 William Dickson " W. D. " Boyce ( June 16 , 1858 – June 11 , 1929 ) was an American newspaper man , entrepreneur , magazine publisher , and explorer . He was the founder of the Boy Scouts of America ( BSA ) and the short @-@ lived Lone Scouts of America ( LSA ) . Born in Allegheny County , Pennsylvania , Boce was the youngest of five children of William and Elizabeth Boyce . His father was a businessman and his mother was a schoolteacher . He had two sisters , Mary and Elizabeth , and two brothers , William and James . His father was a member of the United States Congress from 18