The Boyd-Clark Families of Miller County, Mo.

(Unknown publication date)

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​The Boyd and Clark families lived in Greenup Co., Kentucky in the early portion of the 19th century. In 1811, they were landowners in that Kentucky county having purchased land on Barretts Creek and the Little Sandy River. The families of Boyd and Clark were neighbors and friends in those years in Greenup County so therefore, I am combining the history of both families.
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In the early 1800s, Greenup County was still an unsettled and virgin land. Kentucky had acquired statehood only 20 years previously in 1792 and although there had been a steady migration in those 20 years, it was still a big, wide and spacious countryside the Boyds and Clarks inhabited.

This was an interesting era in our country's history...President James Madison was serving in the White House; the battle of Tippicanoe was being fought; Missouri Territory was being organized; war was declared on Great Britain; and the infamous Battle of New Orleans fought. The Boyd and Clark ancestors were new residents of Kentucky during those interesting years of American history.
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Philip and Sarah Boyd, both natives of Virginia, were living in Greenup Co. in the early 1800s. They homesteaded 150 acres of land on Barrett's creek in 1817. They were parents of 8 children who were apparently all born in Virginia. Philip died in the time era of 1824/25. His widow, Sarah, was left his estate. In 1830, she sold off a portion of her property to her youngest son, James Boyd (my great, great, great grandfather. psh) The agreement was that he would provide her with a sufficient quantity of corn, meat, sugar, coffee, and other vegetables necessary for life. The children of Philip and Sarah Boyd were: Philip, Jr.; Catherine Boyd Farley; Joseph Boyd; Carey Boyd; Robert Boyd; Rhoda Boyd Davidson; Adam Boyd; and James Boyd.

Four of the eight children moved into Miller County in the mid 1830s and the remaining four apparently chose to remain in Greenup County. The four who migrated to Missouri were: Carey and Lydia Clark Boyd; Robert and Susannah Clark Boyd; Rhoda (Boyd) and William Davidson; and James and Ruth Clark Boyd. Philip, Jr., Joseph, Catherine, and Adam remained in Kentucky and I have no further history of those families.

James Boyd married Ruth Eles Clark in Greenup Co. on July 20, 1829. John Clark, her brother, was the bondsman and the consent for marriage was given by Ruth's mother and step-father, Susannah and Robert Boyd. Robert Boyd was an older brother of James, so not only was he her step-father, but he was her brother-in-law as well, but stranger yet, with this marriage performed, her mother became her sister-in-law! Carey Boyd, another brother to James, married Lydia Clark in Greenup Co. on July 9, 1822. There was a close kinship between the Boyd and Clark families in the early 1800s.

There has been a beautiful legend handed down through the generations about John 'Hoppin" Clark, brother to Ruth Boyd. He acquired this nickname through the impossible feat of jumping over covered wagons! He was a loner for a few years preferring to travel the wilds of Kentucky's back country. One night he ventured upon a wagon train traveling westward and they hired him to serve as the scout. On this wagon train was an Indian family with the English name of Farmber who had a beautiful young daughter named Snow Princess. Her English name was Elizabeth and John Hoppin' fell in love with this beautiful Indian maiden. He asked her father for his consent to marry her, but he refused, so John kidnapped Snow Princess and they were eventually married without her father's blessing. John Hoppin' & Elizabeth Clark moved into Miller Co. and settled near his sister and family who had bought land in Osage township.
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As a child, I was told many stories about this colorful couple, but my favorite has to be this bit of legend: One day old Hoppin' went out squirrel hunting and was gone all day. By nightfall, Betsy (Elizabeth) was getting a little worried. After dark he finally came home but was a terrible mess---he was scratched, torn, and bleeding all over. He was dragging a big, black panther and as he threw it into the kitchen door, he said these infamous words..'Here Betsy, skin this squirrel!!

It is also family legend that John Hoppin' Clark served as a scout for the Cherokee Indian Nation when they were forced from their homes in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina & eastern Tennessee. This was the "Trail of Tears" march to Oklahoma territory in the late 1830s.

After James Boyd married Ruth Clark, they lived in Greenup Co., KY for approximately 6 years. Their 3 older children were born in Kentucky (Sarah 1830); Susannah (1831); and Lydia (1833). The two older daughters were given the names of their grandmothers--Sarah Boyd & Susannah Clark Boyd. The 4th child, Greenville Boyd, was born in 1835 in Miller Co., so apparently they moved into Missouri in 1834 or 1835 and permanently settled in Osage township in the northeaster section of the county.
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The children of James and Ruth (Clark) Boyd were as follows:
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1) Sarah S. born 23 July 1830 m. Charles O. Curtman

2) Susannah b. 28 Dec 1831 m. Thomas Hampton

3) Lydia b. 22 Nov 1833 m. Thomas Goff

4) Greenville b. 18 Oct 1835 m. Jane Freeman (my great, great grandparents)

5) Robert b. 8 Sep 1838 m. Martha Clark

6) Rhoda b. 10 Nov 1840 m. _________

7) Martha D. b. 2 Nov 1841 m. Riley Messersmith

8) Sidney b. 30 Apr 1844 m. _________

9) James, Jr. b. 12 May 1847 m. ________

10) John C. born 20 Dec 1849 m. ________

11) Melissa born 27 May 1851 m. ________

12) William O. born 10 Feb 1853 m. _______

Carey Boyd, his wife Lydia, and her brother, Isaac Clark, may have been the first of the families to venture westward out of Kentucky. Notice of the death of Carey Boyd is found in Pulaski Co., MO records in 1833. Between the years 1837-1870, there are many land transfers and purchases for these Boyd and Clark families in Miller Co. they were all located in Osage Township near present day St. Elizabeth and St. Anthony.

