Our Pierce Family: Massachusetts Bay to the Pacific Coast

 

This is a remarkable New England lineage that tracks nearly 350 years of American expansion—starting with Puritan settlement in 1630s Massachusetts, through colonial Connecticut and Rhode Island, into the post-Civil War Great Plains, and reaching the Pacific Northwest.

Key Genealogical Discoveries & Historical Notes

1. The Puritan Founders in Massachusetts (Gens 1–2)

• Thomas Pierce (1583–1666): Arrived in New England around 1633–1634 during the Great Migration. He was admitted as a freeman of Charlestown, Massachusetts, in May 1635 and became a major landholder with over 90 acres across Charlestown and Woburn. Notably, his 1665 will included a bequest of 20 shillings to Harvard College, making him one of the institution's earliest private donors.
• Sergeant Thomas Pierce II (1617–1683): Served as a Selectman of Woburn and held the rank of Sergeant in the local trainband (militia). His father-in-law, Rice (Ryse) Cole, was one of the original founders of the church in Charlestown in 1632.

2. The Connecticut & Rhode Island Branches (Gens 3–8)

• Col. Timothy Pierce (1673–1748): A towering figure in Eastern Connecticut history. He was among the earliest proprietors of Plainfield, CT. Over his life, he served as Colonel of the 11th Connecticut Regiment, Judge of the Probate Court, Judge of the County Court of Common Pleas, and represented Plainfield in the Connecticut General Assembly for nearly a decade.
• Jedediah Pierce (1740–1826): Born in Connecticut, Jedediah joined the post-Revolutionary migration up the Connecticut River valley into Vermont, settling in Royalton, Windsor County, where he lived for over three decades until his death at age 86.
• The Rhode Island "Pearce/Pierce" Spelling Variant: Generations 7 and 8 settled in Foster, Providence County, Rhode Island. In Rhode Island civil and church records, the surname frequently alternated between Pierce, Pearce, and Pirce. They married into long-standing Rhode Island families, including the Mattesons, Cases, and Braymans.

3. Military Service & Western Expansion (Gens 9–12)

• James L. Pierce (1823–c. 1847): Died young around age 24 during the era of the Mexican-American War, with family records indicating he passed away at sea.
• Marcus Morton Pierce (1842–1882): Named after Marcus Morton (the 18th Governor of Massachusetts). He served as a Union soldier during the Civil War. After the war, he joined the westward land rush, moving his family from Pennsylvania to homestead in Valley County, Nebraska.
• Lillian Amanda Pierce & Franklin Jackson Bailey (Gens 11–12): Lillian married David Jackson Bailey (son of a Union veteran). Their son Franklin Jackson Bailey homesteaded in Montana before moving to California, bridging the pioneer era into the mid-20th century.

Lineage at a Glance

Gen	Individual	Life Dates	Primary Residence	Key Historic Note
1	Thomas Pierce	1583–1666	Charlestown, MA	Immigrant ancestor (c. 1633); Harvard donor
2	Sgt. Thomas Pierce II	1617–1683	Woburn, MA	Selectman & Militia Sergeant
3	Thomas Peirce III	1645–1717	Woburn, MA / CT	Early settler in New Haven Co., CT
4	Col. Timothy Pierce	1673–1748	Plainfield, CT	Colonel 11th CT Regt., Probate Judge
5	Nathaniel M. Pierce	1701–1775	Pomfret, CT	Windham County landholder
6	Jedediah Pierce	1740–1826	Royalton, VT	Migrated to Vermont land boom
7	William Pearce (Pierce)	1770–1841	Foster, RI	Established Rhode Island branch
8	William Pearce (Pierce)	1794–1875	Foster, RI	Married into Matteson & Austin lines
9	James L. Pierce	1823–c. 1847	Foster, RI	Lost at sea during Mexican-American War era
10	Marcus Morton Pierce	1842–1882	Woonsocket, RI / Nebraska	Union Army Veteran & Nebraska pioneer
11	Lillian Amanda Pierce	1867–1957	Nebraska / Washington	Westward migration to Pacific Northwest
12	Franklin Jackson Bailey	1886–1968	Nebraska / Montana / CA	Montana homesteader

Family Narrative: From Massachusetts Bay to the Pacific Coast

Chapter I: The Puritan Foothold (1630s–1700s)

The story begins in the spring of 1633, when Thomas Pierce and his wife Elizabeth left Norfolk, England, aboard a Puritans' ship bound for the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Settling in Charlestown, Thomas established himself as a prominent land proprietor and citizen. His son, Sergeant Thomas Pierce II, helped build the town of Woburn, defending the community during the turbulent early Indian conflicts as an officer in the local trainband.

