Page17.
"Settlers from the Carolinas first came to the region of Preston in
the
early 1800's. Not everyone chose to remain there and three families,
the
Boyds, Beatties, and Weirs, moved to the area where the Charter
oak School
now stands. The families educated their children in their own homes.
Eventually someone decided was hired to teach the children, but children
still were not rotated from home to home to receive their education
until a
log school could be built. The first school was completed in 1848,
on lands
donated by James John Boyd. Later another 1/2 acre was purchased
from
Filmore Boyd.
The log building was replaced by a frame building, but this building
was
destroyed in a tornado in 1870. At that time it was decided to build
an
eight sided building. A similar eight sided school can be found near
Valley
forge, PA. Legend has it that the teacher at the Charter Oak School
was
familiar with the earlier school and suggested a similar school be
built.
Such a building would be wind resistant and provide an abundance of
natural
light. The original intent of the design was to have the teacher in
the
center surrounded by his or her pupils. Bad Idea!! Anyone who has taught
school knows the folly of letting even the most reliable student be
at your
back. The first thing you learn in teacher school is "never turn your
back
on THEM !" The school continued in operation until the end of the 1953-54
school year when it was consolidated into the Central School District.
Today
the building draws people from all over the world who are drawn to
its
unusual architecture."
-------------------------------------
"Randolph County, Illinois Sites, As Featured on the Afghan Sponsored
by the
Randolph County Genealogical Society, 1999"
"Charter Oak School is an octangonal one-room school house located in
Randolph Couny of Southern Illinois. Daniel Ling, a native of Michigan,
came
to Illinois, in 1872, and convinced residents of this area that his
plan of
an octagonal building was a good idea.
windows in each of the seven walls provide ample light to pupils desks
and
blackboards may be seen from any place in the room. Desks arranged
in rows,
narrowing as they converged to the center of the room with the teacher
standing in the center would be saving space, but this plan proved
to be
impractical as time went on.
By the time the Board of Directors, Stephen Wright, John Bicket and
Daniel
Klee decided to construct a new school building, Ling had convinced
them of
the new design. Bonds were issued in the amount of $1000, and the carpenters
William Holcomb and Franklin Adams constructed the brick building.
School started in the new building in the Fall of 1873 with miss Avis
Allen
as teacher. Students and residents were very proud of their new school
and
wanted a special name for it. Up until this time the school had been
called
OLD OAK, DISTRICT 7, or THE BOYD SCHOOL.
Located near the school was a beautiful large oak tree, and according
to
early residents, a student, Agnes Houston, suggested the name CHARTER
OAK in
honor of the famous Charter oak of the Connecticutt Colony.
During the many years since it was built, the building has undergone
some
structural changes, some for convenience and others to conform to the
Illinois State regulations for schools. Another door was added for
safety in
case of fire, also a room for coats and storage. The belfry was added
in 1883.
This unique octangonal shaped building, located near the peaceful,
rural
community of Schuline, IL, is one of the few remaining octangonal shaped
school buildings in America.
School was held in this building from 1873 until 1953, when schools
were
consolidated and the need for little one room schools succumbed to
larger
and more modern schools, and became just a memory to an era now past."
-----------------------------------------------
"RANDOLPH COUNTY, ILLINOIS COMMEMERATIVE EDITION, BICENTENNIAL 1795-1995",
Compiled by the Randolph County Genealogical Society. 1995. Pages 187-188.
Submitted by Susan Gates.
"BOYD - The Boyd Family originally from Scotland moved to Ireland
for
conscience sake. William Boyd born about 1747 married Margaret
Lyons
born about 1754 parents of the following children who didn't come to
Randolph
County, James Abigail, Elizabeth and John. In August 1827 John and
wife
Isabella wrote a letter to his brother Samuel and sister Margaret,
who were
living in Randolph County.
Margaret born 1772 died Aug. 25, 1839, married Robert Sinclair
born 1767,
died Oct. 2, 1882, buried Kelly Cemetery, Randolph County, near Evansville.
William Jr. born 1778, died 1836, married Elizabeth Vernor, both
buried
Preston Cemetery, Randolph County.
Jane born 1792, died 1872, married Robert Weir, born 1789, died
1869, both
buried Hill Prairie Cemetery.
Samuel, born Oct. 16, 1777 County Antrim, Ireland, died Feb. 24, 1855
married Agnes "Nancy" Vernor born 1782, died July 17, 1855,
age 51 years,
both buried Boyd Cemetery located T4S R5W Section 17, Randolph County.
Nine
children: Margaret born Sept. 1806, married ______ Williams.