James Boyd died in 1856 and his widow, Ruth, married Thomas Mills on 21 July 1862. She died a short time later. There is no record of where either James or Ruth is buried, but it has been legend that Ruth was the first person buried in the Wickham cemetery on land owned today by Floyd Johnson near the Big Tavern creek southwest of St. Elizabeth.

 

Sarah Boyd, oldest daughter of James and Ruth, married Charles O. Curtman, a German immigrant who became very prominent in Miller & Maries County where he served the populace as a physician and chemist. From THE HISTORY OF MARIES COUNTY by Everett King..."In association with his practice and medical profession, Dr.Charles O. Curtman, a native of the Grand Dutchy of Hesse, Darmstadt of Germany, opened a store at Fair Play on the eastern side of the Osage river near St. Elizabeth. Dr. Curtman became a naturalized citizen in 1855. He was the husband of Sarah Boyd, having married her in 1852."

 

​​​​​​Greenville Boyd, oldest son of James and Ruth, married Jane Freeman in Miller Co. on Dec. 18, 1856. Their marriage was performed by Greenville's brother-in-law, Dr. Charles O. Curtman who was also a Justice of the Peace.  Greenville was born in Miller County on October 18, 1835 and Jane Freeman was also born in Miller Co. on August 20, 1840.

 

The parents of Jane Freeman Boyd were James and Deborah (Jenkins) Freeman of Claiborne County, Tennessee. Jane was born after they came to Missouri. She was born in Jim Henry Township near present day Marys Home. James Freeman died as a young man in 1844 leaving his wife, Deborah, with 6 young children to rear.
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The children of James and Deborah Freeman were: NELSON FREEMAN; LOUSIA FREEMAN m. Thomas Edgeman (1848); MARY ANN FREEMAN m. T.A. Williams (1849); JANE FREEMAN m. Greenville Boyd (1856); SARAH FREEMAN m. James Jenkins (1857); and ISABELLE FREEMAN m.____Stepp.....
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After James' death, Deborah married Bluford Van Hooser in 1847. She had 2 sons by Bluford: James born 1847 and John born 1849. Deborah Jenkins Freeman Van Hooser died in the mid 1850's but the place of her burial is unknown.

The children of Greenville and Jane (Freeman) Boyd were: 1) Robert born 22 Nov 1857 m. Sintha Ann Grosvenor (1876); 2) James born 20 Jun 1858 m. Cecelia Adeline Shelton (1879) [my great grandparents]; 3) Sarah b. 12 March 1863 m. Edward Clark: 4) Greenville b. 12 Mar 1863- d. 1868--twin to Sarah-he died at the age of 5 years; 5) Lydia b. 6 Dec 1869, never married; 6) Mary born 15 Oct 1871 , died as a child; 7) John born 4 Oct 1873 m. Della Wickham; 8) Laura born 12 Sept 1875 m. [1] Andrew Roark [2] James Coffman; 9) Edward born 26 Dec 1878 m. Cecile Clark; 10) Iva born 10 Aug 1882 m. Willis Rowden.

 

Greenville was a veteran of the Civil War serving with the Union army in Co. K 12th Missouri Cavalry Volunteers. He also spent 14 months in the Home Guards under the command of Captain Jacob Capps in the Miller Co. area. When he enlisted, he was 27 years old and his occupation was a farmer. He was mustered out of service on 9 April 1866.

 

Greenville died on 18 Feb 1931 at his home, which was called Sudheimer during those years. He had lived a full, rich life reaching the advanced age of 95 years. Jane Freeman Boyd died 24 July 1928 at the age of 88 years. They celebrated 72 years of marriage. Both are buried in the Lawson cemetery near the Maries County boundary line.

 

James Boyd, son of Greenville and Jane, was born 20 June 1858. He married Cecelia Adeline Shelton on August 7, 1979. She was a daughter of Edmund and Clarissa (Lawson) Shelton of Miller Co. The children of James and Cecelia Boyd were: 1) Leonard born 1884 m. Mary Lou Bodford in Okla.; 2) Conard b. 1886 m. Dennie Moon in Okla.; 3) Azalia b. 1893 m.[1] Carl Musgrove [2] Roy Sowder; 4) Sarah Eliza b. 1888 m. Henry Franklin Smith; [my grandparents]; 5) Minnie Jane b. 1890 m. [1] Ferman Jones Clark [2] Sam Simmons; 6) Nollie b. 1897 m. Michael Hanvey; 7) Isabelle b 1883 m. William Clark; and, 8) Clara Alta b. 1898-died young.

