CLAN BOYD INTERNATIONAL
Story of David Boyd
Part 2
DAVID BOYD 1743-1831
Compiled and prepared by Richard G. Boyd, 12137 Highland
Avenue, Mt. Morris, Michigan, USA [email protected]
John Boyd came from Northern Ireland to Pennsylvania in
the
early 1700's. He was born in 1715. He married Nancy URIE
and
lived near Shippensburg, Pa. Nancy was killed by the Iroquois
Indians 10 Feb 1756. John married for his 2nd
wife, Agnes
JONES. John Boyd died ca. 1784. Children:
1. SALLIE (Sarah) BOYD born ca. 1740 in Norththumberland,
County, Pennsylvania. Captured by the Indians in 1756. Re-
leased at Detroit in 1763.
2. RHODA BOYD born ca. 1742, Northumberland County, Penn-
sylvania. Captured by the Indians in 1756. Released at
Detroit in 1763. She married Robert SMILEY ca. 1766. She died
ca. 1827. Robert born ca. 1732 in Scotland and died about
1811 in Somerset County, PA.
Robert Smiley was a soldier(1) in the American Revolution. He
was a Ranger, a Private under Captain Joseph Shippen's
Company First Regiment of Foot and Captain Peter Huckles
Company, Colonel Chambers Battalion 1781.
3. DAVID BOYD born 23 March 1743 in Northumberland
County,
Pa. Married Elizabeth HENDERSON in 1771. David died
16 July
1831 in Hopewell Township, Washington County, Pa. Buried in
Upper Buffulo Cemetery. David was captured by the Iroquois
Indians and held captive from 1756, when his mother
and
brother were killed, to 1763, when he was returned to his
father.
4. JOHN BOYD born ca. 1750. Captured by the Indians with
his
brother David in 1756. Never heard from again.
5. A boy (name not known) killed by the Indians along
with
his mother Nancy, 1756.
Children of John Boyd and his second wife Agnes JONES
6. Agnes Boyd
7. James Boyd
8. Robert Boyd
Vol 1 page 59 PA. Archives - Fifth Series. Vol
XXIII p. 269
PA. Archives - Fifth Series. Vol III p. 432 PA.
Archives -
Sixth Series.
(This electronic edition typed and prepared 1988 by Richard G. Boyd,
12137 Highland Avenue, Mt. Morris, MI 48458-1412. I have about
50
more pages of data on descendants of this line.
(another version of the David Boyd story)
"MY LITTLE OLD BOOK"
Frances Elliot Clark
In my safety deposit box lies a queer little package tied up
in a three-cornered piece of that silk which we once called
oil boiled silk. In the package is a small well-worn Bible.
The cover was once a brown leather but over it has been
carefully adjusted a new cover of handspun, handwoven, brown
wool cloth. An examination of the text reveals the peculiar
old type in which ff and ss look much alike. One knows at
once that this book is at least two hundred years old, and
one senses also, immediately, that there hangs about it a
story of living, of children, of love, and family. Something
sinister seems also to hover over its pages.
In the long ago time, when our great country was still a
wilderness, a pioneer family of sturdy Scots had pushed out
into a small settlement in what is now Cumberland County,
Pennsylvania, across the still wilder hills along the
Susquehanna River. The father of the family was one of the
well known Boyds. The mother was a sister of Thomas Urey, a
famous Indian fighter and settler in that vicinity. They came
to where a few hardy souls had started a settlement named
Shippensburg. Here was only a trading post and a few
scattered brave ones who thought they could mollify the often
angry savages. There were six older children in the family
and a new born babe which had arrived just a week before.
On this fine April morning in 1756, the rumors of many
attacks by marauding small bands of Indians had been
hopefully discounted. True, trouble there was and had been,
for some time. Braddock had pushed his little army across the
mountains to the south. Washington and his Virginia forces
had hacked out the Forbes road just over the mountain. But
surely there were no Indians there now, they thought.
A neighbor, a mile and a half away, had set up a loom to
weave cloth for the small needs of these pioneers. The
father, with the eldest boy, William, set out to the
neighbors to secure the needed material to make jackets and
dresses for the boys and girls.
David, aged twelve, was manfully splitting up wood and
kindling for an outdoor fire where the girls, Sally. about
ten, and Rhoda, seven, were trying to do the family washing.
John, aged five, was picking up chips and helping with the
fire. Two-year-old Thomas was playing near by.
As David lifted his ax for another blow, he was startled to
find at his shoulder a tall savage. The Indian snatched the
ax from David's hand and warned him in unmistakable guttural
tones, to make no sound or his scalp would pay the forfeit.
