The Brothers Boyd

We have found a new photo of the 4 Boyd brothers.  We put our heads together to make the identification.  See what you think.  Did we get it right??

 Robert Cabeen Boyd, George Yardley Boyd, John Boyd, Horatio Boyd

Verified Photos - Taken from John Boyd Sr.'s Civil War journal.

 

Horatio's photo taken from a Boyd family album

 

 

RC's photo taken from a collection of Boyd family photos.

Boyd Civil War Chat

Today was another great Boyd Cousin Connection!  We focused on the Civil War.  Cousin Jane shared a number of scans from a small pocket book of John Boyd Sr.'s.  He carried this small book during the Civil War.  This little treasure held encouraging Bible verses, clippings and photos.  Several of the photos were new to all of us.  

1864 - "62 years old this morning"

What's a 60 something doing serving in the Civil War??

 

Son George Yardley Boyd

John's son, John, who served in the same regiment.

 

Older Susan Yardley Boyd, John's Wife

Young Susan Yardley Boyd

Their Commander - 112th Illinois

 

Family Recipe Swap!

We talked about several family recipes today during the Boyd Cousin Connection.  Wanted to share them with everyone.

Thanks to Jane (Sheldon) Dodds for sharing Ethel's Yellow Loaf Cake recipe and to Debbie (Carney) Loukatos for sharing the Watermelon Pickle recipe.

Simple and tasty! Have baked it several times of the last couple months.  Yum!

Debbie has just made a batch of these, she'll have to let us know how they turn out!

Who's the Artist???

Great profile likeness of RC Boyd.  We had some good debate as to who the initials stood for.  We'd love to know who this artist was?!?!?!

 

Any ideas???

 

Ward School Columbus, Nebraska 1898

 

               3rd & 4th Grades, Ward School, Columbus, Nebraska, 1898

Thankful that someone decided to write the names of most of the students in the photo.  Jessie Boyd, Motto Mowery and Letitia Christine Boyd were all in this photo.

Curious Chinese Artifacts

Cousin Jane came across some interesting artifacts in a Boyd Family trunk.  We have no idea why they were kept and what significance they may have?  Curious!  

John and Susan (Yardley) Boyd's daughter, Elizabeth, was a missionary in China in the 1880's.  She ended up dying in Hankow (Wuhan) China in 1882.

These artifacts are from a time much later than Elizabeth's life.  So was it because of her connection to China?  Or some other reason?  We may never know!

 

Notice the 1922 patent date on the edge of the purse.

And then there was this photo of a couple.  Who were they?  Why was this kept?  It was taken by "Artistic Photographer, Trolley Square, San Francisco"

A Quilt for Sophia?

At the last Boyd Cousin Connection, cousin Jane shared a series of quilt blocks embroidered by our ancestors.  Our best guess is that they were made to eventually put into a quilt for grandma Sophia.  The question now. . . what to do with the blocks??  Go forward in making a quilt?  Or share them with descendants who might be interested in framing and enjoying their family members' block.  

There are a couple of blocks with names I'm not familiar with.  Does anyone know who these folks are and how they are connected to the clan??  Dell & Emmet - Leslie & Annie all from Oakland, CA.

Others are sisters, cousins or children of Sophia Thornburg Boyd.

 

This set of blocks is especially fun for me.  On the left, stitched by my great grandma.  On the right, a rendition of the old Sea Captain's ship, stitched in Winner, SD, once my home, too!

Celebrating America!

This young group of boys from Norfolk, Nebraska was taken in about 1915.  My Grandpa, Bob Palme was involved in this patriotic celebration.  He's 2nd from the left on the front row.  Quite the group.  Colorizing really brings this to life!

Time for some "cousin crowdsourcing" to help identify all of the family in this photo!  My mom, Carol Palme is the little girl in her grandma's arms in the middle of the photo.  She called to my attention that this photo was most likely taken in June 1936 when she was celebrating her 1st birthday.  I recognize a few faces here.  Can you help identify the rest??

I can pick out Bob Palme, Robert Palme, Jessie Boyd Mowery, Ethel Boyd Palme, Ruby Boyd Mills, Sophia Thornburg Boyd, Eugene Mowery, Edith Boyd Johannes, Anne Boyd Weber, Minnie Mary Boyd Sedgwick, Marylou Sedgwick.

Tin Smith Work of the RC Boyd Family

The photo is a colorized treasure of RC Boyd at his work bench.  His son-in-law, Frank Mills looks on.

RC Boyd was a "tinner".  He learned the trade as apprentice in Oquawka, IL in the late 1860s. 

I found an ad for a tin business in the Oquawka Plaindealer in1867.  This may have been the business that he worked with. 

In 1871 RC Boyd married Maria Briggs in Swedona, IL.  They moved on to Van Meter, IA where he worked for a short time.  From there they moved on to Winterset, IA where he worked with several different seasoned tradesmen.  

Maria passed away in 1876.  In 1877, he married Mollie Smith.    She died in 1880.  In 1881 he married Sophia Thornburg.  They had two children in Winterset, then moved out to Columbus, Nebraska in 1883.

RC Boyd trained his sons and sons-in-law in the tin trade.  Eldest son JT Boyd continued his business.  According to Frank Mills obituary, RC Boyd bought his Lennox furnaces from the original Dave Lennox.  Pictured here front and center, CA Palme and Tom Boyd attended a Lennox training in 1931.

Tom Boyd continued the business with his father until his death in 1930.  At that time Frank Mills joined as a partner.  Frank trained two of his boys in the business.

We are blessed to have a few remaining pieces of RC Boyd's tin work in the family.  

Son-in-law Motto Mowery received some training.  Here's a bit of that history shared by Janis K. Dale. 

Son-in-law Frank Mills (shown in the tin shop photo at the top of this page)  "became identified with the old RC Boyd company in Columbus in 1912.  He later acquired an interest in the business and still later he and his son Roger, became sole owners.  The company subsequently became known as "The Mills Company".  

Son Ralph and son-in-law, CA Palme built a heating and tin business in Norfolk, Nebraska. 

 Current view of their business building on the very right.

CA Palme retired from business at age 65 and went to work at Tinker Airforce Base to support the war effort and worked on until he reached 80 years.

A great many houses in Columbus and Norfolk, Nebraska had their heating systems installed by these men.  They were craftsmen, businessmen and community contributors who left a lasting mark on their communities.  The foundation for their work was laid by RC Boyd.  He left a true legacy to his family and the communities he served.