John Quincy Adams Boyd was born about 1809 in the District of Columbia, the son of George and Harriet (Johnson) Boyd. He was named after his maternal uncle, President John Quincy Adams.

   In August, 1814, his father was intrusted with private dispatches to the peace commissioners at Ghent and remained in France until the spring of 1815. 

   In December, 1818, his father received the appointment of Indian agent at what was then called Michillimackinac. He left for his post early in 1819 and returned to Washington DC to arrange his affairs and collect his family. At that time, John entered the U.S. Navy as a midshipman at the age of 10 on December 13, 1819. His parents and four of his siblings then left Washington and moved to Mackinaw, Michigan Territory in the spring of 1820.

   In the Navy, John served on the USS Franklin III, a flagship on the Pacific Station from 11 Oct 1821 until 20 August 1824. He also served on the "Columbus" and the Cyane II. John reached the rank of Lieutenant, and was dismissed from the U.S. Navy on November, 5, 1827. 

   John Q. A. Boyd died from yellow fever June 24, 1831 at Portsmouth, Virginia.

   "BOYD, John Q Adams, age 22, son of G. W. Boyd, formerly a midshipman in the U. S. Navy, died at Portsmouth Va. June 24, 1831."

   [Original Publication date July 4, 1831, submitted for publication by K. Torp, National Ingelligencer as pub. in the NGSQ, Vol. 55, No. 1, March 1967]

Notice of Death was published in the "National Intelligencer" on July 4, 1831, District of Columbia: "BOYD, John Q. Adams, age 22, son of G. W. Boyd, formerly a midshipman in the U. S. Navy, died at Portsmouth, VA., June 24, 1831."

On one of the Reports of Samuel S. Southard, Secretary of the Navy during John Q. A. Boyd and his brother Joshua J. Boyd, John Q. A. Boyd lists his place of birth ad "District of Columbia." Brother Joshua J. Boyd listed his birth place as MI., which we know is incorrect.