The Boyntons of Yorkshire -- much of what we know about them is taken from books that were published long ago. Many are quite rare. Some were published in Latin. Access is not great. Since they are beyond copyright restrictions they are in the public domain. Hence, it is possible for us to make them -- or relevant parts of them -- available here.

Carus Collier's book about the Boynton family is a case in point. It was published in 1914 in a very limited edition. We were able to find it in only two libraries, and neither would lend it unless you were on the spot. To read his book you have to go either to York or to Ohio. Neither is particularly handy. His book is the best documented and is close to the most accurate account of the Boynton family that has been published, but it is inaccessible. Boyntons who are interested in learning about their Yorkshire forebears turn to other authors who did the best they could, but they did not do very well. Much of Collier's book is available in our "library." We did not reproduce the chapter on Burton Agnes and other chapters that are about post-1650 Boyntons.

Translations: In the nineteenth century everyone who might read history knew latin; at least, that is how researchers and publishers acted. So, there is considerable material about the Boyntons that was published when the publishers did not think translating was necessary. The world has taken a turn for the worse [or something like that] and very few of us are latin educated today. Often the summaries that are available are enough, but if you want to know what the questions were that Robert, the 14th century monk at Whitby Abbey, had to answer or you want to know the cases Walter, the father of us all, decided when he was on the king's court in York you either have to read latin or you have to get someone who can translate. We are fortunate to have found Virginia Murphy who is a medieval scholar and who is willing to help us with the translations. Her translations become a part of our library.