Butte County
Biographies
SETH SPRAGUE BOYNTON
SETH
SPRAGUE BOYNTON.--A man of intellect and splendid character and with a
vision of the future possibilities of Northern California
that was seemingly prophetic. Seth S. Boynton gave unstintingly of his
time and strength for the achievement of that of which he had caught the
vision. How well he succeeded is shown by his life history.
The
youngest of four children, Mr. Boynton was born in Hallowell, Me., January 20,
1847, and came to California when only seven years of age, with his parents,
Joseph and Susan Boynton, and three sisters. His father was one of the
early pioneers, coming to California by way of Panama,
in the year 1854. He first settled in Plumas
County, and engaged in both mining
and farming. He finally moved to Elko, Nev.,
where he died. The mother died at Taylorsville, Plumas
County.
Seth
S. Boynton secured his education in the public schools of Plumas
County. He grew up amid the
Grand Sierras, and as from boyhood he was a lover of nature, he familiarized
himself with the rocks, trees, flowers, animals, birds and insects of that
region, until few excelled him as a amateur
naturalist. He loved the mountains and streams of the Sierras, and some of
the most beautiful tributes to natural scenery have came from the pen of S. S.
Boynton.
Beginning January 1, 1863, when less than sixteen years of age, Mr.
Boynton kept a continuous record of the daily events of his life for over
forty-three years. From this record we get the course of events
that shaped his career. In his youth he was a constant reader, borrowing
books wherever he could obtain them. In the summer of 1865 he wrote his
first article for publication, which appeared in the Quincy Union, and from
that time on until he left Plumas County
he was a regular contributor to the newspapers. He began teaching at the
age of eighteen, and taught continuously for nineteen years. In October,
1868, while teaching at Taylorsville, Mr. Boynton came
on horseback to Oroville to attend the first Teachers’ Institute, arriving
October 11 in the city which later became his home for over thirty
years. He was elected secretary of the Institute, and it was during its
sessions that he first met the young lady who afterwards became his
wife. At the close of the Institute he returned to Taylorsville,
finished his term of school, and the following spring came back to
Oroville. Between this period and 1874 he taught at various points in that
section. That year he procured an educational diploma, after which he went
to Elko, Nev.,
to teach. In the fall of 1875 he was elected principal of the Oroville
public schools. In 1877 he received a life diploma.
It
was while teaching at Elko, Nev.,
that Mr. Boynton was married to Miss Kate Hutchins (whose sketch also appears
in this book). The marriage took place December 31, 1874, at Central
House, Butte County. When
Mr. Boynton took the principalship of the Oroville
schools, Mrs. Boynton became one the teachers.
Tiring
of school work after teaching nineteen years, on July 1, 1878 Mr. Boynton gave
up his profession and opened a book and stationery store, in which business he
continued for eight years. His great ambition, however, was realized when,
on January 27, 1883, he bought the Butte County Register, a weekly newspaper
published in Oroville, the name of which he changed to the Oroville
Register. In 1885 the office was moved from its location in the Ostroski Building
to its present location on Bird street. Owning
his own building, Mr. Boynton took great pride in building up his office plant
until he made it equal to any other in Northern California. In
January, 1892, he was appointed postmaster at Oroville, which position he held
until the advent of Cleveland’s
administration in 1895.
On
May 31, 1895, Mr. Boynton began publishing a daily edition of the Oroville Register, and for eleven years gave through this medium, to
the people of Oroville and Butte County
the best that was in him. He was a fluent writer, and for years edited and
wrote for his paper almost without assistance. In his work as editor he
made Plumas and Butte Bounties his debtors. For more than a quarter of
century he successfully devoted his energies to the upbuilding
of his home community and his pencil was ever ready to fill space in his paper
to that end. To him it was a labor of love. He never wearied of
word-painting the wonderful, marvelous scenery of the two counties, describing
the climate and giving facts and figures as to resources and
advantages. He was one of the first to strongly advocate the planting of
citrus fruits in Butte County and much of the credit for the brilliant success
of the wonderful Citrus Fair, held in Northern California,
belongs to him. His first
suggestion that such an exhibition be held met with ridicule and sarcasm, both
at home and abroad, but faith and perseverance won the day, and the Citrus
Fairs of Northern California became famous over the entire coast.
Mr.
Boynton was a man of wide reading, an untiring student, and even in his later
years devoted much of his time to the study of literature and scientific
subjects. He possessed one of the finest private libraries in Butte
County. In addition to his
newspaper work, he was a contributor to popular magazines.
March
17, 1868, Mr. Boynton was made a Mason in Sincerity Lodge, at Taylorsville, now
of Greenville. Later he
demitted and became an active member in Oroville Lodge No. 103, F. & A. M.;
was Master from 1891 to 1894, inclusive; was raised to the Royal Arch degree in
Chapter No. 2, R. A. M., and in 1901 was High Priest; received highest degree
in York Rite, 1905; was a member of Oroville Commandery,
No. 5, K. T., and a charter member of Amapola
Chapter, O. E. S., and Worthy Patron in 1897, 1898 and 1899. Mr. Boynton was a
student of Masonry and took a deep interest in the fraternity. Many
lectures on the subject were delivered by him.
Mr.
Boynton died, February 28, 1906. The funeral services were conducted by
Oroville Lodge, No. 103, F. & A. M., and the funeral was also attended by
the Oroville Commandery, No. 5, K. T., and by the
courthouse officials; and business houses, as well as banks, closed their
doors to do honor to this citizen who had contributed so magnificently to the
development of their community. He was an exemplary citizen and his
death was a very great loss. His many good qualities won him the highest
esteem and respect, while his invariable courtesy and kindness, and his
readiness to grant a favor or do a kind deed, made for him numerous warm
friends.
Mr.
Boynton’s love for his family was a strong trait, and his domestic relations
were ideal. He was spared to see his son, Albert E., become a lawyer,
building up a reputation both in his profess and a business man, and to see his
daughter, Leila, a university graduate.
Transcribed by Louise E. Shoemaker December 04, 2007.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 528-534, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
©
2007 Louise
E. Shoemaker.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies
California Statewide
Golden Nugget Library