LUTHER
BOYD/SARAH TAGGART - CLARK COUNTY, OHIO
LUTHER
BOYD. This gentleman is widely known throughout the
philanthropic
world for his prominent connection with the abolition
movement
in ante bellum days, when his name was the synonym to many of
charity,
benevolence and goodness, and was held in reverence by many a
poor
slave whom he helped to liberty. He was a co-worker with Garrison,
Phillips,
Lovejoy and others, and was very earnest and active in the
cause
for which he almost staked his life. He was for many years
engaged
in the mercantile business, acquiring a handsome competence, and
in the
city of Springfield, of which he has been a resident for nearly
three
decades, he has built up a substantial, cozy home, amid whose
comforts
he is passing the declining years of a well-spent life,
reverenced
and esteemed by all about him.
Our subject
was born in this State, in the town of Steubenville,
Jefferson
County, February 10,1817. His father, ROBERT BOYD was born in
Cookstown,
County Tyrone, Ireland, a son of WILLIAM BOYD, who is
supposed
to have been born in the same county, and to have been of
Scotch
antecedents, and there he was reared, married and spent the rest
of his
life. Three of his children came to America, and his son JOHN
settled
in Harrison County, Ohio, engaged as a farmer and died there.
His
son WILLIAM reared a family of twenty-two children, and coming to
this
country when he was seventy years old he spent his last years with
them
in Coshocton County.
The father
of our subject was bred to a farmer's life, and was
twenty-two
years old when he came to the United States, and having
received
a good education in the old country, he utilized it by teaching
in Eastern
Pennsylvania. and later attended college there. He married
in that
State, and moved to Ohio in 1805, the removal being made with
teams.
Ohio was a wilderness at that time, the home of the Indian, and
deer,
bear, wolves, and other kinds of wild animals were plenty in the
primeval
forest. Mr Boyd became a pioneer of Steubenville, and soon
arose
to prominence in the public life of the county, being elected
Clerk
of the Court, and also County Recorder, and at the same time he
kept
an hotel. He resided there till September 1817, when he removed to
Coshocton
County, and bought a half section of land in Keene Township,
and
in the forest wilds erected a log house for the abode of his
family.
There were no railways or canals in that section of the country
in that
early day, and Coshocton, several miles distant, was the market
and
depot for supplies for the people for many miles around. Mr Boyd
cleared
a few acres of his land and made his home there till his death
in December
1827, at the age of fifty-seven years, deprived that county
of one
of its most intelligent and capable pioneers. The maiden name of
his
wife was MARY MCMASTERS, she was born in County Down, Ireland, a
daughter
of Mr and Mrs James McMasters. She spent her last years with
her
children in Coshocton County until six months before her death,
which
occurred in the home of her son RENFREW M., in Licking County, in
1871,
she attaining the remarkable age of ninety-four years. She reared
nine
children, namely: SARAH, WILLIAM, ROBERT, ALGERNON S., HERVEY, JOHN
C.,
LUTHER, ELIZA, and RENFREW M. WILLIAM, RENFREW, ELIZA, and our
subject
are the only representatives of the family now living.
The latter
was reared to man's estate in Coshocton County, receiving his
early
education in the common school, taught in a log building, heated
by a
rude fireplace, of which the chimney was built with a log
foundation
and the remainder of clay and sticks; a log removed and the
opening
covered with greased paper constituted the window, while the
benches
were made of puncheon, without hacks, and with wooden pegs for
legs;
and around the sides of the room wooden pins were inserted between
the
logs, and the puncheon laid on them served the larger scholars for a
writing
desk. The school was conducted on the subscription plan. A
youth
of quick, warm impulses, large sympathy and a thoughtful mind, our
subject
early became interested in the condition of the slaves, and
identified
himself with that noble band of devoted men, the
Abolitionists,
in 1837, and was with them an active worker till slavery
was
abolished. He was prominently connected with the "underground
railroad,"
and, figuratively speaking, laid the tracks and ran the first
train
on that famous road from bondage to freedom that ever passed
through
Coshocton and Holmes Counties, and he was instrumental in
helping
many slaves to escape from their masters.
By so
doing he jeopardized his life, on account of the animosity often
displayed
towards the Abolitionists, his friend and co-worker, Rev.
George
Gerden, being incarcerated in jail, in Cleveland, for aiding
slaves
to escape, and dying soon after he was liberated. He remained on
the
home farm till he was twenty-seven, and then established himself in
the
mercantile business in Hayesville, Ashland County, and later was
similarly
engaged in Jeromesville, and remained a resident of Ashland
County
thirteen years, and from there went to Greene County, where he
lived
two and one-half years, and whence he came to Springfield October
23,
1861. He located on North Street, and in 1872 bought a home on
Bowler
Street, where he dwelt till 1886, when he purchased a lot on
North
Fountain Avenue and erected his present desirable residence,
wherein
he enjoys the comforts procured by a substantial income.
In his
philanthropic work Mr Boyd found a faithful sympathizer and
encourager
in his devoted wife, formerly MISS SARAH TAGGART, a native of
Nova
Scotia, to whom he was married September 16,1844. They have two
children
living, SALOME ELIZABETH and HARRY.
This
brief life record of our subject is sufficient to show that he
possesses
a pure, lofty nature that is true to the right whatever
betides.
His kindly heart still glows with sympathy for the
unfortunate,
and he is as ready as ever to champion the oppressed and to
do battle
against wrong in any form. He is a deep thinker and a great
reader,
and is the author of a famous work that has caused much
discussion
in the religious world, the book referred to being entitled
"The
Ten Tribes of Israel," which was issued under the non de plume of
Timothy
R. Jenkins, and in it is proved conclusively to the intelligent
reader
that the Indians are descendants of those tribes. Mr Boyd is a
member
of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, while Mrs Boyd and her
daughter
belong to the United Presbyterian Church.
Source:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Greene and Clark Counties;
Chapman
Bros, 1890
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Thanks
to Karen Schrode from Ohio, USA