Boyd Family Tales

Georgia Othello Boyd Smith was always “Tolly” to us children. Not “Aunt Tolly”… just Tolly. I never knew where the nick name came from. There were people who called her Polly, Othey, or even Othello, but to us she was Tolly. I never heard anybody call her Georgia. Tolly was born in Marshall County December 1, 1909. In 1929 she married Sampson Bauman Smith. Big Sam, as he was known in the family, died suddenly in 1938 leaving Tolly with two son; Sam and Spud. I assume that is when […]

The babies Like most family with during this time, there were two babies that did not survive. The first was Callie May Boyd born Jan 21, 1902 and died June 21,1903. The second baby Mattie Cavnar was born November 28, 1906 and died March 11, 1908. Daddy Boyd said that he was rocking one of the babies and an angel came and took her out of this arms. This must have been a very dreadful time for them. Sissie was born prematurely in-between these babies. Both infants are buried in […]

Velna T. Boyd Sissie, as we all called her, was born in-between the two baby girls who died. She was born September 10, 1906 at the family home in Marshall County. We children called her Sissie but her siblings called her Sis. It was said that she was a “seven month” baby, which meant she was premature. Mama said she thought she wasn’t expected to survive and that is why she had only a middle initial. She guessed they didn’t want to waste a name of her. Because Sissy always […]

Charles Monroe, our Uncle Jack, was born on October 1, 1898 not quite a year after Uncle John. He was born in Marshall County as well, most likely at the Cavnar home. He married Marie Lancaster on June 7, 1921. They had one son, Jack Boyd, Jr. on June 24, 1926. He and Aunt Marie lived in Madison, Tennessee. I first remember them living in an old farm house. I know they had some acreage because he had a tractor, which we all thought was pretty cool. When we went […]

The first girl was named Ida Izora Boyd. As far as I know all the children with the exception of my mother were born at the home place of Nanny’s parents, Martha Malinda Wilson Cavnar and George Washington Cavnar in Marshall County, Tennessee. On one of our jaunts to dig up family history we found the house and it was still occupied. This would have been in the early 1960s. Ida married William Loader, Jr. (we called him Loader) Fuqua in 1921. She died in 1932 leaving two sons. William […]

This is a photograph of Uncle Jack on the left, Daddy Boyd in the center and Uncle John on the right. It was taken the day Uncles John and Jack went to register for the draft. During WWI all males between the ages of 21 and 30 had to register for the military. As far as I know neither one was required to serve. Uncle John was the oldest child. He was born in 1897 in Marshall County, Tennessee, probably at the home of his Cavnar grandparents. He married Lottie […]

My grandfather’s name was George William (Hosea, pronounced by everyone as “Hosie”) Boyd. My grandmother’s name was Tempa Theodosia Cavnar (sometimes spelled “Cavner”) Boyd. As far as I know they were both born in and around Lewisburg, Marshall County, Tennessee. Marshall, Giles, Maury and other counties in south central Tennessee had their boundaries changed over the years so it is hard to pinpoint locations. It was called the Bear Creek Community, although I believe Nanny’s family were actually in Cornersville Community. These are all my surviving aunts and uncles. The […]

This blog deals primarily with George William (Hosea) and Tempa Cavnar Boyd and their descendants. You are welcome to join in and add a tale of two of your own. Remember the family motto: Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story!!