D. A. Boyd, a farmer of Lauderdale County, is a son of George and Mary
(Halley) Boyd. His father was born in Halifax County, Va., in 1800, and his
mother in Mecklenburg County, Va., in 1801; they were married about 1825, and
seven sons and two daughters were born to them. Mr. Boyd, Sr., was in the war
of 1812, was not connected with any church, in politics was an old line Whig,
and died in 1855. Mrs. Boyd was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church; she
died in 1870. Our subject was of Scotch-Irish descent, born in Halifax County,
Va., in February, 1830, was raised on a farm, and received a good education.
March, 1850, he married Miss Mary Gravatt, who was born in Halifax County,
Va., in 1835. Nine of the twelve children born to this marriage are living. In
1857, he moved to Haywood County, Tenn., and in 1862 to Lauderdale County,
where he has since engaged in farming. Mrs. Boyd is a Primitive Baptist; he is
a member of the Methodist Church South. Before the war Mr. Boyd was a Whig,
and has since been a Republican. In 1881, he represented Lauderdale County in
the Legislature, serving two years. He owns 275 acres of good land, and also
runs a cotton-gin. As a farmer he has been quite successful, and is considered
one of the substantial and enterprising citizens of his district. He is a
member of the Masonic lodge.

Goodspeed’s Biographies of Lauderdale Co., TN