JOHN A. C. FLOYD, who carries on general farming on section 22, Carbondale Township, Jackson County, was born March 27, 1844, in the neighborhood of his present home. His parents, Nathaniel W. and Nancy (Bush) Floyd, were both natives of Kentucky, and in that state their marriage was celebrated. About 1841 they came to Illinois, settling northwest of Carbondale, and later removed to Rockwood, Randolph County, where the father carried on a wood-yard. During the Civil War he was a member of the Home Guards. He met his death by accident about twenty years ago. His wife still survives him, at the age of eighty, and makes her home with our subject, who is the only survivor in a family of eleven children. Mrs. Floyd is a member of the Christian Church, and her husband was one of its ministers for thirty years. In politics he supported the Republican party.
Under the parental roof John Floyd was reared, and in the schools of Rockwood he was educated. Responding to the country's call for troops July 1, 1861, he became a member of Company A, Seventh Illinois Infantry. He was the first man in Jackson County to enlist in the Union army. With his regiment he was sent to Ironton, and to Pilot Knob after Jefferson Thompson. He then aided in building Ft. Holt, and afterward participated in the battles of Ft. Henry and Ft. Donelson, and was chased by the enemy to Clarksville. Subsequently, Mr. Floyd was under fire at the battles of Nashville, Shiloh and Corinth, and after a thirty days' furlough spent at home; he rejoined his regiment at Corinth and then moved on to Pulaski. After the battle of Tuscumbia, he went with the army to Florence, Ala. His brother, Armistead, was taken prisoner, and died in Andersonville Prison. Only four of the company escaped capture after a hard run. This was followed by a battle against General Hood's forces at Altoona Pass, where our subject was wounded in the neck and in the left shoulder. He was then sent to the hospital at Rome, Ga., later to Chattanooga Hospital, thence to Nashville, and on to Evansville, Ind., where he was discharged May 8, 1865, after three years and ten months of hard service, during which he spent one year in the mounted infantry. He was always found at his post, faithful to his country and the Union cause. He now receives a pension of 124 per month.
Mr. Floyd was married January 19, 1865, to Eliza Boren, who was born in Jackson County, September 22, 1841, and is a daughter of James and Sarah (Wingett) Boren, the former a native of Tennessee, and the latter of South Carolina. Her parents were married and came to Illinois in 1829, locating on section 26, Carbondale Township, being among the first settlers of the community. His death occurred at the age of eighty-four, and his wife passed away at the age of seventy-two. To Mr. and Mrs. Floyd were born four children, of whom two are yet living: Alfred T., who married Elizabeth Timpner, by whom he has one child; and Sarah L. They are also rearing three orphan children.
Upon his marriage, Mr. Floyd located in The Glades, and after two years located upon a fruit farm, where he also spent two years. He then bought the old homestead of seventy-nine acres, on which he has since made his home. His land is under a high state of cultivation and well improved, and the owner is regarded as one of the representative agriculturists of the community.
He takes an active interest in politics, and is a warm advocate of Republican principles. He belongs to the Grand Army post, and has served as Officer of the Day for three terms. He and his wife and both children are members of the Christian Church, and are people of generous and benevolent impulses, highly respected by all.
Extracted from Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois, published in 1894, page 344.