By the third generation, Thomas Peirce III looked beyond Massachusetts. As the colonies expanded southward into Indian-ceded lands, his son Timothy Pierce became one of the key figures in settling Plainfield, Connecticut.

Chapter II: Judges, Militiamen & Rhode Island Farmers (1700s–1840s)

In Eastern Connecticut, Col. Timothy Pierce rose to immense civic stature. As commander of the 11th Connecticut Regiment and a presiding judge in Windham County, Timothy represented the pinnacle of colonial leadership. His grandson, Jedediah Pierce, carried the family spirit into the revolutionary era—eventually moving north into the rugged hills of Royalton, Vermont.

Simultaneously, Jedediah’s son William Pearce established roots in Foster, Rhode Island. For two generations, the family farmed along the Rhode Island-Connecticut border, intermarrying with pioneer families like the Cases, Mattesons, and Braymans.

Chapter III: War, Tragedy & The Great Plains (1840s–1880s)

Tragedy struck the line in the late 1840s when James L. Pierce died young at sea during the Mexican-American War, leaving his young widow Elvira and small children in Rhode Island.

His son, Marcus Morton Pierce, answered the call to arms during the Civil War, enlisting in the Union forces. Following the war, Marcus joined the Homestead movement. Driven by the promise of free prairie land, he moved his family out to the Nebraska frontier, settling in Valley County.

Chapter IV: Crossing the Continent (1880s–1960s)

Marcus’s daughter, Lillian Amanda Pierce, grew up on the Nebraska prairie, marrying a young cowboy David Jackson Bailey (himself the son of a Union Civil War veteran).

Their son, Franklin Jackson Bailey, continued the frontier tradition by filing a homestead claim in Montana, before farming in Idaho and eventually moving his family to Los Angeles, California. In twelve generations, our Pierce line traveled from the shores of Charlestown Harbor across the Great Plains to the Pacific.

Thank you Gemini AI for your wisdom and research assistance. -- Drifting Cowboy

Our Boyds, from Scotland to Colonial Virginia, Nebraska, and Beyond

 

Our Boyd-Bailey lineage traces a classic American pioneer story: from Scottish roots and early colonial immigration to frontier expansion across Virginia, Tennessee, Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska, and beyond. 

This family participated in westward settlement, military service (Revolutionary War through Civil War), farming, and community building. Records come from sources like WikiTree, Geni, Find a Grave, FamilySearch, and historical compilations, with some date/parentage variations common in pre-1800 genealogy due to limited documentation, spelling differences, and overlapping names. DNA matches strengthen connections in later generations.

GEN 1: Robert Boyd (immigrant, ~1669–1743)

Robert Boyd, born around 1669 in Airth, Stirlingshire, Scotland, immigrated to colonial Pennsylvania. He died in April 1743 in Sadsbury Township, Chester County, PA. Sources sometimes list a 1678 birth or slight variations, and parentage links to Rev. Adam Boyd and Agnes Forsythe appear in user trees and some Geni records, though earlier Boyd lines in Scotland often tie to noble or clerical families. 

He married Elizabeth Jennet Johnston (~1670–1705). Their son George Sr. carried the line forward. Robert represents the immigrant generation, settling in a Quaker-influenced area of Chester County amid early 18th-century colonial growth. His life bridged Old World Scotland and the opportunities of British North America.

GEN 2: George Sr. Boyd (immigrant, bef. 31 May 1691–1731)

George was christened 31 May 1691 in Airth, Stirlingshire, Scotland (son of Robert and Elizabeth per many trees, though some sources debate or list a George Boyd Sr. as father). He died around 1731 in Compass, Chester County, PA, and is buried at Saint John's Episcopal Church Cemetery there. 

He married Isabella Jane Irvine (~1690–1749). Their son John continued the line. The family lived in the Compass area of Chester County. George’s generation helped establish early Pennsylvania settlements as the colony expanded.

Note on early generations: Some discrepancies exist (e.g., exact parentage of George or birth locations). These Boyds were part of broader Scots-Irish or Scottish migration patterns to Pennsylvania, later moving south into Virginia.

GEN 3: John Boyd (~1712–1757)

Born about 1712 (some sources say Pennsylvania or Virginia), John died 10 May 1757 in Halifax County, Virginia. He was one of the sons of George and Isabella. 

He married Margaret Lawson (~1700–1764). Their son William kept the lineage going. John’s move to Lunenburg/Halifax County, Virginia, reflects the southward push of many Pennsylvania families into frontier Virginia in the mid-18th century. He left a will in Halifax County.

GEN 4: William Boyd (DNA match, ~1720–1794)

William was born around 1720 in the Bedford area of Virginia and died 27 January 1794 in Bedford County, Virginia. He married Margaret Mason (~1725–1752). 

This generation lived through the French and Indian War era and the lead-up to the American Revolution in Virginia’s western counties. Bedford County was a frontier region with significant Scotch-Irish settlement.

GEN 5: James Boyd (DNA match, Rev War Vet, 1757–1791)

Born 1757 in Bedford County, Virginia, James died in 1791 in Floyd County, Kentucky (or en route). He served in the Revolutionary War. He married first Jane Stevenson (~1750–1779), then Hannah Gilbert (~1754–1783). 

His son Lt. James carried forward. James embodied the Revolutionary generation—fighting for independence and then pushing further west into Tennessee as the frontier opened after the war.

GEN 6: Lt. James Boyd (DNA match, Booth’s East Tennessee Militia, 1783–1854)

Born 10 August 1783 in Virginia, he died 20 November 1854 in Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa. He had a long life spanning multiple migrations. He served in Booth’s East Tennessee Militia (War of 1812 era). 

He married first Nancy Simpson (DNA match, 1788–1824), with whom he had many children including Valentine, then later Ann Mariah Postles (1807–1882). The large family (dozens of children across two marriages) highlights high fertility and frontier family sizes. The family moved through Tennessee, Ohio (Clinton Township, Franklin County), and eventually Iowa. Lt. James was a blacksmith and farmer, typical occupations for the era.

GEN 7: Valentine Boyd (1811–aft. Jun 1870)

Born 1811 in Tennessee, Valentine died after June 1870 in Union Township, Appanoose County, Iowa. He worked as a blacksmith in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa before settling as a farmer in Appanoose County. 

He married first Sarah Catherine Groom (1815–1858), mother of Sophia and others, then Elisabeth (Richmond) Sparling. Valentine’s mobility reflects mid-19th-century opportunities and challenges in the Midwest.

GEN 8: Sophia Boyd (1836–1908)

Born 20 December 1836 in Clinton Township, Franklin County, Ohio, Sophia died 14 October 1908 in Elkhorn, Douglas County, Nebraska. She married David Solomon Bailey (1837–1915), a Civil War veteran, on 1 March 1859. 

David served in the Union Army (Iowa cavalry), mustering out in 1865; after losing his right leg in the Battle of Brice’s Cross Roads near Baldwyn, Mississippi. The couple moved westward to Nebraska where they rbred Belgium and operated a teamster business. Their children included David Jackson Bailey. Sophia’s life spanned Midwest farming communities and the post-Civil War settlement of the Great Plains.

GEN 9: David Jackson Bailey (1865–1949)

Born 19 November 1865 in Moravia, Appanoose County, Iowa, he died 12 May 1949 in Lewiston, Nez Perce County, Idaho. He married Lillian Amanda Pierce (1867–1957), after a brief stint as a working cowboy. 

Their son Franklin Jackson was the next link. David Jackson’s generation saw the transition from 19th- to 20th-century America, with moves further west into Idaho.

GEN 10: Franklin Jackson Bailey (1886–1968)

Born 29 April 1886 in Liberty Township, Valley County, Nebraska, he died 15 March 1968 in Los Angeles, California. He married Lydia Corinna Brown (1891–1971). Their children included Velma Veda Bailey and others. 

Franklin’s life brought the family to California, part of the broader 20th-century migration to the West Coast for economic opportunities.

