Charles S. Boyd was a merchant tailor in New York City till 1920, when he closed out business and came to Illinois with hid former partner in the tailoring business, John Dixon. They came most of the distance to the State with ox teams, and when they landed in Springfield, Ill., Mr. Boyd erected the third cabin there. From 1820 till 1830 he resided at Springfield, and would work at his trade whenever he could during the summer, and would often get paid for his work in cattle, so during the fall he would drive the cattle to the lead mines around Galena, and sell them to the miners, and then stay and work at the mines during the winter, and would then again return to his home. However, in 1830, he came to Bureau County, Ill., and bought the claim of John Dixon at Boy’s Grove, and remained there till 1840, when he removed to Princeton. (More of his early settlement will be found in the General History.) During the Black Hawk war he removed his wife and daughters to Ft. Clark, now Peoria, but he and two of his sons remained on the farm and made a crop of corn. Mr. Boyd was married in New York City to Eliza Dixon, a sister of John Dixon, and their three eldest sons were born before coming West, but their two daughters and youngest son were born in Springfield, Ill. The following are the names of the children: Charles, Alexander, Nathaniel, Elizabeth, John H. and Angelica. The residence of Charles is not known. Alexander, Nathaniel and Mrs. Angelica Paddock, widow of Dr. S. A. Paddock, reside in Bureau County. Elizabeth is the wife of Ebenezer Chamberlin, of Jameson, Davis Co., Mo. John H. Boyd went to California with the early gold hunters, then to Australia, but for many years has been on the Island of Tahiti, one of the Society Islands, as a trader with the natives. Both Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Boyd died in Princeton, Ill.
Nathaniel Boyd was born October 1, 1820, and with little exception has resided here since, and most of his life has been engaged in farming. He now owns in Concord Township a farm of 425 acres. He was married in this county March 12, 1845, to Mary A. Cummings, who was born February 20, 1827, and was the daughter of Thornton Cummings. (See sketch of William Cummings.) Mrs. Boyd died September 20, 1866. She was the mother of the following children; Frances, born January 13, 1847, wife of Charles Wetherell, of Bureau County; Roxanna, born September 2, 1848, wife of Harry Rawson, of Bayard, Iowa; John W. Boyd, born April 3, 1850, now of St. Louis, Mo.; Comma, born January 18, 1860, at home; Henry, born December 25, 1862, died June 13, 1882 and also three daughters, who died while small.
In political matters Mr. Boyd is identified with the Republican party.
Source: History of Bureau County, Illinois, H. C. Bradsby, Editor. World Publishing Company Chicago 1885