William Boynton, one of the first white settlers of this township, was born in New York in 1818. At 18 years of age, he came to Detroit and walked thence to the home of his brother, Nathan, who came here 2 years previously (1836). He arrived worn out with fatigue, with one shilling in his possession.

He took up 40 acres of land on Section 8 to which he added. At the time of his death, he owned 220 acres on Sections 4, 5, 8, and 16. As a pioneer he met courageously all the exigencies common to that condition. He was at one time obliged to go 8 miles to cradle grain and split rails at 25 cents or one pound of pork per hundred rails. He could split 600 rails per diem.

Once when returning homeward with some pork he had received as pay, he was followed by wolves. Arriving within a mile of home, he was completely exhausted and he threw the meat to his pursuers. His wife heard the yelps of the animals, and coming to his aid succeeded in getting him home. He had a single-handed encounter with three bears, in which he was victorious.

He as a member of the M. E. Church. Twenty acres of land were inherited by the eldest daughter, Sarah, 160 acres were divided between the two sons (William F. and Amos), and 40 acres were sold. Mr. Boynton’s sons make a specialty of Norman-Percheron horses.

(From Chapman’s History of Kent County, 1881)

The Boynton brothers were uncles of James A. Garfield, late President of the United States. In 1836, they were the total population of Byron. Byron at that time included the present cities of Grandville and Wyoming. His brother Jerry’s (Jeremiah) grave is just to the west of William’s stone. They are buried in Boynton Cemetery.

William was 55 years old when he died. His wife, Orpha (Jewell), was 38. Mr. Boynton’s second wife was Lucretia A. Little, widow of Amasa Little.

Transcriber: Evelyn Sawyer
Created: 19 October 2002
URL: http://kent.migenweb.net/townships/byron/pioneers/boyntonw.html