John Boyd (Texas Congressman)

John Boyd
Born August 7, 1796
Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, USA
Died May 4, 1873
Resting place
 Mexia, Texas
Occupation settler, politician, philanthropist
Spouse(s) Elizabeth McLean
Parent(s) Abraham Boyd
Nancy Linn
Relatives Linn Boyd (brother)

John Boyd (1796-1873) was an American early settler in Texas and state senator.

Biography

Early life

John Boyd was born.on August 7, 1796 in Nashville, Tennessee.[1][2][3] His father was Abraham Boyd and his mother, Nancy Linn.[4] His brother, Linn Boyd, went on to serve as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1851 to 1855.[4]

Career

By 1835, he settled in Sabine County, Texas with his wife and children.[1][2] He then served in the Texas Revolution.[2]

He served as a Senator in the Congress of the Republic of Texas from 1836 to 1845.[2] In 1845, he moved to Limestone County, Texas, where he staked a claim near the Tehuacana Hills, northwest of Tehuacana.[2]

From 1862 to 1863, he served in the Texas Senate.[2] By then, he had become a secessionist, in favor of the Confederate States of America.[1][2]

Philanthropy

He donated 1,100 acres of land as well as financial assistance for the establishment of Trinity University.[2]

Personal life

He married Elizabeth (McLean) Boyd.[1] They had nine children, but only three reached adulthood.[1] He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.[2]

Death

He died on May 4, 1873.[1][3] He was buried at the Tehuacana Cemetery in Mexia, Texas.[5]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Cecil Harper, Jr., "BOYD, JOHN," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fbo59), accessed October 26, 2014. Uploaded on June 12, 2010. Modified on June 15, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Biographical Directory of the Texan Conventions and Congresses, 1832-1845, 1942. , pp. 54-55
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Legislative Reference Library: Texas Legislators: Past & Present: John Boyd
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Judge Prestley Kettedge Ewing and Mary Ellen (Williams) Ewing, The Ewing genealogy with cognate branches: a survey of the Ewings and their kin in America
  5. ↑ FindAGrave: John Boyd