John Boyd (pastor)
Reverend John Boyd (1679August 30, 1708) was a Presbyterian minister in the United States. He was ordained the first pastor of Old Scot's Church, by the First Presbytery, which met in America on December 29, 1706. He was the first Presbyterian minister ordained in America. The event was described by the Rev. Hugh McCauley as "the small beginning of the great stream of organized American Presbyterianism". He was also the first pastor of Old Scot's Church. He was considered important to the Presbyterian history and the Synod of the Northeast placed a 25 foot monument  in his honor at the Old Scots Burying Ground in 1900. His monument was restored by the Synod of the Northeast in 2002 and the top Spiral on the monument was replaced at that time. Early years. Rev. Boyd was born in Kilmarnock Scotland, which is the "ancient home of the Boyds". He likely grew up at this location with his brother Robert till he went to the University. He was educated in the fourth class of the University of Glasgow in Scotland. According to early Presbyterian histories, it is likely that the Reverend Boyd left Scotland with the leading  Presbyterian ministers Francis McKemie and John Hampton in the fall of 1705. Death. Rev. Boyd died August 30, 1708, leaving no descendants at his death and no will. Peter Watson became the executor of his will by the Governor decree. Governor Richard Ingoldsby, "...granted letters of administration upon the estate of [Reverend] John Boyde (sic) of Monmouth County to Peter Watson." Records of the Presbytery, in a reference to his passing, state: "the Reverend John Boyd, being dead, what relates to him ceases". Original tombstone. The tombstone had actually been a table stone five feet in length, originally laid horizontally  on a bed of stone and lime. The inscription on his gravestone, translated from the original Latin, reads: