Family History: Boyds of Derry Twp, Lancaster Co, PA Contributed to the USGW Archives by Jem JemYem@aol.com USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ____________________________________________________________ From Pennsylvania Genealogies, Scotch, Irish, and German by William Henry Egle, M.D., M.A. 1896 BOYD OF DERRY 1. WILLIAM BOYD, a native of Antrim, Provence of Ulster, Ireland, emigrated to Pennsylvania prior to 1730, settling in Derry Township. He had a large family of children of whom we have the following; i. Robert, b. 1705, who took up several tracts of land in Derry Township; m ? and had children; Elizabeth, Catharine & Mary. ii. Alexander, b. 1707, m ? and had children: Alexander, Robert, William & Margaret. iii. Jennett, b. 1710; d. October 17,1757; m. John McCosh; d. November 1754. At his death he left considerable of an estate, which his widow disposed of as follows: To her brothers, William, John, Alexander and Robert Boyd; her niece, Margaret, daughter of John Boyd; to Alexander Margaret, Robert, William, the children of Alexander Boyd; to Benjamin, Joseph, and William, children of William Boyd; niece Catharine Boyd, who, we presume, was a daughter of William Boyd; to her sister in law, Jean Boyd; to her nieces, Elizabeth, Catharine and Mary, daughters we suppose, of Robert Boyd; to Rev. John Roan; and "the sum of twenty shillings to Derry congregation." 2. iv. William, b. 1712; m. And left issue. v. John, b. 1715; m. And had Margaret. 2. WILLIAM BOYD, (William) b. 1712, in county Antrim, Ireland prior to 1760, in Derry Township, Lancaster PA; m. And had among others the following issue: 3. i. William, b. 1733; m. Jennett Brisben. 4. ii. Benjamin, b. 1738; m. Jennett Elliott. 5. iii. Joseph, b. 1740; m. Elizabeth Wallace. iv. Catharine, b. 1743 3.WILLIAM BOYD (William, William), b. About 1733 in Derry Township, then Lancaster county, PA. He was brought up as a farmer, became quite prominent in Provincial days, and was an officer during the French Indian war, and the struggle for independence. He belonged to the Paxtang Boys, whose zeal in defense of their firesides compelled them to destroy the murdering savages of Conestoga. During the latter part of his life, he served the commission of a justice of the peace. He was one of the charter members of Lodge 21, Paxtang, and it's second Master. In his will he left a legacy to the lodge's charity fund. Mr. Boyd died May 17, 1808, and is buried in Derry church Graveyard. He married Jennett Brisben. They had issue; i. James, b. 1759 6. ii. John, b. 1761, m. Mary Williams. iii. Jennett, b. 1763; m. Moore. iv. Mary, b. 1765, m. Strawbridge. v. Margaret, b. 1767, m. William Williams. vi. William, b. 1769; d. December 1807; m. And left issue. 4. BENJAMIN BOYD, (William, William), b. 1740; d. May 8, 1803; m. December 31, 1761, by Reverend John Roan, Jennett Elliott, b. 1737; d. November 21, 1820; and with her husband, lie buried in old Derry Church Graveyard. They had issue: i. Margaret, b. October 12, 1763; d. September, 1826; m. James Wilson. ii. Mary, b. October 6, 1765; d. February 18, 1814; m. William Frazer, b. 1763; d. January 19, 1816. iii. William, b. August 20, 1767; d. September 19, 1803; m. Mary Orr. iv. Jean, b. June 13, 1770; d. October 26, 1826; m. September 8, 1791, John Craig. v. Eleanor, b. August 20, 1772; d. January 5, 1810; m. James Rogers of Hanover. vi. Rachel, b. December 24, 1774, d;?, m. William Hamilton, of Derry. vii. Esther, b. April 23, 1779; d. Unm. viii. Elizabeth, (twin) b. April 23, 1779, m. Moses Wilson, of Hanover. 5. JOSEPH BOYD, (William, William), b. 1740; d. September 20, 1781, in Londonderry Township, Dauphin County, PA. M. In 1766, by the Rev. John Elder, Elizabeth Wallace, daughter of Robert Wallace, b. 1746; d. April 13, 1802, in Londonderry township, Dauphin County, PA. Both buried in old Derry Church Graveyard. They had issue: 7. i. Mary, b. 1768; m. William Baird. ii. Margaret, b. 1770; m. William McDonald, of Dickinson township, Cumberland Co. PA. iii. Elizabeth, b. 1772; d. October 15, 1805 iv. Ann, b. 1774 8. v. William, b. 1776; m. Martha Cowden. vi. Jean, b. 1778. vii. Isabel, b. 1780; d. December 1, 1789. 