Another two or three of the small band of eight or ten
Indians had entered the Cabin. A look at the wee baby and at
the little Thomas made it clear that they could not travel.
The mother was seized and made to start at once on a path to
the glade. The four older children were seized and started
running with an Indian pushing them along.
The mother was able to go but a short way. The children
missed her, but no time to stop. Miles and miles were put
behind them by nightfall. Then, around the fire, the scalps
of the morning raid were hung to dry. The children recognized
the lovely, long red hair of their mother, but were
threatened with instant death if they cried. After a two
hours' rest, the children were again prodded upon the long
journey, by hidden paths and trails, to near Fort Duquesne
(now Pittsburgh). Shortly after that they moved into the
country which later became Ohio.
The big chief who had taken the boy David, adopted him into
his family as his son, in place of one of his own children
whom he had lost. Sarah, or Sally, as she was called, was
large enough to be of considerable help to the squaws in
their daily work, especially in the fields of corn. Rhoda
took special care of little John, taught him daily to say his
name, that of his father and mother, and the town in which
they had lived.
When the father had returned with his precious bolts of
cloth, he found the kettle still boiling, but his family
gone. He roused the neighbors, and a posse was formed. The
body of his wife was soon found, the tracks of the others had
been well covered, and the followers too few to venture,
without soldier aid, more than a few miles into that
trackless wilderness. General Armstrong was forming an army
of provincials to meet Washingtom farther over the mountains.
Life for John Boyd had but one meaning-- to try to find his
children. So he joined and went with the army to Kitaning.
Several long and bloody years followed. The French abandoned
Fort Duquesne, the war finally ended, and Colonel Bouquet
undertook to compel the Indians to return their prisoners. A
hundred or more were brought into Fort Pitt, still there were
others left behind. Colonel Bouquet demanded hostage, and
twenty-one Indian braves were kept by him until the other
whites should be brought from the Ohio villages. Denials on
the part of the Indians were of no effect. Colonel Bouquet
was adamant.
David had been returned by the old chief some two years
before, but the girls were still held. Little John was never
heard from again.
Colonel Bouquet finally moved his soldiers into the Ohio
country, built a lodge of boughs and received the chiefs and
a few more prisoners. A group was still missing and it was
finally confessed by the Indians that these prisoners had
been sent to another tribe in or near Detroit.
"Bring them!" said Colonel Bouquet, and he waited at Fort
Pitt.
Months passed.
Of the long journey which may have taken place we have no
account, but on a day in 1764 the little group of young
people who had been captured seven years befoe, were brought
to Carlisle, for recognition, and restoration to their
parents. In this group were Sarah and Rhoda Boyd.
It was a great day in Carlisle. Mothers bereft years before
came, some hopefully, others doubting whether their children
would be among the wanderers. Heart-breaking scenes were
enacted. Some who had been small children when captured had
forgotten their names and seemed unable to recall a single
incident about their early home life. One mother looked in
vain up and down the line for a girl who might be her own.
But she was unable to recognize her. Weeping and in despair,
she turned to Colonel Bouquet, who asked her if there were
not some verse or hymn the child might recall and recognize.
The mother, with tearful, faltering voice, began a familiar
hymn, when a little girl darted out of the line calling,
"Mother, Mother!"
The Boyd girls were recognized. In fact, it is believed that
the father was in the rescue party.
Some of the church people in Carlisle arranged a special
welcome for the captive children. Each returning exile was
given a Testament, then the ony school book in this back
country of Pennsylvania.
Not long after this, Rhoda Boyd was married to one of the
young soldiers, Robert Smiley. They moved westward into the
beautiful hills in what is now Somerset and there reared a
family of eight children. Robert Junior, my grandfather,
later went over into Ohio to the old Indian camp, took his
mother, Rhoda, back to the scene of her captivity, where his
older brother, George, had settled some years before.
There she lived to tell the story of her capture many times,
to my mother, a wondering little girl. She handed on to me
this little Testament, which on that long ago day, was given
at Carlisle to Rhoda Boyd.
MORE ON DAVID BOYD INDIAN CAPTIVE
Descendants of David Boyd
Generation No. 1
1. DAVID1 BOYD was born 1743 in Cumberland
County, PA, and died
1831 in Hopewell Township, PA. He married
ELIZABETH HENDERSON 1771.
Notes for DAVID BOYD:
Crumrine's History of Washington County, PA
says that David Boyd,
when a boy was taken prisoner by a band of
Indians; in captivity,
he was daily subjected to all kinds of torment
by a certan young
brave in the tribe. At last, David
Boyd had enough of this
treatment and the next time the young Indian
began his tormenting,
David knocked him to the ground, which so
impressed the tribe that
they made him a member of the tribe.
