ISAAC N. BOYD - ILLINOIS
ISAAC N. BOYD - The career
of Isaac N. Boyd, Cashier of the Bank of
Colchester, is characterized
by rare devotion to high purposes, and more
especially to those civic
enterprises which tend to the enlightenment of
a community of which he is
a product and development. In his makeup are
the best qualities of an Irish-Scotch
ancestry. His great-grandfather,
born in Ireland in 1731, blazed
a new path for subsequent bearers of the
name by immigrating to America
before the Revolutionary War,and his son,
WILLIAM, the next in line
of succession, took up his abode in
Northampton County, Pa., where
the second WILLIAM, father of ISAAC N.,
was born, leaving there at
the age of eight years and emigrating to
Highland County, Ohio, where
he lived until coming to Illinois. In 1853
WILLIAM JR., married MARTHA
C. VEST, a native of Tennessee and
granddaughter of a Scottish
voyageur who early claimed the protection of
the Stars and Stripes. In
1839 William Boyd felt the pressure of
necessity, and recognized
the utter impossibility of rising from his
narrow groove save through
his unaided efforts. He was of studious
habits, and, appreciating
the value of mental training as a general
business asset, succeeded
in gaining an education in the Colchester
public schools, finishing
at the Branch Normal School of Macomb. During
the following four years his
knowledge was turned to good account as a
teacher in McDonough and Hancock
Counties, Ill., and he then turned his
attention to learning the
barber's trade, which he followed for about
twenty years. He invested
his humble and useful calling with
thoroughness and honesty,
and while establishing a credit which was to
be of immense benefit to him
later on, aspired to a yet broader life and
took an important part in
general town affairs. Stanchly on the side of
the Democracy, Mr. Boyd has
supported this political platform for the
past quarter of a century,
or since casting his first presidential vote.
He was an Alderman of Colchester
several years, Police Magistrate four
years, and was defeated for
Supervisor in 1902. He was elected Mayor of
Colchester in April, 1905,
and is now filling this office in a town
having a Republican majority
of one hundred and twenty. Ever since its
organization in 1895, he has
been a member of the Board of Education of
Colchester, has been Secretary
of the Board for the past ten years, and
in the history of that organization
has never missed a meeting. Mr Boyd
is a believer in social diversions,
and is emphatic in his support of
fraternal organizations, being
a member of the Colchester Lodge No. 496,
A.F.& A. M.; the Colchester
Chapter No. 121; the Eastern Star, of which
his wife is also a member;
Good Will Lodge No. 91, K. of P., of which he
is Deputy Grand Chancellor;
and the Court of Honor.
In 1902, Mr Boyd stepped into
his present position as Cashier of the
Bank of Colchester. He represents
a number of reliable insurance
companies, and is Secretary
of the Colchester Building and Loan
Association. There are few
enterprises of importance in the town to
which he has not lent material
or moral support, and his business
sagacity and forethought are
regarded as a valuable municipal
possession. He is a member
and Trustee of the Universalist Church,and a
teacher in the Sunday-school.
The wife of Mr Boyd, whose maiden name was
MARY WAGSTAFF, is a native
of the vicinity of St. Louis. Mr. and Mrs.
Boyd are the parents of four
children: CHARLES WAYNE, BONNIE B., NELLIE
and TONA. As one of the foremost
men of the community, Mr. Boyd has led
an active and well directed
life, has drawn around him friends who
admire his character and depend
upon his judgment, and has laid the
foundation for many years
of future prominence and usefulness.
Source: Historical Encyclopedia
of Illinois and History of McDonough
County, Munsell Publishing
Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1907, p.833
NOTE: This bio lacks clarity.....perhaps
due to errors by a transcriber
which makes it difficult to
follow.
Thanks to Karen Schrode from Ohio, USA