Boyd, William M.

BOYD, BELDON, SEWELL, LACY, PATTERSON, MARTINDALE, BAKER, SHARP

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/27/2009 at 09:33:54

Boyd, William M.

We of the present generation do not fully realize what it meant for the young men of half a century ago, with life's bright promises before them, to leave business, the comforts of home and the pleasures of associations with family and friends and go out to do or die in the world's greatest war, in which they suffered indescribably, at times, during four long, dreary years, "in order that the nation might live." But they, our honored sires, did it gladly and well, and today no man should be the recipient of greater esteem by us than the old veteran, who wore the blue. One such was William M. Boyd, long a highly respected citizen of Jasper County, who was born in Center County, Tennessee, January 22, 1843, and he was the son of John and Sarah (Beldon) Boyd, the father a native of Tennessee and the mother of North Carolina. The latter came with her people to Tennessee with her parents when young and there met John Boyd and they were subsequently married by the noted Parson Brownlow, a prominent preacher and politician of his time. Mr. Boyd devoted his life to farming and carpentering and his death occurred in Jonesborough, Tennessee, at the advanced age of ninety years. He was influential in his community in public matters, and he and his oldest son were soldiers in the Mexican War, the father rising to the rank of first lieutenant. He was twice married and William M., of this review, is one of three brothers by the first marriage; Samuel T. died in Tennessee in 1909; James I. lives in Shelby County, Iowa. Nine children were born to the second marriage.

William M. Boyd left home with his father's brother when fifteen years of age and came to Illinois where he worked as a farm hand four years, then in 1854 he came to Jasper County, Iowa, when the country was new, settling in Poweshiek Township where he worked as a farm hand until he responded to his country's call and enlisted in Newton, in Company B, Forty-eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, in the western division of the Federal army, under "Fighting Joe" Hooker. He was sent to Davenport, where he did guard duty, and later sent to Chicago to prevent a possible attempt to free a number of Confederate prisoners held there. Returning to Rock Island, he was honorably discharged at the close of 1864 and returned to Jasper County, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres Of land, raw prairie, having long since transformed it into a splendid farm, well improved and under a high state of cultivation, and on which he was very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser.

In March 1857, Mr. Boyd was united in marriage with Amanda Sewell, daughter of John Sewell, a native of Indiana, and to this union three children were born, two sons and one daughter: Samuel died in infancy; Ella married Jonathan Lacy and resides in Colfax, this County; Sarah D. married a Mr. Patterson, a grain dealer of Mitchellville, Iowa.

The first wife of Mr. Boyd died in 1863 and in 1865, upon returning from the war, he married Margaret Martindale, a widow, and to this union seven children were born, all of whom are living, namely: Dr. F.E. of Colfax; Edward, who conducts a "bus" line in Newton; L. J. is a traveling salesman, out of Beatrice, Nebraska; H. C. is a druggist in Mason City; Bertrus is the wife of Sumner Baker, a merchant who lives in Maringo, this county; Theodosia is unmarried and is living at home; Linnie is the wife of Richard Sharp, a miner of this County.

Until seven years ago, Mr. Boyd carried on active farm work, then retired and moved to Colfax, where he purchased a neat, substantial and comfortable residence in which he spent his old age in the midst of plenty as a result of former years of activity. His death occurred on July 3, 1911. He was always a man who had the public welfare at heart, and he served in nearly all the Township offices. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Colfax, and he belonged to the E. D. Duncan Post of the Grand Army of the Republic, of which he was commander for several years. He belonged to Riverside Lodge No. 53, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Colfax, and he belonged to Oriental Commandery No. 22, Knights Templar, at Newton, and to the chapter of Royal Arch Masons; he had been a Mason since 1863. He was the recent overseer of the poor at Colfax and one of the commissioners of the soldiers' relief commission, and he was a member of the city council. In every capacity in which he served the public he acted conscientiously and won the approval of all concerned. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 514.