Glendale, California Biographies

W. G. Boyd, who is a prominent contractor and builder of Glendale, was born at Houston, Illinois, June 1, 1886, a son of George W. and Margaret (Houston ) Boyd. The Boyds and Houstons were pioneers in Illinois. Mr. Boyd’s grandfather Houston was the founder of Houston, Illinois. George W. Boyd was a farmer and is now living retired at Houston, Illinois.

Mr. Boyd supplemented his high school education by attending a business college. His first work of importance was a carpenter was at St. Louis, Missouri, during the construction of the World’s Fair buildings, and from that time until 1910 he was more of less an itinerant carpenter traveling all through the middle west, as fancy dictated, and being a good mechanic had no difficulty in securing employment at his trade, and having become thoroughly familiar with all kinds of construction was usually employed as a foreman.

In 1911, he came to California and after one year at Santa Ana, came to Glendale, where he has since resided and been engaged in general contracting and building. His business for the year 1922 will approximate $350,000, included in this amount is the recently completed Christian Church on which his contract was about $65,000.00.  He employs on an average thirty carpenters the year around, subletting all the work on buildings not carpenter work. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and an elder in the Presbyterian Church.

At Houston, Illinois, November 24, 1910, Mr. Boyd married Ruth M. Lyons, of Greeley, Colorado. They are the parents of two sons: Robert and Harold. Mrs. Boyd is active in the Presbyterian Church as a member of the Missionary Society and the Class of Elders Wives. Their home is at 326 North Jackson Street.