He was molested no longer.
Before the chief died, he took David back
to his family.
David rejoined his family and fought in the
Revolutionary Army before
coming to Washington County, PA. David
Boyd was one of the best
known and earliest pioneers of Hopewell Township.
He moved to
Hopewell Township from Cumberland County
in 1787. He brought with
him his wife, two sons and two daughters.
Later they had two more
sons, David Jr. and William.
Beer's Biographical Record on the Boyds, has
David Boyd with a
different attitude towards the Indians who
captured him. In this
history, David Boyd had little love for the
Redskins who so
wantonly destroyed his boyhood home.
More About DAVID BOYD:
Event 1: 1747, captured by Indians
Residence: Hopewell Township, PA
Comment 1: Captured by Indians
Comment 2: Raised by Indians
Children of DAVID BOYD and ELIZABETH
HENDERSON are:
2. i. JAMES2 BOYD, b. 1782, West Middletown,
PA; d. 1880,
Independence Township, PA.
ii. JOHN BOYD, b. WFT Est. 1762-1772;
d. WFT Est. 1767-1860.
iii. DAVID JR. BOYD, b. WFT Est. 1762-1772;
d. WFT Est. 1767-1860.
iv. WILLIAM BOYD, b. WFT Est. 1762-1772;
d. WFT Est. 1767-1860.
Generation No. 2
2. JAMES2 BOYD (DAVID1) was born 1782
in West Middletown, PA, and
died 1880 in Independence Township, PA.
He married MARY BUCHANAN
WFT Est. 1813-1846.
More About JAMES BOYD:
Event 1: 1880, he was 99 years old
Child of JAMES BOYD and MARY BUCHANAN
is:
3. i. ELIZA3 BOYD, b. 1805; d. April 08,
1902.
Page 2
Generation No. 3
3. ELIZA3 BOYD (JAMES2, DAVID1) was
born 1805, and died April 08,
1902. She married WILLIAM "BIG BILL"
STEPHENSON WFT Est. 1833-
1859, son of WILLIAM STEPHENSON and MARGARET
CRAWFORD.
More About ELIZA BOYD:
Comment 1: 1865, at age 60, made family quilt
Comment 2: 1870 presented quilt to son at
his wedding
Children of ELIZA BOYD and WILLIAM STEPHENSON
are:
4. i. REV JAMES BOYD4 STEVENSON, b. January
20, 1829, Cross Creek,
PA; d. March 15, 1892, Cross Creek, PA.
ii. SARAH AGNES STEVENSON, b. December
22, 1838; d. January 05,
1911.
iii. ALFRED C. STEVENSON, b. WFT Est.
1823-1849; d. WFT Est. 1829-
1929.
Notes for ALFRED C. STEVENSON:
Alfred C. Stevenson had or has a son who
lives in Florida in the
1980's. This son still owns and pays
the taxes on a farm in PA.
The farm is grown up in a wilderness condition.
More About ALFRED C. STEVENSON:
Occupation: M.D.
Residence: Oakdale, PA
iv. WILLIAM STEVENSON, b. WFT Est. 1823-1849; d. WFT Est. 1828-1932.
Generation No. 4
4. REV JAMES BOYD4 STEVENSON (ELIZA3
BOYD, JAMES2, DAVID1) was
born January 20, 1829 in Cross Creek, PA,
and died March 15, 1892
in Cross Creek, PA. He married SARAH
"SADIE" ELIZABETH BEALL
October 12, 1870 in West Layfayette, OH.
Notes for REV JAMES BOYD STEVENSON:
Died at age 64. When a young man he
taught school whereby he might
acquire a higher education. After a
long strugle of self toil, he
so advanced in academic and college curriculum
as to be admitted as
a student in the Western Theological Seminary
at Pittsburgh,
although he was a pupil for some time under
the instruction of the
venerable Dr. John Stockton. When the
required three years in the
Seminary were ended, he was licensed to preach
the gospel by
Washington Presbytery on April 29, 1863.
The ministry of the Rev.
Mr. Stephenson was more of a missinary character
than otherwise.
For a number of years, he was pastor of a
church in Eastern
Washington County. When he resigned
the pastorate there, he
officiated as a supply whenever called upon
until disabled by
disease to discharge the duties required
of him. Ten years of
suffering from sheumatism and pulmonary disease
brought him down to
death. At times his distress of mind
and soul and body was almost
unbearable. But the close of his life
was calm and peaceful, and
he went out into the better life without
a sign or regret.
