Non-Profit Organization near Houston, Texas - Sons of Union Veterans Of the Civil War

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John L. Boyd

John L. Boyd was born September 11, 1848 in Fort Covington, Franklin County, New York. Fort Covington at that time was a small hamlet situated on the border with Canada. It began as a humble blockhouse, sheltering wounded soldiers during the War of 1812. John’s parents, Benjamin Boyd and Sophia Guyette, were both natives of Canada. In the mid-1840s, he and Sophia moved to Fort Covington with their four young children. In 1848, they welcomed John, their fifth child – who was the first member of the Boyd family born in the United States.

In August 1850, when the federal census enumerator interviewed the family in Fort Covington, John was almost two years old. He was living with his parents and four older siblings. His father was a 39-year-old laborer. All members of the family, except young John, were listed on the 1850 federal census as born in Canada East. As a boy, John “received his education in the common schools.”

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, John was twelve years old - too young to enlist. However, three years later, in late March 1864, he made his way south about 15 miles to Bangor, New York. Claiming he was 18 years old, even though he was only 15, John managed to join the Union ranks. On April 1, 1864, he mustered into Co. H, 98th New York Infantry as a Private.

Within weeks after mustering, John “participated in the fight at Cold Harbor....and took part in many other engagements.” He was seriously wounded in action at Petersburg “from which he was a long time in recovering.” But John survived the war, mustering out of the Union Army at Petersburg, Virginia on May 20, 1865. That same week, he “participated in the Grand Review at Washington” and was finally discharged June 10, 1865.

Now a civilian, John returned home to Fort Covington, New York. The next year, 1866, he ventured to Springfield, Illinois, “where he operated a sawmill...” But apparently John’s heart had remained in Fort Covington. In 1868, at age 20, he married 18-year-old Marceline Margaret LaFlesh, a native of his home town. The young couple reportedly settled in Springfield for about ten years, eventually becoming the parents of seven children.

John “did not take an active interest in political questions other than to exercise his right of suffrage. He always voted the Republican ticket.” John and Marceline remained together for the rest of their lives. On January 25, 1870, their first child, Louise Boyd, was born in New York ... instead of in Springfield, Illinois.

As the years passed, John apparently saw opportunity for his woodworking skills in the deep south. In 1876, he and his family migrated to Dallas, Texas, where “he founded and operated City Planing Mill”, located at 1504 Cochran St. The firm was originally “known as Boyd & Webster, later Boyd & Illingworth, and after the death of Mr. Illingworth, the company was incorporated under the laws of Texas and the name changed to City Planing Mill, Inc., with Mr. Boyd as president.”

Soon, John’s second child, a daughter, was born in Dallas. On October 24, 1876, baby Barbara A. Boyd was welcomed into the family. Another daughter, Cora Alice Boyd, followed two years later - on September 15, 1878. The June 1880 federal census for Dallas shows John was 30 years old and employed in a planing mill. His wife, Marceline (listed as ‘Martha’), was 27 years old and keeping house. Three young children graced the 1880 Boyd household: schoolgirl Louisa Boyd (age 10), Barby A. Boyd (age 4), and toddler C. A. Boyd (age 2).

On January 12, 1882, another daughter, Cicily Boyd, was born in Dallas. Then on October 31, 1884, John and Marceline’s only son, John Edward Boyd, was welcomed into the family. Two years later, on December 7, 1886, John was 37 years old when Marceline gave birth to their sixth child, Irene Maria Boyd. Finally, on November 30, 1888, baby Josephine Mary Boyd was born in Dallas - as the seventh and last child to grace the Boyd household.

As a Union army veteran, John was accepted as a member of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) sometime between 1885 and 1888. The Department of Texas of the G.A.R. had been organized March 25, 1885, and John affiliated with one of the very early Posts of Dallas – Maj. Gen. John A. Dix Post No. 11. He was an active member and was elected by his peers as one of the early Post Commanders. In April 1888, John was one of four members from Dix Post that traveled to Austin to attend the 3rd Annual Encampment of the Department of Texas. And in March 1890, he traveled to San Antonio to attend the 5th Annual Encampment of the Department, credentialed as a voting delegate based on his status as a past-Post commander.

John Boyd’s name appears on the Special Veterans Schedule of the 1890 federal census for Dallas. He reported serving as a Private with Co. H, 98th New York Infantry from Mar 31, 1864 to June 10, 1865 – for a total time of one year, two months, and ten days. He did not report any lingering debilities resulting from his wartime service.

In 1891, the 6th Annual Encampment of the Department of Texas was held in Dallas, making it convenient for John to attend once again. His status and influence within the Department was increasing. At that encampment, he was appointed to an important committee charged with evaluating the Department Commander’s address. And even more impressive, he was elected to serve as a member of the five-man Department Council of Administration.

John continued to faithfully attend the annual Department Encampments each year from 1892 through 1894. He served as Assistant Quartermaster-General during that time span and continued in that capacity through at least 1897, traveling to annual encampments in El Paso, Denison, Dublin, and Houston to represent his Dallas G.A.R. Post. His dedication to service as a member of the G.A.R. is commendable.

