Boynton Brothers – William, Jerry and Nathan
 

Jerry and William Boynton, sons of Caleb and Asenath (Hill) and half-brothers of Nathan, were uncles of James A. Garfield, late President of the United States.  The parents went to Stowe, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and remained until the sons purchased land in Byron township in August, 1835. William, Jerry and Nathan Boynton were the first white settlers in Byron township. They descended from a long line of landowners or farmers, who were owners of a large estate in Yorkshire, England, a fertile farming and dairy region. Their ancestry can be traced back as far as 1067, in a direct line to Lord Bartholomew Boynton of "Boynton" Yorkshire, who was Lord of the Manor. Two of their ancestors, William and John Boynton, who were brothers, emigrated to Rowley, Massachusetts, in 1638. From that time on members of this family were westward faring pioneers. Seventy-one of their descendants fought in the Revolutionary War. One of the descendants, Caleb Boynton, settled in St. Lawrence county, New York. Here Caleb married Mrs. Thomas Garfield (nee Asenath Hill), a widow with four small sons. To them were born six children: Amos, Anna, Nathan, Jerry, Calista and William. Her son, Abram Garfield, was the father of James Abram Garfield, the twentieth president of the United States. The family moved to Stowe, Cuyahoga county, Ohio and some of the brothers came to Byron township. Jerry Boynton was born in St. Lawrence County, N.Y., 25 Aug 1814 and he and his brothers, Nathan and William bought land in Byron township in August, 1835.  At the time of his arrival in the township he had fifty dollars, sufficient to buy 40 acres of  land in section 9.  He immediately began to reclaim the land from it original condition, and worked by day as time allowed.By the times of his death, he owned 320 acres of land.  He married Harriet Wilson 28 Feb 1841, daughter of Jesse and Betsey (Elliot) Wilson, born 4 Feb 1818 in Bennington, Genesee county, NY. They had two children, Ellen L. B. and Harriet E. His possessions were divided equally between his two daughters at the time of his death. He held town and school offices. He and his wife belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church. The first school was erected here in the NW quarter of section 5 and Mrs. Boynton was its first teacher. William Boynton was born 22 Jan 1818 in St. Lawrence County, NY. He purchased 40 acres of land in section 8 in August, 1835. At the age of 18 he came to Detroit and walked to the home of his brother Nathan in Byron Center. At the time of his death he owned 220 acres in sections 4, 5, 8 and 16. He married 7 January 1840 to Orpha Jewell, daughter of James E. Jewell of Byron. They had nine children, four of whom grew to maturity. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. When he died, his eldest daughter, Sarah inherited 20 acres; 160 acres were divided between his two sons who settled with their younger sister her portion and 40 acres were sold. His sons specialized in Norman-Percheron horses.