William B. Byars1

b. 16 October 1815, d. 16 April 1895
FatherCol. William Byars2 b. 13 Nov 1776 or 18 Nov 1776, d. 14 Feb 1866
MotherElizabeth Beattie2 b. 26 Dec 1784, d. 26 Nov 1834 or 26 Nov 1835
Birth16 Oct 1815 William B. Byars was born on 16 Oct 1815 in Washington County, Virginia.3,4 
Marriage License26 Mar 1842 He and Sarah Taylor obtained a marriage license on 26 Mar 1842 in Smyth County, Virginia.5 
Land-Buy21 Aug 1843  Shortly after his marriage William purchased 335 acres of land from David and Nancy Beattie for $5,000.6 
  The land had originally belonged to David's grandfather, John Beattie (who was also William's great grandfather). William and Sarah most likely lived in the David Beattie home when they first acquired the property. 
Cens-18504 Sep 1850  Here they were enumerated in 1850 when the first census to record all members of a household was taken. William was 34; Sarah was 32. William's property was valued at $8,000. Also living with the couple were two young girls: Sally Taylor, 5, and Louisa Taylor, 3.7 
  They were the children of Charles Taylor, probably Sarah's brother. William and Sarah Byars did not have children of their own but raised Sally and Louisa. 
Residence  In the mid 1850s William built a beautiful brick home on his property. It fronted on what is now Evergreen Lane (Rt 609) on the eastern edge of present day Glade Spring (see link below to view separate page with pictures and additional information). 
Heir1866  William's father is believed to have assisted financially in the purchase of William's land and later, in the construction of his home. This is probably reflected in the older man's will, written in 1858, in which he released his son from accounts of at least $10,000 held against him and also gifted William all the slaves presently in his possession. The will also gifted William $10,000 and a tract of land in Clinton Co., Kentucky.2,8 
Cens-18601860  By 1860 William's land was worth $42,850 and he owned personal property worth $24, 640.9 
Cens-1860- Slave26 Jul 1860  The latter number reflects the 17 slaves who lived in 2 slave dwellings on the property. Stories circulated in later years that William and Sarah were stern taskmasters who did not always treat their slaves well.10,11 
23 Nov 1864  In November 1864, 18 year old Louisa Taylor married Thomas Nelson Cobbs, a 34 year old widower from Bedford County. She gave birth to a son a few years later whom she named William Byars Cobbs. Louisa died in 1869.12 
Cens-187016 Aug 1870  Thomas Cobbs remained with William and Sarah Byars and looked after their home and farm. Young William Cobbs, like his mother, was raised in the Byars household [William and Sarah may have formally adopted him]. The 1870 census for Washington County indicated that William Byars owned land worth $30,000 and personal property worth over $8,000.13 
  Some of William's personal property was not readily apparent, but consisted of 1,500 pounds of tobacco hidden in a sealed room beneath his home. A man with a keen business sense, William had converted Confederate dollars into a valuable commodity and stored it away during the Civil War. He had also purchased land in Texas. Interestingly the hidden tobacco was not discovered until many years after his death (see link to story below).14 
  In 1871 Thomas Cobbs married Sarah Taylor, the elder sister of his first wife Louisa. She is believed to have given birth to a son Charles Cobbs, but like her sister, did not live to raise her child.15 
Cens-1880Jun 1880  Additional tragedy struck the family in the late 1870s when William was confined to the Western Lunatic Asylum hospital at Staunton (Augusta Co., VA). By the summer of 1880 he had been a resident of the institution for 7 months. William was also enumerated as the head of his "usual" household in Glade Spring which included his wife Sarah, along with the thrice widowed Thomas Cobbs and 13 year old William Cobbs [his son] and 7 year old Charles Cobbs [probably also his son]. Several servants lived with the family.16,17 
Migration1883  A few years later, probably around 1883, William and Sarah moved to the Ft. Worth area of Texas.18 
Will25 Oct 1887 There William wrote his will on 25 Oct 1887. He left his entire estate to his adopted son William B. Cobbs who was also appointed executor.1 
Death16 Apr 1895 William died on 16 Apr 1895, however it is not clear if he was living in Texas or Virginia at the time. He was 79.3 
Will-Recd18 Sep 1895 William's will was recorded on 18 Sep 1895 in Washington County, Virginia, along with depositions taken in Texas from Wm Capps and S. B. Cautey stating that they had witnessed William sign his will. Mr. Capps also stated that he was William Byars lawyer and that he had written the will in his offices on the corner of 1st and Main Street in Ft. Worth. Mr. Cautey, who was a member of the same firm, stated that he became acquainted with "Col." Byars in 1883 or 1884 and that for several years afterwards the colonel visited their offices almost daily.1 

Related Links and Images:

The first Brook Hall photographed about 1937 (William's birthplace)19
William spent the latter years of his childhood at Brook Hall, his parent's large estate20
John and Sarah's home, now known as Woodburn, photographed in 2006 (page includes link to article about Woodburn's secret room)20
William's will
William B. Byars' burial location has not been previously identified. A small cemetery was recently located on land William originally owned, and which he left to his "adopted son" William Byars Cobbs. The cemetery includes a large monument engraved with William Cobb's name. It includes space for additional names that were never added. The monument is surrounded by a cluster of small stones each marked by initials. These probably note burial locations. One such stone is marked W.B.B.
Other interments in Cobbs Cemetery
William and Sarah lived for some time in Texas, settling in Tarrant County. See the Texas map (also accessible via the Misc. Locations link in the menu bar at the top of any page).
The 1850 Washington Co., Virginia census listed William as the head of household number 1003. Follow the link to see who lived nearby.
Last Edited10 Dec 2013

Citations

  1. [S714] William Byars will (recorded 1895), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 25: 235. The will was dated 25 Oct. 1887 in Tarrant Co., Texas and witnessed by Wm Capps and S.B. Cautey. It was recorded in Washington Co., Virginia on 18 Sept. 1895.
  2. [S852] William Byars will (1866), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 16: 406. The will was written 6 May 1858 with a codicil added March 31, 1862. It was recorded 26 March 1866.
  3. [S2320] Jonathan K. Smith, "Genealogical Abstracts From Reported Deaths - The Nashville Christian Advocate 1894-1896", abstracts transcribed by Laurel Baty, David Donahue Memorial Tennessee Records Repository - Davidson Co., TN (http://www.tngenweb.org/records/davidson/ : Jul 2009), Edition of May 30, 1895: William B. Byers born Washington Co., Va., October 16, 1815; died April 16, 1895; married Sallie Taylor; no children but reared two of her nieces.
  4. [S956] J. Cloyd Byars, "Fort Kilmackronen", Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia Bulletin #10 (July 1943).
  5. [S45] John Vogt and William Kethley Jr., Smyth Co. VA Marriages 1832-50, p. 14.
  6. [S2301] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 16: 437. David and Nancy Beattie to William B. Byars, 335 acres for $5,000, dated 21 Aug. 1843, recorded 23 Apr 1844.
  7. [S367] Wm B. Byars household, 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., 67th District, p. 137 stamped, dwelling 1003, family 1003, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2008, image 139 of 289. Household includes: Wm B. Byars, 34, farmer, real estate valued at $8,000; Sarah C. 32; Sally Taylor 5; Louisa Taylor 3; all b. VA.
  8. [S7] An article published in The Roanoke Times on 28 Dec. 1958 erroneously stated that Col. William Byars built Woodburn for a nephew who carried his name. Although Col. Byars did have a nephew named William, Woodburn was built for the colonel's son, not his nephew. Excerpts from the article were reprinted in a Spring 1968 publication of the Historical Society of Washington County, further confusing the issue.
  9. [S234] William B. Byars household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Western District, p. 455 (added script), dwelling 647, family 632, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Oct. 2005, image 93 of 361. Reported data includes: William B. Byars, 43, farmer, owns land valued at $42,850 and personal property of $24,640; Sallie, 42; Sallie Taylor, 15 and Louisa Taylor, 13; all b. VA.
  10. [S1308] William B. Byars, owner, 1860 U.S. census, Washington Co., Virginia, slave schedule, p. 8 (original script), line 7, viewed online at Ancestry.com. 17 slaves including 12 males and 5 females.
  11. [S1199] Victoria Gilliam, "Keys Home", 1937, digital image, Works Progress Administration of Virginia Historical Inventory, Library of Virginia Online, <<http://www.lva.virginia.gov>>: viewed 2010. Sources: Mrs. Samuel Keys, Mr. Ed Hutton, Tom B. Porterfield, Mr. McClelland who was the caretaker of Woodburn in the early 1900s, Miss Williams - daughter of Joseph Williams, age 90, who was guardian of Mrs. Byars before her death.
  12. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 64. Thomas Nelson Cobbs, 34, wid, b. Bedford Co. VA, resid WCV, Soup. RR, s/o John L. & Judith Cobbs marr L. Byars Taylor, 19, sgl, b. Smyth Co., VA, d/o Charles C. & Ellen Taylor; 23 Nov. 1864.
  13. [S635] Wm B. Byars household, 1870 U.S. cens, Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Glade Spring township, p. 1 (p. 54 stamped), dwelling 1, family 1, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Aug. 2008, image 1 of 49. Household includes: Wm B. Byars, 56, farmer, owns land val at $30,000 and pers. prop. of $8,115; Sarah A.P., 55; Thomas Cobbs, 38, Super in Tendant [sic]; Sally Tayler, 23; Wm B. Cobbs, 2; also 2 servants; all b. VA.
  14. [S2300] "Glade Spring Man Makes A Find," Norfolk and Western Magazine (Sept. 1928): A copy of this article was provided to the author by Stephen Marks, great grandson of Samuel W. Keys; the original was held by his grandmother.
  15. [S2619] Anne Leyden, "William B. Byars," e-mail to D. Powell, 15 Jan. 2011.
  16. [S163] Wm B. Byars household, 1880 U.S. Cens., Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring district, ED 94, p. 24D, dwelling 212, family 213. March 2011. Household includes: Wm B. Byars, 64, insane; Sarah, wife; Thomas Cobbs, 48, farmer, wid; William Cobbs, 13, nephew; Charles Cobbs (no relation stated), 7; Frances Meeks, black female, 20, servant; Amelia Meeks, black, 8; William Meeks, black, 3; Lula Meeks, black, b. Oct.; William Sales, black servant, 15; all b. VA; all parents b. VA.
  17. [S2620] William B. Byars entry, 1880 U.S. Nonpopulation Census, Washington Co., VA, Defective, Dependent and Delinquent Schedule, Glade Spring District, p. 898, line 1, viewed online at Ancestry.com, March, 2011. The entry noted that Mr. Byars entry on the population schedule was on p. 24, line 45 (Glade Spring, VA). He was a resident of the Western Lunatic Asylum and had been for 7 months. He was 64 when his "attacks" began. This was his second attack; it had lasted for 7 months. He had spent a total of 8 months as a resident and at times was confined to a cell or apartment under lock and key.
  18. [S35] Nanci C. King, Places In Time Vol. II, p. 160.
  19. [S1376] Photo courtesy of The Library of Virginia.
  20. [S1376] Photo courtesy of Carolyn Ryburn.