About 1897, James and Cecelia Shelton Boyd moved to the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and settled near Stroud in Lincoln County, OK. Cecelia died there just a short time later after the birth of her 8th child. Cecelia is buried somewhere near Stroud, but the exact location is not known.

 

Later James Boyd had one son by his 2nd wife (Bertha McCormick) named William Boyd born 1904. In 1906, James Boyd died of pneumonia and is buried in the Duncan Cemetery in eastern Miller Co. He had moved back to Miller County after his 2nd marriage. 

 

Sarah Eliza Boyd, daughter of James and Cecelia, remained in Miller County and married Henry Franklin Smith, son of William Harrison and Lucy Ann (Gardner) Smith on December 16, 1906. 

​​The children of Sarah Eliza and Henry F. Smith were: 1) Carl Everett [1 Jan 1912-12 Jan 1912]; 2) Conard Isaac [23 June 1908-20 Apr 1970] m Tressie Gale; 3) Gene Oliver [11 Nov 1914 - 15 Apr 1980] m. Verlie A.Wyrick; 4) Priscilla Idolia [28 Mar 1919 d. 2007] m. [1] Clark Davis,  [2] James Karr;  5)  James William [b. 1921]   m. Faye Jones;  6) Glen Raymond [b. 25 Jun 1925-15 Apr 1975] m. Dorothy Robinson; and Sharlene Jeanette [1926-1927].

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My parents were Gene Oliver Smith, son of Sarah (Boyd) and Henry Frank Smith, was born 11 Nov 1914 and married Verlie Alberta Wyrick of Miller County. Their children were: 

 

1) ​​Peggy Lee Smith [10 August 1935] m. [1] Kenneth Harold Warman, son of William George and Lattie Cecile (Jones) Warman; [2] Ambrose Herman Hake, son of Conrad and Ida (Volmert) Hake
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​​2) Billy Gene Smith [15 Nov 1936] married Bonnie Alleta Luttrell, daughter of Milton and Opal (Duncan) Luttrell.

 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The children of Peggy (Smith) and Kenneth Warman: 

​​1) Kevin Dean  [10 Sept 1955 - 27 Oct 1955] 
​2) Kathy D'Ann [16 Feb 1957] m. [1] Richard Kemp Jr. [2] Robert C. Smith
3) Kerry Douglas [24 July 1958] m. Tina Darlene Baston
4)​ Kelly Denise [5 April 1960] m. [1] Ray Edward Stallings [2] Dennis Sanders
5)​ Kirk Duane [16 Apr 1962] m. Twyla G. Luttrell

T​the grandchildren of Peggy Smith and Kenneth Warman include: 

1) ​Alicia Nichole Stallings [25 Dec 1976] ----------------- daug. of Kelly
2)​ Amanda Nichelle Stallings [21 Oct 1979]--------------- daug. of Kelly
3) Kyle Douglas Warman [9 Jan 1980]-------------------- son of Kerry
4) Kandra DeAnn Warman [30 Jan​ 1981]----------------- daug. of Kirk
5) Ray Edwards Stallings II [23 May 1981]---------------- son of Kelly
​6) Keidra Denise Warman [30 Dec 1983]----------------- daug. of Kirk
7) Joshua Andrew Smith [8 Oct 1984]​-------------------   step-son of Kathy
8) Krystal Dawn Warman [28 Nov 1985]----------------- daug. of Kirk
9) Keisha Danielle Warman [1 Jun 1989]----------------- daug. of Kirk
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NOTE: I now have 11 great grandchildren......Peggy

Bill G. Smith, son of Oliver and Verlie, married Bonnie Alleta Luttrell, daughter of Milton and Opal Luttrell. 

​​The children of Bill and Bonnie are: 

1) ​​Mitzi Ann Smith [7 Apr 1960-7 Apr, 1960]
2) ​Randall Gene Smith [11 Dec 1962] m. [1] Patty Dobbins  [2] Cindy Emerson
3) Russell Dean Smith [1 Oct 1966] m. Cathy Kolenda 

​​The grandchildren of Bill Smith and Bonnie (Luttrell): 

1) ​​Christopher Lewis Smith [7 Apr 1985] ----------------.  son of Randall
2)​ Jerry Dean Smith [25 Aug 1986] ---------------------- son of Randall
3)​ Ashleah Rose Smith [31 Dec 1994 ] --------------------daug. of Randall
4) ​Saracyewski Alletta Marie Smith [28 Oct 2002] ---------daug. of Russell
5)​ Annika Rose Marie Smith [10 Oct 2003] ---------------.  daug. of Russell
6) ​Adrianna Elise Marie Smith [10 Oct 2003] ------------- daug. of Russell

The grandchildren of Bill G. Smith and Peggy (Smith) Hake are the 9th generation from Philip and Sarah Boyd of Greenup County, Kentucky, pioneers of early Kentucky and Virginia in the early 19th century.