David Milton Boyd, secretary of the Traffic Motor Truck Corporation of St. Louis, was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, August 1, 1878, and is a son of Trustin Brown and Emily (Tousey) Boyd, who are now residents of St. Louis. Their family numbered two sons, the younger being Ingram F., who Is the president of the Boyd-Richardson Men’s Apparel Company of this city.
In the acquirement of his education, David Milton Boyd attended Smith Academy of St. Louis, which he entered in 1887, completing his course by graduation in June, 1896. He afterward attended Yale University and won his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1899. He started out in the business world as a representative of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, holding a clerical position with that company until 1901. In the following year he entered the employ of Russell Sage at New Paltz, New York, and in 1900 was made general superintendent of the New Paltz & Poughkeepsie Traction Company, so continuing until 1901. In that year he became general manager of the Shore Line Railway at St. Johns, New Brunswick, where he remained until 1904. During the succeeding five years he was again connected with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, acting as private secretary to the vice president and later was appointed division freight agent at Newark, New Jersey.
With his return to St. Louis Mr. Boyd became identified with the T. B. Boyd Furnishing Goods Company, handling men’s wearing apparel. He entered the business on the 1st of May, 1909, and became secretary, treasurer and director. The usiness has since been reorganized under the name of the Boyd-Richardson Men’s Apparel Company. To the success of this undertaking through twelve years, David Milton Boyd largely contributed. The firm conducts an extensive retail business and is one of the most important stores in their line in the west. On November 1, 1920, he severed his connection with this company to become secretary of the Traffic Motor Truck Corporation.
Mr. Boyd is a member of the Zeta Psi, a Greek letter fraternity, and his prominence in trade circles is shown by the fact that he served as first vice president of the Associated Retailers of St. Louis for four years, and as a director of the Retail Credit Men’s Bureau.
On the 5th of December, 1906, Air. Boyd married Miss Josephine Drake, a daughter of the late Lauren J. Drake, who was president of the Standard Oil Company of Indiana, with offices in Chicago. The Drake family came originally from Iowa, where Mrs. Boyd was born. To Mr. and Mrs. Boyd have been born four children: Josephine A., Emily T., David M., Jr., and Mary Anthony, who are with their parents in an attractive home at Kirkwood. Missouri.
Mr. and Mrs. Boyd are members of the Episcopal church and he is a republican in politics, Interested in the success and growth of the party, yet never seeking nor desiring office. He served, however, for nine years as a member of the board of education of Kirkwood. He took a helpful part in the various war activities, including the Liberty Loan and Red Cross drives and had charge of the Victory Loan for the twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth districts, and was a member of the American Protective League and is actively Interested in the Boy Scout movement. He is well known in club circles belonging to the Algonquin and Sunset Hill Golf Clubs, and is likewise a member of the University Club. He is very much interested in club affairs and is very popular wherever he is known.