Mary Jane Edmondson Ryburn

b. 9 November 1839, d. 26 March 1918
Mary (Ryburn) Dorsey Byars (cropped)
courtesy of the Historical Society of Washington Co., VA
FatherWilliam McNeal Ryburn1 b. 1 Dec 1814, d. 16 Jul 1891
MotherJane Beattie B. Fullen2 b. 23 Aug 1815, d. bef 1859
Birth9 Nov 1839 Mary Jane Edmondson Ryburn was born on 9 Nov 1839 in Washington County, Virginia.3,4 
Marriage15 Sep 1858 She married first John Dorsey on 15 Sep 1858 in Washington County.2,5 
WidowedSep 1859 Mary was widowed a year after her first marriage when John Dorsey was killed by a tree.6 
Cens-18601860  By 1860 she was living back at home. Her mother had also passed away and Mary was helping her father care for her younger siblings.7 
  According to the Washington County death records John and Mary had a daughter who died of fever on 26 Oct. 1861 at two years of age. She appears to have been missed on the 1860 census enumeration.8 
Marriage17 May 1866 She married second Arthur Henderson Byars, son of Arthur Bowen Byars and Susannah B. Blessing, on 17 May 1866 in Washington County.9,10 
Cens-18708 Oct 1870  She and her second husband Arthur Byars were recorded on the 1870 Washington County census with their two young sons, Arthur (age 3) and Thomas (age 1).11 
Cens-1880Jun 1880  By 1880 their family had grown to five children, who ranged in age from Arthur, age 13 to Hattie, age two.12 
  Another daughter was born in 1884. 
Cens-19001 Jun 1900 The 1900 census listed Arthur's occupation as "clerk in dry goods store". He and Mary had been married 33 years and she was the mother of six children, all of whom were living.13 
Legatee30 Jun 1906 Elizabeth Hall, Mary's cousin, wrote her will in 1906 and left Mary spectacles belonging to Elizabeth's mother. Mary was to pass them to her daughter, Bettie Susong on her own death. Elizabeth also left Mary one sixth of all her household and personal possessions not otherwise bequeathed.14 
  Elizabeth also left her estate, known as Cave Springs, to Mary Jane's son Arthur, who had been helping Elizabeth run the plantation. 
Cens-19101910  Mary, Arthur, Sr. and their children Arthur [Jr.] (43), Thomas (40), Hattie (29) and Mary (25) all appear to have then lived at Cave Springs. The 1910 census again asked each woman how many children she had given birth to. This time Mary, now 70, answered that she was the mother of 7 children, but only 6 were living.15 
Death26 Mar 1918 Mary died of acute laryngitis on 26 Mar 1918 at age 78.3,16 
Burial She was buried at Old Glade Spring Cemetery in Washington County.3 
Probate Recd26 May 1928 Mary Jane's own estate was not settled until 26 May 1928, ten years after her death. At that time her son, A. M. Byars, submitted papers in Washington County court listing $210.83 received from the estate of A. H. Byars. Five individuals (or their estates) inherited from Mary Jane: A.M. Byars, A. M. Byars as administrator of Elizabeth B. Susong (dec'd), A.M. Byars as committee of T. E. Byars, R. L. Davis as committee of Bessie B. Davis, and Mary S. Byars.17 

Related Links and Images:

The home known as Cave Springs, originally built by John Byars and Jane Beattie Ryburn; later inherited by their daughter Elizabeth who then left it to Arthur and Mary's son Arthur Byars, Jr.
Arthur and Mary's monument
Other interments in Old Glade Spring Cemetery

Family 1

John Dorsey b. abt 1835, d. Sep 1859
Child

Family 2

Arthur Henderson Byars b. 24 Sep 1835, d. 7 Feb 1926
Children
ChartsDescendants of Mathew Ryburn and Jane Beattie
Descendants of John Buchanan and Ann Ryburn
Descendants of William Ryburn and Mary (?)
Last Edited18 Aug 2011

