Herman and Louise Thomas Boyd
Herman Jefferson Boyd was born on July 22, 1911 near Mershon’s Bridge in Trigg County, Kentucky. He was the son of Sam Sumner Boyd and Mary Louise Jefferson Boyd. He attended schools in the Mershon’s Bridge Community until January 1, 1934 when his family moved to Cadiz and his father began serving the first of four terms in the office of Trigg County Jailer. Sam served for 14 years as jailer and then became an investigator for the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board for the State of Kentucky.
Herman’s first job was a clerk’s position with the Cadiz Grocery Company in Cadiz, which was owned by Van B. Alexander. After Herman had worked four years at this grocery store, Mr. Alexander sold it to the Red Front Grocery chain. Herman then went to work for the J. W. Cowherd grocery store where he worked for three years before beginning his military career.
On May 29, 1942, Herman enlisted in the U. S. Army Air Corps and was stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana and later at Keeler Field, Mississippi and Kingman, Arizona. He was assigned to the 431st Bomb Squadron and participated in battles and campaigns over Japan, the Marshall Islands and in the western Pacific. He flew over 40 combat missions as a flight engineer and a machine gunner in the crew on a B-24 bomber. Herman was discharged from the military on November 7, 1945 with the rank of Tech Sergeant. He received several medals including the Bronze Star and the Air Medal with silver stars.
Herman returned to Cadiz after his service career and began a new career at the U. S. Post Office where he was appointed as a temporary clerk in 1946. He received a permanent appointment as a regular clerk at the post office in 1948. In 1968, he was advanced to the position of supervisor and assistant to the Postmaster.
On June 11, 1946, Herman married Louise Thomas. Louise was born on October 19, 1913 in Trigg County, Kentucky, the daughter of John Vernon and Clementine Wilson Thomas. Louise had one sister, Isabelle Thomas, born in 1904. Louise worked for 38 years at the Trigg County Farmers Bank in Cadiz. Herman and Louise made their home on Main Street in Cadiz. They had no children.
On December 23, 1972 Herman received an appointment to the position of Cadiz Postmaster. He had been serving for the prior six months as the officer-in-charge of the post office since the retirement of the previous postmaster, Terry Watkins on June 23, 1972. Herman was a perfect example of an individual who had begun his career as a temporary clerk and progressed through the ranks advancing up to the position of postmaster. At the time of his appointment, the Cadiz Post Office had two fulltime carriers, one fulltime clerk, and a custodian. They also had three temporary clerks and three rural carriers. Herman served as the Cadiz Postmaster for five years until his retirement in 1977 at the age of 66.
Herman died at the age of 86 on December 16, 1997 at the Jennie Stuart Medical Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky and was buried in the East End Cemetery in Cadiz. Louise died on July 9, 2010 at the age of 96 in the Doctor’s Hospital in Augusta, Georgia. She was buried in the East End Cemetery next to her husband.
Herman and Louise
Tombstone of Herman and Louise Boyd
Herman's military tombstone
LINEAGE: (Herman Jefferson Boyd was the husband of Louise Thomas. Louise was the daughter of John Vernon and Clementine Wilson Thomas, John Vernon was the fifth child of Jonathan Starkie and Julia Dyer Thomas. Jonathan was the third child of William Bridges and Nancy Jane Rogers Thomas. William Bridges was the first child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas. Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)
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