This Boyd-Bailey line exemplifies the American experience—from a Scottish immigrant in Pennsylvania in the early 1700s, through Virginia frontiers and Revolutionary service, to Midwest farming in Ohio and Iowa, Civil War involvement, and final pushes to Nebraska and the Pacific Coast. The family showed resilience, large households, military contributions across wars, and adaptation from blacksmithing/farming to modern 20th-century life. DNA matches and consistent records in later generations provide strong confidence, while earlier links benefit from traditional genealogical cross-referencing. Many lived long lives for their eras and contributed to settling vast swaths of the young United States.

Thank you Grok xAI for your wisdom and research assistance. -- Drifting Cowboy

From the Ulster Frontier to the Huron Tract

 

Hugh Sturdy's home in Ontario

Chapter I: The Ballyconnell Years (1730s–1820s)

In the mid-18th century, the Sturdy family lived in Ballyconnell, a market town nestled beneath Slieve Rushen in County Cavan, Ireland. Richard Sturdy (1736–1780) and his wife Margarate Brown raised their family in this Ulster Protestant stronghold. Following Richard’s early death in 1780, Margarate lived to the remarkable age of 96, seeing her children and grandchildren navigate the political unrest and agricultural pressures of late 18th-century Ireland.

Their son, John Sturdy (1775–1849), married Sarah Findley. Living through the aftermath of the 1798 Rebellion and the economic contraction following the Napoleonic Wars, the family faced hard choices. While John and Sarah remained in Ballyconnell, their children looked across the Atlantic toward the vast timberlands of British North America.

Chapter II: Crossing the Atlantic & Taming the Huron Wilderness (1830s–1880s)

Around 1830, Hugh Sturdy (1800–1884), his wife Elizabeth Shaw, and their young children joined a wave of Ulster emigrants bound for Upper Canada. They settled in Goderich Township, Huron County, a frontier territory managed by the Canada Company.

Clearing dense hardwood forests, Hugh established a homestead that became a cornerstone of the local community. It was here in Goderich that his daughter Ellen Sturdy was born in October 1833.

Nearby, another Anglo-Irish family—the Proctors, who had emigrated from Freshford, County Kilkenny—was also carving out a life in Goderich Township. On September 15, 1859, William A. Proctor (1831–1892) married Ellen Sturdy, uniting two prominent local pioneer clans.

Chapter III: Life in Ontario & The Multiple Births

William and Ellen Proctor farmed in Huron County before moving into the expanding industrial corridors of Ontario. They raised a large, vibrant family that included Adaline Proctor (b. 1864) and two sets of twins (including twins Annie Caroline & Edward Anderson, and Oswald Sturdy & Royal & Earnest in 1880).

The family maintained deep ties to the Sturdy homesteading traditions—frequently passing down family given names like Oswald, Hugh, and Ellen across generations.

Chapter IV: The Detroit Industrial Frontier (1890s–1960s)

On October 31, 1887, Adaline Proctor married Allan McNeil, a sailor, in Lambton, Ontario. Seeking maritime opportunities in the booming Great Lakes region, Adaline and Allan moved across the border to Detroit, Michigan.

In Detroit, the family adapted to urban life. Following Adaline's early passing in 1908, her daughter Annie Margaret McNeil (1892–1964) married Stephen William Head in 1913, continuing the family's story through the 20th century in Michigan and eventually southern California.

Key Genealogical Findings & Notes

Subject	Generation	Primary Insight / Verification Record
Richard Sturdy & Margarate Brown	Gen Y	County Cavan Records: Confirmed residence in Tomregan Parish/Ballyconnell. Margarate survived her husband by 52 years, passing in 1832.
Hugh Sturdy & Elizabeth Shaw	Gen 1	1884 Huron County Death Register & Obituary: Confirms birth in Ballyconnell (~1800), emigration year (~1830), and status as a original Huron Tract pioneer settler.
William A. Proctor & Ellen Sturdy	Gen 2	1859 Marriage Register (Huron Co.): Unifies the Kilkenny Proctors and Cavan Sturdys. Vital statistics expand the child list to 12 children (including multiple twin births).
Adaline Proctor & Allan McNeil	Gen 3	Detroit City Directories & Michigan Vital Records: Documents the transition from Canadian farm life to Detroit’s industrial expansion, along with Allan McNeil’s alias (Wm Allen).

