====== The Boyington Oak: History and Folklore ======

The Boyington Oak is a historic Southern live oak located in Mobile, Alabama. While Mobile is home to many notable live oaks known for their grandeur and age, the Boyington Oak is distinguished by the intriguing folklore surrounding its origin.

==== History ====

The story of the Boyington Oak traces back to Charles R.S. Boyington, a young printer who arrived in Mobile from Connecticut in 1833. During the 1830s, Mobile experienced a period of rapid growth and expansion, and Boyington was among the many new residents drawn to the burgeoning city. Known for his penchant for gambling, Boyington lived in one of the many boarding houses that characterized the cityscape of that era.

On May 11, 1834, Boyington was seen accompanying his friend and roommate, Nathaniel Frost, whom Boyington reportedly owed money. The two were headed towards Church Street Graveyard, located on the outskirts of Mobile. Later, Frost was discovered stabbed to death and robbed near the cemetery.

Boyington became the prime suspect in the murder case. Despite his steadfast proclamations of innocence, he was convicted of Frost’s murder and executed on February 20, 1835. He was buried in the northwestern corner of Church Street Graveyard, specifically in the potter's field section. 

Before his execution, Boyington purportedly declared that a mighty oak tree would grow from his heart as a testament to his innocence. Remarkably, an oak tree did eventually emerge from his grave. Originally, the grave and the tree were located inside the brick wall encircling the cemetery. However, the wall was relocated shortly after the turn of the 20th century. Today, the Boyington Oak stands just outside the cemetery wall, at the edge of Bayou Street.

==== Folklore ====

The legend of the Boyington Oak has been widely disseminated in various publications. It is featured in Kathryn Tucker Windham's "Jeffrey's Latest 13: More Alabama Ghosts," John S. Sledge's "Cities of Silence," Nelson and Nelson's "A History of Church Street Graveyard," and Pruitt and Higgin's "Crime and Punishment in Antebellum Mobile: The Long Story of Charles R. S. Boyington" in the *Gulf Coast Historical Review*.

According to local ghost stories, visitors to the Boyington Oak have reported hearing eerie crying and whispering sounds emanating from the vicinity of the tree. These spectral accounts contribute to the tree's enduring mystique and its place in Mobile's folklore.