Boynton, Charles Luther, 1881-

Biographical Note

• 1881, June 8: Born, Townshend, Vermont
• 1901: Graduated, Pomona College
• 1901 - 1903 : Assistant Secretary, State Committee YMCAs of Kansas
• 1903 - 1906 : Business Secretary, Student Department, International Committee YMCA, New York
• 1906 - 1914 : Business Secretary, National Committee YMCAs of China
• 1907: Attended Centenary Conference, New York
• 1908, June 8: Married Leila Dozier
• 1909 - 1920 : Member, original Board of Managers of the Shanghai American School, which he founded
• 1914 - 1915 : Foreign Missions Conference of North America Editor, The Missions Code
• 1915 - 1920 : Business and Statistical Secretary of China Continuation Committee
• 1915 - 1923 : Served with U.S. Army, Shanghai Volunteer Corps
• 1920 - 1922 : Business Manager, Shanghai American School; Executive Secretary, 1922-1923; Acting Principal, 1923-1924; Principal, 1924-1926
• 1927 - 1947 : Business Secretary of National Christian Council of China; Acting General Secretary, 1941; Honorary Secretary, 1947-1950 Compiled the handbook The Christian Movement in China
• 1943 - 1945 : Interned at Chapei Civil Assembly Center during the Japanese occupation of Shanghai
• 1946: Returned to the United States

From the guide to the Charles Luther Boynton Papers, 1901-1967, (Hoover Institution Archives)

Biography / Administrative History

Brothers Charles Luther (1881-1967) and Edmund Cyrus Boynton (1879-1977) were born in Vermont. The Boynton family moved to Pasadena in 1887 and the brothers attended Pomona College, Edmund graduating in 1900 and Charles graduating in 1901.

Charles L. Boynton married Leila Byrd Dozier in 1908 and they had one child, Charles Dozier Boynton (Pomona College class of 1931) in 1910. He worked as a missionary in China and was on of the founders of the Shanghai American School. During his time in China he organized two fund raising campaigns for new buildings and successfully erected 10 structures from 1919-1923. He was also the founder of the Community Church in Shanghai. He served in the American Company Shanghai Volunteer Corps from 1915-1923.

Edmund C. Boynton owned and managed the Boynton Teachers Agency in Los Angeles. He married Agnes E. Chick in 1906. They had two children, H. Gratia in 1909 (Pomona College class of 1930) and Constance A. in 1911 (Pomona College class 1932).

From the guide to the Charles and Edmund Boynton papers, circa 1881-1969, (Claremont Colleges. Library. Special Collections, Honnold/Mudd Library.)