Person:John Boyd (71)

William Ramsey - Head of Household 1790 U.S. Census: William Ramsey was a son of James and Margaret Ramsey, who immigrated from the Province of Ulster, Ireland, and settled on the North River of the Shenandoah in Augusta Co., VA before 1753. William Ramsey was born ca.1742 in PA, after his parents arrived there from the North of Ireland. He married before 12 Nov 1767, in Augusta Co., VA, Agnes/Nancy "Maria" BOYD, who was born 1744 in Ireland the daughter of Robert Boyd. William and Nancy Ramsey, along with Nancy's brother, John Boyd, settled on the Gum Branch of Long Creek, Mecklenburg Co., NC by 1769. On 20 June 1769, William Ramsey was a witness on a land deed conveyance from John Miller to John Buchannan for land on the waters of Gum Branch of Long Creek adjacent to John Boyd. On 30 Sept 1773, John Boyd conveyed his 300-acre land grant on Long Creek to William Ramsey located on both sides of Long Creek, including the forks to Tools' old fording and John Moore's line, crossing the creek and joining the land of James Douglass. The name "Tool's Fording" originated from Matthew Toole, an early settler during the 1750's. He had lived on the eastern bank of the Catawba River near Long Creek, and became a well-known Indian interpreter, having lived among the Cherokees and had taken an Indian maiden of that tribe as his wife.

On 10 Jan 1771, John Boyd and William Ramsey witnessed a deed from James and Sarah Tom to James Douglas for 200 acres on both sides of Long Creek, which included Miller's improvements and adjacent to John Anderson's line. On 1 Jan 1783, William Ramsey and John Johnston witnessed a deed from David McCord to John Buchannan for 200 acres on both sides of Long Creek about a half mile west of Tools' Road. This land was originally patented to John Moore in 1763, and sold to David McCord in 1772. By 1779, John Boyd had moved across the Catawba River into Lincoln Co., NC. A deed dated 18 June 1779, shows John Boyd of Lincoln County, son and heir of Robert Boyd, decd., deeding to John JOHNSTON 150 acres on Gum Branch of Long Creek, adjacent to the land where William RAMSEY now lives and land of Patrick SULLIVAN. William Ramsey, Patrick Sullivan and David RODGERS were witnesses on this deed. John Anderson deeded this land on Gum Branch to Robert Boyd in 1759, which until 1762 was in Anson Co., NC, and still part of the Western frontier of North Carolina; and, continued to be claimed by the Western Tribe of the Cherokee Indians as their territory.

In 1756, Fort Dobbs was built about twenty miles West of Salisbury for the protection of these isolated settlers. But, due to the numerous depredations and occasional murders, many of these settlers sought refuge elsewhere until the Indian matter had been settled. Thus, we find the BOYDS removal to Augusta Co., VA, where they are found near the Ramsey's in the North River Settlement of the Shenandoah on the head of Fischer's Creek. This tract of land was patented to Robert Boyd on 20 Sept 1768, and was later sold by John Boyd, heir of Robert Boyd, to Joseph Douglas on 8 May 1776.

William Ramsey's brother, James RAMSEY, remained in Augusta Co., VA until after his service in the Revolutionary War, when he removed to the Catawba Indian lands in SC, and from there to Burke Co., NC. James Ramsey eventually settled in Rutherford Co., TN, where his brother, William, and other Mecklenburg County families, had re- moved to ca.1802 and later. Their younger sister, Margaret/Peggy RAMSEY, married David ROGERS, raised their family on Long Creek in Mecklenburg Co., NC, and also removed to Rutherford Co., TN.

[Source: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncmeckle/longcrk.htm]

Retrieved from "https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:John_Boyd_%2871%29"

Category: Early Settlers of Old Augusta