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John Boyd - Jane Barclay

Canada

The following is the history of John Boyd and family of Dundee, Scotland of 1754, who settled at St. John, New Brunswick about 1790, as furnished to us by Mr. Henry A. Boyd of Buffalo, NY., a descendant of the same.

John Boyd, first, was born in Dundee, Scotland, 1754, and died in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, 1818. His father was William Boyd, a Major in the British Army, part of whose Military service was in Pennsylvania prior to the War of Independence. I know nothing further with regard to William Boyd, except that he had some silver plate with the Kilmarnock arms. These, I saw when a boy, but they were all destroyed by fire in 1877. Among these was a large silver salver bearing the Kilmarnock arms and a wine cooler, the feet of which were squirrels standing upright.

John Boyd, first, belonged to the Royal Medical Staff and served for forty-one years in various parts of the World. In 1785-86 he was with the Royal Army, which occupied New York and was sent with the troops accompanying the Loyalists, who went from New York to Shelburne, Nova Scotia. In 1787 he was Medical Officer of the Garrison at Fort Edward, Nova Scotia, and afterward resided in St. John, N.B., where he died. He was an accomplished violinist, notable for his scientific attainments and zeal in his profession. His hospitality and kindness to his Brother Officers are referred to in letters from General Sir Howard Douglas. He married in September, 1786, Jane Barclay, daughter of Andrew Barclay, a prominent Loyalist, son of Andrew Barclay and Helena Roosevelt (and grandson of the Rev. Thos. Barclay, first Rector of St. Peter's Church, Albany, N.Y.). Their children were:

Anna Maria Boyd, who married the Hon. Edward J. Jarvis, Chief Justice of Prince Edward Island; descendants living.   

  See:  http://www.clanboyd.info/wpbookchapter10.pdf

John Boyd, who married Albinia Wright, daughter of Col. Henry Wright and Elizabeth Dumaresq, (from whom the writer is descended) was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, July 1, 1792. After graduating at Kings College, N. S., he studied medicine and surgery in London under the celebrated surgeons, Alexander Marcet and Sir Ashley Cooper, took his degree at Edingsburg, was appointed surgeon extraordinary to the Duke of Kent, afterward returned to St. John, New Brunswick, where he filled many pubic offices; was for many years surgeon of the Marine Hospital at St. John, N. B.; President of the St. Andrew's Scottish Society, and Director of the Bank of New Brunswick. He accumulated a considerable fortune, and was highly esteemed because of his ability and many virtues.

Edward Boyd, married Jane Crondan, was a godson of Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, from whom he received his commission in the Royal Army. His first service was in the Peninsula War, where he led a storming party at Badajos, in that action he was severely wounded; afterward served with the 20th Regiment; in 1840 was a Captain in the Royal Staff Corps, and was Surveyor General for Van Diemens Land. In 1842 was in Afghanistan in charge of the Commissary Department. After the massacre in the Khyber Pass, was among the hostages, who were taken into Persia. His bravery and good judgment are mentioned in several accounts of this disastrous affair. Retired as Lieutenant Colonel of the Royal Staff Corps, and died in 1875, leaving no descendants, his children having been murdered by the natives in India.

Mary Caroline Boyd married William Jarvis, of St. John, New Brunswick. Their only son, William Munson Jarvis, Esq., is living in St. John, New Brunswick, and has several children.

Cornelia Jane Boyd married Alexander Boyle, a distinguished Medical Officer in the Royal Army. This line is extinct.

Amelia Henrietta Boyd married Captain John Emslie of the Royal Army, and some years after his death married the Hon. Thomas Haviland, Colonial Secretary for Prince Edward Island. She left one daughter, Helen, whose descendants are living in Prince Edward Island.
James William married Emma Carleton Peters, daughter of the Hon. Charles J. Peters, Attorney General for the Province of New Brunswick; was an Attorney of considerable ability; also an accomplished musician; took a very active part in public affairs, and was Captain in the New Brunswick Regiment of Artillery. He left two sons, Robert Murray (unmarried) and Boyle Carleton Barclay, the latter married Sarah H. Adam's.

Sarah Florence, their only daughter, married William Jervis Starr, and is living near St. John, New Brunswick.

Mary Rowe Boyd and Isabella Jane Boyd, the youngest daughters, died unmarried.

