Clinton D. Boyd
Encyclopedia
Clinton DeWitt Boyd was a Middletown, Ohio
attorney, Common Pleas judge and politician and was one of four founders of Phi Kappa Tau
fraternity as an undergraduate at Miami University
.
Boyd was born and raised in Mount Orab, Ohio
. He came to Oxford, Ohio
in September 1903 as a third-year preparatory student in the Miami Academy. He began his college work in 1904.
At Miami, Boyd was both an athlete and one of the most silver-tongued of Miami’s orators. He was a distance runner, representing the varsity track team in the mile and 880-yard events. He captained the team in his senior year and acquired the nickname "Teeny" because of his slight runner’s build, and he was active on the intramural track and basketball teams.
Boyd was a four-year member of the Miami Union Literary Society and was elected vice-president. His speech, "Emancipation of a Backward Race," won him the gold medal in the university’s oratorical contest in 1907.
After Miami, Boyd enrolled in the University of Cincinnati
’s law school, and then transferred to the University of Michigan
, where he earned his law degree in 1910. He opened a law office in Middletown, Ohio.
Boyd was a persistent politician and a successful county judge who ran several times for statewide office in Ohio without success. He was defeated in the Republican primary of 1924 for Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and was defeated in the 1926, 1928 and 1944 Republican primaries for Ohio Attorney General. He was appointed to the common pleas bench of Butler County, Ohio
in 1929 and was twice reelected to that position, retiring in 1937. He was defeated in the Republican primary for Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court in 1938 and 1950 and was defeated in the general elections for judge of the Ohio Supreme Court in 1940 and 1946 and in the Republican primary in 1948.
Boyd remained actively interested in the Phi Kappa Tau throughout his life. He was the first person elected to the position of national organizer at the fraternity's Danville, Kentucky
, convention of 1915; and worked aggressively to extend the fraternity to Northwestern, Wabash, Purdue, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Carnegie Tech. He was a frequent speaker at Founders’ Day gatherings at Miami and around the country. In the final year of his life, he visited several chapters and alumni on the West Coast.
Boyd helped to initiate his son, Clinton Dewitt, Jr., into Phi Kappa Tau at Miami University in 1948; and Boyd’s grandson, Mark, is also a member.
Boyd was killed in an automobile accident in September 1950 when the car he was driving skidded on a slick road in route to the Ohio Republican Convention
. He was interred at Woodside Cemetery, Middletown, Ohio.
Middletown, Ohio
Middletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886...
attorney, Common Pleas judge and politician and was one of four founders of Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau is a U.S. national collegiate fraternity.-History:Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity was founded in the Union Literary Society Hall of Miami University's Old Main Building in Oxford, Ohio on March 17, 1906...
fraternity as an undergraduate at Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
.
Boyd was born and raised in Mount Orab, Ohio
Mount Orab, Ohio
Mount Orab is a village in Brown County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,307 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mount Orab is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land....
. He came to Oxford, Ohio
Oxford, Ohio
Oxford is a city in northwestern Butler County, Ohio, United States, in the southwestern portion of the state. It lies in Oxford Township, originally called the College Township. The population was 21,943 at the 2000 census. This college town was founded as a home for Miami University. Oxford...
in September 1903 as a third-year preparatory student in the Miami Academy. He began his college work in 1904.
At Miami, Boyd was both an athlete and one of the most silver-tongued of Miami’s orators. He was a distance runner, representing the varsity track team in the mile and 880-yard events. He captained the team in his senior year and acquired the nickname "Teeny" because of his slight runner’s build, and he was active on the intramural track and basketball teams.
Boyd was a four-year member of the Miami Union Literary Society and was elected vice-president. His speech, "Emancipation of a Backward Race," won him the gold medal in the university’s oratorical contest in 1907.
After Miami, Boyd enrolled in the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
’s law school, and then transferred to the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, where he earned his law degree in 1910. He opened a law office in Middletown, Ohio.
Boyd was a persistent politician and a successful county judge who ran several times for statewide office in Ohio without success. He was defeated in the Republican primary of 1924 for Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and was defeated in the 1926, 1928 and 1944 Republican primaries for Ohio Attorney General. He was appointed to the common pleas bench of Butler County, Ohio
Butler County, Ohio
Butler County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 368,130. Its county seat is Hamilton. It is named for General Richard Butler, who died in 1791 fighting Indians in northern Ohio. Butler's army marched out of Fort Hamilton, where the city of...
in 1929 and was twice reelected to that position, retiring in 1937. He was defeated in the Republican primary for Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court in 1938 and 1950 and was defeated in the general elections for judge of the Ohio Supreme Court in 1940 and 1946 and in the Republican primary in 1948.
Boyd remained actively interested in the Phi Kappa Tau throughout his life. He was the first person elected to the position of national organizer at the fraternity's Danville, Kentucky
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, convention of 1915; and worked aggressively to extend the fraternity to Northwestern, Wabash, Purdue, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Carnegie Tech. He was a frequent speaker at Founders’ Day gatherings at Miami and around the country. In the final year of his life, he visited several chapters and alumni on the West Coast.
Boyd helped to initiate his son, Clinton Dewitt, Jr., into Phi Kappa Tau at Miami University in 1948; and Boyd’s grandson, Mark, is also a member.
Boyd was killed in an automobile accident in September 1950 when the car he was driving skidded on a slick road in route to the Ohio Republican Convention
Ohio Republican Party
The Ohio Republican Party is the Ohio state affiliate of the United States Republican Party. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio on February 13, 1854. Kevin DeWine has been chairman of the Ohio GOP since 2009...
. He was interred at Woodside Cemetery, Middletown, Ohio.