Eliza born June 27, 1808, died June 27, 1846, married Isaac Brown
born May
6, 1806, died feb. 20, 1853, both buried at Hopewell Cemetery, T5S,
R3W,
Section 19, Perry County, IL.
Agnes born March 12, 1810, married William Munroe.
Jane born dec. 17, 1811, died Dec. 17, 1811, died 1863, married Alexander
Smith, died 1865, buried Old Bethel Cemetery, Eden, Randolph
County,
unmarked graves.
Sarah born Dec. 13, 1813, died age 16 years, first person buried in
Boyd
Cemetery.
Mary V. born Oct. 2, 1815, died March 13, 1860, married John *Strachan,
died
April 8,1859, age 49 years. Both buried Strachan Cemetery, E1/2 Section
8,
T4S, R5S.
Samuel Lyons born Aug.8,1817, died March 5, 1877, married (1)
Jane
Gibson,
married (2) Mary Gibson, sister of Jane.
Abigail born Nov. 23, 1820, died March 16, 1885, married John
Park Gibson,
brother of Jane and Mary, born March 9, 1812, died sept. 17, 1886,
both
buried Beulah Cemetery, Crawford County, KS, they moved to Kansas in
1881.
Rebecca born may 18, 1823, died July 8, 1883, married Robert Mathews
born
May 5, 1814, died Dec. 4, 1888, both buried Hill Prairie Cemetery,
Randolph
County.
Samuel Boyd, 1777-1855 married (2) Margaret Skelly born June
14, 1802 South
Carolina, died Dec. 13, 1880, daughter of Jane Blackstock, died
July 12,
1849 in Randolph County, and William Skelly died 1823 in South
Carolina. Six
children:
Sarah born July 20, 1836, died Dec. 4, 1910, married Nov. 17, 1856 Rufus
Edmiston born July 15, 1825, died Oct. 1875, both buried Americus
Cemetery,
Lyon County, KS.
William Verner born Aug. 12, 1838, died Nov. 25, 1877, married
Nov. 24, 1868
Martha Mathews born June 20, 1848, died aug. 11, 1928, both
buried Boyd
Cemetery.
Rachel born April 29, 1840, died March 16, 1905, married Robert S.
Aitken
born May 22, 1835, died July 6, 1899. Buried Coulterville Cemetery.
John Skelly born july 5, 1842, died March 6, 1906, never married,
buried
Boyd Cemetery.
Margaret Lyons born Sept. 29, 1846, died March 31, 1936, married
Nov. 25,
1868 William Hugh Edmiston born Oct. 14, 1844, died Jan. 19,
1929, son of
Narissa G. Taylor and Albert G. Edmiston. Both buried
Americus Cemetery,
Lyon County, KS.
James born Jan. 3, 1849, died July 30, 1849, buried Boyd Cemetery. Submitted
by Susan Gates."
"RANDOLPH COUNTY,ILLINOIS, COMMEMERATIVE EDITION, BICENTENNIEL 1795-1995"
Compiled by the Randolph County Genealogical Society, 1995.
(used with permission)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Page 188. Submitted by Mary Ellen Farney. Taken from "Illustrated
Historical Atlas of Randolph County, Illinois".
"DAVID B. BOYD - Mr. boyd was born in Newbury District, SC, May
26, 1819.
He arrived in this country with his father and family in 1829. He commenced
lifea poor boy, and by his own industry, coupled with that of his excellent
wife, he now owns and conducts a fine farm of over 500 acres and which
is
well improved and contains one of the most commodious and handsome
family
mansions of the county, for a view of which we refer our reader to
our
lithigraph illustrations. This farm is underlaid everywhere with a
fine
quality of coal, which is now being developed, and as the C & St.
L.
Railroad passes throughout the premises, Mr. Boyd has the best facilities
for shipment.
December 30, 1847, the marriage ceremony was solemnized between Mr.
Boyd and
his present wife, the former Tabitha Brown, the daughter of
David
Brown, who
settled in this community as early as 1826, and who is now living in
the
town of Rankin, Vermillion County, Illinois. Mrs. Boyd was born Feb.
20,
1827, near her present home and is the only one in the family left
in the
county. Her brothers, Dr. Isaac Brown and John T., also
two sisters,
Catherine and Mary, reside in Vermillion County. James the oldest,
resides
in Missouri, David in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Arthur is doing business
in
St. Louis. The last three mentioned were children by a second wife,
formerly
Miss Mary A. Taylor, and later the wife of Thomas Weir.
The mother of the
children was formerly Miss Margaret Morrow, sister of William
and James
Morrow of this county.
The Boyd family is originally from Ireland. Both the father, Thomas
and
John, the grandfather of Mr. Boyd were natives of the Emerald Isle.
