Tag: Boyd

Jesse Boyd and Lucinda Innis

Story by Fred Gahimer

Jesse was the son of Capt. John Boyd and Maria Veder, and was born in Rushville in 1830. In 1852, he married Lucinda Innis, daughter of Alexander and Christiana Innis. Lucinda’s parents gave them 40 acres of one corner of their farm north of Milroy as a wedding gift because they wanted her to live close to them. There Jesse built their home.

For more information about Jesse’s younger years, see this story. For more information about Lucinda’s younger years, see this story.

They had nine children: William Marshall, Hervey Alexander, Laura Ellen, John Franklin, Emma Irene, James Sidney, Charles Elbert, Christi Anna, and Frederick Burton.

Jesse was a carriage and buggy builder by trade, and constructed his shop on their home place. When the children grew older, he wanted them to have an education, so he bought a small farm for the boys, and built himself a large factory. In the 1879 Rush County Atlas, Jesse is shown owning 34 acres on the southeast corner of Rushville, south of the Big Flat Rock River, and east of State Road 52. Jesse was at least successful enough to give his children a chance to go to school. Two of his sons stayed in the factory with him, later building automobiles.

Jesse once perfected a double-shovel corn plow, which is believed to have been the first such device of its kind used. He secured a patent on it, but failed to protect one of the basic principles of his invention, the arch supporting the plows. An enterprising manufacturer of agricultural implements recognized the weakness of the original patent, and put out a plow which covered the principle, and made a fortune which might have otherwise gone to Jesse.

Lucinda attended the American Centennial Celebration in Philadelphia, where it rained, and she got a cold. According to her daughter, Anna, that began her final illness. She died on March 4, 1884 at age 49.

Jesse died June 29, 1911, at Rushville. Jesse and Lucinda are buried in the southeast corner of Section 4 of East Hill Cemetery in Rushville with many of their children, including Emma Irene (Boyd) Gruell.

William Gruell and Emma Boyd

Story by Fred Gahimer

William H. Gruell married Emma Irene Boyd on April 1, 1885 in Rush County. It is thought that they had a son, Orien, in 1886, but he died soon after birth. Their daughter, Sallie Irene, was born on September 5, 1887 in Rush County.

For more information about William’s younger years, see this story. For more information about Emma’s younger years, see this story.

In 1890, three years after Sallie’s birth, Emma died. She was buried with her parents, Jessie and Lucinda (Innis) Boyd, and siblings in the southeast corner of Section 4 in East Hill Cemetery at Rushville. Sallie was raised in foster homes or with relatives. In the 1900 census, twelve year old Sallie was found living in Anderson Township near Milroy with her cousin, Charles Crosby, and his wife Harriet and four children. They also had a young couple with a daughter who worked as servant/farm-hand. Sallie was in school.

Sallie was married to Conrad Fredrick Gahimer in Rush County on August 24, 1807. At that time, her father, William H., was farming in Franklin County. No trace of him has been found in the census since 1880. He died in Franklin County on July 29, 1916 at age 64, and was buried in Section 4 of the East Hill Cemetery at Rushville, the same section as his parents, Isaac and Sarah Gruell. Searches for his grave marker have been unsuccessful. It is known that he had remarried before his death to an Elizabeth Goins, and he was a teamster.

Conrad “Coonie” Gahimer and Sallie Gruell

Story by Fred Gahimer, 11 Oct 2001. Cover photo is Conrad Gahimer and Sallie Gruell on their wedding day, August 21, 1907.

Conrad, son of William and Salome (Hirtzel) Gahimer, lived on a farm west of Manilla on the old Rushville Road in Union Township, Shelby County. It was originally owned by his grandfather Christian Hirtzel, and he purchased it after the death of his father. Continue reading “Conrad “Coonie” Gahimer and Sallie Gruell”