USA > Missouri > Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. I > Part 62
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lax Boyce
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BOWMAN-BOYCE.
works, tobacco pipe factory, two bottling works, two newspapers, the "Post" and the "Times," and about fifty other business places, including stores, shops, etc. There are extensive stone quarries and mineral springs near by. The city has an excellent electric lighting plant. Population, 1899 (estimated), 2,000.
Bowman, Jacob L., was a journalist by profession, and came from Chicago to St. Louis some time during the latter part of the Civil War. Here he dropped his pseudonym of "Beau Hackett" and adopted that of "Hans Patrick Le Connor." The writer once asked him his reasons for as- suming this new and curious compilation of names, especially since several of his arti- cles over the signature of "Beau Hackett" had been extensively circulated by the East- ern press. Ilis answer was that by blood he was one-half Irish, one-fourth French and one-fourth German. "Hans" repre- sented the German part of the combination, "Le" the French, and "Patrick" and "Con- nor" the Irish, and "that goes in St. Louis. You haven't any Americans in your town."
In St. Louis Bowman obtained a position as a reporter on the "Republican," and it was through the Sunday numbers of that paper that he won his reputation as a local poet and humorist; in the latter capacity he "kept the town in a roar" during three or four years. No purely local writer has ever obtained a more popular applause than Rowman did from 1865 to 1868, in St. Louis. In 1867 George Knapp & Co. issued his book, "You and Me," which was made up principally of his contributions to the "Re- publican," the "New York Mercury," and other news and literary papers.
He had the failing of too many writers and men of ability in general. He died, in 1868. at the early age of twenty-six, let it be said with pity and deep regret-a raving maniac, fettered and in chains like a wild beast. The last time the writer saw him, a short time before his death he was leisurely promenading the streets with a tin helmet on his head and a plaster bust of Ben But- ler in his arms. Behind him followed a mot- ley crowd of newsboys, bootblacks and other street urchins, calling for a speech. Poor fellow-drink had utterly bereft him of his reason. He, who had previously assumed
the role of buffoon for the amusement of the town, now played the part in reality-played it too well, too true to nature, and all too unconsciously.
The tall, lank, ungainly figure, the promi- nent nose and eccentric doings of "Hans Pat- rick Le Connor" are reminiscences of nearly a third of a century ago, but his work is not yet dead. It was as recently as March, 1809, that the San Francisco "Chronicle" contained one of his poems, "The Life Wreck," and in 1898 one of his humorous articles "went the rounds" of the 'patent press." Somewhere in Illinois, his native State, the grass has long grown green over the grave of Jacob L. Bowman, and, whatever were his faults, let this be said of him: he was kind, gentle in his ways, gifted, unassuming and generous, and, save being an enemy to himself, he had not, probably, another enemy in the world.
ALEXANDER N. DE MENIL.
Bowman, Thomas, Methodist Episcopal bishop, was born in Pennsylvania, July 15, 1817, graduated at Dickinson College in 1837, entered the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1839, and was three years a tutor in Dickinson College. He organized Dickinson Seminary in 1848, at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and was its president ten years ; was president of Indi- ana Asbury University from 1850 to 1872. when he became a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. As a bishop he traveled extensively in the United States, but made his home for twenty years in St. Louis. The General Conference of 1896 granted him rest from the regular duties of the episcopacy, but he still enjoys all the honors of the office, at the age of eighty-two years, with his home in Chicago. He received the degrees of doc- tor of divinity and doctor of laws from the Ohio Wesleyan University and Dickinson College, Pennsylvania.
