William Boydstun, an enterprising farmer of Lauderdale County, was born in
Campbell County, December 1, 1816. His father, Thomas Boydstun, was born in
North Carolina, and came to Tennessee before the organization of the State,
settling in the eastern part. He was married in North Carolina to Elizabeth
Newport, daughter of Rev. Richard Newport, a farmer and native of Virginia.
Five sons and six daughters were born to this marriage, our subject being the
tenth child. He is of English-Irish descent. His mother was born in Virginia,
and died in Lauderdale County, March 6, 1862; his father was a Democrat and a
farmer, and died March 21, 1835. Our subject was raised on a farm, and
received only a limited education in the country schools, but by persistent
application has since acquired a great deal of general information. Mr.
Boydstun was married in this county, August 29, 1838, to Mary Lusk, a daughter
of James Lusk, a farmer and school teacher. Two sons and three daughters were
born to this marriage; only one is now living, Martha P. (Moore). The mother
of this family was born in Williamson County, January 11, 1839. Our subject is
a State’s rights Democrat, and used his influence to aid in the Confederacy.
He enlisted in H.C. King’s battalion (infantry), afterward in the First
Regiment of Cavalry, as first lieutenant, and was in the battle of Paris,
Tenn., and after a service of one year, resigned on account of ill health. The
Boydstun family was represented in the Confederate Army by ten members in
active service. Our subject has a farm of 312 acres, four miles north of
Ripley, and is an enterprising, progressive farmer.

Goodspeed’s Biographies of Lauderdale Co., TN