Major Nathan S. Boynton & his Oceanfront Boynton Beach Hotel by Janet DeVries

MAJOR NATHAN

SMITH BOYNTON

AND HIS

BOYNTON BEACH HOTEL

BY JANET DEVRIES

COAT OF ARMS

SIR MATTHEW BOYNTON

Brought goats and sheep to America

NATHAN S. BOYNTON

Born

June 23, 1837

Sample 1840s Baby Picture

courtesy www.Tumblr.com

Granville F. Boynton, born in New York

State

David Burr’s

New York

State Map &

Atlas 1830

Frances Rendt Boynton –born in Spain;

daughter of Captain Louis Rendt. He fought

for the British in the War of 1812, but settled

in Michigan.

Map of Spain &

Portugal 1812

Gardiner’s Atlas

1850

1852: Went to Waukegan, Illinois

to attend high school

Went into the

Mercantile Business

1860

Moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to study medicine –

listed as physician on 1860 census

Image Courtesy

Virginia Center

for Civil War Studies

1860 CENSUS – CINCINNATI, OHIO

1860

Married Annie Fidelei from Bremen, Germany

1860s bridal image courtesy

www.vintagevibes.com

CIVIL WAR 1861-1865

1862 – Enlisted as

private in

Michigan 8th Calvary

Promoted to

Lieutenant, then

Captain

CIVIL WAR 1861-1865

East Tennessee and Georgia Campaigns

Promoted to Major

Image courtesy

National Archives

CIVIL WAR 1861-1865

East Tennessee &

Georgia Campaigns

Promoted to Major

War ends, returns to

Marine City, Michigan

Flag image courtesy

Michigan Historical Museum

NATHAN S. BOYNTON

1860 Charles L. Boynton

1864George H. Boynton

1866Anna L. Boynton

1870Frances

1874 Edith S.

NATHAN S. BOYNTON

1865 - Appointed Deputy Director of Internal

Revenue and Postmaster of Marine City

1866 – Village Clerk and elected Supervisor

1868 – Elected to Lower House of the

Michigan Legislature

1869 – Returns to Port Huron, becomes

newspaper editor

1870 CENSUS – PORT HURON

Newspaper Editor

NATHAN S. BOYNTON

1872 – Real estate and insurance

1874 – Elected Major of Port Huron,

President of the Board of Education

1870s – Inventions, book publishing

PATENTS

PATENTS

1878

The Knights of the Maccabees were a fraternal

and benevolent “legal reserve society.”

KNIGHTS OF THE MACCABEES

Families of deceased members received

benefits in the form of legal-reserve

insurance.

Membership peaked at 210,000 in 1896

Members had “ranks” much like a military

organization

MACABEE TEMPLE

1879 CIVIL WAR PENSION CARD

1886

HEALTH DECLINES

LAKE WORTH COUNTRY

1894 – ARRIVAL IN FLORIDA

SOUTH END

OF

LAKE WORTH

Hypoluxo Road

Gateway Blvd

Boynton Beach Blvd/

Co

ng

ress A

ve

Fed

era

l H

wy

Woolbright Rd/

JANUARY, 1899

HOTEL LOCATION

THE ORPHANED TOWN

September 26, 1898, Byrd Spilman (Birdie) and Fred S.

Dewey filed the plat for the town of Boynton

and began to sell lots and develop the town.

SNOWBIRDS

Major Boynton and his family spent winters at the

Boynton Hotel. The Deweys continued to nurture

the town and began a lending library at the post

office.

WINTER RESORT

1900 SURREY

HOTEL BOYNTON

HOTEL LISTING

DRINKING WATER UNSURPASSED

1900 CENSUS – PORT HURON

FLORIDA EAST COAST CANAL

13 MILES SOUTH OF PALM BEACH

LOOKING EAST

BATHHOUSE, CIRCA 1920

KNIGHTS OF THE MACCABEES

ATWATER COTTAGE

MEMORIAL TO MAJ. BOYNTON

MAJOR NATHAN

SMITH BOYNTON

AND HIS

BOYNTON BEACH HOTEL

QUESTION & ANSWER TIME