Documentation is essential to proving your family tree. I have been working hard to find actual proof that Robert Boyd of Pickens County, South Carolina was the son of Robert Boyd who died in 1782 in Granville, North Carolina. Google searches and Ancestry family trees all list Robert’s father as Robert, but with no hard proof.
I used my mom and cousin’s Ancestry DNA tests to help figure out this mystery, and the results pointed back to Robert Boyd of Granville, however, I was hoping to have clear documentation to match. This was HARD to find! I read through many old documents and searched around for hours. I haven’t found a website or family tree that lays out clear proof. (Often we accept what we read without doing our own research.) There is a lot of inconsistent and WRONG information out there, so beware!
Starting with the 1782 will of Robert Boyd of Granville County, North Carolina, we learn that his children were Robert, Constant, Margaret, Mary, John, Thomas, Rachel and Sarah.
After their father’s death, Constant and Robert were given guardians. This means they were under 21 and the other children were over 21 at the time. John Boyd is cited as being the oldest. [North Carolina Wills and Probate Records]
On January 1, 1820, James Boyd of Lancaster, Pennsylvania has his will proved in court. It states, “also all my personal property of whatever description to be sold and equally divided between my four uncles residing in Carolina, to wit: John Boyd, Patrick Boyd, Robert Boyd and James Boyd & to their heirs.”
On June 24, 1824, a deed is filed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that mentions the living children of Robert, mentioned in James’ will above. (James is their cousin; he’s the son of George Boyd Jr.) [Lancaster, PA Deed Book B-5 page 324-326]
In August 1841, Robert Boyd of Pickens, South Carolina petitioned the court to have an administrator for his sister, Rachel Boyd Cannon, who had no heirs. She had no permanent residence, but stayed with friends in Pickens. She died while on a visit to Habersham County, Georgia.
This also references a portion of the estate she received from James Boyd of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, her cousin.
This proves that Robert Boyd (1766 – 1851) of Pickens, South Carolina was the son of Robert Boyd (abt. 1717 – 1782) of Granville County, North Carolina. Robert (Senior) was the son of Isabella and George Boyd of Ireland/Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and the brother of John, James, Patrick and George Jr.
Down Home Genealogy 
Thank you for all your hard work, I feel like I have benefited immeasurably.
I descend from Robert Boyd of Pickens Co. SC through his son Warren Boyd b 1828 Pickens Co. SC died Jan 1911 Pickens Co. SC. One of his sons Luther Manning Boyd, one of his sons Thomas Watson Boyd, to his son Charles Herbert Boyd, my father changed his name to Charles Franklin Ellis after his parents Tom Boyd and Josephine Higgins Boyd divorced and Jo remarried Franklin Delano Ellis.
It was one of my many Boyd Cousins Randy sent me an email directing me to take a look at your work here. I can’t thank you enough.
David Franklin Boyd-Ellis-Hall
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You’re welcome, David! I am glad someone has found this useful. Warren Boyd was the half brother of my fourth-great-grandfather. That makes us cousins somehow! I hope to also compile a timeline of Robert’s life as I haven’t found anything similar online and I think it would help other researchers.
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An excellent piece of family history research, fully supported by source documentation.
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Hello,
There are so many Boyd’s! I feel like your John Boyd may have married into my Green family Halifax VA. Not my direct lineage but curious. Connected to Robert Boyd of Greenville/Pendleton SC. Although I could be wrong…Troy
1789 —Greenville Co., SC
Deed Book A, Page 96 (LDS 0024013)
Greenville Co. State of South Carolina Aug 19, 1789
Know all men by these presents that I John Boyd of the county and State aforesaid for various good causes and considerations me thereunto moving have and do hereby constitute nominate and appoint my trusty and beloved friend John Sizemore of the State of Virginia Halifax County to be my true and lawful attorney in fact for me and in my name to do and transact all such business as may be necessary in there recovery of a certain tract of land formerly the property of William Bird Esq. and supposed to be conveyed from the said Bird to Robert Boyd situate on the south side of the Dann River in Halifax opposite Peter Torianson the northside of said river adjoining the lands whereon John Faulkner and Richard Wall now reside …
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If you were to find a present-day male Boyd descendant from John Boyd and that person took a Y-DNA test, we could soon tell whether there is indeed a connection.
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