The Boyds of Plainfield

WILLIAM COOPER > AMOS COOPER > WILLIAM LLOYD COOPER > ELIZABETH BEAMS COOPER m Frank Boyd

Franklin & Elizabeth

To look back to the trajectory of the Coopers from Pennsylvania to Iowa, see this.

Elizabeth Beams Cooper was the baby of the William Lloyd Cooper and Elizabeth Beams marriage. She was born 03 Aug 1849 in Rock Grove, Stephenson County, Illinois. She met the handsome Franklin Boyd while living in Rock Grove. Frank was born 04 Jun 1840 in Cochocton, Ohio. His parents came to Rock Grove in his youth. His grandfather was of Irish or Scottish descent and eventually settled in Ohio.

In September 1861, Frank joined the US Army as a private in Co B, 46th Regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Infantry at Springfield. He participated in the battle of Fort Donelson, Kentucky and Shilo in 1862. His arm was severely injured at Hatchie later that year and he was briefly furloughed, but returned to service and finished out the war. George W Cooper (son of  John L. Cooper), Amos J. Cooper (son of John L Cooper), and Robert T Cooper (son of Chalkely Jared Cooper) all served in the same company.

Franklin & Elizabeth Cooper with
Roy and Frank Ross

Elizabeth was one of  few in her peer group who could say she attended the Lincoln-Douglas debates in Freeport, Illinois. On her later visits to the Freeport area, they spent their nights in the same hotel where Abraham Lincoln stayed during that time.

They married 24 Feb 1871 in Rock Grove and remained in the area through 1880. While in Illinois he followed the carpentry and building trade. They had three children: Frank Ross, Roy, and Hazel. Hazel was the only one born in Bremer County,

In October 1882, Boyd, along with his father-in-law William Cooper, and friend John Candy of Stephenson County, visited Iowa, at which time Frank bought a quarter section of land in Butler County and stated he had plans to move at some point. So, we can put their arrival there sometime between 1882 and 1888. The Boyd's settled in Plainfield where he followed the mercantile trade, which his sons both followed. The elder Boyd retired from business in about 1910.

Franklin died 31 May 1921 at his home in Plainfield at age 80. Elizabeth died 22 Oct 1939 in Plainfield, having reached her goal age of 90.

I'll be covering the children later.

Elizabeth Beams Cooper Boyd, 1931