, 1786, and died at Milroy, Indiana, January 21, 1887, nearly one hundred and one years old. When twenty-one, he was chosen Captain of militia in the war of 1812. His company with the Regiment was called to Sacketts Harbor; while enroute he was chosen Adjutant General, and served in that capacity during the war. At the close, he returned to work on the farm, at the earnest desire of his father, giving up his own ambition to serve in the regular army, for which service he had special ability and fitness. He went with his family to Warren County, where he held the agency of several townships, also the agency of the Thurman and Gilcrist estates and again exhibited all the qualities of a leader. In 1820, he moved to Indiana and settled in Rush County; cleared a large farm, a part of which is now included in the city of Rushville. After Rushville had encroached upon his homestead, he moved to Milroy, a small town seven miles south, to be near his children. To the very end of his one hundred and one years, he retained his faculties in a wonderful way and died peacefully sitting in his chair talking with friends. It is said of him, that he never was sick a day in his life, and when quite advanced in life rode all the way from Rushville to Schenectady on horseback, returning the same way. On February 12, 1886, the people of Rush County, Indiana, celebrated the centennial birthday of Captain John Boyd, with a grand procession, headed by a band of music, assembling at the largest church, where appropriate addresses were made.

The people flocked in numbers to see a man who had lived one hundred years. Captain John Boyd, married at Schenectady, Maria Vedder and had eight children: first, Eveliza, April, 1816, married Mr. Springer; had Jackson and George Springer and Maria, who married Mr. McCartey and had daughters Nettie and Jennie McCartey. Second, James, February 11, 1818. Third, Anna Maria, 1821. Fourth, John, 1823, died 1843. Fifth, Alida, February 14, 1826, who married Mr. Parsons and had John and Daniel Parsons and Catherine, who married Mr. Markwell. Sixth, Charles, 1828, died 1832. Eighth, Wilmot, 1833, died 1855. Seventh, Jesse Conde’, January 22, 1830, married Lucinda Innis, March 4, 1852 and had nine children as follows: First, William Marshall Boyd, November 11, 1854, who by wife Amanda, had Chase and Horatio, twins, Ernest, Jessie May, and Clare Paul Boyd. Second, Alexander Henry Boyd, August IS, 1855, married Sidney C. Stewart and had Harry A. 1884 and Nellie Maud Boyd, 1894. Third, Laura Ellen, 1858, died 1882. Fourth, Emma Irene Boyd, 1862, died 189o, married William Gruell and had Orien and Sarah Gruell. Fifth, James Sidney Boyd, 1864. Sixth, John Franklin Boyd, February 24, 186o, who by wife Laura, had Mazie Agnes, and Mary Dean Boyd. Seventh, Charles Elbert Boyd, 1866 - 1877. Eighth, Frederick B. Boyd, December 21, who married Jessie Anna Robinson and had Charles Frederick Boyd, born May 27, 2896. Ninth, Christina Boyd, September 8, 1869.

Jesse Conde Boyd, the second son of James and Alida was born at Schenectady, June 5, 1803, and there spent his youth. When a young man he went to Johnsburgh, Warren County, and engaged in making lumber with his father.

In 1831, he moved to Albany, where he was Weigh Master on the Erie Canal and for nine years a lumber dealer. About 1850, he removed to Chicago, Illinois, one of the pioneers of the place. He subsequently resided on a farm at Dixon and later at Aurora, Illinois. Shortly after the death of his wife at Aurora, July 7, 1872, he returned to Chicago, to live with his sons, Robert and Charles L. Boyd. In 1889, he exchanged some property in Chicago for a place at Montague, Michigan, and at the age of eighty-four years, became once more a farmer, to him the "ideal life." He died June 6, I89I, aged eighty-eight years, was buried in Graceland Cemetery, at Chicago, Illinois. He married at Johnsburgh, New York, January IS, 1824, Elcy Noble, daughter of Edward and Mary (Leach) Noble. To them were born twelve children, of these six lived to many and have descendants, namely: First, Alida Boyd, born January 25, 1826, married Hiram Burton of Albany, and had Elcy Noble Burton, who married Herman H. Mund, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Florence and Herbert Burton unmarried. Hiram and Alida Burton were among the pioneer settlers of Denver, Colorado in 1860. Alida Boyd Burton, is now living (1911) in Denver, in her eighty-sixth year, in perfect health, with a blight active mind; she was able to witness the unveiling of a monument dedicated to the Pioneers of Colorado, on June 24, 1911. Second, Mary J. Boyd, second child of Jesse and Elcy, born August 9, 1827, married Charles Patterson Easton of Albany, January 26, 1847. For thirty-eight years Mr. Easton was one of the leading lumber merchants of the city, and actively engaged in promoting the public school system. Mary Boyd Easton died October 30, 1903, in her seventy-seventh year. Of the nine children born of this marriage, five are living.

