William Boyce Genealogy

The Boyce family is from Scotland originally. It is ordinarily spelled Boyce or Boice. Different lines of the family came to this country, settling in the eastern states and moving west. What follows here is the line beginning in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, and moving to Kentucky.

In 1936, John Carroll Stow of Baltimore wrote of the Boyce family, and anyone who explores this family can profit by using that study as a starting point. He believed his line (and ours) began with Daniel and Margaret Boyce of Worcester County, Maryland. He also assumed that these Boyces were related to the one in the adjoining county of Sussex, in Delaware. More recently, in 1994, Pauline Manning Batchhelder published A Somerset Sampler, Families of Old Somerset County, Maryland. She believes that the Boyce family can be traced back two more generations to Joseph Boyce, who died in Somerset County, Maryland in 1718. What follows here relies heavily on these prior studies.

William Boyce (d. ca 1667), evidently the first Boyce in Somerset County, may have had origins in Northampton/Accomack Counties, Virginia. A William Boyce was on several headwright lists in Accomack County in the 1660s, as was a John Boyce. William Boyce was executor of the estate of Sarah Delamas (Belamas), sister of his wife Mary. The clerk of Northampton County in 1658 was John Boys. William Boyst was recorded with rights to land for himself and his wife Mary in Somerset County on October 3, 1662. He had surveyed for himself the tract Boyces Branch on the north side of a branch of the Annemessex River on April 9, 1664. He served on a jury with Roberet Catlin on November 27, 1666. Torrence describes Boyce's family in Old Somerset. William Boyce wrote his will on January 19, 1665/6, and its probate date is not recorded. In his will William Boyce placed his only daughter Jane, under 15, in the custody of Robert Catlin and Ann his wife until Jane is of age, and makes Catlin his executor. A further suggestion of a relationship between the two families is that William Boyce's tract, Boyce Branch, and Robert Catlin's tract, Cattlyns Lott, each 300 acres, were surveyed the same day and were adjacent to each other. The Catlins came from Accomack County, and the daughter Ann was born in Hungars Parish on October 6, 1661. There is no overt indication found of a relationship between this William Boyce and the Joseph Boyce below.

Joseph Boyce was perhaps the same one listed as transported to Maryland in 1675. No mention of land ownership in Somerset County is to be found. Joseph died about 1718 in Somerset County, and his estate was appraised by John Huffington and John Gilles, and was filed in 1718, with Joseph Boyce (Jr.) and Daniel Boyce listed as next of kin. There are no Boyces on the 1723 tax list for Somerset County. Daniel Boyce appeared on the 1724 tax list in the household of Thomas Huffington, an indication that he was at least 16 years of age by then. However, Batchelder does not believe him to be a son of Joseph Sr. Joseph Jr. and Daniel were listed as next of kin to Joseph Sr., under the law of primogeniture, suggesting that Daniel was the son of Joseph Jr.

Batchelder concludes that Joseph Boyce's children were as follows:

Joyce Boyce was born on September 17, 1686.
Joseph Boyce, Jr., was born on June 17, 1688. More later.
Anne Boyce was born on Jun 17, 1690.
William Boyce was born on June 5, 1692. Possibly died before 1718.
Sarah Boyce was born on May 5, 1694.

Joseph Boyce, Jr., was born on June 17, 1688. He probably lived out his life in Somerset County, though little is known of him. His wife is not identified. He probably died by 1721, for a couple of the children were "bound out" then. Batchelder believes that their children were as follows:
Daniel Boyce, was born about 1708. More later.
William Boyce was born about 1710. He was bound to Robert Mitchell in November 1721. He was taxed in the household of Robert Mitchell from 1727 to 1731, with William Lane in 1733-34, and with Angelo Atkinson in 1735. He may have died before the 1736 assessment.
Tabitha Boyce was born about 1714. She was bound out in November 1721 to John Matthews.
John Boyce first appeared on the Somerset tax list in 1731. He was assessed as head of the household in 1736. As residents of Worcester County, Daniel and John were associated in 1748 in ownership of land, suggesting a close relationship.

Daniel Boyce, probable son of Joseph Boyce, Jr., was born about 1708 in Somerset County. He married Margaret, last name unknown, about 1730-1732.
On May 16, 1734, Daniel Boyce patented 100 acres, a place called Good Luck. On August 14, 1745, he patented 160 acres called Dispute. Then on February 10, 1755, he patented 50 acres, 40 square perches called Long Ridge. (Land Records of Worcester, Md., 1666-1810, by Ruth Dryden) Note: Worcester County was created from Somerset County in 1742.
Daniel wrote his will on February 12, 1755; and it was probated the next month, on March 27, 1755. (Lib. 29 of Wills, folio 413) Here is an abstract:
Debts and funeral charges to be paid and discharged.
To son William Boyce, 50 acres of land, contained and mentioned in patent, dated Feb. 5, 1728, called Johnson's Folly and another tract in Somerset County, the patent bearing date of May 15, 1734, estimated to contain 100 acres of land called Good Luck; also one negro boy...
To son, Joseph Boyce, 40 acres of land, purchased of Spence Hall, being part of a tract, called Green Hill and another tract, called Tyrall, estimated to contain 100 acres, mentioned in a patent, dated Dec. 20, 1741 (taken up by John Boyce); also 50 acres, called Long Ridge, made over to testator, by Jonas Dunstin, on Nov. 5, 1734.
To son Jonathan Boyce, 50 acres of land, next to boundary of a tract of 210 acres, called Disputes, also 100 acres called Boyce's Fancy; also saw and grist mills, belonging to it, when he shall reach the age of 21 years.

Daniel Boyce

Executor, son William Boyce
Witnesses:
John Houston Sr.
John Houston
John Phipps

March 28/1755/6 - Margaret Boyce, widow and relict of the within, Daniel Boyce, renounces the within or foregoing will and electeth in lieu thereof, to have her thirds of the deceased's estate, as by law established. - Before Benton Harris - D. Comry of Worcester Co.
On March 12, 1756, the inventory of the personal estate of Daniel Boyce, deceased, was made and reported by John Gibbons and Philip Wingate. (Vol. LX, Inventories, F. 582) Next of kin were Joseph Boyce and Sarah Collins. Creditors listed were Joseph Raccle and Joseph Collins.
The widow, Margaret Boyce, later married Joshua Caldwell, millwright, perhaps by early 1757, when two of the Boyce sons sold land to him. When Joshua died in 1767, his wife was Betty. (Worcester Co. Wills, JW-2:150-151)

Children of Daniel and Margaret Boyce