Andrew Boyd

ANDREW BOYD, who resides in section 21, township 32, range 22, in Sheridan township, has followed farming and carpentering in this vicinity for many years and has been decidedly successful. He is a native of Parke County, Indiana, where he was born March 7, 1836, and is a son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Butcher) Boyd.

The parents of our subject were born and reared near Lexington, Kentucky, and were also married there. They removed to Parke County, Indiana, at a time when the country was sparsely settled and it was still unsafe because of hostile Indians. He cleared a farm and continued there until 1844 when he moved West to Keokuk County, Iowa, where he took a claim. After his death in 1846, his widow and children returned to Parke County, Indiana, in 1847. The children were: John, deceased; Isaac, deceased; Eliza Ann, deceased; William, deceased; Margaret, deceased; Jane, deceased; Clark, who lives in Omaha, Nebraska; Andrew; Dorcas, of Parke County, Indiana; and Samuel, deceased.

Andrew Boyd had no chance for schooling and lived with his mother until his marriage; he then moved to Putnam County, Indiana, where he farmed and engaged in carpentering until 1865. He then removed to Mahaska County, Iowa, and four months later came to Cherokee County, Kansas, taking up 160 acres in section 14, Sheridan township. The land had not been surveyed at that time and he was not sure of his location. He put up a cabin 16 feet square, with clap-board door, and then helped others to build their homes. In addition to carpentering and farming, he did considerable masonry work, both in brick and stone. He lived on his first farm two years, then sold and bought his present farm in section 21, also atract of 26 acres in section 16, all in township 32, range 22, on which property he put up all the buildings and made all the improvements. He built his present comfortable home in 1880,and has lived in it since. He raises wheat, corn and oats and is also engaged in stock-raising, having a large number of cattle, horses and mules. He has continued at his trade as a carpenter, and in 1867 built the first ferry boat in Labette County. He also owns 12O acres of land in sections 8 and 17, township 32, range 22, in Sheridan township.

On October 21, 1858, Mr. Boyd was joined in marriage with Edith C. Holladay, who was born in Parke County, Indiana, and is a daughter of William and Maria (Scott) Holladay, her father a native of North Carolina and her mother, of South Carolina. William Holladay located in Orange County, Indiana, when a boy, accompanying his father, at a time when it was necessary to live within the fort because of the Indians. He later went to Illinois and ran a flat-boat to New Orleans. In later years he followed the trade of a saddler in Vermilion County, Illinois. He and his wife died in Putnam County, Indiana. Our subject and his wife are parents of 10 children, as follows: Carrie and Charles, deceased: Lillie, wife of D. W. Owen, of Labette County, Kansas; William, deceased; Minnie, wife of Ed. McDaniel, of Labette County, Kansas; Allen, deceased; Stella, wife of David Holt; Daisy, wife of Allen Rennie, of Sheridan township; Cooper, who married Mary Miller, and lives at home; and Clyde, who has exhibited talent as an artist, and is living at home. Mr. Boyd is a Democrat in politics, but has never sought nor held office. Religiously, he has been a member of the Christian Church since 1856, the first church services having been held in the old log school house at Sherman City, which was put up by our subject in 1867.

History of Cherokee County Kansas and its representative citizens, ed. & comp. by Nathaniel Thompson Allison, 1904, transcribed by students from USD 508, Baxter Springs Middle School Baxter Springs, Kansas, 3/7/97