Samuel Boyd
SOURCE: "Early History and Pioneers of Champaign County, Illinois," by Milton W. Mathews and Lewis A. McLean, editors of the Champaign County Herald, published by the Champaign County Herald, 1886
SAMUEL BOYD. Was born in Ireland, county Antrim, August 26th, 1802. His parents were John Boyd and Agnes (Miller) Boyd. They were both Scotch and descended from a long line of Scotch people. Mr. Boyd was married in a Presbyterian church, six miles from Belfast, Ireland, to Sarah Miller, in October, 1833. She died in 1848, at Lawrenceburg, Indiana. In 1843, he, with his family consisting of wife and his three eldest children, crossed the Atlantic and came to Lawrenceburg, Indiana; there he worked in a flour mill and distillery until 1851. He spent a short time at Rising Sun, Ind., and in 1851 crossed the plains with a six mule team to California; there he hunted for the golden nuggets with some success, although subjected to the hardships and privations of mining life, until 1856, when he returned and married his second wife, Miss Elizabeth Stafford, of Aurora, Indiana, in 1857. In same year he came to Champaign county, Illinois, and settled near St. Joseph. He had brought with him, from California, about $2,000 as the result of his California mining operations. This he invested in land, and for twelve years successfully followed farming. His children by his first wife are John F., now in Missouri; William, now in Nebraska; James M., who resides in Indianapolis and is a locomotive engineer; Mary Johnson, who resides south of Urbana, and Hugh, who resides near Lost Grove. James M. entered the army and served gallantly throughout the war for the Union, and stands high among the men of his calling as well as among his acquaintances everywhere. John F., Hugh and William, also served through the war in the Union army. By his second wife he had five children, two of whom are now living, viz; Jennie, who is living at home, and Rosa, who married Peter Good and resides north of Urbasna. Mr. Boyd was raised a Presbyterian and through the greater part of his life was identified with that stalwart branch of the Christian church. He and his present wife, however, are members of the Baptist church. He was forty-six years old before he was entitled to vote, but he allied himself with the whig party upon his arrival in American, and voted for Zachary Taylor for president, in 1848, for Gen. Scott in 1852, and for Fremont and the succeeding republican candidates including James G. Blaine, in 1884. He is a hardy Scotchman of 84 years, and is as active and industrious as he has always been. He resides now about two miles northeast of this city, where, doubtless, his remaining years will be spent. He has lived to see his family grow up and engage in active business, and he calmly and confidently awaits the summons which shall call him to a better world. Meantime he will perform the duties of a good citizen, as he has always done during a long and active life.