JUSTUS
BOYD - NY to COHOCTAH TWP; LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN
BOYD/THATCHER
- LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN
JUSTUS
BOYD came to this town in 1837,and had not the hand of death cut
short
his career, would have been one of its most important citizens. He
was
a native of the town of Newburgh, Orange Co., N.Y., and when a young
man
came West to Conesus, Livingston Co., N.Y. He married MISS
ALMIRA
NUTT, of Cayuga County, and in 1822 moved on to a new farm in the
town
of Mount Morris, where he lived fifteen years,when he came to this
State
and settled in Cohoctah. In the spring of 1836 he came to
Michigan
in company with Joseph C. Craft, Daniel P. Lake, and William
Slater,
in search of land. Each of them made a purchase, but only Mr.
Boyd
came here to live. He returned to New York, and, in the early
summer
of 1837, began his journey hither with his wife and nine
children,--six
sons and three daughters,--the eldest, LEWIS B., a boy of
eighteen.
In company with them came his brother-in-law, Lee Nutt, with
his
wife and three children, and a Mr. McFail, with his wife and four
children.
They reached Mr. Boyd's land, on section 31, on June 12th,
having
been one month on the road. Before returning East for his
family,
Mr. Boyd had engaged a Mr. Porter, of Howell, to build him a
house
on section 31, and this was ready for their occupancy when they
arrived.
Mr. Nutt lived with Mr Boyd for a time, and engaged to clear
a piece
of ground and sow it to wheat, taking the crop in part payment
for
his labor. He then built a shanty on the south side of the road,
in Howell,
and moved, into it with his family.
At the
election in the spring of 1838, Mr. Boyd was elected to the
offices
of overseer of the poor and assessor, and just a year from the
time
of his arrival here started for his former home to settle up his
business
affairs there. At Detroit he took passage for Buffalo on the
ill-fated
steamer "Washington," which, when about twenty-two miles from
its
destination, caught fire and was destroyed. Mr. Boyd exerted himself
to the
utmost in efforts to extinguish the fire and to save the
passengers,
and when nothing more could be done leaped overboard and
swam
ashore. The sudden chill caused by leaping into the cold water
while
heated and perspiring from his efforts, coupled with the
exhaustion
incident to such violent and prolonged exertions, proved too
great
a strain upon his vital powers, and he died a few minutes after
reaching
the shore at Silver Creek. He was a farmer, but was also a
capable
and competent business man of fair educational attainments. His
widow
resides in Howell, with her daughter, MISS ANGELINE BOYD. She is
now
eighty years old. Of Mr Boyd's children two have died, WILLIAM and
HANNAH;
LEWIS B. married CHARITY THATCHER, and is now living on section
31,
in this town; JOHN N. married LUCINDA HOLLOWAY, and lives on the
same
section; HIRAM married MATILDA CRESHAW, of Handy, and lives on the
same
section; HENRY P. married ELIZABETH BRIGGS, and lives on the
homestead;
NORMAN married RHODA SCOFIELD, and lives on section 32;
ELIZABETH
married REV LYMAN H. DEAN, a minister of the Methodist
Episcopal
Church, and is now a resident of Salem, Washtenaw Co.
...........
THATCHER / BOYD - LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN
Michael
Thatcher came from Caneadea, Allegany Co., N.Y., and settled on
the
southeast quarter of section 5 in this town. He was a native of the
State
of New Jersey, and while living in Western New York had married
Hannah,
a daughter of Ezra Sanford. With his wife and three children
...........Joseph
L., the youngest son, is living on the old homestead,
and
is one of the substantial men and successful farmers of the town.
CHARITY,
the oldest daughter, married LEWIS B. BOYD, and lives in
Cohoctah.
Ruth died in Illinois, in October, 1872, but was brought home
and
buried in the family burial-place in Conway. Sophia died in
Clarendon,
Calhoun Co., in the year 1855.
Source:
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON CO;MICHIGAN, PHILADELPHIA EVERTS
&
ABBOTT 1880 PRESS OF J.B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., PHILADELPHIA
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