Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/326

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

time between ijS o and 1790. They )>ought (>art of the Montgomcn* I'urchafte, John tak­ ing the land beginning* at what is now the river bank at Church street: thence eastward beyond the present site of the State H ospital; ihence northward to the vicinity o f Toby Run Moliow': thence westward to what is now* the Bloom ro a d; thence south w*ard to the present Church street. Jacob Sechler* son oi John, w as born in what is now Danville* O c t 9, 1790. H e scrv'cd in the "D anville Blues” in the w ar o f t S ia and was the last sur'ivor of that company. H e was an enterprising and useful citizen and was one of the pioneers of thLs region noted for his honesty, industr)* and sterling integrity. F o r many years he lived on the farm within the present limits o f Dan­ ville, later known as the "B e av er fann*” and now a part of the property of the State H os­ pital for the Insane. H e died Dec. 26, 1880. ngc<l ninety-one years. Jacob Sechler was twice married, first to a M iss Reese* a Swiss Huguenot, and upon her death to Mrs. Ann Gilbert. H is Lamtly consisted of eleven chil­ dren* all bom o f his first w ife, two of the eleven dying in early life. Those who grew to maturity w ere: Abraham, who died when cighty-thrce vears o f a g e; Samuel, who died at the age 01 eighty-two; Jacob, who died at the age o f ninety ye ars; M ary, who married Joseph Miller, and who afterw ards married ^ o m a s Coxey, the father of the famous "G eneral" C o xey; Charles Sechler, who died at the age o f sixty-tw o; Alem. who died at the age o f seventy-eight ye ars; Frank, who died at the age o f eighty-tw o: Jam es, who died at the age o f seventy-five; and M arquis de fayctte Scchlcr, who died at the age o f seventy. J o h n C. Bovi> w as b o m in Chester county in H is father w*as John Boyd* who scr’^ for .seven ycar.s in the arm y of the Rc'ohition and at the end o f that time w as hon­ orably discharged, returning home, as his hiographcr says, "W ith nothing left but his horse and equipments.” Y et still that same year- - 1 7 8 2 - he married Mar>* Cowen and at once established himself in a tanner)* near Cochran ville. Chester county, where he car­ ried on a profitable business for some years. John C. Boyd marrietl Hannah Montgomer)', daughter o f Gen. Daniel Montgomer>*. May 18, 1820, and shortly aftei' came to Danville to rcsiilc. M r. Boyd opened a store in the building formerly occupied by his father-inlaw. located on the lot where the "M ontour H ouse" now stands. In 1824 he solcl out and rcmove<l to the farm a few miles above Dan­

ville* oil the south side of the river* known ever since as the "B o y d farm .” T his farm w as given Mrs. Boyd by her father as a ntarriage gift. M r. Boyd built the stone gristmill which still stands on the old farm, as also the w'ell known white mansion house which in all its stateliness has survived the wreck o f time. H e joined his most active fathee-in-law in the many enterprises in which he was engaged* chief among which was the Danville and Pottsville railroad. H is biographer s a y s : "M r. Boyd w as a man o f irreproachable life and most agreeable manners, dignified and upright. He had a thorough knowledge o f men and rarely w as wrong in his estimate of them. In all his intercourse with those with whom he had to do. he was alw ays the same courteous and considerate gentleman, never giving o f­ fense by thoughtless or inconsiderate words or actions. He had the confidence and respect of all his neighbors and friends.” H e died Aug. 18, 1849. in his fifty-sixth year. H e left survivnng him children as fol­ low s: Mary L ., married to William Neal, of Bloomsburg; D. Montgomery B o yd; H. Hiiza Boyd, who died unm arried; Jam es B o yd; J. .Alexander B o yd; Christiana J. Boyd. marrie<l to Col. William M. M cC lure; and Josch C. Boyd. J o h n I*i:ndv w*as bom at M illrillc, Colum­ bia Co., Pa., Ju ly 22, J799. H e was the son o f Kphrnini and Elizabeth Lun<^. On .April II* 1822* he married M ercy Morrison, w'ho w as born .Aug. 25, 1799. daughter o f Jolm and Sarah Morrison, o f Geityshuig, Pa. John Lundy came to Danville about 1822 and pur­ chased the property at the southeast com er of Market and Pine streets* where he lived until his death, and where his widow resided until her death. T his valuable com er was pur­ chased by John I.undy. about the time he came to Danville, fo r S75. There was a supersti­ tion th.it the property w*as haunted and no one was willing to risk its purchase. The chil­ dren o f John Lundy and his w ife Mercy were as follow s: ( 1 ) Rev. John Patterson Lundy. I). D., born Feb. 3* 1823, graduated at Prince­ ton U niversity in the class o f 1846 and at f*rinceton Thcologic,il Scm inarv in 1849. He entered the Presbyterian ininistf)* upon his graduation, but in 1855 changed to the Episcofial ministr)'. He was interested in forestry and has the credit o f first calling attention to. and promoting. Ihe science o f fo restry : he w*as one of the founders of the Pennsylv*anin F o r­ estry Association. H e died Dec. i t . rSo^. <2) Sarah Elizabeth Lundy, bom Jan. 23. 1826* liccame the w ife o f John McHemy** of