Washington Wallace Boynton was born on a farm in Russia Township, Lorain County, Ohio.

[4] In the fall of 1863, he discontinued his practice due to ill health, and traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota.

[6] He authored a resolution to strike the word "white" from the provisions of the Ohio Constitution regarding suffrage.

[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.