They
came to this country a short time after its national independence,
and
settled in South Carolina. There Mr. Boyd's father married Miss Mary
Hume
also from the Emerald Isle. They raised a family of seven children
three of
whom, David, Elizabeth and Thomas, reside in this county. John died
in
Sparta, and William and Susan, the wife of William Moore, in
Perry County.
Mr. Boyd, after the death of these children was again married to Miss
Mary
Wright. One daughter was the result of this union, viz: Mary,
the wife of
Samuel McKee, residing eight miles south of Sparta.
Mr. Boyd always vote Democratic party until the issue of union or disunion
was forced in the country when he became identified with the Republican
party with which he has since acted. Religiously he and his family
as far
back as recollections reach have been Presbyterians. Mr. Boyd's father
died
in Township 5-6 on Jan. 11,1849, also his second wife in 1867. His
first
companion died in South Carolina. Submitted by Mary Ellen Farney. Taken
from
"Illustrated Historical Atlas of Randolph County, Illinois."
--------------------------------------------------
Page 188, Submitted by Vernon A. Anderson.
"JOHN BOYD - John Boyd born County Antrim, Ireland , married
Susan
Neally,
born County Antrim, Ireland came to America 1801. He was a weaver and
gauger
in Ireland; farmer in South Carolina. Had children: John; Samuel; Susan
(NA), married William born Moore; Mary and Thomas born January 1786
Ballymena, Co. Antrim, Ireland died Jan. 11, 1849, Randolph County,
who had
nine children: He married first Mary Hume born Ireland, died
South Carolina,
daughter of David Hume and Elizabeth Montgomery; married
second South
Carolina, Mary Wright born March 17, 1788 Newberry County, SC,
died Dec. 14,
1866, buried Old Bethel Cemetery, near Sparta, IL. Children: Samuel
married
Margaret Moore; David Brown born 1819, married Tabitha
Jane Brown and had
children: Margaret Wasson, Mary Jane, Anna L. Fulton, William,
David T.,
Thomas A. and three infants died young; Elizabeth married a Mr. Morrow
and
were ancestors of Bess Morrow Brown, Sparta librarian for many
years at
Sparta; Thomas S. (see below), John; William; Susannah married Wm.
R. Owens
and Samuel McKee.
Thomas Samuel (Uncle Tom) born July 3, 1821 Newberry District, SC, died
Aug.
29, 1905, married Margaret Nelson, born June 26, 1827, died
March 4, 1850,
buried Old Bethel Cemetery, Sparta, IL. Three children infant born
and died
1845; Mary Jane born April 30, 1847 - ? married a Mr. Dixon.
Had two Bicket
grandchildren at Swanwick; John Montgomery born July 28, 1849
- ? married
and had four children including daughters, Elsie Morris, res.
CA and Minnie
Shaeffer; married second June 12, 1855: Margaret Hunter Dickson,
born Sept.
30, 1839, Craig Balliebaugh, near Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland
(came to
America 1849 and to Swanwick, IL 1852) died March 31, 1917, buried
Old
Bethel Cemetery, near Sparta. Farmed 500 acres near the Country Club
west of
Sparta, IL. Thirteen children: Margaret 1858-1891; Charles H. 1859-1920
married a Wallace and had children; Robert James 1859-1933 married
and had a
daughter Alice; Elizabeth 1861-1943 married a Mr. Stratton and
had a
daughter, Alberta; Mary Tabitha 1863-1865 married Samuel McKee
1867-1888;
Minnie 1869-1928 married a Mr. Tisdel; Clarence 1875- ? married
res.
Greeley, CO; Mary Ada 1878-1964was employed in Denver, CO; Etta May
born
Oct.13, 1880 died Nov. 5, 1967, married July 31, 1907 Albert H.
Anderson
born Nov. 17, 1881 died Dec. 20, 1964 (see Anderson for family); Mabel
1882-1952 married Arthur Boone, Lillie Jane (Jennie) 1873-1963
res. Long
Beach, San Francisco and Oakland, CA; David Hume 1871-1879. Submitted
by
Vernon A. Anderson.
David Boyd - b. Newbury District, SC, 5-26-1819 married Tabitha
Brown
12-30-1847. Arrived in country with father and family in 1829.
Submitted by
Mary Ellen Farney,. Taken from Illustrated Historical Atlas of Randolph
County.
John Boyd - b. born County Antrim, Ireland. Married Susan
Neally. Came to
America 1801. Submitted by Vernon A. Anderson.
Randolph County Genealogical Society
600 State Street, Suite 306
Chester, IL
62233
------------------