The life of Mr. Boyd was well documented in the
Breckenridge, Colorado area in the late 1800’s. Today, you can still see a
collection of his work on display at the Welcome Center Museum on Main St.
William “Billy” Boyd, born in May of 1865 in Butler County,
Pennsylvania, ended up in Colorado by 1887, operating a blacksmith and farrier
business on the corner of Main Street and Carter Avenue. In March of 1904, he
sold his business and tools to his assistant, Arlington Fincher. During the
years he spent in Summit County, he married Irene Clancy of Dillon, resided in
the Lower Blue River Valley, served as fire chief of the Breckenridge
Independent Fire Hose Department in 1899 and was Mayor for the Town of
Breckenridge from 1902-1903. He also had his hands in mining, as a partner with
the Germania Claim in 1901, among others, which produced gold and silver.
In 1915, Billy and Irene moved to Golden, Colorado, where
they had their only child, Lauretta Ruth, who was born December 14, 1917. He
continued to have business relationships with those in Summit County he left
behind, though the family stayed in Jefferson County. In December 1937, he and
partner A.G. Hoopes had an interest in the Orthodox Mine, for lead, near the
Wellington in French Gulch.
Although well known during his lifetime, the treasure that
remains today is the fantastic collection of intricate silver plated horseshoes
William Boyd created as a blacksmith. In fact, his skill was so remarkable,
that he qualified as a whitesmith, “a
level of excellence attained by few in his chosen field.”* Artistic in nature,
the set is a remarkable example of a detailed and exact art form. The display
currently features 101 horseshoes of varying sizes and function, including some
made to travel through ice and snow. It was donated to the Summit Historical Society
as part of the estate of Lauretta Boyd.
William Boyd is buried in the Crown Hill Cemetery in
Jefferson County, Colorado, alongside both his wife and his daughter.
*whitesmith: a person who works with white or light colored metals
such as tin and pewter. (Wikipedia.)
*SHS Voices, date
unknown, Page 2.
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