Janet Boyd

The Boyd Family of Bathurst, N.B.

Sometimes we start researching a branch of our family with newspaper clippings, photos and notes from a relative. When I started working on my paternal great grandmother's family, the Boyds, I had no informaton to work, just a couple of rumors.My father told me that he knew his cousin who lived in his town, Campbellton, N.B. but no one else in the family. The two rumours he had heard were that his grandparents came from Bathurst or Janeville in Gloucester county. He also heard that his grandmother, Janet Boyd, was adopted by he did not know when , by whom or even it it was true. I found Janet Boyd's age (33) in the l891 census for Campbellton. Her father was Scottish and her mother Irish. Armed with this information I could now start my search in earnest. I searched the l871 census for Gloucester county for a 13 year old Janet. In the final section for Bathurst I found a 14 year old Janet Boyd who said her father was Scottish and her mother Irish. She was living with John Bateman and his family. Now I had found her adoption was true.The 1861 census shed more light on the Boyds. In the district "south of Bathurst Basin" I found Janet and her parents.

1861 Census for Bathurst,N.B.
NameSexPositionAgeNationality
Alexander BoydMfather60Scotch
Eliza BoydFmother30Irish
Alexander BoydMson7Native
Janet BoydFdaughter6Native
Hugh BoydMson3Native
Robert BoydMson3Native

Now the pieces fell into place. Someting must have happened to Eliza , perhaps death in childbirth.sometime between l861 and 71.Alexander, now in his 60's was too old to raise 4 children , farmed the kids out to neighbours.Another interesting item. My grandmother was a twin. The gene for twins runs on the mother 's side. I borrowed the civil marriage registers for Gloucester county via inter-library loaned from the New Brunswick Provincial Archives. I found Janet Boyd's marriage certificate. "This is to certify that Charles Burton Scott of the parish of New Bandon and county of Gloucester and Janet Boyd of the parish of Bathurstand county aforesaid spinster were married by licence this foutheenth day of August A.D. one thousand eight hundred and eighty-four by me S.B. Street, rector in the presence of John S. Bateman Albert Bateman The witnesses were Janet's adopted family. The certificate for Janet's parent's marriage gave me her mother's maiden name, Norton. I returned to my father with this information. His eyes widened and he exclaimed "Of course ! I have a cousin Alexander Boyd Mckinnion, his mother must have known about Alexander Boyd when she named him " I have not been able to get any further with this family. I found Alexander Boyd's request for a grant of land and also located another tract on a land grant map. He unfortunately refers to himself as a "loyal subject born in Scotland" without stating exactly where he came from. Alex Boyds born in Scotland in 1801 are plentiful. Alex Jr. and the twins Hugh and Robert completely disappeared . In conclusion I was able to find Janet Boyd's age, birthdate, parents , foster parents and siblings names and ages. I found out where she was from exactly and that twins ran in her family.I was able to do this with information that was available to me here in Montreal and with microfilms from the New Brunswick Provincial Archives inter-library loan. Don't let distance prevent you from finding out about your family in New Brunswick. Postscript: I recently received information from someone that Eliza was present at the marriage of Alexander Boyd Jr. in l883. She was still alive and living with her son and his family at the time of the l891 census for Miscou, Gloucester county. The mystery continues.