6.JOHN BOYD, (William, William, William) b. @1761, in Derry Township, Lancaster Co. PA. D. April 6, 1799, at Harrisburg, PA. He was one of the first settlers in the new town, locating there in 1785-the year it was laid out- and became quite prominent and influential. He m. In 1784, Mary Williams, daughter of George Williams, b. 1761, Paxtang township; d. September 25, 1844, at Harrisburg, and there buried. They had issue: i. Mary, b. July 21, 1785; d.s.p. ii. William, b. November 12,1786;d. July 1, 1805, at Baltimore MD. iii. George, b. July 17, 1788; d. Inf. iv. Elizabeth, (twin) b. July 17, 1788. 9. v. James Rutherford, b. October 13, 1790; m. First, Margaret Emerson; second Eliza Keller; third, Eliza Sloan Baird. vii. John Brisben, b. June 27, 1793; d. June 12, 1804. 10 viii. George William, b. November 12, 1796; m. Elizabeth S. Mish. After the death of John Boyd, his widow m. Stacy Potts, concerning whom, as he was a man of mark, we have this information: Thomas Potts, the ancestor of Stacy Potts, was a Quaker, who emigrated from England with his wife and children in the company of Mahlon Stacy and his family, in the ship "SHIELD" and landed at Burlington, N.J. in the winter of 1678, she being the first ship that went so far up the Delaware. Stacy was a leading man in the Society of Friends and in the government of West Jersey. At Trenton, 1731, Stacy Potts was born. He received a good education, and learned the trade of tanner, a business which he successfully carried on at least up to the time of Revolution. Mr. Potts seems have been a very enterprising and public spirited citizen. In 1776, besides owning a tannery, he built a steelworks on Front street. Trenton, and after the close of the revolution was largely interested in the erection of a paper mill in the same location. This was prior to the publication of the Collin's Bible. In December 1788, it was advertised by it's proprietors, Stacy Potts and John Reynolds, as "now nearly completed". About this period Stacy Potts removed to Harrisburg, PA. It is difficult to divine what were his motives in leaving his native town, where he was very popular, and with his ample competency, to settle in the new town on the Susquehanna. His second marriage may, perchance, have had somewhat to do with his removal from Trenton. Going to Harrisburg, he made large purchases of land, whether it was due to this fact, or his agreeable manner, Stacy Potts became quite prominent; was chosen to Legislature in 1791 and in 1792. During the mill-dam troubles of 1794-1795, Mr. Potts was quite active, and was one of the committee of citizens who were willing to take upon themselves all responsibility occurring by the by the destruction of the obnoxious dam. He served as burgess of the borough, and was a member of the Town Council. From 1799-1803 he again represented Dauphin county in the State Legislature. About the year 1805, he returned to Trenton; subsequently became mayor of the city, and office he held for several years. He died in that city April 28, 1816, in his eighty fifth year. Mr. Potts was thrice married. We have no knowledge as to the first wife. He married, secondly, Miss Gardiner, of Philadelphia, a Presbyterian lady of superior intelligence. She died at Harrisburg in 1799. His third wife was Mrs. Mary Boyd. Upon the death of Mr. Potts, his widow removed to Harrisburg, where she resided with her son George W. Boyd, until her death in 1844. 