major nathan s. boynton & his oceanfront boynton beach hotel by janet devries
DESCRIPTION
Major Nathan Smith Boynton (Port Huron, Michigan) and his famous oceanfront Boynton Beach, Florida Hotel (1897-1925) by Janet DeVries, President, Boynton Beach Historical SocietyTRANSCRIPT
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