Phoebe Elizabeth "Betty" Boyce was the daughter of (*)Michael Boyce and Phoebe (Murphy) Boyce. One of nine (**)children, with four reaching adulthood, and three old age. She was the wife of Moses C. Hornbeck, and the mother of four sons and four daughters. They also raised her niece, (Rehecca (Boyce} Heater), daughter of William Boyce, and who is in the family picture. Betty was remembered as having very thick, curly hair; and as a small woman with quick movements. She had (along with at least two of her sisters), contracted diphtheria as a child whick left her with a weak voice. The two sisters who died of the disease were recalled by her in particular as, on one special summer day, they had washed their hair and were running in the sunshine to dry it. One with red hair the other with black.
Her brother, Isaac Boyce, married Louise "Lou" Hornbeck, a sister to her husband, Moses. Moses and Louise "Lou" Hornbeck were children of William and Martha Frances (Wood(s) Hornbeck. Both William Hornbeck and Michael Boyce served in the American Civil War and were friends. (**)Later in life he returned from Nebraska and was with Moses and Betty for his final years. The only known photo of him was a four generation family picture of him, Betty, Nola (Hornbeck) Lane, and Ruth (Lane) Westfall. There is an earlier picture of William Hornbeck in uniform.
*his daughter-in-law (Mildred )Snyder) Boyce, said he called himself "Mike Bice." His wife was buried in Nebraska.
**Family story: Moses and Betty did not know he was returning to West Virginia. When he arrived he did know where they lived (they had relocated from Gilmer County to Upshur) and asked for directions. He was told that they would be in church as it was a Sunday so he walked to the Hinkleville church, quietly sat in the back of the church and remained with the family until his death.