George Boyd and Rachel Bittle or Büttel Family
George and Rachel Boyd Family of Clover Creek, Woodberry Twp, Blair County, Pennsylvania
PARENTS OF GEORGE BOYD
The parents of George Boyd are unknown. However, from the 1870 census we know they were of foreign birth. We also know that George Boyd was born in Pennsylvania 1801/1806 from the census records, so we know we are looking for immigration records before 1806. It may be that the father of George Boyd is the George Boyd found in the Middlesex Twp, Butler County, Pennsylvania 1840 Federal Census, if so his father was born 1770/1780. Another items of interest is that Butler County in the Tax List of 1803 had 4 orig twps: Buffalo, Conoquenessing, Middlesex, and Slippery Rock and in Connoquerissing Twp there was a James Boyd 400 and a George Boyd, singleman, 400. Also, from the History of Butler County, Pennsylvania it says in Penn Twp there was a James Boyd, blacksmith, and George Boyd, chair maker and unmarried, who settled there and that in 1803 James had 205 acres. This George Boyd had a son named James who died in 1882 in Forward Twp. (Source: History of Butler Co, PA)
From tax records in Woodburry Twp, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania we have some evidence to believe George Boyd may have had a Uncle named David Boyd, and a brother or cousin named John Boyd.
I have been interested in one Isabella Boyd, a native of Monaghan County, Ireland, who married John Morrow. This family and their son Robert Morrow and have several circumstancial links with the Mobley family and the Yerty family. George Boyd's wife, Rachel Bittle, had an aunt Rachel Bittle who married Christian Yerty/Yorty and also another aunt Chirstina Bittle who married Denton Mobley.
BIRTH OF GEORGE BOYD
I have George Boyd's birth as between 1801 and 1806. (Sources: 1840 Federal Census Woodberry Twp, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania; 1850 Federal Census; 1860 Federal Census; and the 1870 Federal Census.)
BIRTH OF RACHEL BITTLE
Rachel is believe to be born between 1800 and 1810 per 1840 Federal Census for Woodberry Twp, Huntingdon County, PA. However, from the ages of her siblings one has to conclude she was most likely born abt 1810. Her parents were John Bittle and Elizabeth Mullinex.
CHILDHOOD OF RACHEL BITTLE
MARRIAGE
I believe George Boyd and Rachel Bittle were married about 1834. The 1840 Federal Census for Woodberry Twp, Huntingdon County, PA for George Boyd appears to have a wife and 3 young children listed with him. 1840 minus 3 children spaced 2 years apart would give us 1834. We also know Rachel Bittle did indeed marry a George Boyd for her fathers will of 1847 mentions it. They were most likely married in Woodberry Twp, Huntingdon County, PA, possibly in Williamsburg. This Woodbury Twp is now in Blair County, PA. Rachel's parents were married in a Lutheran church in Frederick City, Maryland and her Bittle ancestory was definitely Lutheran, but by this time the family members were marrying spouses outside their traditional German religion. Also, along this line, by 1870 George Boyd and Rachel Bittle had a daughter who was married to Methodist Episcopal minister and additionally Rachel Bittle had a cousin, Thomas Mobley, who I believe became a Methodist Episcopal minister.
CHILDREN OF GEORGE AND RACHEL BOYD
We know 2 boys and a girl were born by 1840. I'm not sure where the first two boys, John A. (b abt 1836) and James C. (b abt 1835/1840), were born. I do not think the first 2 children were born in Woodberry Twp because George Boyd isn't in the Woodberry Township tax list from 1834-1837. Maybe they were in another Huntingdon County, PA township or maybe they were in Bedford County where some of the Biddle relatives had gone. I have the tax lists from 1834-1876 for most of the Huntingdon County townships, but haven't ever checked any of them except Woodberry Twp. (I do know though that their are no Boyds in the 1846 Blair County tax list for Huston or Frankstown townships.) If someone could give me reason to believe that the Boyds were in a certain township, I'll be glad to check that township for 1834-1837. But I tend to think that they were in Butler County, Pennsyvlania somewhere.