First, William Easton, married Caroline A. Newton, and had Helen N. and Mary Boyd Easton.

Second, Edward Easton, who married Sarah F. Jones and had Charles P.; Edith; Edward, Jr.; Mary Boyd; Roland J.; Elcy Noble; Arthur Boyd; Robert P.; William 2nd; Lillian Alice; Conde Philip, and Adrian Noble Easton. Third, Alice Easton, who married Arthur W. Pray of Boston, Massachusetts, no children. Fourth, Frederick Easton, who married Mary Young, had one daughter Alice. Fifth. I. B. Easton, lumber dealer, N.Y. City, married Marion B. Ramsdell.

Third, Margaret A. Boyd, third, child of Jesse and Elcy, born December 22, 1828, married Thomas R. Ferris of Albany, a manufacturer of furniture, picture frames and mirrors; they had David Ferris, now residing at Syracuse, New York, who married Elizabeth Ramsey, no children. Jesse B.; Thomas R., Jr.; and Charles Ferris, died unmarried. Edward M., married Julia Pratt, no children. Mary Ferris married Edward Tice of Albany, and had Fred; Grace; Alice; Caroline and Elsie Tice. Grace Ferris married W. B. Moore, of Syracuse, New York, had Elcy and Harriet Moore. Howard Ferris married Augusta Bane, has Mary and Edward Ferris residing in Albany. Margaret Boyd Ferris in her eighty-third year, now residing with her daughter at Syracuse, New York.

Fourth, James Boyd the eldest son of Jesse and Elcy, was born at Albany, June 22, 1831, died at Springfield, Massachusetts, 1905.

He was one of the early bankers and brokers of Chicago. Shortly after the war, he went to New York city where he was for forty 'years a member of the Stock Exchange. It has been the lot of few to have passed through more exciting and history making epochs than James Boyd. That he did so with unblemished character and a high record for upright dealings, all know who are familiar with the history of the New York Stock Exchange. He was an enthusiastic Sunday School worker and every Sunday found him in his place as leader of a Mission School attended by several hundred pupils. He married at Chicago, Sarah Lock, and had six children: William L., who married Kittie Mills, had one son Kenneth Mills Boyd. Mary Elcy, Mell Lois, and James who died young. Jesse, the twin of James, married and has a son James. James Van Wagner, M. D., married Mabel Smith, has Muriel and Bruce Boyd, now living at Springfield, Massachusetts.

Fifth, Robert Boyd, son of Jesse and Elcy, born at Albany, July 13, 1841, since his early youth has been a resident of Chicago, and in the banking business. He is now connected with the Illinois Savings and Trust Company Bank, in the safety deposit department. He married first, Celia Stow at Chicago and had Robert, Jr., who died while a student at Cornell, and William Stow Boyd. He married second, Helen Pitcher and had Alexander Boyd, who married Louise Barber. All reside at Hinsdale Illinois.

Sixth, Charles Lansing Boyd, son of Jesse and Elcy, born at Albany, May 11, 1843, spent his life in Chicago, and has been actively connected with the business enterprise of the city. He married Mulvina Lock, had one son and four daughters: James Boyd, married and now living at New Orleans, Louisiana; Emma Lock Boyd, married John Mairs Gilcrist, has two children; Elcy Noble Boyd married James Edward Moore, has a son James E. Moore. Hannah Lock Boyd died 1884 and Marjory Boyd

“Boyds of Albany” Chapter 5  William P. Boyd

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