Generations Past

There is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors and no slave who has not had a king among his.  
----Helen Keller

William Boyd Jr.

William BOYD Jr. was born in the northern part of Ireland about 1726; died 1785 in Cumberland Township, York County, Pennsylvania; buried in Old Black Cemetery, York County, Pennsylvania.  He married Catherine McGREW about 1746 in York County, Pennsylvania.  She was the daughter of John and Mary  McGREW.  She was born in 1724 in County Tyrone, Ireland and came to America with her parents when she was about two years old. She died 26 October 1828 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania aged 104 years. Their four sons, William, John, Robert, and  Benjamin, are the four old soldiers whose graves are still in the Old Dick Cemetery, near West Newton, Pennsylvania.  William and Catherine had nine children:

  1. William Boyd born 1751 or 1752 on his grandfather's farm in Cumberland Township, York County, Pennsylvania; died May 10 1816 aged 95 on his farm in Huntington Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.  He married Margaret in 1778 in York County, Pennsylvania.  She was born 26 June 1757 and died 14 November 814 at the age of 57.He was a Revolutionary War veteran.
  2. Rosanna Boyd died before 1785; married John Kennedy.  They had children but no records found.
  3. Mary Boyd married John Cavan.  One child William Cavan born before 1785.
  4. John Boyd Sr. (1761-1815)
  5. Janet (Jannett) Boyd not married in 1785.
  6. Elizabeth Boyd  not married in 1785.
  7. Robert Boyd born 1762 in Cumberland Township, York County, Pennsylvania; died before 19 February 1849 South Huntington Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. he married Elizabeth Larimer of Chester County, Pennsylvania in 1790 or 1792. Revolutionary War veteran.
  8. Benjamin Boyd born 1756 or 1757 in Cumberland Township, York County, Pennsylvania; died in 1821, aged 67 years, First wife was unknown but they had four children.  Second wife was Annie White (1778-1856), with whom he had five children .He was a Revolutionary War veteran.
  9. Archibald Boyd was born about 1765; died 21 April 1825, aged 60 years. He married before 1802 to Isabella Maxwell (1771-1837).  He served in the Pennsylvania Militia through the troubles after the Revolutionary War.
Much of the Boyd information is from the book, Boyd, compiled by Scott Lee Boyd and published in 1935 by Book Division, Haynes Corporation in Los Angeles


For more information on William's family or other Boyds please go to
the Castor Directory.  You will find more information and many more names.

I am interested in sharing any family history information and in correcting any misinformation. Please send corrections or additions to my e-mail box.