During my trip to the USA in June 2013, I filled in time in Philadelphia before going to the Lancaster County, PA Games. The first venue I went to was the Historical Society of Pennsylvania 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia. Amongst one bundle of papers of 100 pages, it had a “page 3” which showed generation 35 to 44 of the Boyd chiefs family tree, up to William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock. While below this list is the Montgomery connection to the Boyds and outlining the Lairds of Braidstane, down to Hugh Montgomery, 6th Laird and his four sons, Thomas, Robert, William and Archibald. It then added that “Robert, the 2nd son, married Jane, eldest daughter of David Boyd, of Glastry and had Rev Thomas Montgomery, of Downpatrick, Co. Down, who married his cousin Margaret (d. 1767) daughter of Thomas Boyd, of Glastry.” The next set of “unsourced” pages are concerning David Boyd of Shippensburg, PA, who was captured by Indian in Feb. 1756 and was the son of John Boyd and Nancy Urie, who was killed by the Indian in this raid. This SEEMS TO IMPLY that this John Boyd of Ireland was part of Colonel David Boyd’s family, but the pages that might show this connection were not included in the papers that were copied for me. So it would appear from these unknown published sources that someone/s have drawn a connection between these two. So we need to see what these “unnamed sources” are and what they tell us about this John Boyd of Shippensburg, PA and his origins. John Boyd, was born in the North of Ireland, in 1700-1710, and when about eighteen years of age, he emigrated to America. It is not known if he came with parents; other siblings or by himself. Family tradition gives his first location in Northumberland County, PA, but this hardly likely, as Northumberland County, at this time (1730’s?) was unsettled territory. [Could Northumberland County have been confused with Northampton County, which was formed from Bucks County in 1752, and this area had the Craig or Irish Settlement?] Investigations points to York County [this was Lancaster County prior to 1749], here, as in no other counties, is found the Boyds, the Uries, and John Stewart, all owning land and paying taxes, prior to 1751, at which date they are together again in Franklin Co., Lurgan Township. [Franklin County was formed form Cumberland County in 1784, while Cumberland County was formed form Lancaster County in 1750.] There were other Boyd families in Lurgan Township Franklin County, PA in this same time frame. It was just about 1750, according to well authenticated tradition, that John Boyd and a friend John Stewart, removed from their first location to what is now Franklin County and called the Conococheague Settlement. John Boyd’s farm was situated on the Conondoguinett Creek, two and one half miles from Chambersburg, on the Harrisburg Pike. This John Boyd’s family is commonly called the Boyds of Shippensburg, PA John Boyd’s son, David Boyd, who married Elizabeth Henderson, moved to Hopewell Township, Washington County, PA in 1787. While it is known in 1822 David Boyd and Mary Bryson, came to America and settled in Elizabeth township Allegheny County, PA. This David Boyd’s ancestors can be traced back to Colonel David Boyd of Greyabbey Parish, County Down. We also know that three brothers came to the New Windsor, Orange County, NY in the 1750’s from Ballyhalbert, Ards Peninsular, County Down. IT IS THOUGHT, they are descendants of Colonel David Boyd’s son who went to Glastry townland, about 2 miles west of Ballyhalbert, but no link as yet been found expect the location. So the question is “has anyone of the male Boyd descendants undertaken the 67 maker DNA test”? Over the last decade or so, I know that there have been a number – over 20 researchers – that I have been in contact with, however, I can’t recall if I was told if any of the male Boyd descendants of this family had undertaken a DNA test. So have any of the Boyds of Shippensburg, PA compared their DNA with the family of David Boyd and Mary Bryson of Elizabeth Township, Allegheny County, PA? There could be as many as 4 to 7 generations before they make a common link. If my THEORY IS CORRECT, these Boyd descendants will be able to make a linkage to the fifth Lord Boyd and back to the first Boyd Chief. Other Ards Peninsular families may have followed this Boyd migrations. Thank you Mike Boyd Historical Committee House of Boyd Society 2/2/2014 [Sent to Boyd and Down lists 2/2/2014