Hugh Boyd


Hugh Boyd was born in January 1767. He was the son of John and Ann Logan Boyd. He was an older son in the large family of Scots-Irish emigrés who settled in Albany during the 1760s.

As a recently arrived British merchant, his father's activities came under scrutiny during the War for Independence. John Boyd, Sr. managed to survive the war to see several of his sons take their places in the postwar Albany business community.

In 1790, Hugh probably was one of the three men listed on the census in his father's third ward household. Two years earlier, his personal property was valued under that location.

In 1794, he was among the Albany notables who subscribed for the support of Union College.

In January 1796, Hugh married the somewhat younger Albany native Catharina Staats at the Albany Dutch church. Over the next two decades, the marriage produced at least ten children. However, Hugh Boyd was a member and trustee of the Albany Presbyterian church.

Hugh Boyd was a merchant in partnership with Hamilton Boyd. They held a storehouse and dock space on Quay Street. Assessment rolls valued his house and lots on Dock Street. He also was known as a "mariner." In 1813, the first city directory listed his address at 30 Dock Street and his store at 42 Quay.

In 1800, his first ward household was described on the Albany census. A decade later, the census marked the growth of his family.

In 1813, he began to sell off his Albany holdings. In 1814, he purchased 100 acres along the Normanskill in Bethlehem - an emerging, less congested area south of the city. His new home was on lands settled by his wife's family the Staatses. Shortly thereafter, he was able to augment those holdings.

Hugh Boyd filed a will on December 27, 1816. He died two days later. He had lived just under fifty years. His will passed probate in February 1817. His widow probably moved in with family members and survived until 1840.

biography in-progress


the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Hugh Boyd is CAP biography number 7398. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.

Family records preserved probate information. He was residing in the town of Bethlehem. Wife Catherine was to receive all real and personal estate. The will named nine children and identified one on the way. The ten children were to inherit on their mother's passing.

first posted: 1/20/10; updated 1/24/11