William Dunlop Boyd (1813 - 1867)

Born 29 Dec 1813 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Nancy Ann (Mudford) Boyd — married 3 Jul 1843 in Court House, Wellington, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 3 Feb 1867 at age 53 in Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand

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William Boyd migrated from Scotland to New Zealand.

Biography

William was born in 1813. He was the second son of [Boyd-7326|Thomas Boyd]] and [McDonald-10682|Catherine McDonald]].

Christening Date: 2 January 1814

Christening Place: West Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland

He emigrated to New Zealand arriving circa 1839, as an employee of the New Zealand Company, an English company that played a key role in the colonization of New Zealand. The company was formed to carry out the principles of systematic colonization devised by Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who envisaged the creation of a new-model English society in the southern hemisphere. Under Wakefield’s model, the colony would attract capitalists who would then have a ready supply of labour—migrant laborer's who could not initially afford to be property owners, but who would have the expectation of one day buying land with their savings. Being a sail maker by trade, William was to repair the sails of immigrant ships sent out by the Company, for their return trip to England.

William arrived in Auckland initially but travelled to Wellington circa 1840/41. He married [Mudford-65|Nancy Ann Mudford]] (daughter of John Mudford and Johanna Hewitt) on 3 July 1843 at the Court House, Wellington.

They went on to have thirteen children.

William appears to be the first of his name to arrive in New Zealand. There is a suggestion that a brother of his later followed him here from Scotland.

After a time in Wellington, they moved to Auckland where they settled in Parnell. William set up a Sail making business.

His last Will and Testament was dated 1 February 1867.

He passed away on 3 February 1867 at his home in Parnell, Auckland at the age of 51. From a newspaper clipping from the NZ Herald dated 4 February 1867 he ingested Arsenic before his demise. A Coroner's inquest was held at the Swan Inn, Mechanics Bay which returned the following verdict: "That the deceased, William Boyd, died from the effects of arsenic, taken while in a state of temporary insanity."^[1]

Probate Event Date: 1867

Event Place: Auckland, New Zealand

Occupation: Sailmaker^[2]

Burial

St. Stephen's Churchyard, Auckland, Auckland Council, Auckland, New Zealand. PLOT: Plot 18^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18670204.2.28
2. ↑ "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org: 2 June 2020. Archives New Zealand, Auckland Regional Office. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2XL-C5QT
3. ↑ Find a Grave, database, and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/196708644/william-dunlop-boyd), memorial page for William Dunlop Boyd (29 Dec 1813–1 Feb 1867), Find a Grave Memorial no. 196708644, citing St. Stephen's Churchyard, Auckland, Auckland Council, Auckland, New Zealand; Maintained by Terri Williamson-Lee (contributor 49155228)

• http://becausemamasaid.blogspot.co.nz/2011/03/mums-line.html

• Family resources courtesy of David Boyd

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Company#The_New_Zealand_Land_Company

• https://familysearch.org/tree/#view=ancestor&section=details&person=LWZT-B7F&spouse=LWM3-VG8

• New Zealand BDM Historical Death Records Online: 1867/3594 Boyd William 51Y

• http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll