Joseph E. Boyd
Joseph E. Boyd, Supervisor of Lafayette Township, is
the owner of a fine estate
containing 154 acres of valuable land. He was born July 3, 1849, in Rush
County, Ind., and is the son of John A. and Rebecca
(Maze) Boyd. John Boyd
was born in Harrison County, Ky., Oct. 12, 1805, and is the son of Arthur
Boyd. About the year 1817 his parents removed to Fayette County, Ind.,
and subsequently to Rush County, where his marriage to Miss Rebecca Maze took
place. Mrs. Boyd was likewise a native of Harrison County, Ky., and was
born Aug. 25, 1810.
In 1851 John Boyd removed with his family to Illinois, settling in Hutton Township,
Coles County. They remained on a farm there nine years, and then removed
to North Okaw Township, where Mr. Boyd operated a sawmill one year, and
subsequently changed his residence to Humbolt Township. While operating a
sawmill in North Okaw Township, he met with an accident which crippled his hands
so seriously as to render him unfit for manual labor, in consequence of which he
opened a boarding-house at Humbolt. After managing the house five years he
was obliged to relinquish active business, and is now passing the closing years
of his life in the home of his son, Joseph E. Boyd. He was blest with a
vigorous physique, and although eighty-two years of age is still hale and
hearty. He has recently been bereaved of the beloved companion, who shared
the joys and sorrows of a long life with him, her death occurring in December,
1886. They had a family of nine children, five of whom grew to
maturity. Their record is as follows: William A.,
deceased; Mary E., deceased, was formerly the wife of Dr. V.
R. Bridges; Fannie, deceased, was formerly the wife of David
S. Junkin; Robert T., a resident of Mattoon, and Joseph E.,
the subject of this sketch.
At the age of fourteen years, Joseph
Boyd commenced mercantile life as a clerk, and has been engaged more or less in
that business throughout the greater part of his life. Feb. 6, 1872,
he was married to Miss Alice B. Nabb. Mrs. Boyd is the daughter
of Hamilton and Martha E. Nabb, and was born Feb. 2,
1854, at Lawrenceville, Ill. Mr. Boyd was engaged in mercantile pursuits
until the first year after his marriage, when his health began to fail, on
account of hemorrhage of the lungs. By advice of his physician, he left
the store and carried on a farm six years. At the expiration of that time
his health seemed apparently restored, and he again entered upon mercantile
life. His abilities and inclinations both led him in that direction,
rather than toward agricultural pursuits, but after a trial of six months, his
helath again failing he found himself compelled to relinquish the mercantile
business and return to farming.
Mr. and Mrs. Boyd had a family of six children ....
[This biography continues on page 231.]
Portrait and Biographical Album of Coles Co., Illinois, 1887, p 230
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming
Biography Index
Main Page