Politician. General. Elisha was born in Frederick County, Virginia in an area now part of Berkeley County, West Virginia to the son of one of the early emigrants to the country, John Boyd. While growing up he attended the typical country schools in the area and in 1785 enrolled in Liberty Hall Academy, which would later become Washington and Lee University. After graduation, he studied law in the office of Colonel Philip Pendleton in Martinsburg. In 1796 Elisha was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates along with William Lamon, and again in 1797 with Richard Baylor. The County Court of Berkeley County selected Elisha as States Attorney, a position he would hold for forty years. Elisha married three times during his life, the first time to Mary Waggoner in 1795, daughter of Major Andrew Waggoner who served in the Revolutionary War. Mary died in 1805, and in the following year married Ann Holmes, the daughter of Colonel Joseph Holmes. Ann was also the sister of Governor Holmes of Virginia and Major Andrew Holmes. His last wife was Elizabeth Byrd, of the Westover family. Elisha's military service was during the War of 1812 where he was commissioned Colonel of the 4th Virginia Militia. Under his command, the 4th saw action during the second defense of Norfolk and Portsmouth against a combined land and naval attack by the British. He was later elected Brigadier-General by the General Assembly of Virginia. Elisha, along with Phillip Pendleton, represented Berkeley County as delegates to the 1829-1830 Virginia Constitutional Convention. In 1832 he was elected to the Virginia Senate and in 1838 commissioned a magistrate of Berkeley County. Elisha was instrumental in the establishment of the Martinsburg Academy and built several residences including "Boydville" (which he bequeathed to his daughter Mary Faulkner) and "Edgewood" for his son John.∼Member of the Virginia Convention of 1829-1831; Son of John Boyd and Sarah Griffith Boyd.