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Below is a family biography included in The History of Weakley County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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George S. Boyd, farmer, of the Seventh District of Weakley County, Tenn., was born November 26, 1857, and is a son of George P. and Parilee (Scott) Boyd. The father was of Irish descent, a Tennessean, and was born in 1836. His father, Abner Boyd, was one of the pioneer settlers of Weakley County, and Boydsville was named in his honor. George P. was married February 1, 1857, and followed the life of a farmer. He died June 20, 1857, in the prime of life. The mother was of Scotch-Irish descent, born June 14, 1838, the daughter of W. S. and Sarah (Jones) Scott; she died June 27, 1860. Our subject was left an orphan at an early age, and after the death of his mother made his home with his grandfather Scott, until the latter’s death, which occurred when our subject was fifteen years of age. George S. was educated in the common schools and McKenzie College, attending the latter school five months. His grandfather died about this time, and he returned home and attended school in Dresden three years, and in 1875 returned to McKenzie and remained one year. In 1876 he and S. P. Scott formed a partnership in a combined flouring and saw-mill and woolen factory, but in 1877 our subject, not being satisfied with his education, entered the De-LaSalle Institute, at Toronto, Canada, and remained five months. In 1880 he and Mr. Scott took in as partners C. W. Cottrell and B. D. Irvine, and erected a large brick flouring-mill in Dresden, at a cost of $20,000. They, at the same time, established a merchandise store, Mr. Cottrell overseeing it. In 1883 Mr. Boyd sold his interest, and began tilling his farm of 100 acres, which he purchased in 1869, and there has since resided. He now owns 500 acres, 310 being under cultivation. September 5, 1878, he married Mattie Rogers, daughter of P. M. and Martha (Blakemore) Rogers. Mrs. Boyd was born January 9, 1859. They have one child, Eugene. Mr. Boyd is a Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for Hancock.

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This family biography is one of 108 biographies included in The History of Weakley County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Weakley County was included within The History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley & Lake Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley, and Lake Counties of Tennessee

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