U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Boyd, Andrew H. H. (1814-1865) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Aler's History of Martinsburg and Berkeley County, West Virginia by F. Vernon Aler, 1888 Printed for the Author by The Mail Publishing Company, Hagerstown, MD. CHAPTER VIII. Historical Pen Sketches of the Early Residents of Berkeley County by the late Hon. Chas. James Faulkner. Pages 146-148, REV. ANDREW H. H. BOYD, D. D. Second son of Gen. Elisha Boyd, was born at Martins - burg, in the year 1814. He received his academic education at Martinsburg and Middleburg; when fourteen years old, he entered the junior class of Jefferson College, and graduated with distinction in 1830. Shortly after entering college he joined the Presbyterian Church and resolved to preach the gospel. After graduation in Jefferson College, he spent two years at New Haven, to perfect himself in particular studies; completed a regular course of theological education thereafter at Princeton; and subsequently visited Europe and attended lectures delivered by the celebrated Dr. Chalmers and Sir William Hamilton in Edinburg, Scotland. He was licensed to preach, the gospel by the Presbytery of Winchester in 1837; entered upon his first charge over the churches of Leesburg and Middleburg in 1838; accepted a call to Harrisonburg in 1840; and to Winchester in 1842. He was called, during all parts of his ministry to a number of distinguished churches in the great cities, but being wholly independent in his pecuniary circumstances, preferred to remain in Winchester, to the people of which city, and the County of Frederick, he exhibited a strong attachment. His prominence as a citizen during the late civil war, residing within the Confederate limits, caused him to be seized as a hostage, and held in retalliation for the arrest of other citizens attached to the cause of the Union. He bore the illegal and unjustifiable imprisonment consequent upon this seizure with all the patience and fortitude of a Christian minister, but a fatal blow was given to his health by the rigors of his long imprisonment. He never enjoyed a day of perfect health after his restoration to liberty. His valuable ministry of three and twenty years at Winchester was terminated after a mournful and protracted illness on the 16th of December, 1865. A funeral address was pronounced over his remains by Rev. Joseph C. Stiles, of Georgia, which was published in pamphlet form and is worthy of extensive perusal. Dr. Boyd was a man of fine intellect. He was endowed with quick and clear perception, a sound, discriminating and comprehensive judgment, and especially with strong and active reasoning faculties. He loved study and ever felt both its necessity and obligation. He was a man of extensive and useful information. On almost every topic of literature and science he discoursed like one who had given exclusive attention to those subjects, while in his proper department of didactic and polemic theology, ecclesiastical history and biblical criticism, few men in the country had made such eminent attainments. During his illness the presbytery met in Winchester and appointed a committee to convey to Dr. Boyd their christian salutations and to assure him of their sincere condolence in the painful and protracted trial which he was then enduring. He received the distinguished attention with such humble and touching gratitude to his brethren, and in such calm and assured submission to the will of God, that on the return of the committee the chairman reported to presbytery that "he had seen Bunyan's Pilgrim on the banks of the river, joyfully awaiting his transportation to the opposite shore." ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Berkeley County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/berkeley/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------