My Genealogy Hound

HENRY LOYD. For about thirty-five years this gentleman has been a resident of Johnson County, and has therefore witnessed the wonderful transformation wrought in the locality, and he himself has been one of the prominent factors in its development. He is now living in township 45, range 25, on a tract of sixty acres which he owns.

Our subject was born in West Virginia, near Parkersburg, Wood County, October 25, 1811. His parents, Thomas and Annie (Richmond) Loyd, were born in the Old Dominion. The father of the latter, who bore the name of William Richmond, was a native of Scotland, and came to America in a very early day, serving all through the Revolutionary War. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Elijah Loyd, was also a Revolutionary soldier, serving under the command of General Washington. He lived and died in Virginia, and became the father of seven children, all of whom are deceased.

Thomas Loyd was born and reared in Hampshire County Virginia, but soon after his marriage moved to Wood County, where he was engaged in farming for many years, and where he lived until his decease, at the remarkable age of one hundred and four years. There also his wife died, aged ninety-five years. To them were granted six daughters and four sons. Of this large family all are deceased with the exception of William, and Henry, our subject. The former lives in Jackson County, W. Va., and is engaged in farming.

Henry Loyd remained at home until his marriage, February 27, 1840, with Miss Elizabeth Hughes, a native of Jackson County, Va. She was the daughter of Thomas Hughes, also a Virginian by birth, whose father in turn also bore the name of Thomas and was a farmer.

Our subject continued to live in Jackson County until the year 1858, when he came by boat to Lexington, this state, thence making his way to Johnson County. This section was not new to him, as he had visited it previously with the hope of some day making this county his home. He bought one hundred and twenty acres of land within three and a-half miles of Hazle Hill, and after improving the place made it his home until November, 1891. That year he sold the old home place and came to his present farm, which includes sixty acres. It is all under the best methods of improvement and is as large a place as Mr. Loyd cares to have, as he is quite advanced in years.

About 1845 Mrs. Elizabeth Loyd died in Virginia, and March 5, 1858, our subject chose as his second companion Mrs. Isabel (Crutcher) Moore, who was born in Hardin County, Ky., January 31, 1832. Her parents were Robert and Elizabeth (McQuie) Crutcher. The former died when she was seven years of age, and four years later she accompanied her mother to Jefferson County, Ky. Some time thereafter Mrs. Crutcher returned to the old home farm, where she died. Mrs. Loyd continued to live in Jefferson County with a married sister until her union with John Moore, who died in the Blue Grass State, leaving a daughter, Katie, who later married Harvey Harrison and is living in Henry County, Mo.

By his union with Elizabeth Hughes, Mr. Loyd became the father of three children. Thomas, a soldier in the late war, met his death at the battle of Perryville; William married Sarah Williamson, and lives in Jackson County, W. Va.; Henry C. married Sarina Williamson, and is now deceased; his wife is living in Jackson County, W. Va. By his second marriage Mr. Loyd reared a family of six children. Mary was born December 15, 1858; she married Douglas A. Blake and is now living in Texas. Emma, who was born August 28, 1861, became the wife of James Colburn, and died August 27, 1884. Gussie, who was born February 21 , 1864, married John Cox, and makes her home in Hazle Hill Township. Annie was born February 9, 1866; and Birdie, January 24, 1869. They are both at home, as is also Gideon R., who was born October 17, 1876.

Mr. Loyd has never held any of the township offices, but has served efficiently as a member of the School Board of his district. He has voted the Republican ticket since attaining his majority, for it was through the Democratic vote in his native state that the free-school system was abolished, just at the time he should have attended school. He enlisted, July 4, 1861, in the Union army, taking part in the battle of Lexington, and was mustered out the same year on the expiration of his term of enlistment. Mr. Loyd is one of the oldest residents of the county and as such we are pleased to herewith present his biography.