Page 3
Mr. Stephenson was a good scholar and especially
proficient in
Greek. He would have made a worthy
teacher in some institution of
learning. By a yearly donation from
the Presbytery, with what he
could do for himself, he managed to provide
for his family. A wife
and seven children mourn his loss.
More About REV JAMES BOYD STEVENSON:
Event 1: 1858, Graduated Washington College,
PA
Event 2: 1861, Grad W Theological Seminary,
Pitts. PA
Event 3: April 29, 1863, Ordained
Occupation: Presbyterian Minister
Personality/Intrst: books
Ethnicity/Relig.: Presbyterian
Comment 1: 1909 gave quilt to son at his
wedding
Children of REV STEVENSON and SARAH
BEALL are:
5. i. REV JAMES BOYD5 STEVENSON, b. June
18, 1878, Burgettstown,
PA; d. February 26, 1960, Sioux City,
IA.
ii. REV OLIVER STEVENSON, b. WFT Est.
1865-1890; d. WFT Est. 1869-
1971.
iii. GRACE STEVENSON, b. WFT Est. 1865-1890;
d. April 09, 1937.
iv. ROBERT BEALL STEVENSON, b. WFT
Est. 1865-1890; d. December 05,
1929.
v. ALFRED C. STEVENSON, b. 1875; d.
WFT Est. 1876-1965.
vi. <UNNAMED>, b. WFT Est. 1865-1890;
d. WFT Est. 1869-1974.
Generation No. 5
5. REV JAMES BOYD5 STEVENSON (REV JAMES
BOYD4, ELIZA3 BOYD,
JAMES2, DAVID1) was born June 18, 1878 in
Burgettstown, PA, and
died February 26, 1960 in Sioux City, IA.
He married (1) EVA MAE
WHIESSIEL May 05, 1909 in Alta Vista, KA,
daughter of GEORGE
WHIESSIEL and JENNIE MAC ARTHUR. He
met (2) NELLIE LOVEJOY
Private.
Notes for REV JAMES BOYD STEVENSON:
He used to say - "May you LIVE everyday of
your life"
More About REV JAMES BOYD STEVENSON:
Event 1: 1906, Park College, MO
Event 2: 1909, Pres Theology Seminary, Chicago,
IL
Event 3: 1909, Ordained
Occupation: Presbyterian Minister in country
churches
Personality/Intrst: Loved to fish and hunt
Residence: Iowa
Ethnicity/Relig.: Presbyterian
Comment 1: 1906 BA Park College, MO
Comment 2: 1909 Pres. Seminary, Chicago,
IL
Cause of Death: stroke
Medical Information: Stroke
Page 4
Notes for EVA MAE WHIESSIEL:
Slightly over 2 1/2 pounds at birth.
A feather on lips proved she
was alive. Placed in shoebox.
Her mother died young. Eva went to
live at age 7 with her Aunt, Dr. Victoria
Mac Arthur. Her Aunt had
been a medical missionery to India.
She once used a wood saw to
amputate an Indian man's leg. Her Aunt
"Ennie" Mac Arther was
married to Bruce Ross. They sent her
to college. Eva became a
U.S. citizen when she married Rev. James
Boyd Stevenson
More About EVA MAE WHIESSIEL:
Occupation: teacher, taught in Mexico before
marriage
Personality/Intrst: wonderful cook
Ethnicity/Relig.: Methodist - Presbyterain
Comment 1: Park College, Parkville, MO
Comment 2: raised by Aunt, Dr. Victoria MacArthur
Cause of Death: pneumonia
Children of REV STEVENSON and EVA WHIESSIEL
are:
i. JAMES BOYD6 STEVENSON, b. Private;
m. JEANETTE ILENE
COPENHAVER, Private.
ii. DOROTHY ELIZABETH STEVENSON, b. Private.
iii. FLORENCE CHRISTINE STEVENSON, b.
Private; m. GEORGE W.
SHRINER,
iv. DONALD ROSS STEVENSON, b. Private.
From: [email protected]
(Donna Endicott)
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I am looking for information to solve the
missing link back to Scotland/Ireland
on John Boyd. He was born about 1715 and
migrated to the USA in the early 1700s
in Northumberland County, PA area. He married
Nancy Urie whom we do not have
any data on and who was killed in an Indian
raid in 1756. He them married Agnes Jones
of whom we have no data. John survived the
raid and died in 1789 around the Shippensburg,
PA area, Cumberland County. He was a Presbyterian.
Thanks for any help.
Bob Fisher
Covington, GA