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Genealogy: Finding Your Folks

The family of James and Millie Boyd of Bethany - Part 2

By JUDY FOWLER KILGORE
jkilgore@thecitizennews.com

What a surprise it was when I was invited to the Boyd reunion at Bethany last Sunday. All the folks who attended were descendants of James and Millie Boyd and they are a delightful bunch. I heard some interesting family stories and was pleased to be able to put faces with some of the names I had found in the census. It just makes doing this series more fun.

They promised to invite me again next year and “accepted” me as a distant cousin — a member of the Carroll County Boyds who (they told me) were said to have been engaged in some gold-stealing from the Yankees during the Civil War. I hadn’t heard that one and will have to talk to my Carroll County Boyd cousins about it.

But let’s get back to the early roots of the Bethany Boyds which first appeared in South Carolina in the 1770s.

There are few records which give proof positive of John Boyd of Ballymena’s relationship to other Boyds in Newberry County, S.C., but by putting facts and evidence together, researchers have come up with a “very likely” situation with regards to just who was a son or daughter of whom. Much is based on proximity of land, and connections through names in wills, estates and burial records. But sometimes circumstantial evidence is all you get and you have to run with it.

What I will relate to you here is what has been generally accepted by most Boyd researchers, with few “curves” thrown in here and there based on what I have found myself.

As stated last week, John Boyd of Ballymena (John B of B), the earliest known (or accepted) ancestor of the Bethany Boyds, appeared before the South Carolina Council in 1772 and requested a grant of land, which he received. It was South Carolina’s policy, at that time, to grant certain new settlers a plot of land, seed, and farm tools, in an effort to encourage settlement of the colony. Remember, in 1772, South Carolina was still under the control of England.

Also receiving nearby land at the same time, on the same day (Nov. 8, 1772) were David Boyd, John Boyd Jr. and Elizabeth Boyd. All these Boyds are generally accepted as being the children of John B of B, with the addition of one more who did not receive land, and that was Hugh Boyd. As stated last week, I would like to add the name of my Robert as another possible son of John B of B, although to date this has been accepted by only a few researchers.

Records of Revolutionary War service have been found for all the above children of John B of B, except Robert.

In the first U.S. census of Newberry (1790), there are seven Boyds listed as heads of households — three Johns, Robert, David, Hugh, and Archibald. Grouped fairly closely together are two Johns, Robert, David and Hugh. Archibald and another John are many pages away from those who are thought to be our Boyds. However, this census gave little information compared to later ones, with ages and sexes only loosely identified.

In 1799, John B of B’s son, Hugh Boyd, died, leaving a will which named his children, one of his brothers (John) and his wife. It was witnessed by Robert Boyd, Archibald McMillan and John Boyd “wheelwright” (his father). Of Hugh’s children, two are known to have later moved to Meriwether County — Robert H. Boyd (b. 1791), who married Chloretta Gray, and Rosannah Boyd, who married my Robert’s son William.

Shortly after Hugh’s death in 1799, his brother John (Johnny Buckles) moved to Kentucky with his family. The reason is only speculative but family stories say it was to be with relatives from Virginia.

Whatever the case, John Boyd (Johnny Buckles) is shown in the 1810 Pulaski County, Ky. census, along with a William Boyd (who may or may not be a relative), and other members of John’s family and their spouses. There are also land transactions showing that John was in Kentucky.

While John was gone, his father, John B of B, passed away in 1806 in Newberry. He left no will, but his estate was administered by Robert Boyd and the widow, Mary Boyd.

David Boyd, another son, for whatever reason, is not mentioned anywhere in the estate papers — not even as a purchaser at the estate sale. My Robert, who administered the estate, purchased more items at the sale than anyone except the widow. This activity usually indicates a family relationship, if not a fairly close one.

My question here is: Why did David not administer the estate? He was an older son and was living right there in Newberry. This was my first real clue that my Robert might be one of the sons of John B of B.

But back to John Buckles, who remained in Kentucky until about 1814 when he and some of his children returned to Newberry. It was during this stay in Kentucky that our James was born (1810) and he was probably about four years old when his family returned to South Carolina. Some of James’ aunts and uncles remained in Kentucky and some later migrated into Tennessee. I have been in touch with some of their descendants.

Some 13 years after his return, Johnny Buckles Boyd died in Newberry (1827), but did a wonderful thing before he passed away — he left a will naming all his children, their spouses and all his grandchildren who inherited from his estate. One can only imagine the excitement felt by the first genealogist to find this gold mine of information.

Next week: the Boyd family moves to Georgia.

I welcome all letters and e-mails about genealogy and info on south metro Atlanta families. Send them to The Citizen, P.O. Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; e-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com. Any letters and/or e-mails I receive are subject to being used in the column.

Until next week, happy hunting!