William Alvin Lloyd

Who is William Alvin Lloyd?

William Alvin Lloyd, a steamboat and railroad guide publisher, was employed during the Civil War as a personal spy for President Abraham Lincoln. Lloyd along with his associates Thomas H.S. Boyd and F.J. Bonfanti were able to travel throughout the south during the war, and gather intelligence. After his death, Lloyd's estate filed suit against the government for unpaid compensation. This suit resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court case Totten v. United States.