1914 Biography - David F. Boyd

Boyd, Major David French, prominent educator, was born at Wytheville, Va., Oct. 5, 1834, and graduated from the University of Virginia in the year 1857. He came to Louisiana on his way farther west, and was induced to stop in this state and become a teacher in 1860, at which time he became a member of the first faculty of the first Louisiana seminary, in which he taught Latin. This institution was closed from 1861 to 1865, as an incident of Gen. Banks' Red river expedition, but in the summer of 1865 Maj. Boyd was invited to return to Louisiana and take the presidency of the school. He did so and remained as such until 1880, when he was succeeded by Col. William Preston Johnston. Maj. Boyd served as major of engineers in the Confederate army, and under the plan of this college it had been provided that the president of the institution should hold the rank of colonel. On his retirement from the presidency he returned to Virginia, and there taught a private school for some time, later becoming president of the Alabama Polytechnic institute for one year, following which he returned to Louisiana in 1884 as president of Louisiana State university, which position he then continued to occupy for some years, later resigning to take charge of Kentucky Military institute. After some time at the latter institution he became a member of the faculty of Michigan Military academy, but in 1897 returned to Louisiana university as professor of philosophy and civics, which station he then continued to occupy until the time of his death, in May, 1899. He was married to Miss Esther Gertrude Wright of Rapides parish in 1865. To them were born 8 children, of whom 6 are now living.

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Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from Louisiana: Comprising Sketches, edited by Alcee Fortier, published in 1914, volume 3, pages 57-58.

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