By June 1900, John Boyd had been promoted to ‘manager’ of the planing mill in Dallas. He was 51 years old and renting a house at 248 Cochran. His wife, ‘Martha’, was now 50 years old and they had been married 32 years. All seven of their children were still living. In fact, six of them were enumerated as still living at home: ‘Barbra’ Boyd (age 22) who had been married 3 years, but her husband was not present; Cora Boyd (age 21), who was married 5 years and had three children, all absent; unmarried ‘Siscely’ Boyd (age 18); laborer John Boyd (age 15); schoolgirl Irene Boyd (age 13); and schoolgirl Josephine Boyd (age 11). Thirty-two-year-old son-in-law railroad company clerk, William Clapp (Cora’s husband), rounded out the Boyd household in 1900.

The 1902 City Directory for Dallas shows John L. Boyd was general manager at a firm located on W. Illingworth and still residing at 248 Cochran. The directory also shows his son, clerk John L. Boyd, Jr. [sic – instead of John E. Boyd] boarding at the same address. As a member of the G.A.R., 1904 was a memorable year for John. Dix Post No. 11 disbanded that year and then reorganized as Maj. Gen. Richard J. Oglesby Post No. 6 of Dallas. In addition, during officer elections at the 19th Annual Encampment of the Department of Texas in San Antonio in April 1904, John was unanimously elected to serve as Commander of the Department. By assuming that esteemed office, he served at the helm of a G.A.R. organization in Texas which, at that time, consisted of thirty-four local Posts located across the state – from El Paso to Beaumont – from McKinney to Brownsville.

On August 17, 1907, John L. Boyd, alias John ‘Boyea’, filed for an Invalid Pension from Texas based on his Civil War service with Co. H, 98th New York Infantry [application #1366072]. He was successful [Certificate No. 1142782].

The G.A.R. membership roster for the Department of Texas in 1910 listed John L. Boyd as a member of Oglesby Post No. 6, who was residing at 227 Maple Ave. in Dallas, and noted that he had served as a Private in Co. H, 38th [sic] New York Volunteer Infantry.

In April 1910, John Boyd was 61 years old and still employed as a planing mill manager. The Boyd family address was listed as 327 Maple Ave. in Dallas according to the 1910 federal census [as opposed to 227 Maple Ave. per the 1910 G.A.R. membership roster]. The census also notes that he and Marceline had been married 41 years and they owned their house free and clear. Of their seven children, only two adult daughters, both unmarried, were still living at home - Barbara Boyd (age 33) and Josephine Boyd (age 21).

The 1915 City Directory for Dallas includes a large advertisement for City Planing Mill. It lists John L. Boyd as proprietor. The firm manufactured sashes, doors, mouldings, grilles, stair work, window and door frames and “all kinds of Turning, Scroll Work, Etc.” The artwork in the ad depicts a large manufacturing plant, located at 1404-1504 Cochran.

In September 1915, John travelled to Washington, DC to attend the 49th Annual Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic. He likely wanted to relive his memories of marching in the Union Army’s triumphant Grand Review parade of fifty years earlier. At the encampment, he was credentialed as a voting member by his Past Department Commander status, to represent the Department of Texas.

On June 2, 1916, John’s daughter, Irene Boyd-McNerney, purchased a 400 square foot plot in Oakland Cemetery in Dallas. Her husband, David McNerney, had died that day. The plot included space for eight graves. Four days later, Irene’s husband was the first person interred in what would informally become the Boyd family plot. Over the next several years, other members of the family would be laid to rest near him, including Irene.

In May 1917, John Boyd was 68 years old when he travelled to Fort Worth to attend the 32nd Annual Encampment of the Department of Texas, again credentialed as a past-Department commander.

The January 1920 federal census lists John at age 70 and living at 3215 Maple Ave. in Dallas. He was living with his 69-year-old wife, ‘Marcylene’, and their three widowed daughters: Louise ‘Clusky’ (age 49), who was working as a milliner at a millinery shop; Irene McNerney (age 33), with her 8-year-old son, Boyd McNerney; and Josephine Trester (age 31). John owned the house free and clear and was the proprietor of a planing mill.

The 1924 City Directory for Dallas lists John L. Boyd as President of City Planing Mill, Inc. and still living at 3215 Maple Ave. with his wife ‘Marselene’. However, he was apparently in declining health. On January 11, 1927, John passed away “at 3 o’clock Tuesday morning at his home, 3215 Maple avenue. He had been in ill health for some time, having been confined to his bed for several weeks prior to his death.” His son, John Edward Boyd, who was living at the same address, was the informant for the death certificate. The younger man reported his father: was 78 years, 3 months, and 28 days old; was born September 13, 1848 in Fort Covington, New York; was President of City Planing Mill of Dallas; was a son of Benjamin Boyd and Sophia Guyett, both born in Cananda; and had lived in Dallas for 50 years.

The attending physician noted that John’s demise was caused by “chronic nephritis” and “uremic pericarditis” [kidney failure] from which he had been suffering for nearly two years. John was laid to rest in the Boyd family plot at Oakland Cemetery in Dallas two days later.

Less than two weeks later, on January 24, 1927, John’s widow, Marceline Boyd, applied from Texas for a Widow’s Pension based on her late husband’s Civil War service. She was successful, being awarded pension Certificate No. A-5-25-27.

In April 1928, the 43rd Annual Encampment of the Department of Texas, G.A.R., was held in San Antonio. In the official proceedings journal of that encampment, John L. Boyd of Richard J. Oglesby Post No. 6 is listed on the ‘Roll of Honor’ [death roll] as having served as a Private in Co. H, 98th NY Inf., and had died January 11, 1927.

Meanwhile, Marceline did not have long to enjoy her recently obtained widow’s military pension. She passed away August 28, 1928. Four days later, she was buried beside her late husband in the Boyd family plot in Oakland Cemetery.

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