John, the eldest surviving son of the above John Boyd, married Albinia Wright, daughter of Col. Henry Wright, who was for many years Collector of Imperial Customs at St. John, N. B. Their children are:

John Edward Boyd, born St. John, N. B., May 14, 1834. He married, first, Alice, daughter of Douglas Stewart, Esq., some years after her death, married Mary Millicent, daughter of H. E. Steele, Esq.; was a Civil Engineer by profession and a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers. He served under several English Engineers and then returned to St. John, N. B., where he was appointed Engineer in charge of construction on the Railway, running north from St. John; now part of the Intercolonial Railway; after completion of that work, was appointed Superintendent, and later took charge of the construction of the Railways on Prince Edward Island. From that time until his death he was in the service of the Canadian Government, having general supervision of all important Engineering Works throughout the Dominion. His reputation as an eminent Engineer was not merely local, but Canadian, from Halifax to Vancouver. His name was synonymous with great professional ability and conscientious discharge of duty, and in him the public service of the Dominion loses an officer, whom it will be found exceedingly difficult to replace." He left three children, Hilda Mary Boyd, who married Gilbert H. Stevens and Miriam Boyd, who married Harold Rodhan, and John Errol Boyd who married Octavia M. Terry.

Henry Errol Boyd was born in St. John, NB., July 1, 1838. After graduating at Windsor, Nova Scotia, he was associated with his brother Edward, and began his profession of Mechanical Engineering, under the Chief Engineer of the Boston and Maine R. R. He was a Mechanical Engineer of remarkable ability, and stood high in his profession as a designer and inventor. Was one of the founders of St. Stephen's Church, Mekeesport, Pa. For many years he was Treasurer, and was Senior Warden for fourteen years preceding his death. "Was a man of most beautiful character and beloved by all who knew him: His counsel was wise and conservative, and his opinions firm and well grounded. He married Susan Henrietta de Burgh, and had a son and daughter. Henry Augustus Boyd, mechanical Engineer and expert, residing in Buffalo, N. Y., married first, Phoebe Elizabeth Saunders, some years after her death he married Mabel Ross Walford; has four daughters: Albinia Henrietta, Mabel Walford, Edith de Burgh, Elizabeth Irene. Albinia Helen married George D. Russell and has one daughter, Anna Boyd.

Chipman, born March 6, 1841, in St. John, N. B. Unmarried.

Stanley, born November 22, 1842. in St. John, N. B. Graduated at Kings College, Windsor, Nova Scotia; practiced law for several years, and then studied Divinity; was Curate at Windsor, N. S., afterward Rector at St. Andrews, N. B., and in 1878 removed to Bath, England. He married Elizabeth Turberville Lewellin, but left no children.

Laura, born September 1, 1844, married first, William H. Scovil, Esq., and some years after his death, Lieutenant Col. James Wall, of the Royal Artillery. She has one daughter, Dora Cecil Scovil, who married Edward Sylvester Williams, Esq., of Penarth, Wales.

Herbert, born May 22, 1847. Graduated at Kings College, Windsor, Nova Scotia; afterward at the Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Mass.; studied in the Hospitals at Paris and London; was appointed Surgeon in the Bengal Army, India. In 1860 was with the 14th Sikhs in several of the Frontier Wars in India and Afghanistan; was at the taking of Alt Musjed and the subsequent actions through the Khyber Pass; afterward in the Hazara Campaign. Retired as Lieutenant Colonel, and resides in London, England; married Annie Cecclia Daly, daughter of Francis Dermott Daly, Esq., and has one son,

John Errol Moritz, who was born May 6, 1881, now Captain in the British Army in India. Albinia Dora, born November 27, 1850; married the Rev. Sidney Herbert Nobbs Rawdon, and has four children, Dora Christian, Lilian Mary, George Herbert Stanley, Rona Albinia. They reside in the island of Jersey.

All of the family papers and letters were destroyed by fire in 1877, with the exception of a small Bible, which belonged to John Boyd, first; also a small Bible, which belonged to James William Boyd. These contain the record of their families. Beside these there are a number of letters and old newspapers. All the above are in the hands of B.C. Barclay Boyd, Esq., St. John, New Brunswick.

William M. Jarvis, Esq., St. John, New Brunswick has an embroidered sampler, worked by Jane Barclay, "made in the ninth year of her age, New York, October, 1777.

Henry A. Boyd, Esq., Buffalo, N. Y., has the dress sword which belonged to John Boyd, first, and a memorial ring of Alexander Boyd, 1626, which was given to "John Boyd by his cousin, when leaving Aberdeen.

Robert Murray Boyd, Esq., St. John, N. B., has the seal which belonged to John Boyd, first, being the Boyd coat of arms.

Mrs. Vernon Longworth, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, has the wedding ring of Jane Barclay and a large portrait of Col. Edward Boyd.

Boyd Family and Descendants, William P. Boyd, 1912.

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