Jeremiah Boyle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeremiah T. Boyle
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Brig. Gen. Jeremiah T. Boyle
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| Born | May 22, 1818 Boyle County, Kentucky |
| Died | July 28, 1871 (aged 53) Louisville, Kentucky |
| Place of burial |
Bellevue Cemetery, Danville, Kentucky
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| Allegiance |  United States of AmericaUnion |
| Service/ |
 United States ArmyUnion Army |
| Years of service | 1861-1864 |
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Commands held | District of Kentucky |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Other work | Lawyer, Railroad President |
Jeremiah Tilford Boyle (born May 22, 1818, died July 28, 1871) was an important person in American history. He was a successful lawyer who believed in ending slavery. During the American Civil War, he became a brigadier general in the Union Army, fighting for the United States.
Early Life and Education
Jeremiah Boyle was born in Mercer County, Kentucky, on May 22, 1818. This area is now known as Boyle County, which was named after his father, John Boyle. His father was a respected judge.
Jeremiah went to college at the College of New Jersey, which is now Princeton University. He graduated in 1838. After that, he studied law at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. He became a very successful lawyer in Kentucky.
Family and Beliefs
Boyle married Elizabeth Owsley Anderson and they had seven children together. He also worked in business with his brother-in-law, William Clayton Anderson, who was a U.S. Congressman.
Even though Boyle owned slaves, he believed that slavery should end gradually. He spoke about this idea at the State Constitutional Convention in 1849. This shows he was an abolitionist, meaning he supported ending slavery. In the 1860 election, he supported the Constitutional Union Party. This party tried to keep the country together and avoid war.
Service in the Civil War
When the Civil War began, Jeremiah Boyle helped form a group of soldiers for the Union Army. He was made a brigadier general on November 19, 1861.
His troops spent the winter in Tennessee. Then, they joined Major General Don Carlos Buell's Army of the Ohio. Boyle and his soldiers fought in the important Battle of Shiloh.
In May 1862, President Abraham Lincoln chose Boyle to be the Military Governor of Kentucky. This meant he was in charge of military matters in the state. He also commanded the District of Kentucky. He often sent troops to stop attacks by Confederate cavalry led by John Hunt Morgan.
Boyle left the army in 1864. This was after his son, William O. Boyle, was killed in battle in Tennessee. His son was the youngest colonel in the Union Army and was known as "the Boy Major."
Later Life and Work
After the war, Boyle returned home. He became interested in land and city transportation. In 1865, he became the president of the Louisville City Railway Company. He helped create the first public transportation system in Kentucky. This system used streetcars to move people around the city.
From 1866 until his death in 1871, he was president of the Evansville, Henderson and Nashville Railroad. He even traveled to Europe to get money from French investors. This money helped expand the railroad system in Kentucky.
Jeremiah Boyle passed away on July 28, 1871, in Louisville, Kentucky. He was buried in Bellevue Cemetery in Danville.
