The Boyd/McCormick family can be traced back over a century and a half ago to the seaport town of Jamestown, Virginia. A young lad about fourteen braved the dreadful Middle Passage of the Atlantic Ocean. His name was John A. Boyd. He married Mattie Gibson Boyd and two generations later, with the marriage of Isaiah Lawrence Boyd, Sr. and Mamie “Texanna” McCormick Boyd, there was established a lasting bond between the Boyd and McCormick families.
In the early seventies, Frank McCormick, Sr., brother of Mamie McCormick, discussed the possibility of organizing a Boyd/McCormick Family Reunion. He was inspired by a visit to Roxboro, North Carolina during the late sixties. During this visit, he renewed old acquaintances and met many family members for the first time. Elizabeth McCormick Blackman, daughter of Frank McCormick, Sr., Estelle “Candy” Boyd Cooper and Mattie B. Boyd Johnson, daughters of Mamie McCormick Boyd and Isaiah Lawrence Boyd Sr., further discussed the need to established a family reunion following the death of Frank McCormick, Sr., finally, it happened!
The Boyd/McCormick family reunion became a reality in 1974 when Elizabeth “Bessie” and her husband, Douglas D. Blackman and family hosted our first Boyd/McCormick Reunion at their home in Columbia, South Carolina. This reunion was held during the last weekend in July and this tradition has continued throughout the years. At this reunion, Reverend Nathaniel Boyd was elected Secretary.
In 1975, Estelle Boyd Cooper and her husband, Robert Cooper and family in Chicago, Illinois hosted the second reunion.
In 1976, Isaiah Lawrence Boyd, Jr. and his wife, Annie Mae Boyd and family in Roxboro, North Carolina hosted the third reunion. At this reunion Willie Frank Boyd was elected President of the Boyd McCormick Family Reunion.
In 1977 Mattie B. Boyd Johnson and her husband, Lonnie Johnson, Sr., and family in Philadelphia, PA hosted the fourth reunion. At this reunion the Johnson family dedicated the Boyd/McCormick Family Flag as a symbol of family unity with the hope that it would be displayed at each reunion in the future so that family members could renew their pledge to family unity.
In 1978 family members traveled 3000 miles across country to Pittsburg, California to attend the fifth reunion hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Frank McCormick, Jr. and family.
The sixth reunion was held in Rock Hill, South Carolina in 1979 and was hosted by Reverend Nathaniel Boyd and his wife, Willie Mae Boyd and family.
In 1980, the seventh reunion was held in Columbia, South Carolina and was hosted again by Bessie and Douglas Blackman and family.
The eighth reunion was held in Baltimore, Maryland in 1981 and was hosted by William H. Boyd and his wife, Ethel Boyd and family.
In 1982, the ninth reunion was held again in Chicago, Illinois and hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cooper, Sr. and family. At this reunion, Barbara Boyd, wife of Wardell “Bobby” Boyd, was elected secretary.
The tenth reunion was held in Durham, North Carolina in 1983. Willie Frank Boyd and his wife, Earnstine Boyd were our host and hostess. They chose to focus on “A Decade of Togetherness” as we once again reunited as one family.
The eleventh reunion was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1984 and was hosted by Mattie B. Boyd Johnson and her husband, Lonnie Johnson, Sr., and family.
In 1985, Ida Boyd Greene and family in Roxboro, North Carolina hosted the twelfth reunion.
The thirteenth reunion was held in Matteson, Illinois in 1986 and was hosted by Wardell Boyd and his wife, Barbara Boyd and family.
Reverend and Mrs. Frank McCormick, Jr. and family hosted the fourteenth reunion in 1987 in Stockton, California.
In 1988, the fifteenth reunion was held again in Baltimore, Maryland and was hosted by William H. Boyd, Sr. and William James.
“Willie J” McCormick and his wife, Katie McCormick and family in New York, New York hosted the sixteenth reunion in 1989.
Hattie Boyd, widow of Benjamin Boyd, Sr. and Ann. Boyd, widow of Robert Boyd, Jr., along with Alvin Boyd, hosted our seventeenth reunion in Columbia, South Carolina in 1990.
Brenda Cooper Hanson, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cooper, Jr., along with Mr. and Mrs. Derrick Cooper, hosted our eighteenth reunion in Austin, Texas in 1991.
Reverend Nathaniel Boyd and wife, Willie Mae Boyd, in Rock Hill, South Carolina in 1992, hosted the nineteenth reunion.
