Baker Boyd, born Aug. 9, 1836, in Shelby County, Ky., is a son of William G. and Jane (Ligget) Boyd. His father was a native of Virginia, born Oct. 14, 1783, and moved to Shelby County, Ky., when nineteen years of age. He was Sheriff of Shelby County twenty years under the old Constitution. He represented his district in the State Lower House and Senate ten years. He was married three times. His first wife was Agnes Shannon, born Sept. 1, 1787. To them were born three children – Samuel L., born Sept. 4, 1806; Mebitable, Feb. 2, 1808; Martha Ann, Oct. 29, 1809. His second wife was Mary Newland, born April 18, 1785. They had two children – William Wallace, born April 23, 1815, and John Newland, Jan. 23, 1817. His third wife was Mrs. Jane (Ligget) Newland. Her first husband was William Newland, and to them were born two children – James L. and Ann Maria. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Boyd – George Washington, born Dec. 8, 1820, married Emily Moore, of Ballard County, Ky., and had three sons – John, Ligget and Henry. Celeste, born July 30, 1822, married Green Stewart, and had the following children: Wallace, Clarence, Digges, Boyd, John, Charles, William, Jennie, Sallie, Celeste; Columbus, born Dec. 12, 1824, married William H. Digges, Sept. 4, 1846, and had one son, William H.; Christopher C., born Sept. 6, 1826; Robert L., born Sept. 18, 1828, married Margaret McClarty, and had four children – J. Allen, Charles L., Henry D. and Mary L.; Jane, born Sept. 17, 1828, married James L. McClure, and had five children – Ligget, Logan, William, Jennie and James; Henry C., born Aug. 14, 1833, died Sept. 11, 1864; Baker, subject of this sketch. William G. Boyd moved to Hancock County and lived about thirty years. In 1860 he moved to Breckenridge County, where he died in 1863. When about twenty years old, Baker Boyd entered the county and circuit clerk’s office of Breckenridge County, under Joe Allen, Clerk of the county, and remained there two years. He began studying law with Ben Munroe, United States Judge of the State of Kentucky, who was at the same time teaching a law school in Frankfort. After studying a year he was licensed to practice by two judges of the Court of Appeals, and established himself at Hawesville, Ky. Eight months later, in 1860, he removed to Blandville, where he remained till the breaking out of the war. In 1861 he went to Camp Cheatam, near Nashville, and joined Company A, First Tennessee Regiment, Rock City Guards. After the battle of Perryville he was promoted to Third Lieutenant and then First Lieutenant of his company. During the war he was transferred to Company B, Seventh Kentucky Regiment, being First Lieutenant of the company. At the battle of Nashville he was captured by the Federal forces, and the following day taken to Johnson Island, across Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, and confined till the close of the war. He then returned to Hawesville and remained about a year, when he moved to Hardinsburg and formed a partnership with Alfred H. Payton, and continued in practice there till August, 1868, when he was elected Commonwealth Attorney for the Fourth District, comprising the counties of Hardin, Meade, Grayson, Breckenridge, Hancock, Ohio and Daviess, which position he held six years. In 1868 he moved to Owensboro. He was married in October, 1868, to Celia V., daughter of Thomas M. and Penelope (McFarland) Barron. Her mother was a daughter of John H. McFarland. Her father was a native of Virginia, and died in Daviess County in 1867.

Source: History of Daviess County, Kentucky. Chicago: Interstate Publishing Co., 1883. Print.