Richard was born at the Fairfield Plantation House in Camden County, Georgia. He's described as "a man of polished manners and a sweet musician," and as "a painter... and beautiful writer." (A Little Family History by Mary Hazzard Floyd Hamilton, The Morning News Press, 1906, p 17)

He married Mary Ann Chevalier on September 5th (or 9th), 1831, in Saint Marys, Camden County, Georgia. They have three children; all girls. Sometime in the early 1850s, he and his wife Mary, adopted their oldest grandson, Richard Floyd Drysdale.

He and his young family lived at Hermitage Plantation in Camden County. "From 1836-1846 he was Capt. of & commanded the local militia unit - The Camden Chasseurs of Horse - a unit that search for Indians in the Okefenokee Swamp in 1838" (Camden's Challenge, p 26). "He was sheriff in Camden County, GA from 1844-1846" (History of Camden County GA, by Vocelle, p 154).

By 1850, he and his family had moved to Saint Johns County, Florida, where he is listed on the census as a draftsman. "During the Civil War, he was appointed Brigadier-Gen. of the FL State Troops by Gov. John Milton. He made every attempt to defend Apalachicola from Union forces but his troops were poorly equipped." (Floyd: History and Lineage, by Marguerite Marreé Mathews, 1998, p 56)

His unit was mustered into to the Confederate Army as the 8th Florida Infantry Regiment in May 1862 in Lake City, Columbia County, Florida. Richard F Floyd was appointed commander of the new regiment with the rank of Colonel on July 15, 1862. They were soon ordered to Virginia and along with the 2nd and 5th Florida Regiments were place under the command of Brigadier General Roger Atkinson Pryor. The 8th was involved in the second battle of Second Manassas and in the capture of Harper's Ferry. But by the time that the unit was preparing for engagement at Sharpsburg, Colonel Floyd was severely ill and not able to participate in the battle. Responsibility for the 8th fell to the executive officer, Lieutenant Colonel George A C Coppens, who died early in the battle. Colonel Floyd's health deteriorated to such a degree that it was necessary for him to resign from service on October 2, 1862, and return to his home in Florida. On the same day, Lieutenant David Lang was promoted to the rank of Colonel and was designated the new commander of the 8th Florida Infantry Regiment.

Recovering to some extent, Colonel Floyd labored as he could. And sometime before 1870, he and his wife, moved to Green Cove Springs, Clay County, Florida, where he spent the remainder of his days.

For more info on the Floyd Family visit The Crypt

Special thanks to Marguerite Marreé Mathews for much of the biographical information provided here, and to Susan Richardson for providing pictures of his grave.

This biography is NOT to be posted to any other website without permission.
(bio by: Raymond B.)