Washington W. Boynton

Washington Wallace Boynton (January 27, 1833 – June 27, 1916)[1] was a Republican politician in the U.S. state of Ohio who was in the Ohio House of Representatives and was a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court 1877–1881.

Washington Wallace Boynton
Ohio Supreme Court Justice
In office February 8, 1877 – November 9, 1881
Preceded by	George Rex
Succeeded by	Nicholas Longworth II
Personal details
Born	(1833-01-27)January 27, 1833 Russia Township, Lorain County, Ohio
Died	June 27, 1916(1916-06-27) (aged 83) Elyria, Ohio
Resting place	Elyria
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Betsey A. Terrell

Washington Wallace Boynton was born on a farm in Russia Township, Lorain County, Ohio. His parents, General Lewis D. and Ruth Wellman Boynton, were natives of Maine.[2] From age sixteen he taught school, and was in charge of a select school in South Amherst, and was county school examiner.[3]

Boynton studied law with his uncle, Elbridge Gerry Boynton, of Elyria, Ohio,[2] and was admitted to the bar in 1856. In 1858, he was chosen Prosecuting Attorney of Lorain County.[4] In the fall of 1863, he discontinued his practice due to ill health, and traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota.[5] He returned to Ohio the next year, and in 1865 he was elected to a single term in the Ohio House of Representatives.[6] He authored a resolution to strike the word "white" from the provisions of the Ohio Constitution regarding suffrage. It failed at the ballot box, but was adopted when the Federal Constitution was amended.[5]

In 1869, Boynton was appointed by Governor Hayes as Common Pleas Judge, and was elected by the people to that position in 1871, serving until he resigned to take a seat on the Supreme Court.[5][4]

In 1876, Boynton was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court, and resigned in 1881 due to poor health and meager salary. He returned to private practice at Cleveland.[4] After 1906, he retired from professional work and moved to Elyria.[5]

Boynton was married December 29, 1859 to Betsey A. Terrell of North Ridgeville, Ohio.[5] Boynton helped found and was president of the Elyria Memorial Hospital. He helped found the Gates Home for Crippled Children. He was a director of the Savings Deposit Bank and Trust Company of Elyria.[1] Boynton died at home in Elyria June 27, 1916, and was buried in Ridgelawn Cemetery. He had no children.[1]