Boyce, Joseph, was born April 4, 1841, in St. Louis, son of Patrick M. and Sarah M. Boyce. His parents, who were natives of Donegal, Ireland, were married there in 1835, and in 1840 immigrated to this country, ar- riving at New Orleans, Louisiana, in Feb- ruary of that year, and coming to St. Louis in April following. Mrs. Boyce, the mother of Joseph, was a Miss McLoone before her
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marriage, and the histories of both the Boyce and MeLoone families can be traced back through well authenticated records covering a period of two hundred years. They were the most prominent families in the town of Donegal, and numerous representatives of these old Irish families have achieved distinc- tion in this country. One of these was the late Rev. John Boyce, an uncle of Joseph Boyce, who settled in Worcester. Massachu- setts, in 1844, and who was known in his day as the most eloquent priest in Massachusetts. He was the author of "Shandy Maguire." "Mary Lee, or The Yankee in Ireland." "The Spae Wife" and other works, and dur- ing his life was the intimate friend of Charles Dickens, Daniel Webster. Charles Sumner, and other celebrities of that day. Anthony McLoone. an uncle of Joseph Boyce on the maternal side, visited St. Louis in 1849. and was the man who inaugurated the "towing" of freight down the river to New Orleans. He bought the steamer "Dial" and a number of barges, loaded them with corn and suc- cessfully carried the immense shipment to New Orleans, where his ships were awaiting him, and later landed his cargoes of grain in the Bay of Donegal, where they were sold at a great profit. Joseph Boyce grew to man- hood in St. Louis, attending, as a boy, the parochial schools of St. Francis Xavier's and St. Patrick's Churches and St. Louis Ca- thedral, the schools connected with the two churches last named being conducted by the "Christian Brothers." He also attended for two seasons the Benton Night School, and later took the course in bookkeeping and commercial law at Jones' Commercial Col- lege. He gained his first practical knowl- edge of business affairs at the age of thirteen years as a "store boy" in the employ of Find- lay Robb, at that time one of the leading hatters of St. Louis. lle worked in this establishment three years, then served two years as clerk to James S. Chew, secretary of the board of underwriters, and then con- nected himself with the wholesale grocery house of Ober. Norris & Co. afterward Norris, Taylor & Co .- in which he was em- ployed as clerk and salesman until 1801. re- ceiving from this firm a most thorough com- mercial education. From early boyhood he had taken a deep interest in military affairs, been a member of the "St. Louis Rifle and when only eleven years of age he had
Cadets." This company disbanded after be- ing in existence two years, and when in his seventeenth year he joined Company "A" of the "St. Louis Greys." About the same time he was appointed. through Honorable Luther M. Kennett, to a cadetship in the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, but his mother prevailed upon him to decline the appointment. Remaining with the "Greys," lic was promoted from time to time until he icached the rank of orderly sergeant. He was with his company at the "powder sei- zure" at Bissell's Point, participated in the "Southwest expedition," and went into camp with the State troops assembled at Camp Jackson in May of 1861. Soon after the Camp Jackson affair. the "Greys" entered the Confederate Army as Company "D" of the First Missouri Regiment Confederate In- fantry, commanded by Colonel John S. Bowen. At the organization of the regi- ment Mr. Boyce was elected brevet second lieutenant of his company, and rose from grade to grade until, early in 1864, he became captain of the company. He was severely wounded at the battles of Shiloh, Allatoona and Franklin. In the engagement at the last named place Colonel Hugh A. Garland, commanding the regiment, was killed at the opening of the battle. Captain Boyce, as senior officer of the regiment, then took command of it, and led his men in the bloody assault on the Federal position. falling, dan- gerously wounded, on top of the works. Ile was rescued by members of his company as he was about to be captured by the defend- ers, who had been re-enforced. and had re- gained the position from which they had been driven by the "First Missouri." He was in the Confederate service four years, and during this time was noted for gallantry, personal daring and close. attention to duty. He was frequently commended in battle re- ports, and had it not been for the breaking off of communication between the Western army and Richmond he would have been commissioned lieutenant colonel of his regi- ment when he was twenty-three years of age. He was surrendered with his wounded offi- cors and comrades at Meridian, Mississippi, in May of 1865, and returning at onee to St. Louis, he resumed the duties of civil life. Entering the employ of the house which he had left to enter the war, he traveled as its representative throughout southern Missouri
