John Jackson Boyd


 John Jackson BOYD was born in New York about 1826. He attended the U.S.

Military Academy, West Point, New York, and was commissioned a lieutenant of

calvary. He served in the regular army under General John C. Fremont, and

was a member of the Pathfinders expedition to Pike's Peak. He resigned his

commission after a few years and returned to New York. (This information is

from his obituary and has not been proved.)
 

In 1860, John Boyd migrated to Kansas, settling in Doniphan County. He

organized and was the captain of the local militia in Troy, Doniphan County,

Kansas called "Boyd's Company", 4th Regiment Kansas Volunteers. On August

6, 1861, this unit was mustered into federal service at Fort Leavenworth,

Kansas and encamped at Wyandotte, Kansas. The unit was subsequently

redesignated as Company F, 4th Regiment Kansas Volunteers and Company F,

10th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Infantry, respectively (1,2). During October

6 to November 10, 1861, Captain Boyd was detached from his unit to recruit

for the regiment (3). In that period he married Elizabeth CASE, also from

Doniphan County, Kansas. They were married by Reverend J. E. Ryan on

October 17, 1861 in Troy, Doniphan County, Kansas (4). Captain John Boyd

requested and was granted a resignation of his commission effective August

11, 1862. No reason was given for the resignation (5).
 

John Boyd returned to Doniphan County, Kansas after his discharge. In 1867

he moved to Atchison, Kansas where his is listed in the Federal Census of

1870 (6). His occupation for this enumeration is listed as a book keeper.
 

During late 1870 through the 1888 John Boyd was the Deputy Clerk of the

District Court. In November 1888 he was elected Clerk of the District

Court, Atchison County, Kansas (7). It was reported in the "Atchison Daily

Globe", on November 8, 1888 that he "was on a sick-bed when he was nominated

for district clerk, and who was sick all through the canvass and is still in

bed. He did not, as far as the Globe knows, put up a dollar for boodle

purposes." He died on February 3, 1889, and is buried in the Mount Vernon

Cemetery, Atchison County, Kansas.