William Alexander Boyd Jr. (1889 - 1901)

Born 10 Jan 1889 in Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware, United States

Ancestors

Died 23 May 1901 at age 12 in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, United States

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Biography

William A. Boyd, Jr.^[1] was born on 10 January 1889,^[1] at 822 duPont Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware,^[1] to William Alexander Boyd and Elizabeth Eggleton Irvin.^[1] Since his father's name was 'William Alexander', his middle name was probably 'Alexander', but no document explicitly stating his middle name has been found.

In 1900, he was living with his parents and siblings in Christiana Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware. He was not listed as attending school (unlike his older sister Bessie). ^[2]

On 9 May 1901, while he was playing near Ninth and duPont Streets, he walked into a live electrical wire. He was unconscious and badly burned.^[3]

He initially improved, but his condition worsened the last few days before his death.^[3]

William Boyd Jr. died young.

He died on 23 May 1901, at the Delaware Hospital, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware, from shock, resulting from electric wire burns. He was buried on 26 May 1901, in Silverbrook Cemetery, Wilmington Delaware, lot 54, section A Marshallton. ^{[4] [5] [3] [6] [7]}

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Wilmington, Delaware, 'Return of a Birth', Wm A Boyd, 10 January 1889; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6819-5WM : accessed 19 August 2021).

   Wm A Boyd

   male, white

   born 10 Jan 1889, 822 duPont St

   father Wm A Boyd, 26, milkman, b. Delaware

   mother Eliz. A Irvin, 23, b. Pennsylvania

   2nd child in family, 2nd child of mother

   informant John P. Hales

2. ↑ 1900 U.S. census, Christiana Hundred South, New Castle County, Delaware, population schedule, enumeration district 51, p.249 A stamped = sheet 22 A penned, family 404; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-D1D4-WB1 : accessed 16 August 2021); citing National Archives, microfilm series T623, roll 156.

   rented house

   head William A Boyd, white, male, Aug 1863, 36, married 13 years, born Delaware, father born Ireland, mother born Delaware, milk dealer, 0 months unemployed

   wife Elizabeth E -, white, femal,e Oct 1865, 34, married 13 years, 6 children, 6 living, born Pennsylvania, father born Pennsylvania, mother born England

   daughter Bessie -, white, female, September 1897, 12, single, brn Delaware, at school 9 months

   son William A - Jr, white, male, Jan 1889, 11, single, born Delaware, [not listed as at school]

   son Charles H -, white, male, July 1891, 8, single, born Delaware, [not listed as at school]

   son Walter G -, white, male, Jan 1893, 7, single, born Delaware

   daughter Jennie S -, white, female, Oct 1895, 4, single, born Delaware

   son Alfred L -, white, male, Dec 1897, 2, single, born Delaware

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} 'Died from electric shock', The Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware), Friday 24 May 1901, p. 1, col. 2; image copy, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/153986841/ : accessed 19 August 2021).: 'DIED FROM ELECTRIC SHOCK'

   'Twelve-Year-Old William Boyd Was Entangled in a Live Wire

   'and Burned.

   'William Boyd, aged twelve years, died at the Delaware Hospital last evening from the effects of a shock by coming in contact with a live electric wire.'

   'He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Boyd of Elsmere, and while playing around Ninth and duPont streets on the afternoon of May 9 he walked into the live wire that was dangling from a pole.

   'He was horribly burned and was made unconscious by the shock. He lay in that condition many hours, his life being saved for the time being by the prompt work of Dr. J.N. Millikin.

   'He was sent to the Delaware Hospital, where it was thought he was recovering, but in the past two or three days his condition became worse, and he died at 7 o'clock last evening. His mother was with him at the time.'

4. ↑ 'Delaware, U.S., Death Records, 1861-1933', Wm. A. Boyd, 23 May 1901; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1674/images/31297_212465-00748 : accessed 19 August 2021); citing Delaware Public Archives, Dover, Delaware.

   Wm A Boyd

   white, male, 12 years old, single

   died 23 May 1901, Del Hospital, of shock, result of electric wire burns

   born Del, to Wm A and Elizabeth

   buried from Price's corner, Cristianna Hun, 26 May 1901, Silverbrook Cemetery

5. ↑ Silverbrook Cemetery Office (Wilmington, Delaware) to Harry A. Ide, November 1998; providing lot card for lot #54, sec. A Marshallton, purchased by Walter and William A Boyd.

   'Page 14 - Old Book

   'BOYD, WALTER & WILLIAM A. - 5/25/01 - Lot #54 - Sec. A Marshallton

   '- 8 Graves - Deed #27

   'Burial No. Grave No. Name

   '26 8 Wm. A. Boyd, Jr. 12 yrs., 5/26/01

   '151 2 Wm. A. Boyd, Sr., 40 yrs., 4/12/03

   '7486 4 Samuel Shannon, 58 yrs., 8/2/36

   '8696 5 Gerald [sic] Irwin [sic], 78 yrs., 4/12/41

   '9311 3 Elizabeth Shannon, 77 yrs., 7/22/43

   '16140 1 Alfred L. Boyd, 68 yrs., 3/31/66

   'Amt. Paid - $17.50

   'Perpetual Care - $100.00'

6. ↑ William A. Boyd, death notice, Wilmington Daily Commercial, Friday 24 May 1901, p.5, col. 5; image copy, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/161212893/ : accessed 19 August 2021); citing The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware).

   'BOYD--On May 23d, 1901, William A., son of William A., and Elizabeth E. Boyd, aged 12 years.

   'Relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral from the residence of his parents near Price's Corner in Christiana hundred on Sunday afternoon, May 26th, at 2 o'clock. Interment at Silverbook cemetery.'

7. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #130214388, William A Boyd Jr., created by Jackie, added 22 May 2014; database, accessed 19 August 2021; citing Silverbrook Cemetery and Memorial Park; includes picture of monument, added by Jackie.

   inscription on pictured stone: 'WM. A. BOYD JR JAN. 10, 1889 MAY 23, 1901 - SAMUEL F. SHANNON MAR. 7 [?] 1878 AUG 1 1936 - REST IN PEACE'

See also

• William A Boyd Jr, on FamilySearch's Family Tree