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and Tennessee, meeting with great success in building up its trade in that region. During the year 1866 he traveled through Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota for the wholesale tobacco house of William Seemul- ler & Co., and found this line of trade so sat- isfactory that he concluded to embark in the manufacture of tobacco. With Messrs. Roche and McCabe he organized the firm of Roche, Boyce & McCabe, in which he was a partner until 1868. He then withdrew from this firm, but continued the manufacture of tobacco successfully, in company with his brother. Anthony Boyce, under the firm name of Boyce Bros .. until 1876. when the then prevaliling financial depression forced them to suspend. With the help of Colonel C. B. Burnham, at that time president of the National Bank of Commerce, he was placed in a position to resume business, but his cap- ital would not admit of his again engaging in the manufacture of tobacco. Ile there- fore followed the advice. "find a want and fill it," which had been given him in earlier years, and started the first business of its kind established in St. Louis, that of dealing in tobacco manufacturers' supplies. Ably assisted by his brother, he made a gratify- ing success of this line of business, extend- ing their trade as far north and east as Bos- ton, Massachusetts, and as far south as Rich- mond, Virginia. For many years they did an immense business in this line, and for three years prior to the late war in Cuba they imported more high-grade sugars from Ila- vana for tobacco manufacturers than any other St. Louis house. In later years Captain Boyce has also dealt largely in real estate, and he and his brother are owners of some very valuable city property. At the time of his business reverses in 1876 he found it necessary to make a compromise settlement with his creditors, but when fortune again favored him. he sought out these old cred- itors and paid their claims, dollar for dollar. although no obligation other than what he regarded as a moral one rested upon him. From early manhood up to the present time Captain Boyce has been an active personality in St. Louis, interested in everything that pertained to the city's welfare, a genial, courteous gentleman, beloved always by a host of friends. A Catholic churchman, he has been a member of the Young Men's Sodality of St. Xavier's Parish since 1857,
and was for several years president of the Holy Angels' St. Vincent de Paul Society, and a member of the upper council. He was one of the organizers of the Society of Knights of St. Patrick, and for two years was secretary of the society. For two years he was president of the Ex-Confederate His- terical Society, and his administration of the affairs of that organization was conspicu- ously successful, its greatest usefulness being attained while he was its chief executive offi- cer. During his presidency of the Ex-Con- federate Historical Society he wrote and pub- lished a series of papers which gave a full and complete history of the First Regiment Missouri Confederate Infantry. These pa- pers were widely read, and eminent writers of Civil War histories have drawn upon them for material for their works. For several years he was a director and first vice pres- ident of the Western Commercial Travelers' Association, and the reserve fund of that association was created mainly through his efforts. He was the founder of the Veteran Volunteer Firemen's Historical Society, and is now a director of that society, and prior to the creation of the paid fire department of St. Louis he was an enthusiastic volunteer fire- man. A member of the Missouri Historical Society, and of its advisory board, he has read before that society many interesting papers pertaining to the Civil War. the mili- tary organizations of St. Louis and the volun- teer fire department. He is conspicuous in promoting good feeling among the soldiers of the Civil War, and is one of the most active members of the society of the Blue and Gray. He has all his life had a fondness for history and historical research, and in later years he has given special atten- tion to the collection of historical works and historical data pertaining to the Civil War, and few libraries in the West are so replete with literature of this character as is his. Es- pecially well stored is this library with pub- lications and manuscripts pertaining to St. Louis, and his retentive mind has caused him to be recognized as one of the best informed of local politicians. Politically he has always been known as a staunch, though liberal- minded Democrat. and on numerous occa- sions he has been asked to stand as the candidate of that party for important offices, but, for reasons satisfactory to himself, he has declined to yield to these solicitations.
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June 17, 1868, Captain Boyce married Miss Mary Elizabeth Casey, daughter of John and Juliette (Detchmendy) Casey, of Carondelet. Mrs. Boyce's mother was a native of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, and belonged to one of the best families of that city. John Casey, the father of Mrs. Boyce, was a successful merchant, who lived for many years at Old Mines, Missouri. He came to Carondelet in 1854, and lived there until 1863, when he (lied, leaving a large estate. The children of Captain and Mrs. Boyce are John P., William D., Sally M., Mary F., and Joseph A. Boyce. Accompanied by the three last named chil- dren. Captain and Mrs. Boyce visited Europe in 1887. making the tour of Ireland. Scotland, England and France. In 1896 they again went abroad, and had visited Ireland, Eng- land, France and Holland, when their trip was cut short by the cyclone which visited St. Louis that year, and which made it neces- sary for them to return home. Captain Boyce's eldest son, John P. Boyce, is asso- ciated with his father in business, and his second son, William D. Boyce, is extensively engaged in electrical and mechanical engi- neering.
