Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Boyd, James S 1836 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 5, 2007, 8:56 pm Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890 JAMES S. BOYD is the owner and occupant of a well-tilled farm on section 28, Joliet Township. A visitor to the pleasant estate would find upon it a full line of excellent improvements which include all necessary and convenient buildings, fences, fruit, etc., and would at once conclude that the owner possesses an energetic spirit, industrious and prudent habits, and an intelligent appreciation of the needs of the home. Such a conclusion would be in no sense amiss, and a personal acquaintance with Mr. Boyd would develop the further facts that his intelligence and enterprise are not expended upon his own home, but lead him to participate in movements for the good of the community and display in behalf of his fellow-citizens a large amount of public spirit. Two fine Irish families are represented by the subject of this sketch, his parents having been of old County Antrim stock. Thomas and Elizabeth Boyd were married and first settled in their native county, whence they emigrated to America in 1850, taking up their abode in the Keystone State. In 1864, they came to this county, and some time afterward died at the residence of our subject. Their family comprised four sons and four daughters, of whom James S. was the seventh in order of birth. The maternal grandmother of our subject was Mary McKeen, a native of County Antrim, who lived to be nearly one hundred years of age. She belonged to the sturdy old Presbyterian stock, which a few centuries ago left Scotland on account of religious persecutions, and settled in the North of Ireland, whence many of their descendants have come to America and are numbered among the best citizens of our free soil. Mary McKeen had a brother Thomas, who in the eighteenth century became a citizen of the Colonies and received a captain's commission from Gen. George Washington. Subsequently Andrew Jackson bestowed upon him a Colonel's commission. His last vote was cast for James Buchanan in the old court house in Easton, Pa., that was built by King George in 1754. The McKeens were second cousins to the poet James Montgomery. In County Antrim, Ireland, July 22, 1836, James S. Boyd first saw the light of day. His native country was his home until April 18, 1852, when he came to America and taking up his residence in Northampton County, Pa., attended school two and a half years. He then learned the trade of a tinsmith in Utica, N. Y., and then coming to Joliet, was employed by W. S. Brooks four years. He then became foreman for W. F. Barrett, filling that position eight years, after which he re-entered the employ of Mr. Brooks and for about eight years acted as a salesman of agricultural implements for that gentleman. Mr. Boyd has traveled for four different firms as a salesman and was also engaged with his brother, T. C. Boyd, in the plumbing business in Chicago. He settled on the farm where he now lives, in March, 1868, and for some time has devoted himself entirely to agricultural work. In this employment he simply carries out the motto which epitomizes his earlier efforts in other lines of business—" what is worth doing is worth doing well." On May 6, 1861, in Fairfield, Herkimer County, N. Y., the rites of wedlock were celebrated between our subject and Miss Mary E., daughter of James and Nellie (Peacock) Young. The bride was born in the town in which her marriage took place, March 28, 1840, and is the tenth in a family consisting of eight sons and three daughters. Like her husband she has in her veins the blood of old families from Northern Ireland, her parents having been natives of County Antrim, whence they emigrated to America in an early day. After having lived many years in Herkimer County, N. Y., they came to the Prairie State, locating in Stephenson County, where both breathed their last. Mrs. Boyd possesses the natural abilities of the race from which she sprung, and has had them strengthened and developed by careful home training and good educational advantages. She is therefore a woman of ripe intelligence, well skilled in useful domestic arts and fitted for a sphere of usefulness. She is a member of the Presbyterian Church and has carefully instilled into her children the principles of right living. Her family includes the following living children: Alexander C., Margaret W., Estelia M., Nellie J., J. Harry, Elizabeth, Fred C., Mary M., Lee E. and Belle C. L. One child is deceased. Estelia M. is now the wife of Charles Scharf, of Joliet. In politics Mr. Boyd is a strong Republican, firmly convinced that the principles of that party are best fitted to the needs of American citizens, and ever ready to support them with his ballot and his endeavors to convince others that his views are correct. He has held the office of School Director, in which his intelligence and good judgment have benefited the schools. His reputation is one of which any man might well be proud, providing, as in his case, the character is equal to the opinions of men. Additional Comments: Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/boyd19bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ilfiles/ File size: 5.8 Kb