Charlotte E. (Winters) Boynton vs. Thomas Herman Boynton 

(Journal 8 p297 - 12 Nov 1874; Roll 26 case number 38 – Mar 1874)

            The couple was married on 15 May 1864, Wms Co, OH (Marriage V3p382).  Charlotte was born in 1844/47 OH, father from MD and mother from CT. A Charlotte Gallagher married Christian Winters in Wms Co on 24 Dec 1861 (Marriage V3 p212), but whether this is our subject is not currently known. Thomas, born 1834/35 in Maine or OH, was the son of Alpheus Wing and Sarah Stockbridge Boynton. The Boyntons came to Ohio c1836, first to Maumee, and in 1841 to Wms Co.  Father Alpheus married four times (Sarah Stockbridge, Sarah B. Hodges, Elizabeth Sinclair, Jennie B. Quimby), was a merchant, a county commissioner, and farmer. The Boynton family was enumerated in the 1850 Pulaski Twp, Wms Co, OH federal census p91, as Alpheus Wing Boynton 48 ME merchant, Elizabeth 38 ME, Joseph 26 ME clerk, Charles 19 ME, Alpheus W 17 ME, Thomas 15 ME, and Eliza Cunningham 14 OH (adopted daughter).   Alpheus named Portland Street in Bryan as a remembrance of the birthplace, Portland, ME, of one of his wives.

            Thomas was first married to Margaret Roxy Straite on 25 Dec 1858, Wms Co (Marriage V3 p39).  In the 1860 Bryan, Pulaski Twp federal census p53A, the Boyntons were enumerated as Thomas H 24 ME carpenter, and wife Margaret R 19 OH. Margaret died on 23 Jan 1863 @21Y 10M 8D and was buried in the Old Pulaski Cem, Pulaski Twp, Wms Co, OH, where most of the Boynton family repose.  Thomas and Charlotte had a daughter, Jennie Boyd Boynton, b1865.  According to the 1870 Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Wms co, OH federal census, p54, the couple was listed as Thomas 36 OH carpenter, Charlotte 26 OH, and Jennie 5 OH. In the Bryan Democrat, 12 Jan 1871, an ad appeared announcing business in West Bryan for T. Boynton, carpenter.

 Charlotte claimed that on 10 May 1869 in Stryker, OH, Thomas struck, beat, and pushed her.  She claimed on many occasions he committed adultery with bawdy and lewd women in his home and a local whorehouse.  He had infected her with a loathsome venereal disease.  In Sept 1873 he committed adultery with Hulda Collins and later with Elisabeth Shaffer in their home. Thomas' father owned a great deal of property and Charlotte requested a portion of this for herself and the daughter.  She received a divorce and alimony; Thomas was granted visitation rights.  Alpheus Boynton, Thomas’ father, died on 22 Feb 1875 in Bryan (Bryan Press, 25 Feb 1875). His estate was probated on 20 Mar 1875 (#1719).

In the 1880 Sherman, Washington Co, KS federal census pp557, Thomas lived alone as 45 OH single, a farmer.  His brother, Alpheus W. Boynton, Jr., and his family also lived in Sherman, KS at shown by that enumeration (p554).  Thomas reportedly married a third wife, Sarah A. Dobbins, b June 1853 NC, in 1881 and he died on 1 Jan 1898 in Randall, Jewell Co, KS; his obit appeared in the Bryan Democrat, 13 Jan 1898 p5.  His widow Sarah A. Boynton was enumerated in the 1900 Randall City, Jewell Co, KS federal census p192 as Sarah 47 NC dressmaker; again in the 1910 Prairie Twp, Jewell Co, KS federal census p181 she was listed as Sarah A. Boynton 59 NC dressmaker, mother of one deceased child.  The Boyntons supposedly had a child named Mattie Boynton.

By the 1880 E. Des Moines, Polk Co, IA federal census p403 Charlotte Boynton and daughter Jennie were listed as CE Boynton (f) 33 OH-MD-CT divorced and Jennie E. 15 OH-ME-OH.  From the Des Moines, IA city directory one finds Jennie Boynton listed on 1000 E. Lyon St for 1889-1891.  Charlotte either died or remarried after the 1880 census.