Boyd, James W., lawyer, was born in Laurens County, South Carolina, in IS48. His parents were James H. and Margaret A. (Miller) Boyd. His ancestors were among the cavaliers who made Charleston, King's Mountain. Eutaw Springs, Cowpens, Hayes Station and other places famous in the history of the Revolutionary War. Within two hundred yards of the Boyd home- stead, in his native county, there stands an imposing monument erected to the memory of Lieutenant Necl, John Cook and Yancey Saxon, Mr. Boyd's ancestral relatives, and other officers and soldiers of Colonel Joseph Hayes' command who fell in the battle of llayes Station on October 20, 1781, fighting for the freedom which is now enjoyed by the seventy-five millions of people of this great republic. Among his relatives was Arthur Middleton, one of the true statesmen of those days, who not only signed the Declaration of Independence, but who made good that Declaration by his active and heroic service in the great struggle. In Oc- tober, 1864, when about sixteen years old, James W. Boyd entered the Confederate Army as a member of the South Carolina
Cadets, who formed the famous "Boy Brigade" in General Ambrose Wright's divi- sion of Johnston's army from that time until Johnston surrendered. This "Boy Brigade" received its baptism of fire, blood and death at Honey Hill, in South Carolina, a short dis- tance from Savannah, Georgia, after an all- night march, and there gained a signal vic- tory. From this time until February 17, 1865, when Charleston was evacuated, these boys were marching, skirmishing and fight- ing almost daily, as they defended the line of railroad extending from Savannah to Charleston. They contended successfully against heavy odds and were at all times vastly outnumbered by. veteran Federal troops, who were at different points sup- ported by gunboats, to whose terrific and deadly fire these boys were frequently sub- jected for hours at a time. General Wright, who had seen much hard fighting and been engaged in many bloody battles, declared that he never saw better soldiers than the boys of this light brigade. From the first to the last, Mr. Boyd never missed a roll call or a fight, and during the latter part of this campaign he commanded his company. One of his brothers was killed while in the Army of Northern Virginia, and another was with Lee at the surrender, but refused to sur- render, and with General Mart. Gary's bri- gade from South Carolina, cut his way through the Federal lines and escaped. After the war Mr. Boyd went back to school and graduated from Wofford College, South Carolina, in 1871, with high distinction, re- ceiving the degree of bachelor of arts. He then took the regular law course, was ad- mitted to the bar and afterward located at St. Joseph, Missouri, and began the prac- tice of his profession. He has attained a re- markable success and is now considered among the most able and distinguished law- yers of the West. As an advocate he has few equals and his legal arguments are always strong and clear. While he seldom engages in criminal cases, unless they are of unusual importance, he was elected in 1884 to the office of prosecuting attorney of Bu- chanan County, Missouri, and his record in that office is almost without a parallel. He drew more than a thousand indictments, cov- ering all classes of crimes, and in all his prac- tice no indictment drawn by him was ever found defective. He was a terror to evil-
James W. Boyd.
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doers. His record in that office is still the standard by which the people measure the successive incumbents of that position. Ilis practice is extensive, including all important classes of civil cases. Mr. Boyd is one of the most prominent Masons of Missouri. In 1885 he was elected grand master of the Grand Lodge of the State and he was pre- siding over that body in 1886 when it re- solved to found the Masonic Home at St. Louis, which has become one of the noblest institutions of the State. In the "Jewels of Masonic Oratory," an elegant book of over seven hundred pages just published, contain- ing the choicest selections from all Masonic works, an address delivered by Mr. Boyd in St. Louis several years ago stands conspicu- ous for its eloquence and power, and is re- garded both in the United States and Canada as worthy of a high place in Masonic litera- ture. Mr. Boyd has delivered addresses on many subjects and many of them possess lit- erary merit of a high order. He was mar- ried November 8, 1877, to Miss M. Fannie Sharpe, who was born in Mississippi. The parents of Mrs. Boyd were Johnson H. and Jane (Morrow) Sharpe, both of whom were South Carolinians. Her grandfather, Cap- tain Morrow, was a soklier in the Revolu- tionary War and so distinguished himself during the days of that immortal contest that an imposing monument now marks his grave as an imperishable evidence of the gratitude and esteem in which he and his valorous deeds are held by all South Caro- linians. Mrs. Boyd's brother. Robert A. Sharpe, while yet a beardless youth, left his home on the Sunflower River in Mississippi. entered the Confederate Army and followed the "torn and tattered banner" until his young life was offered up as a sacrifice upon the bloody battlefield near Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. and Mrs. Boyd enjoy ideal home sur- roundings. In their library there are some interesting and prized books touching the history of the Revolutionary forefathers from whom they descended. They have one living child, Ella F. Boyd.
