BOYDS OF BALLYCASTLE,
COUNTY ANTRIM
W.P. Boyd, 1912
On our
investigation, another family of Boyds of note in
Ireland
were those of Ballycastle in the County of Antrim in
the
Northern part. This place was settled in 1736,
consisting
of two parts known as the Upper and Lower Quay.
Both
of these villages were connected by a fine avenue of
trees
along the way. The first settlement of this town was
made
by one Hugh Boyd, to whom Alexander, Earl of Antrim,
granted
in 1736 a lease in perpetuity of all the coal mines,
etc
from Bonamargy to Far-hean. He built here a church,
erected
coal furnaces, iron foundries, salt pans, glass
furnaces,
breweries, tanyards, and in a short time obtained
for
the settlement the reputation of being the most
flourishing
town in Ireland. Mr. Hamilton Wright in 1786
described
the town as having gone completely to decay. Its
founder
Hugh Boyd established here an excellent machine, but
unfortunately
left it without any permanent principal of
motion.
The dark shadows of the picture are today pointed
out
of large stone houses and factories and of the dwellings
he contemplated
places in a complete state of utter
decapitation.
The custom house has been constructed into
barracks
and even the collieries, a source of immense
wealth,
are worked but at intervals with a little revenue.
In 1724,
six of the eight mines were worked by an English
company.
They were succeeded by Mr. Boyd for several years
afterwards,
until rendered useless by the sea. He received
grants
from the Irish Parliament to the amount of 23,000
pounds
to improve the harbor and quay. Mr. Boyd died in
1780,
and left his estate to his sons. They did not follow
him
with the business. Who his descendants were or if any
of them
came to America is not known to the writer.
----------------------------------------------------
The family below is of Islandview, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim.
Hugh Boyd
]
Alexander Boyd,
born 1791, died 3 Oct 1886, married Mary McCloy, dau
James McCloy, of Lagavar,
Ballintoy, Co. Antrim, died 26 Aug 1881, and
had issue:-
Hugh Boyd, born 14 April
1826, died 30 March 1891, married 3 Sept 1863,
Marianne McKinley, eldest
dau of James McKinley, of Carneatly, Ballycastle,
by his wife Jane McKinley,
dau of James McKinley of Carneatly and Marianne
Boyd, died 13
Aug 1923, and had issue:-
Alexander Boyd, born
18 Jan 1865, died 19 Dec 1952, married 2 June 1903,
Leititia Nicholl, 5th
dau of John Nicholl, of the Orchard, Ballycastle, died
30 June 1918, and had issue:-
Hugh Alexander Boyd,
born 17 Jan 1907, died ? married 4 Nov 1939, Margaret
Boyd McClure, only
dau of Samuel Patterson McClure, of Islandview, Ballycastle,
by his wife Isabella Dora
Boyd, 3rd dau of William Boyd of Benvarden, Co. Antrim,
had issue:-
Alexander John Boyd, born 19 Nov 1940
Hugh Desmond Nicholl Boyd, born 15 Feb 1944
Elizabeth Margaret Anne Boyd, born 27 Jan 1949
William Francis David Boyd, born 12 Jan 1955, died 12 Jan 1955.
a dau. Boyd,
Harriet Boyd,
married 22 Sept 1818, Sir John Boyd, 3rd Baronet of
Danson Hill, born 5 June 1784,
died 30 May 1815.
Arms
- Azure a fesse chequy arrgent and gules between four crescents argent
Crest
-A hand raised in benediction ppr., charged with a cross crosslet azure
Motto
- Confido.