James S. Boynton Explained

James S. Boynton
Order1:51st
Office1:Governor of Georgia
Term Start1:March 4, 1883
Term End1:May 10, 1883
Predecessor1:Alexander H. Stephens
Successor1:Henry D. McDaniel
Birth Name:James Stoddard Boynton
Birth Date:7 May 1833
Birth Place:Henry County, Georgia, U.S.
Death Place:Griffin, Georgia, U.S.
Signature:Signature of James Stoddard Boynton (1833–1902).png

James Stoddard Boynton (May 7, 1833December 22, 1902) was an American politician and jurist.

Early life

Boynton was born in Henry County, Georgia on May 7, 1833. He was a lawyer, having passed the bar in 1852.

Civil War

Boynton fought in the Civil War, serving as a private with the 30th Georgia Infantry.[1] He was wounded in the Battle of Atlanta,[2] and achieved the rank of colonel by the end of the war.[3] After the war, Boynton moved to Griffin in 1865.

Political life

Boynton briefly served as the 51st governor of Georgia from 1883 after the death of Governor Alexander Stephens. At the time of Stephens death, Boynton was serving as the president of the Georgia Senate so he assumed the governorship. His additional political service included the office of Mayor of Griffin, Georgia.

Boynton also served as a judge in the Spalding County, Georgia Court and the Flint Circuit Superior Court.[4]

Death and legacy

He died at his home in Griffin in 1902 and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in that same city.

A street in Chickamauga, Georgia is named for him.[5]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Powell. David A.. The Chickamauga Campaign: a Mad Irregular Battle From the Crossing of Tennessee River Through the First Day, August 22 - September 19, 1863.. 2014. Savas Beatie. Dorado Hills, Calif.. 9781611211740. 309.
  2. Web site: Historic Utoy Church historical marker. Digital Library of Georgia. June 18, 2016.
  3. Web site: James Boynton. National Governors Association. June 18, 2016.
  4. Book: Cimbala. Paul A.. The Freedmen's Bureau reconstructing the American South after the Civil War. 1999. Oxford University Press. New York. 978-1575240947.
  5. News: Walker County. Calhoun Times . September 1, 2004 . April 26, 2015 . 106.