7. MARY BOYD, (Joseph, William, William) b. 1768, in Derry township, Lancaster county, PA; d. 1866, in West Hanover Township, Dauphin County, PA; m. William Baird. They had issue(surname Baird); i. James, b. 1794 11. ii. Joseph-Boyd, b. October, 1796; m. Mary Todd. iii. William, b. 1798, m. ______McNair iv. Elizabeth, b. 1800 v. John, b.1802 vi. Wallace, b. 1804; d. September 2, 1858; m: Martha Todd. 8. WILLIAM BOYD, (Joseph, William, William), b.1776; removed to and died in Cumberland County, PA; m: June 4, 1807, Martha Cowden, daughter of James and Mary Cowden. They had issue: i. Elizabeth, m. _____Dallas ii. James, m: McMurray iii. Joseph iv. Mathew v. William vi. Edward vii. Martha viii. Mary 9. JAMES RUTHERFORD BOYD, (John, William, William, William), b. October 13, 1790, at Harrisburg, PA; d. December 29, 1865. He learned the trade of cabinet making, at Trenton, New Jersey, and for many years successfully carried on that business. He served as third sergeant in Captain Richard M. Crain's company, the Harrisburg Artillerists, in the war of 1814, and for a long time was a member of the borough council. Mr. Boyd was thrice married; m. First, Margaret Emerson, d. May 24, 1824. They had issue: i. Mary, m. Dr. William S. Cresap, had issue; Mary, Boyd, Nade and William. ii. John R., b. December 26, 1815; d. March 26, 1862; m. Caroline E. Truman, and had issue: Annie, Truman, Margaret, Albert, Peter and Caroline. iii. Sarah Ann, b. March 29, 1818; d. October 8, 1854; m. John B. Bratten and had Laura and Edward. Mr. Boyd secondly married, Eliza Keller; b. June 12, 1803; d. February 27, 1828; daughter of John Peter Keller and Catharine Schaeffer. They had issue; iv. Peter Keller, b. 1826; m. Caroline E. Barnitz; resides at Harrisburg, PA Mr. Boyd married thirdly, February 3, 1831, Eliza Sloan Baird, b. December 21, 1800; d. February 5, 1886; daughter of Robert Sloan and Sarah McCormick. They had issue: v. Robert Sloan, d. 1884 vi. Isabella McCormick, b. October 4, 1883; d. February 10, 1850 vii. George William, m. Nettie Hershey viii. Eliza Potts, m. James Murphy; resides in Philadelphia. ix. Maria, d. at Harrisburg, PA x. James Alexander, m. Dessie Spahr; b. September 28, 1847; d. February 13, 1870. 10. GEORGE WILLIAM BOYD, (John, William, William, William) b. November 12, 1796, in Harrisburg, PA; d. August 31, 1863. He was a chair maker, and carried on the business many years at Harrisburg. Was also a member of the council of that borough, and a man of influence in the community. He married October 31, 1822, Elizabeth S. Mish, b. November 23, 1803; d. March 26 1849, in Harrisburg, PA and with her husband there buried. They had issue: 12. i. John Brisben, m. Elizabeth J. Carson ii. Jacob Mish iii. Elizabeth m. William S. Rowson, civil engineer; resides at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and had issue:Mary and William. iv. Mary Ellan, m. John B. Bratton, of Carlisle, PA. And had issue; Mary, Bessie, John Brisben, and Georgie. v. Catharine Mish. vi. Caroline Virginia, m. John H. Tennent, of Alabama; resides in New York City. vii. George Williams, b. December 21, 1836; d. January 6, 1867; served in the quartemaster's department during the Rebellion. 11.JOSEPH BOYD BAIRD,(Mary, Joseph, William, William), b. October 1796; removed to Franklin County, PA, where he died; m. October 7, 1834, Mary Todd, b. November 1, 1805, in Hanover township, Dauphin County, PA. In 1880, was residing in Franklin, Warren County, Ohio. They had issue; i. Martha Ann, b. February 3, 1836; m. October 12, 1854, John Smith, resides in Taylorsville, Christian County, Illinois. ii. Harriet Jemima, b. May 12, 1838. iii. Caroline Todd, b. May 14, 1841;m. January 11, 1866, Manilus T. Leachman; resides in Christian Co. Illinois. iv. Francina. 12. JOHN BRISBEN BOYD,(George William, John, William, William, William) b. September 4, 1824, in Harrisburg, PA. Where he resides; m. In 1849, Elizabeth J. Carson, b. In Harrisburg, PA.; daughter of William M. Carson and Sarah Kunkel. They had issue: i. Emma Louise, m. William Henderson, had Anna. ii. Elizabeth Carson, m. Mordaunt. L. Harrington.