As mentioned, I couldn't find George Boyd in the 1834-1837 Woodberry Twp tax lists, but he did show up in 1838-1840 Woodberry Twp, Huntingdon County tax lists as a stiller with 1 distiller and 2 cows. In 1841 he was no longer listed with his distiller, but instead with 1 horse and 1 cow. In 1842 his name is their, but is crossed off. After that he disappears out of Woodberry Twp. During this time is when we think Mary Elisabeth Boyd (b abt 1841) was born.
There is a footstone with the initials R.B. on it in the Biddle Farm Cemetery located in Clover Creek, Blair County, PA on the old John Biddle/Elizabeth Mullineux farmstead. Perhaps it is for a child of George Boyd and Rachael Biddle that didn't live to maturity.
In the 1850 Federal Census George and Rachel Boyd are in Center Twp, Butler Count, PA listed as George Boyod ag 45 Merchant $1511.00 b in PA; Rachel 37 PA, John ag 15 m PA; James ag 12 m PA; Elizabeth ag 9 f PA; George ag 5 m PA; Rachel ag 3/12 f PA; Eliza Jane Flemming 21 f. (Source: Ancestry.com 1850 Federal Census image for Center Twp, Butler County, PA.)
So George Boyd, Jr, (b abt 1845/1850) was probably born in Centre Twp, Butler County, Pennsylvania. This George is Tricia's direct line. We are ever grateful to Trica for cracking a 17 year old mystery for us!
Rachel Jennie Boyd is also assumed to be born in Centre Twp.
In 1860 we pick this family up in Clay Twp, Butler Co, PA on p. 213 (stamped). He is listed as George Boyd ag 54 m Fancy Store 4,000 3,000 PA. Rachel ag 47 f house keeper PA; John A 25 m teamster PA; James C 22 m fancy store; George 17 m day labourer; Rachel J ag 10 f PA; Charles 6 m PA; Mary Hamilton 21 f domestic; R? S Melroy 30 m minister of the M. E. Church; Mary E Melroy 20 f house keeper; Haezekiah Patterson 11 m day labourer. So now we have evidence of George and Rachel Bittle-Boyd's sixth child, Charles Boyd and of Mary Elizabeth Boyd's marriage to Minister Milroy.(Source: ancestry.com)
Louise Heterick, now deceased, always claimed in her letters of the 1970s that the Boyds had 6 children.
MARRIAGES OF CHILDREN
James C Boyd has been tricky to track, but I think he married Lizzie abt 1864 and eventually made their home in Pittsburg.
Abt 1865, son John A. Boyd appears to have married Elleonore. They made their home in Clay Twp, Butler County, Pennsylvania, but in the 1880 Census John A. Boyd is staying at a hotel where he is listed as a merchant. John and Elleonore had at least three children: George C, Rachel J., and Helen B.
Abt 1867, son George Boyd, Jr married Mary Sias and made their home in Woodbury Twp, Blair County, Pennsylvania where they had 7 children that I know of, namely: David, Edgar Samuel, Raymond S, Emma, Rachel, Harry, and Joseph. George Boyd Jr died 16 Oct 1936.
Abt 1858, daughter Rachel Jennie, or Jane as she was also called, married John Wilson and settled in Pittsburgh. They had at least three children: Jennie, George, and Lula.
In the 1870 McCandless Twp, Allegheny County, PA Federal Census George Boyd is listed as 63 m w farmer & grocer ret 9,100 1,345 PA father of foreign birth, mother of foreign birth; Rachel ag 57 f PA; Charles ag 15 m PA; Henry Milroy ag 7 m Pa; Alex Paishe? 60 m farm lab, father and mother of foreign birth. Also note that the DEER family is next to them--the DEERs were near them in 1850 in Butler County.
In the 1880 Census we find Rachel Bittle-Boyd ag 66 living with the John and Jennie Boyd-Wilson family in District 120, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Rachel is listed as the mother-in-law, and there is a Charles Boyd listed as a brother-in-law!
DEATHS AND BURIALS
George Boyd died 15 Sep 1872 in McCandless Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Rachel Bittle-Boyd then went to live with her daughter, Jennie Boyd-Wilson in Pittsburgh.
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