GENEALOGY NOTES:

Verification & Historical Insights

1. The Ballyconnell, County Cavan Origins (Gen Y & Z):
• Location Context: Ballyconnell sits in the Parish of Tomregan, County Cavan, right along the border with Fermanagh in Ulster. The Sturdys were Church of Ireland (Anglican) landholders and tradesmen who settled in Ulster during the 17th/18th century Plantations.
• Parentage Clarification for Gen 1: Family records and Irish genealogical compilations confirm that Hugh Sturdy (1800–1884) was indeed the son of John Sturdy (1775–1849) and Sarah Findley (1789–1820), rather than his uncle Richard (a common overlap in online trees due to repeated naming patterns like Oswald and Richard).
• The Migration Window: Hugh Sturdy, along with his young wife Elizabeth Shaw and their eldest children, emigrated from Ballyconnell, Cavan to Upper Canada around 1828–1830.
2. The Huron County Pioneer Legacy (Gen 1 & 2):
• Goderich Township Settlement: Hugh Sturdy was among the earliest pioneer settlers in the Huron Tract, carving a farm out of the wilderness in Goderich Township. His 1884 obituary highlights him as "one of the oldest settlers in this tract, passing at the advanced age of 84 years."
• The Proctor-Sturdy Union: The marriage of William A. Proctor and Ellen Sturdy on September 15, 1859, joined two prominent Anglo-Irish Protestant pioneer families in Huron County (the Proctors from Freshford, Kilkenny, and the Sturdys from Ballyconnell, Cavan).
• Multiple Births in Gen 2: The expanded record sets for William Proctor and Ellen Sturdy confirm a remarkably large household, including two sets of twins born in Huron County: twins Annie Caroline and Edward Anderson (b. ~1873/1874) and triplets/twins Oswald Sturdy, Royal, and Earnest (b. 1880).
3. The Detroit Migration & Family Name Shifts (Gen 3 & 4):
• Adaline Proctor & Allan McNeil: As the lumber and railway economy shifted in the late 19th century, Adaline Proctor and Allan McNeil moved from Lambton/Huron, Ontario, across the border to Detroit, Michigan.
• Allan McNeil’s Name Change: Allan McNeil adopted the name William Allen around 1898–1908 in Detroit. His children (including Annie Margaret and Hugh Sturdy) often alternated between the spellings McNeil and MacNeil in Michigan records.

Integrated Lineage Summary

   Richard Sturdy (1736–1780) ══════════════ Margarate Brown (1736–1832)

   b. Ballyconnell, Cavan                   b. Ireland

   d. Ballyconnell, Cavan                   d. Ballyconnell, Cavan

                                │

                                ▼

   John Sturdy (1775–1849) ═════════════════ Sarah Findley (1789–1820)

   b. Ballyconnell, Cavan                   b. Cavan, Ireland

   d. Ballyconnell, Cavan                   d. Ballyconnell, Cavan

                                │

                                ▼

   Hugh Sturdy (1800–1884) ═════════════════ Elizabeth Shaw (1806–1873)

   b. Ballyconnell, Cavan                   b. Cavan, Ireland

   d. Goderich, Huron Co., ON               d. Goderich, Huron Co., ON

                                │

                                ▼

   Ellen Sturdy (1833–1906) ════════════════ William A. Proctor (1831–1892)

   b. Goderich Twp, Huron Co., ON           b. Freshford, Kilkenny, Ireland

   d. Detroit, Wayne Co., MI                d. York/Toronto, Ontario

                                │

                                ▼

   Adaline Proctor (1864–1908) ═════════════ Allan McNeil / Wm Allen (1865–1927)

   b. Goderich, Huron Co., ON               b. Ontario, Canada

   d. Detroit, Wayne Co., MI                d. Detroit, Wayne Co., MI

                                │

                                ▼

   Annie Margaret McNeil (1892–1964) ═══════ Stephen William Head (1889–1942)

   b. Detroit, Wayne Co., MI                b. Detroit, Wayne Co., MI

   d. Santa Monica, Los Angeles Co., CA     d. Detroit, Wayne Co., MI

Thank you Gemini AI for your wisdom and research assistance. -- Drifting Cowboy