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CAPTAIN JOHN BOYD - Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
CAPTAIN JOHN BOYD was
born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1750, and became
a resident of Northumberland in 1778. On the 16th of October, 1776,
he was commissioned as second lieutenant in the Twelfth Pennsylvania regiment,
and subsequently promoted first lieutenant; in July, 1778, he was transferred
to the Third regiment, in which he became captain lieutenant. He was a
member of the "forlorn hope" that inaugurated the assault upon Stony Point
in 1779. Retiring from his regiment, January 1, 1781, he took command of
a company of rangers in Bedford county, and was taken prisoner at the Raystown
branch of Juniata while crossing the Allegheny mountains. After spending
a year in Canada under duress he was exchanged and returned to Northumberland,
where he spent the remainder of his life. Among the civil positions with
which he was honored were those of member of the Supreme Executive Council,
register and recorder of Northumberland county, and inspector of internal
revenue under President Washington. He died on the 13th of February, 1831.
His brother, Lieutenant WILLIAM BOYD, of the Twelfth
regiment, was killed at the battle of Brandywine, September 11, 1777.
Another brother, Lieutenant THOMAS BOYD, was killed
by the Indians, September 12, 1779, in Sullivan's campaign.
Source: Chapter XV: Borough of NORTHUMBERLAND: Bell's History of Northumberland Co; PA |