Sempronius Hamilton Boyd (May 28, 1828 – June 22, 1894) was a nineteenth-century politician, lawyer, judge and teacher from

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

. He served as a member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from Missouri and as a United States minister to Siam.

Biography

Born in

Williamson County, Tennessee Williamson County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 247,726. The county seat is Franklin, Tennessee, Franklin, and the county is located in Middle Tenness ...

, near

Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

, Boyd moved to a farm near

Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the List of cities in Missouri, third most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County, Missouri, Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 censu ...

, with his parents in 1840, where he was educated by private tutors. He moved to

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

in 1849 where he prospected for gold and taught school. He moved back to Missouri in 1854, where he was

clerk of the court A court clerk (British English: clerk to the court or clerk of the court ; American English: clerk of the court or clerk of court ) is an officer of the court whose responsibilities include maintaining records of a court and administering oaths t ...

Greene County, Missouri Greene County is located in the southwest part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, its population was 298,915. making it the fourth most-populous county in Missouri and the most populous outside the Kansas City or Saint Loui ...

, from 1854 to 1856. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1856, commencing practice in

. Boyd served as mayor of Springfield in 1856 and at the outbreak of the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, raised the 24th Missouri Infantry for the Union Army, serving as its

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

from 1861 to 1863. He was elected a Union Emancipationist to the

in 1862, serving from 1863 to 1865. There, he served as chairman of the Committee on Revisal and Unfinished Business from 1863 to 1865. Boyd was a member of the

Republican National Committee The Republican National Committee (RNC) is the primary committee of the Republican Party of the United States. Its members are chosen by the state delegations at the national convention every four years. It is responsible for developing and pr ...

from 1864 to 1868, was a delegate to the

Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the Republican Party in the United States. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal o ...

in 1864, and was appointed judge of the court of the fourteenth judicial district in 1865. The same year, he presided over the trial of

Wild Bill Hickok James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837August 2, 1876), better known as "Wild Bill" Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West known for his life on the frontier as a soldier, reconnaissance, scout, lawman, cattle rustler, gunslinger, gambler, s ...

over the death of Davis Tutt, during which he famously suggested to the jury the possibility of

nullification Nullification may refer to: * Nullification (U.S. Constitution), a legal theory that a state has the right to nullify any federal law deemed unconstitutional with respect to the United States Constitution ** Nullification crisis, the 1832 confron ...

, which they proceeded to do. Boyd was involved in building and operating the

Southwest Pacific Railroad The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad was an American railroad that owned or operated two individual segments of track. One connected St. Louis, Missouri, with Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the other connected Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Needles in Southe ...

from 1867 to 1874. He was elected back to the House of Representatives as a Republican in 1868, serving again from 1869 to 1871. There, he served as chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims from 1869 to 1871. Afterward, Boyd operated a wagon factory from 1874 to 1876, resumed practicing law, and was appointed U.S. Minister and Consul General to Siam by

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833March 13, 1901) was the 23rd president of the United States, serving from 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia—a grandson of the ninth president, William Henry Harrison, and a ...

in 1890, serving until 1892, when he became too ill to continue in the position and returned to the United States. He died in

, on June 22, 1894, and was interred in Hazelwood Cemetery in Springfield. Following his death, both Boyd's estate and Boyd's own appointed successor as Consul General to Siam sued to recover the salary of the office for the period between Boyd's departure and the qualification of a presidentially appointed successor. Boyd's estate lost the case, and the

Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...

upheld this outcome in the 1898 case of '' United States v. Eaton''.
United States v. Eaton
', 169 U.S. 331 (1898).

References

External links

Retrieved on 2008-02-14 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Boyd, Sempronius H. 1828 births 1894 deaths People from Williamson County, Tennessee Unconditional Union Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri Missouri Unconditional Unionists Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri Ambassadors of the United States to Thailand Mayors of places in Missouri Politicians from Springfield, Missouri History of Greene County, Missouri Missouri lawyers Union army colonels 19th-century American railroad executives American gold prospectors People of Missouri in the American Civil War 19th-century American lawyers People from Greene County, Missouri 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives