Arthur Henderson Byars

b. 24 September 1835, d. 7 February 1926
Arthur Henderson Byars (cropped)
courtesy of the Historical Society of Washington Co., VA
FatherArthur Bowen Byars1 b. 8 Dec 1794, d. 12 Aug 1845
MotherSusannah B. Blessing1 b. 12 Jul 1804, d. 1875
Birth24 Sep 1835 Arthur Henderson Byars was born on 24 Sep 1835 in Virginia.2,3,1 
Military Prior to his marriage Arthur fought in the Civil War. He served as a private in Company D, 1st Virginia Regiment (Cavalry). This was a part of Wickham's Brigade of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.4 
Marriage17 May 1866 He married Mary Jane Edmondson Ryburn, daughter of William McNeal Ryburn and Jane Beattie B. Fullen, on 17 May 1866 in Washington County.5,6 
Cens-18708 Oct 1870  Arthur and Mary were recorded on the 1870 Washington County census with their two young sons, Arthur (age 3) and Thomas (age 1).7 
Cens-1880Jun 1880  By 1880 their family had grown to five children, who ranged in age from Arthur, age 13 to Hattie, age two.8 
  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.3 
  When Elizabeth Hall, Arthur's second cousin, died in 1906 she left her plantation, Cave Springs, to Arthur and Mary's son Arthur Jr. Mary was also Elizabeth Hall's cousin. 
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.9 
Cens-192012 Jan 1920 Following Mary's death in 1918, Arthur continued to make his home with his son Arthur and his daughter, Mary, neither of whom had married.10 
Death7 Feb 1926 Arthur died on 7 Feb 1926 at age 90.2,11 
Burial He was buried at Old Glade Spring Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.2 
Probate Recd20 Jul 1926 Probate records were filed court for Arthur on 20 Jul 1926 stating that he died without leaving a will and that no inheritance taxes were owed.11 

Related Links and Images:

Transcriptions of 3 letters written by Arthur during the Civil War may be found on the Valley of the Shadows website. Go to the Letters search page and type Byars in the query field
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's headstone
Other interments in Old Glade Spring Cemetery

Family

Mary Jane Edmondson Ryburn b. 9 Nov 1839, d. 26 Mar 1918
Children
Last Edited21 Nov 2011

Citations

  1. [S855] "Arthur B. Byars-Susannah Blessing family group sheet", (undocumented); ancestral file numbers 14N7-XWQ and 14N7-XXX, Ancestral File.
  2. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 176. Transcription reads: A. Henderson Byars, 24 Sept. 1835- 7 Feb. 1926.
  3. [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.
  4. [S958] James L. Douthat, Civil War Records of Washington Co., Virginia, p. 51.
  5. [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.
  6. [S831] William Mc Ryburn Bible. "Mary J. E. Darcy and A. H. Byars were married May 17th 1866."
  7. [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.
  8. [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.
  9. [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.
  10. [S238] Arthur McByars household, 1920 U.S. cens., Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 149, sheet 4B, dwelling 63, family 65, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2003, image 3 of 19. Recorded data includes: Arthur McByars, 52, single, owns home free of mortgage, farmer; Arthur McByars, father, 84, widowed, Mary McByars, sister, 35, single; living on the "State Highway", all born Virginia, all parents born Virginia.
  11. [S839] Certificate Showing No Inheritance Tax Assessable agains the estate of Arthur Henderson Byars (1926), Washington Co., Virginia, Will Book 32: 497. Document states that Arthur died Feb. 7, 1926, intestate.