Reverend and Mrs. Booker T. Boyd, Jr., and family hosted the twentieth reunion in 1993. This reunion was held in Durham, North Carolina. The theme was “Two Decades of Togetherness” to celebrate twenty years of gathering to celebrate our heritage. At this reunion, Debar Giles was elected Secretary.
Waddell “Bobby” Boyd, Estelle Cooper and Jacklyn Cooper Williams hosted the twenty-first reunion in Chicago, Illinois in 1994.
The twenty-second reunion was held in Durham, North Carolina in 1995. Willie Frank Boyd and his wife, Earnestine Boyd were our host and hostess.
The twenty-third reunion was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1996 and was hosted by Mattie B. Boyd Johnson and family. They chose as a theme, “United In Faith, Hope and Love”. At this reunion the Philadelphia family presented the Boyd- McCormick family a quilt. This quilt is symbolic of a continuous, illustrative record of our past reunion sites. It also symbolizes the love and unity we share. The quilt was handmade by Mattie B. Boyd Johnson, who at the time was eighty-four years old.
The twenty-fourth reunion was held in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 1997 and was hosted by Joseph Boyd and his wife, Nellie Boyd, Mrs. Gloria Boyd Jones and Elizabeth Gray
In 1998, the family convened in Columbia, South Carolina to celebrate its twenty-fifth reunion. This event represented a milestone in the existence of the Boyd/McCormick family.
Reverend Virginia Wilmore and the family of the late Reverend Nathaniel Boyd hosted the twenty-sixth reunion in Rock Hill, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina in 1999. The theme chosen was, “Developing a Stronger Relationship With God and Stronger Family Bonds”.
Alice Boyd Simpson and Walter J. Boyd hosted the twenty-seventh reunion in Baltimore, Maryland in the new millennium.
Their sister, Deborah Boyd hosted the twenty-eighth reunion in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2001. The theme was”Boyd/McCormick. Family On The Move”.
Jose and Lucy Diaz and family, the daughter of Reverend Booker T. Boyd Jr. and Lucy Boyd in Dallas/Mesquite, Texas hosted the twenty-ninth reunion in 2002. They chose the theme, “It’s All About Him”.
The Chicago family, with the theme, “Reflections of the Last 30 Years” hosted the 2003, thirtieth celebration. This event represented a milestone in the existence of the Boyd/McCormick family.
The thirty-first reunion commenced in Atlanta, Georgia in 2004 and was hosted by the children and grandchildren of the late Benjamin Boyd, Sr. and Alvin Boyd. The theme chosen for this reunion was “Where There Is Unity! There Is Strength”.
The Philadelphia family, chaired by Alfred and Denise Ellison, hosted the
thirty-second reunion in 2005 in Plymouth Meeting, PA with the Theme: “Journey with a Purpose”.
Rev. Virginia Wilmore and Family in Rock Hill, SC hosted the thirty-third reunion in 2006.
Ida Boyd Greene and Family in Greensboro, NC hosted the thirty-forth reunion in 2007 with the Theme: “Getting Reacquainted from State to State”.
The thirty-fifth reunion was hosted by Rev. & Mrs. Robert Boyd, Alice Boyd Simpson and Walter Boyd in Baltimore, MD in 2008 with the Theme: “On the Grow”.
The thirty-sixth reunion was hosted by Danny Greene, Ron Boyd, Deborah Leland and Robert Boyd III in Charlotte, NC in 2009 with the Theme: “Never Would Have Made It”.
Mitchell & Velma Boyd Lawson, Nicole Malachi and LaTannia Ellerbe in Wake Forest, NC hosted the thirty-seventh reunion in 2010 with the Theme: “Embracing Our Diversity” Acceptance and Tolerance.
Jose and Lucy Diaz and Family in Kempner, TX hosted the thirty-eighth reunion in 2011 with the Theme: “A Family Legacy”.
Carl and Patricia McCormick, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 2012, hosted the thirty-ninth reunion.
Gloria Boyd, in Memphis, Tennessee in 2013, hosted the fortieth reunion.
Linda Boyd in Durham, North Carolina hosted the forty-first reunion in 2014. The theme was “Origin of Greatness”. At this reunion Willie Frank retired from his position as president and is now president emeritus. Subsequently, Carl McCormick now has the position as our new president.
The Philadelphia family, with the theme, Reminiscent of our Past and Present, hosted our forty-second reunion, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania and was chaired by Elizabeth Bell and co-chaired by Denise Ellison, granddaughters of Mattie B. (Boyd) Johnson and Lonnie Johnson, Sr.
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