Hon. Edward D. Boyd

Justly to outline a life of activity in literary, military, journalistic and commercial pursuits, as has been that of the gentleman above named, is no small task. It is a pleasure to note that in each of these lines he has acquired distinction, which bespeaks a mind of great strength and culture, fertile in resources, and wielded by an energetic spirit of a high order. His father, James M. Boyd, was a leading and distinguished citizen of Lynchburg, Virginia, and a man of high mental attainments. He died in his native state in 1855. His mother, Mrs. Annie M. (Tatum) Boyd, is also dead. Our subject was born on February 14, 1853, in Lynchburg, Virginia. That city is the place of his childhood and education. At the early age of eighteen he was graduated from the Lynchburg College with honors. He immediately took up the cause of his native state, and for about four years he faithfully served in the fields of battle in the Confederate army. After the close of the war he went to Richmond and entered the commercial world where he continued until he removed to Somerville, Tennessee and accepted a position as principal of the Somerville Academy for young men. In 1867 he went to Arkansas and established the Phillips Academy, of which he was principal for six years. In 1873 he removed to Little Rock, in that state, and took up journalism and published the Arkansas Grange, being also state lecturer of the Patrons of Husbandry. He soon made himself felt in the political arena of that state and in 1878 he was elected to the state senate, where he served for four years. While state senator he was chairman of the senate committee of investigation which took charge of the auditor's and treasurer's books and found both of these officers defaulters in large sums. It was in 1873 that Baxter and Brooks were contending for the governorship of the state, which contention resulted in what is known as the Brooks-Baxter war, the outcome of it all being that Baxter was confirmed governor of the state and our subject was an officer under him. After this he removed to Fort Worth, Texas, and took up the brokerage business. Here the same marked success that had been his in other lines now smiled upon him in the financial world and he soon came to the front rank. Continuing here for three years, he then sought other and larger fields. Chicago was the place for the Colonel's next triumphs, and there he remained for three years more and then turned to the west, coming to Pendleton in 1888. Here he commenced the brokerage business, and has continued in it until the present writing. F. B. Cloptor was his partner until 1898, and since that time he has been alone. His business is the largest of its kind in the county and is carried on with skill and energy. He is a large stockholder and vice-president and trustee of the Pendleton Scouring and Woolen Mills. He is a stockholder and trustee of the Hotel Pendleton and also a member of the Commercial Club, of which he was president for three years. Colonel Boyd has always taken an active and prominent part in the affairs of the county. Three times he was chairman of the Democratic county convention. Fraternally he is highly connected, being a member of the A. F. & A. M., the B. P. O .E. and the Pioneers of the Pacific, and for three years he was president of the Pendleton Commercial Association.

Source: An illustrated history of Umatilla County and of Morrow County : with a brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon; by William Parsons and W. S. Shiach; Pub. Spokane : W. H. Lever, 1902. - FHL Film 924501 Item 1

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