Boyd, Marcus, one of the most distin- guished citizens of Greene County, was born in 1805, in Virginia, descended from Scotch ancestors who settled in that State during the colonial period. In young manhood he removed to Tennessee, where he interested
himself in various public improvements, not- ably the inauguration of the Nashville & Tuscumbia turnpike. In 1840 he removed to Missouri, and settled on a farm near Springfield. He was a Whig in politics, and became conspicuous in public concerns. In 1850 he was appointed receiver of the United States Land Office in Springfield. In 1854 he was elected to the Legislature, and he was again elected in 1858 and in 1800, being in the last two contests the candidate of the "Union Party," which denounced the intemperate politicians of all parties, pro- nouncing their schemes as "entering wedges for the detestable plot of severing the Amer- ican Union." His last legislative term was during the exciting period which preceded the Civil War. The Legislature was dom- inated by the secessionists, and when the vote was taken on the Jackson Military Bill, purposed to aid the State in withdrawing from the Union, his was one of but nine opposing votes, and he was leader of the loyal little band. When war became im- minent, he was the friend and confidant of General Lyon, in the operations preceding the battle of Wilson's Creek. He assisted in the organization of a regiment of Home Guards, of which he was elected lieutenant colonel. This command held possession of Springfield during the battle of Wilson's Creek, and was desirous of marching to the field when the conflict began, but remained at its post in obedience to orders. The regi- ment having been disbanded. the majority of its men enlisting in other organizations, Col- onel Boyd assisted in the formation of the Seventy-fourth Regiment Enrolled Missouri Militia, of which he became commander, and which he led in the battle of Springfield, January 8, 1863. In 1865 he was appointed postmaster at Springfield, and occupied that position at the time of his death, which took place November 30th of the same year. He was married in early life to Miss Eliza Ham- ilton. a native of Tennessee, who died shortly after their removal to Missouri, and he con- tracted another marriage at a later day. He was the father of fifteen children. Of his sons, Colonel S. H. Boyd engaged in the Union service, with one other, General Mar- cus; the others were Confederates. E. H. Boyd became a surgeon in a Texas Regi- ment ; William and Theodoric served under General Cabell in Texas; Audley was a ser-
BOYD.
geant in Campbell's Regiment, and Rufus served under General Lee, and became Sec- retary of State of Alabama. A daughter, Lulu, became the wife of Daniel C. Ken- nedy. Colonel Boyd was a man of handsome appearance, six feet high, of massive phy- sique, with dark brown hair. broad forehead, and a complexion fair almost to womanli- ness. Of great strength of character, he allowed no personal considerations to swerve him from the path of duty, and as a slave owner the war worked the destruction of his personal fortune. SEMPRONIUS H. BOYD. son of Colonel Marcus Boyd, was born May 28, 1823. in Tennessee. His education was principally acquired in the private school of John A. Stephens, in Springfield, where he received excellent academical instruction. Hle left school when seventeen years of age, and clerked for two years in the store of D. Johnson & Co., and for two years after- ward had charge of one of their stores in Forsythe, Taney County. In 1849 he went to California, where he remained for five years, mining and teaching school. He re- turned in 1855 to Springfield, where he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1856. The trend of affairs led him into poli- tics, and he became one of the most con- spicuous actors in the Civil War and re- construction periods. Until 1861 he had been a Democrat, but held slavery in little respect, and when the question of secession was presented he unhesitatingly took his place with the unconditional Unionists, from beginning to end advocating every measure for the suppression of the rebellion. He was major of the Home Guard Regiment of July, 1861, and on its disbandment he organized the Lyon Legion, which in August of the same year became the Twenty-fourth Regiment of Missouri Volunteers, of which he was commissioned colonel, and operated with this command in southeastern Missouri and in Arkansas, participating in numerous engagements. In 1862 he was elected to Congress as successor to John S. Phelps. During his term of service he voted for the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, and was placed upon the committee on freed- men's affairs, being the only member of that body from a slave State. He was made its chairman, and reported the bill establishing
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