JAMES BOYETT AND FAMILY,  Smith County, Texas

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Submitted by Doris Peirce - ginlu@home.com 
22 May 2001 
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JAMES BOYETT AND FAMILY "Some Biographies of Old Settlers." 
Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I 
By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas 
Chapter LXVIII - Pages 282-284
 
James Boyett was born in North Carolina, June 3rd, 1824.  He lost his
parents when a small boy and was raised an orphan.  In 1845, he moved
to Sumpter county, Alabama, and in 1847, married Miss Malissa Thorn,
in that state, the daughter of Jesse Thorn.  In December 1853, he 
settled in Smith county, made a crop, and moved to Wood county; the 
following year removed to Smith county.  In the fall of 1875, he moved
to Navarro county where he and his wife died.  They had ten children.
The only two living in Smith county are Jesse Boyett and Mrs. Samuel
A. Smith.  She is a most excellent woman, and her husband was a 
leading farmer and citizen up to his death.

Jesse Boyett resides in Tyler.  He is an honest, industrious man, 
giving his children the best advantages of a liberal education.  He 
married in 1870, one of the intelligent daughters of Wm. D. Walker,
an old, prominent citizen of Tyler, who died here some years ago.
Mrs. Boyett is a native of Tyler.  They have seven children---Frank,
Nora, Ada, Mabel, Hayden, Lucile, and Ibzan.

Frank is a promising young lawyeer of Austin, and has a bright future
before him.  He is an educated, talented and bright young man.

Miss Nora is an accomplished young lady, and is one of business and
energy.

Miss Ada is a popular teacher in our public schools and is winning
golden opinions by her industry and accomplishment as a teacher.  
She is very popular as a teacher and a favorite socially.

Miss Mabel is teaching music and is the organist of the First 
Baptist church in this city.  She has great musical talent and is 
forging to the front in the musical world.  She is an attractive 
young lady and a special favorite among her associates.

John Boyett was a successful farmer and the worthy founder and head 
of this family of Boyetts in Smith county.  He came to Smith county
when Tyler was a small village, and was a leading citizen in his 
community.  His children are off the same block, hence the different
branches of this family bear honorable records for intelligence, 
integrity and progressive people.

Jesse Boyett has raised and intelligent family and the older ones 
are taking handsome positions in the business and social world.  It
is a fair representation of the descendants of the early settler in
Smith county.  The Boyetts are leading people and the father, who 
came to Texas forty-seven years ago left behind him a good name as
a princely heritage to his descendants.

It was a grand lot of men who felled the timbers, opened up farms
and planted civilization in the wilds of Smith county, and who built
churches and school houses.  None figured more energetically and 
with more sincerity than John Boyett.  He helped his neighborhood,
sustained the church and schools and put his shoulder to the wheel
in any good enterprise that bettered the people and advanced their
interests.

Mrs. Boyett is related to one of the oldest and best families in 
Smith county---the Walkers---who came here in the forties, and 
whose descendants are counted by the hundreds.  She is a good
Christian woman, looking after the proper training of her children,
as only a mother can.