Sempronius H. Boyd

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Sempronius Hamilton Boyd (May 28, 1828 – June 22, 1894) was a Missouri lawyer, judge, teacher, soldier, and politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and as the United States minister to Siam (Thailand).

Early life and career
- Born in Williamson County, Tennessee, near Nashville. In 1840 his family moved to a farm near Springfield, Missouri, where he was educated by private tutors.
- Traveled to California in 1849 to search for gold and to teach.
- Returned to Missouri in 1854 and worked as clerk of Greene County Court (1854–1856). He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1856, and practiced in Springfield.
- Served as mayor of Springfield, Missouri, from 1858 to 1860.

Civil War and politics
- At the start of the Civil War, he raised the 24th Missouri Infantry and served as its colonel (1861–1863).
- Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as an Immediate Emancipationist, serving 1863–1865. He chaired the Committee on Revisal and Unfinished Business (1863–1865).
- He was a member of the Republican National Committee (1864–1868) and helped lead the 1864 Republican National Convention.
- In 1865 he was appointed judge of Missouri’s 14th judicial district.
- In the famous Tutt–Hickok case, he presided over Wild Bill Hickok’s trial for the murder of Davis Tutt and suggested the jurors consider nullification.

Later career
- Worked on building and operating the Southwest Pacific Railroad (1867–1874).
- Elected again to the U.S. House as a Republican, serving 1869–1871 and chairing the Committee on Revolutionary Claims (1869–1871).
- Ran a wagon factory (1874–1876) and returned to practicing law.

Diplomatic service and death
- In 1890, President Benjamin Harrison appointed him Minister and Consul General to Siam (Thailand); he served until 1892 when illness forced his return to the United States.
- Died in Springfield, Missouri, on June 22, 1894, and was buried in Hazelwood Cemetery.

Political affiliations
- Early: Immediate Emancipationist (1862–63)
- Then: Radical Union Party (1863–70)
- Later: Republican (after 1870)

Notable legal matter after his death
- After his death, his estate and his appointed successor as Consul General sued for the office salary during the vacancy period. The Supreme Court case United States v. Eaton (1898) upheld the loss of that suit.