Descendants of John
Boyd/Martha Mahan Washington County, PA
GEORGE BOYD. Among the venerable
citizens of Hanover township, whose
heads are crowned with the
silver of many well-spent years, is found
this well-known gentleman.
The fair "Isle of Erin" was the home of his
ancestors, and in that country
his grandfather, John Boyd, first saw the
light of day. The latter was
born about 1747, in County Antrim, where he
learned the tailor's trade,
and was married to Martha Mahan. The young
people soon thereafter sailed
to America, and with true ardor John Boyd
entered heart and soul into
the American struggle for Independence. He
enlisted in North Carolina,
serving seven years under Gen. Greene and
Capt. Smith, was employed
as a scout much of the time, and received
several wounds. When the war
was ended he came to Washington
county, Penn., locating between
Cross Creek village and West Middletown,
and there followed his trade.
In 1793 he moved to Hanover township,
Beaver Co., Penn., and in
1817 located near Harlem Springs, Carroll Co.,
Ohio, where he remained until
about 1840, then returning to Beaver
county, Penn., died soon afterward,
and was buried in the King's Creek
cemetery. He left the following
children: James, born May 28, 1781;
John, born July 20, 1782;
Mary (Mrs. David Moody, of Carroll county,
Ohio), born February 26, 1784;
Agnes (wife of James Sharp, of Columbiana
county, Ohio), born October
15, 1785; Sarah (Mrs. James Moore, of Beaver
county, Penn.), born July
16, 1787; Margaret (wife of Robert Campbell, of
Columbiana county, Ohio),
born July 8, 1789; Robert, born December 28,
1791; Thomas, born October
15, 1793; Martha, born in November, 1795
(killed by lightning); Rachel
(Mrs. John Anderson, of Iowa),born in
September, 1797; and David,
born in June, 1799. In politics the father
was a Democrat, and in religion
a member of the Presbyterian Church.
Robert Boyd was born December
28, 1791, on the home farm between Cross
Creek village and West Middletown.
In 1816 he was married to Catherine
McCausland, who was born March
7, 1793, daughter of George and
Catherine (Kidd) McCausland.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Boyd first located on a
farm in Hanover township,
Beaver Co., Penn., and in 1834 moved to the
home place in Hanover township,
Washington Co., Penn. He was a
successful agriculturist,
and in politics was a Democrat. He died in
1878, having been preceded
by his wife in 1875, and their children were:
John, born April 15, 1817
(who lived in Hanover township, this county);
Martha (widow of John Smith,
of Jefferson township), born October 21,
1818; Catherine (wife of Joseph
McCready, of Columbiana county, Ohio),
born December 3, 1820; Margaret
(widow of William McCready), born August
17, 1822; George,
born March 7, 1824; Robert, born February 28, 1826;
Francis, born March 21, 1828
(killed in West Virginia by a falling limb
of a tree); Presley (a farmer
of Colombiana county, Ohio), born March 9,
1830; and Mary, born February
23, 1832.
George Boyd was born on the
home farm in Hanover township, Beaver Co.,
Penn., and passed his youth
in attending the schools of the period. He
spent several years with a
sister in Jefferson township, this county. In
1880 he was united in marriage
with Jane Lance, daughter of Peter Lance,
a
farmer, who was married to
Jane Nicholson, and had children as follows:
Eleanor, Emeline, Addison,
Peminda, Jane, Sarah, Theresa, William and
Matteson. The father died
August 24, 1850, the mother on March 27, 1857,
and they are buried in Hopewell
Presbyterian Church cemetery,
of which church they were
members and he was a trustee. In politics he
was a Republican. Mr. and
Mrs. Boyd have for several years been
residents of Hanover township,
Washington county, where he is engaged in
farming. Politically he is
a Democrat. Mrs. Boyd is a member of the
Presbyterian Church at Paris,
this county.
Beers,
J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington
County,
Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).
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