Elizabeth Mary Jane Byars1

b. 17 November 1838, d. 16 July 1906
FatherJohn Byars1 b. 8 Aug 1811, d. 19 Aug 1890
MotherJane Beattie Ryburn1 b. 6 Jun 1819, d. 8 May 1897
Birth17 Nov 1838 Elizabeth Mary Jane Byars was born on 17 Nov 1838 in Virginia.1,2 
Marriage8 Jul 1857 She married John Dayton Hall, son of George Hall and Nancy (?), on 8 Jul 1857.1 
Devisee31 Mar 1862  Elizabeth's grandfather, Col. William Byars, added a codicil to his will the month after Elizabeth gave birth to her only child, William. In it he bequeathed Elizabeth a tract of land on Cedar Creek in Smyth County, Virginia. 
Cens-Sum John (Hall) and Elizabeth, and their son William made their home in Glade Spring Township with Elizabeth's parents, John and Jane (Ryburn) Byars.3,4,5 
  They all resided in a large brick home known as Cave Springs which had been built for John and Jane Byars on the lands of Brook Hall Farm, the plantation belonging to John's father, Col. William Byars.6,7 
  The 1870 census listed John Hall as the head of the household with real estate holdings of over $17,000. Although he may have owned real estate at this time, it is unlikely he should have been recorded as the head of the household since Elizabeth's father was still living.4 
Cens-190023 Jun 1900 By 1900, John was deceased, as were Elizabeth's parents. She was enumerated that year with her 38 year old son, William, who died a few months later. Several other relatives were also listed in the household, including Elizabeth's cousins, Vene Ryan and Bertha Carmack, and a nephew, Mack Byars.8 
Will30 Jun 1906  The month before her death Elizabeth wrote a lengthy and very detailed will. She requested that a tombstone be placed at her grave like the one at the grave of her beloved husband. She also requested the same for her son William and her mother and left money to maintain the graves. Elizabeth left 300 acres of the "home place", including the residence [Cave Springs], to her cousin A.M. Byars. She instructed her other lands be sold and bequeathed cash gifts to many people, including "her cousins" Mrs. M.L. Ryan, Mrs. Bettie Susong, Byars Clark, Mary Jane Clark, A. Lavinia Hutton and Addie Hutton. Elizabeth also left cash or specific gifts to a wide variety of individuals and institutions. She particularily remembered Bertha Carmack and wrote, "she (Bertha) has been very kind to me in my sorrow and loneliness."9 
Death16 Jul 1906 Elizabeth died on 16 Jul 1906 at age 67.2 
Will-Recd19 Jul 1906 Three days after her death, Elizabeth's will was recorded in Washington County court. A.M. Byars and F.B. Hutton took the oath of executors and with the United States Fidelity Company as their security, posted bond in the amount of $10,000. Elizabeth's will had stipulated that they not be required to post bond in excess of that amount.9 
Burial She was buried at Old Glade Spring Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.2 

Related Links and Images:

Elizabeth's family Bible - birth and death records10
Birth records10
Birth entries for Elizabeth's parents10
Elizabeth and John's marriage record from her Bible10
The home known as Cave Springs, built by Elizabeth's parents and later owned by Elizabeth and and her husband John
Elizabeth's headstone
Other interments in Old Glade Spring Cemetery

Family

John Dayton Hall b. 26 Mar 1834, d. 4 Mar 1896
Child
ChartsDescendants of Mathew Ryburn and Jane Beattie
Descendants of William Ryburn and Mary (?)
Last Edited14 Jan 2013

Citations

  1. [S1876] Elizabeth (Byars) Hall Bible.
  2. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 180. Elizabeth's stone lies in the Byars Square and is reported to read: 17 Nov. 1838-16 Jul 1906, age 61y 11m 8d.
  3. [S165] John Byars household, 1880 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 94, page 52 (78B stamped), dwelling 450, family 453, viewed online at www.Ancestry.com, April 2003, image 52 of 54. John Byars, 69, farmer; Jane R. or B., 60, wife; John Hall, 46, son-in-law, farmer; Elizabeth, 47 or 49, dau; William B., 17, son; William Thomas, servant; Ann Eliza Nye, 50, widow; all b. VA; all parents b. VA.
  4. [S635] John D. Hall household, 1870 U.S. cens, Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Glade Spring Township, p. 69b (stamped), dwelling 226, family 233, viewed online at Ancestry.com, June 2003, image 138 of 426. Data includes: John D. Hall, 36, farmer, owns real estate valued at $17,300, personal property at $2,000, born New Jersey; E. M., (f), 30, keeping house; William B., 9; John Byars, 60, farmer; Jane B. 45; C. Boyd, black, cook; all others b. VA.
  5. [S234] John Byars household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Western District, p. 461 (added script), dwelling 701, family 679, viewed online at Ancestry.com, June 2003, image 99 of 361. Reported data includes: John Byars, 48, b. VA, farmer, owns personal property valued at $10,600; Jane, 41, b. VA; John D. Hall 25, farmer, b. N. J.; Elizabeth Hall 22, b. VA.
  6. [S1209] Virginia Division of Historic Landmarks, Washington County Survey forms, copies held by the Historical Society of Washington County, Abingdon, Virginia. Vol 6: # 95-205 (Cave Springs), dated 8/9/1992, completed by Vivian Coletti.
  7. [S1593] "Home Near Glade Spring Recalls Past", The Roanoke Times, Sunday, Dec. 7, 1958, page B-10. The author visited Cave Spring and interviewed Miss Mary Byars, stated to be the great-granddaughter of Col. William Byars [actually his great grandniece], for this article. Miss Byars owned the home and lived in it at the time the interview was conducted.
  8. [S574] Elizabeth Hall household, 1900 U.S. cens., Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 108, sheet 20A (p. 80 stamped), dwelling 357, family 364, viewed online at Genealogy.com, April 2003, image 39 of 70. Elizabeth Hall, 61, b. Nov. 1838, widowed, mother of one child who is living; William, 38, son, b. Feb. 1862, farm laborer; Vene Ryan, boarder, 52, b. Aug. 1847, widow, mother of 3 children, none living; Bertha Carmack, servant (?), 23, Jan 1877; Mark Cato, servant, 19, b. Feb. 1881, houseboy; Mack Byars, nephew, 32, sgl, Feb. 1868, farm laborer; all b. VA; all parents b. VA.
  9. [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.
  10. [S1376] Bible images courtesy of Carolyn Ryburn.
  11. [S648] Memorial - William Byars Hall, undated & unidentified newspaper clipping.