Citations

  1. [S713] William McNeal will (1891), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 24: 132. William's will, dated 28 March 1891 and recorded 21 Sept. 1891 was witnessed by Wm Delp and Samuel Terrill. He asked the court to name his executor.
  2. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 81. John Dancy [sic], 23y, sgl, b. Doublin, Ireland, res Washington Co. VA, "Engineer on Va & Tenn RR", s/o William & Mary Dancey AND Mary Jane Edmondson Ryburn, 17y, sgl, b. & resid WCV, d/o William M. & Jane Ryburn.
  3. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 176. Mary Ryburn Byars, 9 Nov. 1839-26 Mar 1918.
  4. [S831] William Mc Ryburn Bible. "Mary J.E. Ryburn was born November 9th 1839."
  5. [S831] William Mc Ryburn Bible. "Mary E. J. Ryburn & John Da_cy [sic] was married Sept 15, 1858."
  6. [S672] John and Rubinette Nieman, Washington Co., Virginia 1860 Census, p. 3 (of mortality schedule) . John Dorsey, 25, male, married, born Dublin, Ireland, died in September, occupation: railroad engineer, killed by a tree.
  7. [S234] William McRyburn household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Western District, p. 445 (added script), dwelling 575, family 562, viewed online at Ancestry.com, June 2003, image 83 of 361. Reported data includes: William McRyburn, 45, farmer, owns real estate valued at $12,000, personal prop of $1,000; Mary J. Dorsey, 21, housekeeper; America Ryburn 19, seamstress; cont. on following page: Adelaide (Ryburn) 17, spinster; Lavinia 12; Whitley 10; all born Virginia.
  8. [S2268] Research of Tom Colley, Hanceville, Alabama; Mr. Colley cites the Washington County Death Register for the year 1861 originally held by the Virginia Bureau of Vital Statistics and viewed as Library of Virginia microfilm reel #30 which reports: A. C. Dorsey, d. 26 Oct 1861, age 2y, fever, d/o John & Mary J. Dorsey, reported by grandfather, William M. Ryburn.
  9. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 45. Arthur Henderson Byars, 30y, sgl, b. & resid Washington Co. VA, clerk, parents not named AND Mary Jane Dorsey, 27y, wid, b & resid WCV, parents not named; 17 May 1866.
  10. [S831] William Mc Ryburn Bible. "Mary J. E. Darcy and A. H. Byars were married May 17th 1866."
  11. [S635] A. H. Byars household, 1870 U.S. cens, Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., 1st Division (post office at Abingdon), p. 204 (stamped), dwelling 292, family 312, viewed online at Ancestry.com, June 2003, image 407 of 426. Data includes: A. H. Byars, 35, merchant, owns real estate valued at $1,000 [$7,000?]; M. J., 31; A. B. 3; Thomas E. 1; all born Virginia.
  12. [S165] Henderson A. Byars household, 1880 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 94, page 28 (66D stamped), dwelling 244, family 246, viewed online at www.Ancestry.com, April 2003, image 28 of 54. Henderson A. Byars, 45; Mary J., 40, wife; Arthur B., 13, son; Thomas E., 11, son; Elizabeth H., 7, dau; Jane B., 5, dau; Hattie C., 2, dau; all b. VA; parents b. VA.
  13. [S634] A. Hend Byars household, 1900 U.S. cens., Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Glade Spring, ED 108, sheet 1A, dwelling 1, family 1, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2003, image 1 of 43. Reported data includes: A. Hend Byars, 64, b. Sept. 1835, marr 33 yrs, clerk in dry goods store, owns home; Mary J., wife, 33, Nov. 1839, marr 33 yrs, mother of 6 children, all living; Thomas, son, 31, b. May 1869, salesman in dry goods store, sgl; Hattie, dau, 21, b. Apr 1879, sgl; Mary, dau, 16, b. Jan 1884; all b. VA; all parents b. VA. Note: McArthur Byars had also been entered and then lined out.
  14. [S830] Elizabeth Hall Will (1906), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 29 (D): 173. Elizabeth's will, dated June 30th 1906, was recorded July 19th, 1906.
  15. [S237] A. McNeal Byars household, 1910 U.S. cens., Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 117, sheet 21A, dwelling 346, family 353, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2003, image 41 of 45. Recorded data includes: A. McNeal Byars, 43, sgl, farmer, owns home; Arthur H., father, 74, first marriage, 44 yrs; Mary R., mother, 70, second marriage, 44 yrs, mother of 7 children, 6 living; Thomas E., bros, 40; Hattie C., sister, 29; cont. on sheet 21B: Mary S. Byars, sister, 25; all b. VA; address on prev. sheet says: Rock Rd south of Old Glade; on sheet 21B says: Old Stage Rd.
  16. [S2273] Research of Jack Hockett, Montreal, Canada; Mr. Hockett cites the Washington Co. Virginia death record entry for Mary Jane Byars (Library of Virginia, reel 64) which he abstracted as: WCV, Glade Spring: Mrs. Mary Jane Byars, w, female, mar, b VA, 09 Dec 1840, 78/04/17; d of acute laryngitis, 27 Mar 1918, d/o Wm. McK. Ryburn, VA & Jane Beattie Fullen, VA; A. W. Ayers, Glade Spring, inf; bur Glade Spring.
  17. [S832] Mary J. Byars settlement (1928), Washington Co., Virginia, Will Book 33: 400. A.M. Byars administrator.