Mercer County, Pennsylvania

Hon. Phipps J. Boyd,  of Fairview, for nearly thirty-six years a substantial farmer and stock raiser, has for nearly half a century been also identified with other lines of industry and with the public affairs of his resident locality. He was born March 3, 1840, in New Vernon township, Mercer county, being the son of Henry and Ann (Phipps) Boyd. His father was a native of Ireland and had a family of twelve children.

Phipps J. Boyd attended the schools in New Vernon township and after receiving an education therein he was apprenticed to a wagon maker, but at the death of his eldest brother he returned to the homestead to manage the family affairs. He there remained engaging in farming until 1863, when he located in Venango county, Pennsylvania. At that time the oil excitement was at its height and the young man was among the most enthusiastic to enter the field. He continued to be thus engaged until 1866, when he returned to Mercer county and associated himself with his brother-in-law, Andrew McClure, in various lumber enterprises. In 1872 he resumed farming in Fairview township, having purchased property there in 1864. Since the former year lie has been a prominent resident of this section of Mercer county and has prospered agriculturally and obtained influence as an enterprising farmer and a public man. He has also taken a deep and active interest in educational matters and has served as school director of his township (two terms) and has also been influential in public matters of wide scope. In 1886 he was elected a member of the state legislature on the Republican ticket, completing his term of two years with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. Upon his return from his legislative services he was elected a justice of the peace for Fairview township and held that judicial office for a number of years.

On November 4, 1862, Mr. Boyd married Miss Mary Grace McClure, a daughter of James and Hannah (Gamble) McClure, of Lake township. There were eight children in the McClure family, as follows Robert J., now deceased; Henry, a retired farmer of Lake township; Andrew, also an agriculturist of that locality: Mary Grace, Mrs. Boyd; Sarah, now the wife of Lemon Bristol, a Fairview township farmer; Ruth, who died as the wife of Dr. Thaddeus Egbert, a leading physician of Mercer and Venango counties; Hannah, afterward Mrs. H. S. Blatt, of Elwood City; and Eleanor, who married Captain W. M. Slater, of Toledo, Ohio, her husband at one time being a resident of Lake township. Both of the parents of this family are now [1909] deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Phipps J. Boyd have had no children of their own, but adopted Matilda V. Both Mr. and Mrs. Boyd are old and faithful members of the Methodist Church, of which the former was a class leader for nearly half a century.

Source: A twentieth century history of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests by John G. White; Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co., 1909 - FHL Film 982190